FISCHEL-CAJA:
Multiple Raids on Fischel by Fiscaliá and OIJ
In an action that began about 9am, yesterday, the OIJ, prosecutors from the Ministerio Público and auditors from the Ministerio de Hacienda, raided the central offices of the Corporación Fischel and three warehouses owned by the Corporación Cormar, in Barreal de Heredia.

The raids were a continuing part of the raids held on Monday at the house of former Fischel manager, Marvin Barrantes, in Moravia and the offices of Multiservicios Electromédicos in La Uruca.

The objective of the raids is to confiscate documents relating to the Finnish credit of $39.5 Million Dollars that was for the la Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), of which some $8 Million Dollars was paid to the Corporación Fischel as a commission.

The money, according to the Fiscalia (prosecutor's office) was then distributed to public functionaries and politicians as a form of payoff to approve the credit.

Eliso Vargas, former president of the CCSS and Walter Reiche Fischel, president of the Corporación Fischel, are both in jail waiting a judge's order for preventive detention against them, as well as Corporación Fischel lawyer, Randall Vargas.

Eliseo Vargas and Walter Reiche appeared before a judge yesterday to appeal the detention order. The judge's decision should come in a several days.

Former Costa Rican president Rafael Angel Calderón is being implicated in the scandal, for having received a $440.500 dollars from Fischel through Panama. Along with Calderón, his law firm partner, Gerardo Bolaños is currently under house arrest for having received a $90.000 dollars payment and a cousing of Calderón is alos being implicated for receving $80.000 dollars.

News came yesterday that Calderón paid into court the sum of $520.500, the sum equal to the monies received by the Sultana company in Panama, that is controlled by Calderón, paid by Harcourt Holdings, also of Panama, controlled by Reiche.

The money represents the $440.500 Dollars received by Calderón and the $80.000 Dollars paid to Alfonso Guardia on behalf of Calderón, who is Calderón's first cousin.

The payment, according to Calderóon is not restitution or as an admission of guilt, rather that the money is being deposited with the authorities in the event the fiscal (prosecutor) and a competent court declares that the money belongs to others - person or corporation.

Yesterday's police action closed off the corner in front of the Club Union, on Avenida 3 and Calle 2  Rica that houses the main offices of the Corporación Fischel. More than 30 officers of the Unidad Policial de Intervencion (UIP) were stationed outside the offices and main Fischel pharmacy, allowing agents inside to complete their duties.

Emilio Bruce, president of the Corporación Fischel board of directors, appeared mid morning to explain to reporters waiting outside what was happening inside and at the end of the day, about 6:15pm, he came out of the building saying that agents were acting in a professional and competent manner.

He told reporters that the agents could not complete their work and would return today (Wednesday). The building was sectioned off and guards were posted.

Bruce made his way into the Club Union building where a car was waiting, while a crowd had gathered outside, chanting "San Sebas", "Carcel" and "Ladrones" among others.

"San Sebas" refers to the San Sebastian jail where Corporación Fischel president, Walter Reiche Fischel and lawyer Randall Vargas are being held.

Bruce was unmoved by the crowd and chants, taking the opportunity to 'shine' for news cameras and photographers.

While the agents were busy at the Fischel officers, other agents were sifting through the storage warehouses of  the Corporación Cormar, where it is beleived Fischel stored it's documents.

Authorities were clear to point out that the Corporación Cormar was not the object of the raid, just the documents pertaining to Fishel. Judge David Hernández and Fiscal Carlos Meléndez ordered some 3.000 boxes which are believed to contain documents relating to the Fischel-Caja case.