President Pacheco Back to Work Today
President Abel Pacheco is ready to get back to work today after a week where he spent several days at the Calderón Guardia hospital and then ordered to rest by his doctors.

During the week, first Vice President, Lineth Saborío, took the reigns of power in accordance with the country's constitution, as the president was temporarily incapacitated.

Saborío made the Sunday radio address to Costa Ricans in the place of President Pacheco,

High blood pressure, resulting from the stress the President has been under the past few weeks, prompted that he check into hospital last Monday, where doctors immediately placed him under continuous watch and ordered - not requested - that the President rest and take his medication.

A call to Casa Presidential by Pacheco placed Saborío in the presidential chair for the meantime while he heeded doctor's orders.

In the past weeks accusations of irregularities have plagued the President following reports that he received gifts, used airline tickets given to the government for his personal use and a link between Pacheco, the appointment of the Honourary Consul in Sevilla, Spain, Bernardo Martín, and the connection between Martín and Ruben Pacheco, former Tourism Minister and a project in Papagayo, Guanacaste, requiring a government concession to develop the land.

In addition, Martín published President Pacheco's book last December and Casa Presidencial chief protocol officer quit his post after the reports, as he had accompanied the president and former minister Pacheco on both trips to Spain.

The reports led for the Fiscalía (prosecutor's office) to open an investigation into the accusations launched against the President, which will be investigated for violating the Ley de Enriquecimiento Ilícito - anti corruption law - that Pacheco himself signed into law only months before the Spain trip.

In a television and radio address the Thursday before his health problems, the 71 year old president, told Costa Ricans that the attacks are part of a persecution by the media who are angry with him. He told his listening and viewing audience that they know who he is what he is about, accepting responsibility for the use of the free airline tickets, which he said he would pay for, but denied any wrongdoing as he is being accused.