President Arias Plays Santa Claus
Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, announced Wednesday that he will forsake his "total" salary as president while in office and donate it to charity.

Arias confirmed on Tuesday that he was already donating a portion of his salary, the "dedicación exclusiva" to the poor, doing so since he took office in May.

However, Wednesday's announcement is that he will donate his total monthly salary of ¢4.440.000 colones (us$8.543 dollars) to various social interest groups, mainly to help out need children.

"The truth is that I will not live neither less or better with my salary, thus I have been donating a portion of my monthly salary since May, and beginning in January, I will donate my entire monthly salary", said the president.

No other president since 1949 - the yearof the second Republic of Costa Rica - has donated his salary, making Arias the first to do so, according to historian Vladimir de la Cruz.

"No other president has renounced his salary, a position that is full time and requires exclusive dedication of time and that is why is receives a salary from the public purse", said De la Cruz.

In addition to his current salary, Arias is also eligible to receive a sum of ¢1.7  million colones (us$3.300 dollars) pension for his first term in office (1986-1990).

Arias said he is donating his pension as well, bringing the total monthly donation to  ¢6.140.000 (us$11.900 dollars).

The Arias decision is being applauded by other political parties, especially the members of the Partido Accion Cuidadana (PAC).