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Caribbean & Central America - 19 October 2004
COSTA RICA: PUSC in disgrace
Costa Rica has long projected an image of transparency in its financial and political institutions, even if the reality did not always match. A series of high-profile corruption scandals, involving three presidents, past and present but all from the same Partido Unidad Social Cristiano (PUSC), has shattered this image. According to a recent survey conducted by Demoscopia and published by the daily Al Día, if an election were held tomorrow 64.2% of the population have become so disillusioned with the political class they would not vote for anyone. On 12 October the rectors of the four state universities in San José organised a rally to protest against corruption. Thousands turned out for a largely peaceful demonstration that only threatened to turn ugly when President Abel Pacheco attempted to join in.
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