Back

Caribbean & Central America - June 2013 (ISSN 1741-4458)

COSTA RICA: Chinchilla plagued by scandals

The possibility that the 1 May recovery of the congressional presidency by President Laura Chinchilla’s Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) [RC-13-05] could signal a change in fortune for the beleaguered President has proved short-lived. Since the PLN’s victory, Chinchilla has faced her worst scandal since taking office in May 2010 over the lease of a private jet linked to a businessman suspected of having drug trafficking links. The scandal has forced out three key collaborators. In addition Costa Rica attracted further negative attention after the US shut down a locally-based company accused of running what is believed to be one of the biggest money laundering operations ever; while the murder of a local environmental activist by suspected drug traffickers has once again subjected the government’s security policy to question. The series of scandals come at a critical time for Chinchilla and the PLN, ahead of the February 2014 general elections.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 1355 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

Back

Articles in this issue