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Former President Calderón Appeal Preventive
Detention Extension
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Bus Fares and Gasoline Go Up
Former President Calderón Appeal Preventive
Detention Extension
The lawyer for former president Rafael
Angel Calderón says that since 90% of the evidence in the case against
his client is already in the hands of the Fiscales (prosecutors) there
is no reason to keep the former president in preventive detention.
A court ruled last week to extend Calderón's detention, held in La
Reforma prison, for an additional three months. Calderón has been in La
Reforma since last October.
The former president made an appeal to the extension and a decision is
expected sometime on Thursday or Friday, according to Calderón's lawyer
Castellón.
Notwithstanding that Thursday and Friday are a holiday, the appeal made
was accepted by the court on Tuesday and the judges are compelled to
reply within 48 hours of the application.
Castellón called absurd the arguments used by the Fiscalía (state
prosecutor), mainly that the former president is a flight risk and that
he may impede their investigation and tamper with evidence.
Castellón said in a statement that "the Fiscalía's arguments are like
resuscitating the hatredness of a civil war - Calderón was born in
Nicargua of Costa Rican parents and is married to Mexican woman, which
gives him the right to obtain Mexican nationality if he chooses. He has
been married to his wife for 30 years, which makes no sense at this
time".
Calderón's wife, Gloria, on public television made an appeal for her
husband's health condition, asking publicly who will answer for her
husband's failing health and how could he possibly leave the country
without anyone knowing, given his immense popularity and recognition.
Calderón is accused of taking a commission from the Fischel-Caja deal,
where more than us$9 million dollars in commissions were paid out on the
us$39 million dollar from the government of Finland to the Caja
Costarricense de Seguro Social.
Walter Reicher Fischel, president of the Corporación Fischel, the larger
pharmacy chain in Costa Rica, gave testimony involving former president
Calderón, saying it was Calderón that decided who gets paid and how
much. Reiche was in preventive detention then released following a deal
he reportedly made with the Fiscalía. Several others are accused in the
scandal.
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