President Pacheco in More Hot Water
President Abel Pacheco continues to be on the heat seat following several admitted irregularities over the receipt of a lifetime membership to a luxury club in the Dominican Republic and free airline tickets by the TACA Group airline.

Now, there is a question on how, Bernardo Martín Moreno, the president of the Immobiliaria Somersen, a real estate company in Sevilla, Spain, came to be Costa Rica's honorary consul in Sevilla. Moreno is also the president of the Martín Robles foundation that dedicates time and money to art and culture.

In April of 2004, the President, accompanied by his wife and chief protocol officer at Casa Presidencial, Jorge Arce, and former Tourism Minister, Rubén Pacheco, travelled to Sevilla for a private vacation where they met with the businessman.

In July of 2004, Bernardo Martín Moreno founds in Costa Rica the corporation Somersen Costa Rica SA, of which he is president and Fernando Pablo Méndez, another foreigner is vice-president.

In less than a month, Bernando sends a letter to director of the Golfo de Papagayo (Guanacaste) expressing his intention for the Somersen company to participate as a partner in the Enjoy Hotels and Resorts, who is represented by former minister Rubén Pacheco.

The project, based on the representation by the former Tourism minister, is to build a residential community, hotel and an 18 hole golf course.

And it is at this time that Bernardo Martín Moreno is named as honorary consul in Sevilla, Spain, as it is listed in the Foreign Ministry's website of official consuls. The naming of Bernardo was confirmed by protocol chief, Jorge Arce.

Five months later, in December of 2004, President Pacheco decides to visit Spain again for his holiday vacation to announce the introduction of his new book "Poemas y cuentos" which was published free of charge by the Martín Robles foundation, headed by Bernardo Martín Moreno.

So, now, Bernardo is not only a real estate businessman in Spain, but also in Costa Rica who has expressed an interest for a state owned concession (the Papagayo project is under strict government control) and is also the honorary consul for Costa Rica in Sevilla.

Accompanying the president in the December trip is again protocol chief Arce and former minister Pacheco, who will could soon be Bernardo's partner. And the former minister, notwithstanding that he had resigned his post at Tourism, was still participating in government economic consulting sessions and as an assistant to the president.

The December trip is also when president Pacheco decided to head to the Grand Cayman islands, where he spent Christmas, following his book launching in Spain. And it is this trip that raised the question of the TACA flight that took him from San José to Miami and back that was not paid for by the president, but donated by the airline to the government.

In mid-January of this year, the powerful public workers union, ANEP, sends president Pacheco a strong letter asking for explanations on the financing of his book and the business at Papagayo.

The ANEP letter heavily criticizes the foundation that published the book and the negotiations of Rubén Pacheco and his role in getting a government concession at the Papagayo project.

Notwithstanding the letter, and that the ANEP in October of 2004 had charged that there was influence peddling going on at Papagayo, President Pacheco only defended his book publication, saying that it was the Ateneo de España that promoted the book and arranged for the illustrations and the publications, all at no cost and has said nothing about the rest.

The situation is starting to look bad for the president, because in March of this year, records show that a new company was formed in Costa Rica - Somersen Enjoy SA - with lists Rubén Pacheco as president of the corporation and Bernardo Martín Moreno as chief operating officer.

Making matters even worse is that Jorge Arce, Pacheco's  chief protocol officer, and who accompanied him on both trips to Spain, maintains a professional connection to Bernardo Martín Moreno.

Arce acts as legal counsel for the Spanish businessman.

Though his protocol chief assures that there is no conflict of interest offering his legal services to the president of Somersen and the foundation that published president Pacheco's book.

Arce also insists that he has provided  no services with respect to the Papagayo project and the concession and insists that the professional relationship is new.

Rubén Pacheco defends the role of Bernardo as a good businessman, meanwhile, the President Pacheco continues to duck the issue, refusing to make things clear.

His press secretary, Carolina Murillo, advises that a statement will be made soon by the president on the matter.