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COSTA RICA |
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Legislator
in Hot Water For Private Use of Government
Airplane
Mauren Ballestero, legislator and
vice-president of the Asamblea Legislativa
(Legislative Assembly), could lose her
legislative seat and face sanctions for her
private use of a Fuerza Pública airplane
last Sunday.
The legislator, from Mexico, explained that
she needed to travel to Guanacaste on Sunday
to pick her passport that she had left
behind and decided to take time out to visit
the local Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN)
centre.
The action has also triggered an
investigation by the Tribunal Supremo de
Elecciones (TSE) and strong criticism by
Costa Rica's president, Oscar Arias.
Ballestero has apologized for indiscretion
and has asked the Contraloría General de la
Republica (Comptroller's office) to give her
an accounting of the costs involved so that
she can personally reimburse the government.
However, that is not enough. TSE president
Luis Antonio Sobrado did not discard
sanctions against the legislator, and the
Fiscalía General de la República is
investigating for "peculado" graft and
possible legal sanctions.
Ballesterio explained that Saturday night,
the day before her flight to the US at 11am
Sunday, she realized that she had left her
passport behind in Guanacaste, calling on
Older Madrigal, viceministro de Seguridad
Pública, asking for the use of a private
plane.
The legislator said that, once in
Guanacaste, took advantage of to visit the
Asamblea Cantonal de Liberación Nacional en
Liberia - the local political party office -
who was meeting to elect municipal
candidates for the February 2010 elections.
According to the Seguridad Pública the trip
cost the government ¢152.000 colones or
us$260 dollars. However, the Escuela
Costarricense de Aviación puts the cost at
double that, at us$550 dollars.
Ballesterio has said she will co-operate
fully with all the investigations.
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