Deputy Asks for Hacienda Minister Resignation Over "Cover Up"
Gloria Valerín, a legislative deputy for the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC) has asked president Abel Pacheco to fire Hacienda Minister, Federico Carrillo, and is asking the Fiscalía (prosecutor's office) to begin an investigation in the apparent "cover up" by Carrillo of a young man who is accused of rape and happens to also be member of his family.

In addition, Valerín will be asking the Comisión de la Mujer to investigate the case as well.

Valerín is accusing Carrillo of intervening in the case where a young lady was raped outside of a bar in Santa Ana (west of San José) last December 12 by a group of youths well known in the area and accustomed to getting bailed out of trouble by their influent families.

The young lady that was raped was 20 years old and told police that four young men held her pinned to the back seat of their car. The young men did not realize that there were two witnesses outside at the time that promptly called police.

A letter to Valerín by the father of the young girl asked for help in the case, where many strange things have happened. The letter accuses Carrillo of trying to use his influence to help one of the young men, who is his cousin and works at Hacienda.

"These are young men who are used to commit all types of crimes and never see jail because of their families influence on the system", adds the girl's father in his letter.

Forensic evidence points the finger tothe young men accused of the crime, but the young girl's father adds that the men who raped are still free. And that the Minister of Hacienda has talked bad about the girl in the press in defending his cousin, without even knowing her.

Deputy Valerín read the letter to the Legislative Assembly as part of her charges against the Minister and adds that the prosecutor handling the case had requested that the accusers not bother the victim, however, when the young girl was ready to give her testimony to the prosecutor, a former judge who is acting as defense attorney insults the girl's mother. And adds that even though the assailants are not permitted to be in the presence of the girl when she is giving her testimony, one of them is present to frighten the girl and with the approval of the prosecutor.

For his part, Minister Carrillo has refused to speak on the matter and is not making himself available to the press.