Cuaderno Latinoamericano
I love Costa Rica so much it hurts to say this – but Tico politics just aren’t what they used (or thought) to be. While Costa Rica still soars above all its Central American neighbors in terms of everything good and remains the envy of the whole isthmus, it no longer enjoys an unblemished and squeaky clean political record.
In the second half of 2004, allegations of bribery rocked the San Jose capital. Minus all the smaller people (of which some are not so little), the degree of the corruption rippled all the way to the office of at least two former Presidents – newly elect Secretary General of the OAS Miguel Angel Rodriguez (1998-2002) and Rafael Angel Calderon (1990-1994). Claims even reach to a daughter of current President Abel Pacheco.
For improprieties dealing with the Taiwanese government and French Alltell, and the Finnish government respectively, the two former Presidents have mired their country’s reputation and now find themselves in incarceration awaiting trial. However, give credit to the Ticos for holding their leaders to a high standard. I find it laughable that our own “model” justice system fails to notice or lacks the integrity to go after Rodriguez’s and Calderon’s American counterparts – Bush and Dick.
No, I am not talking about oil. Yes, I am talking about the Carlyle Group’s profiteering off the blood and sweat of our troops. Yes, I am also aware that Costa Rica is a partner in the so-called Coalition of the Willing but since they have no standing army they also have no one to send and hence no one to die or get maimed. Maybe one day we’ll get an Attorney General as courageous and righteous as that in Costa Rica before Cheney’s bad heart catches up with him. Hope you had a Happy Inauguration Day.
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Go get 'em, Michael! One of the things about your post that resonates with me particularly is your hint that we in the U.S. can look to Latin America for some very instructive lessons on how to do certain things.
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