President Blamed For Country's Failures
"The President of Costa Rica is no longer in charge", the headling in this morning's La Prensa Libre reads as it details the failure of president Abel Pacheco de la Espriella in his last days in office.

"The president of the Republic is about to finish his term of fours years characterized, according to the experts, with little social and economic growth, primarily for having the Reforma Fiscal (tax reform bill) passed, a project that would have stimulated the administration and brought in fresh resources to deal with the problems facing the country today, especially poverty", wrote reported Lisbeth Barboza González.

The article continue to detail president Pacheco's failures, like the poverty rate staying level at between 21% and 22%, dipping slightly, to 18.5% in 2203, while extreme poverty maintained at 5%.

The reported blames the president and his administration for practically standing still while inflation rose from 9.68% per year in 2002, when Pacheco took office, to last year at 14.07%, which is the second highest inflation rate in Latin America.

In an interview with the Prensa Libre, the Abel Pacheco told of how he never expected to be president and believes that the popularity of his television program prior to running for president was the reason.

Pacheco said that being president had a negative effect on his family life. "Since becoming president I rarely see my grandchildren. The other day I had lunch at Casa Presidencial, of which I paid for and have the receipt, so that I could see my grandchildren", said Pacheco.

"I have ten grandchildren, I love them, but I do not see them often. My mother I speak to on the phone every day, and my wife, though I see her every day, I get home tired and we don't have a chance to talk. The days of going to movies and the malls were over when I took office" said the president.

Pacheco said that he is happy to be leaving office to spend time to writing, reading and enjoying his family, however, will always be available if his country calls on him to help out.

Though the president did not admit to any failures on the part of his administration, his closing words are that Costa Rica is a great country and though there are still many problems to resolve, many were during his presidency.

Asked what are his words to the most humble of Costa Ricans, the president responded by saying "We Costa Ricans are an exceptional people, that we should look around us and think of where would we would prefer, because here (in Costa Rica) from the most humble and the most poor, thanks to God, we have medical services, free education, hope to be purchase home with the governments assistance and many other things that only in Costa Rica are possible."