New "Regulador" Appointed
Following a short and easy discussion, Legislative Deputies chose Fernando Herrero as the new chief of the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep) by a vote of 30 in favour and 21 against.

The new "regulador" has the support of the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) - the governing party - as well as from the Movimiento Libertario (ML), the Unión Nacional and Restauración Nacional parties. The opposition came from the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC), the Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC), Frente Amplio and the Accesibilidad Sin Exclusión (PASE)

The Aresep is the governmental body that regulates the prices of public services like taxi and bus fares and the price of gasoline.

Currently there are a number of price increases waiting the new regulador, including an increase of more than ¢20 colones for a litre of gasoline. The requests for a variance in public prices and services have been on hold for the last month, waiting on the legislature to appoint a new regulador following the traditional change after a change in government.

Herrero is currently in Nicaragua and the news of his appointment came to him by telephone, who reiterated his position of strengthening the quality of services for a better life for all citizens. "I hope that during my term I can centre on the quality of life for users and maintain economic competition", said Herrero.

Herrero added that the Aresep will take a more "participating" role than in the past, getting closer to the users as well as the providers of public services.