Pacheco Will Not Give Up His Immunity in the Face of Accusations Against Him
President Abel Pacheco, following accusations of irregularities for accepting and not reporting gifts, including the use of free tickets provided by TACA airlines, said yesterday he won't give up his immunity in the investigation, but will answer a call by the Ministerio Público and/or the Asamblea Legislative.

The President is involved in accusations of wrongdoing when it was discovered that Spanish businessman Bernardo Martín was appointed Honourary Consul for Costa Rica in Sevilla, Spain, is also a partner in a development project in Papagayo (Guanacaste) that is being headed by former Tourism Minister, Rubén Pacheco, that requires a government concession to develop the property.

Bernardo Martín is also responsible for the free publication of President Pacheco's book which was unveiled in December 2004, in Sevilla, when he was accompanied by his former minister and Chief Protocol officer, Jorge Arce, who resigned on Monday after it was discovered that he also acted as legal counsel for Bernardo Martín.

The storm that is surrounding the President is growing every day, slowing to become a hurricane, as the Fiscalía decided to open an investigation into accusations.

Pacheco said he won't give up his immunity "because it would be foolish of him, but God will help. That is what my enemies want, because if for the sake of transparency, I give it up, at the same moment, they will make 60 charges, 60 trials or maybe 200, and I will spend my life defending the accusations and not governing."

Pacheco added that it has been difficult concentrating on governing this past week amid all the accusations and mudslinging and that if he gave up his immunity he would be spending most of his time from court to court, but it doesn't mean he won't answer to calls made against him, he will not hide his face and make himself available to the judicial system and Costaricans.

"I am not hiding from the Fiscalía (prosecutor's office) and the moment the fiscal general, Francisco Dall’Anesse, calls me I will go to him and give him a full accounting of my actions, with all my conscience and clarity. I may have mistakes, but that I acted in bad faith, not in a moment" added Pacheco.

To clear matters up, Pacheco said that he paid out of his own pocket the trip to Spain and 3 day vacation to the Cayman Islands on the return leg of the trip last December. He also assured that he has returned the lifetime membership he received in Capa Cana in the Dominican Republic and that he will never be back there.

He said he paid for the costs incurred on that part of the trip and will also pay for the free tickers given to the government by TACA airlines for the San José - Miami - San José leg of the trip to Spain.

Pacheco said that the "tarjeta azul" is given to all the presidents of the Central American nations by the airline which saves the government money for presidential travel. "Here there is a persecution against the President of the Repubic. It hasn't occurred to anyone to ask the other Central American presidents to give back their blue cards, given as a courtesy by TACA. These attacks against the presidents are not good for the country" said Pacheco.

Since Monday, Jorge Arce, Pacheco's chief protocol officer has resigned and former minister Rubén Pacheco has been removed from the President's counsel on economic matters and Bernardo Martin resigned his post as Honourary Consul for Costa Rica in Sevilla.