Editor’s Note
This article details a significant anti-corruption operation, resulting in the historic arrests of multiple mayors and officials. The case underscores ongoing institutional efforts to combat graft in public contracting.
The arrest of 6 mayors and 5 municipal officials, linked to alleged acts of corruption to favor contracts awarded to the company MECO in the so-called “Diamond Case,” marks a historic event in the municipal system.
The Deputy Prosecutor’s Office for Probity, Transparency and Anti-Corruption and the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) carried out 40 raids, including in 8 municipalities, as part of this police operation.
Rubén Rojas Grillo, Director of the Institute for Municipal Training and Local Development at the National Distance Education University (UNED), described what happened as a historic event that weakens the municipal system.
Rojas explained that citizens see a belief materialized that corruption is filtered into local governments.
Johnny Araya Monge, Mayor of San José: He has a long political career. He was a former presidential candidate for the National Liberation Party (PLN) but his greatest experience is in municipal matters. The 64-year-old politician has been re-elected 5 times to the position as the highest authority of the Municipality of San José. In 2020 was the most recent re-election for 4 years, which will conclude in 2024.
Alfredo Córdoba, Mayor of San Carlos for the National Liberation Party: He is currently in his fifth consecutive term as mayor of San Carlos. In November 2019, he was sentenced by the Tax Criminal Court to pay more than 3 million colones for a controversial appointment of the municipal director. The mayor was suspended for 6 months from holding public office. The sentence was appealed by the mayor’s lawyer.
Mario Redondo, 59, Mayor of Cartago, elected in 2020: He arrived at the Cartago mayor’s office as a candidate for the Christian Democratic Alliance Party. Last January he signed an anti-corruption agreement. He was a deputy twice. The first time for the Social Christian Unity Party and the second for the Christian Democratic Alliance Party. Last June, after the scandal over the so-called “Cochinilla Case,” he admitted that he held a meeting with Abel González, manager of the MECO company, linked to the alleged bribery network with CONAVI officials. At that time he said the meeting was to learn about the Cartago – San José highway concession project.
Humberto Soto Herrera, Mayor of Alajuela: He was arrested as part of the group of mayors in the “Diamond Case.” At 53, he assumed the mayoralty of the central canton of that province last year. He has extensive experience in education, having been for many years the director of the Tuetal Sur School. He has also been a university professor. Political experience? Always in the Alajuela municipality as a councilor since 1994, he has also been Municipal President, always with the National Liberation Party.
Jorge Alberto Cole De León, 67, Mayor of Osa for the National Liberation Party: He has been linked to the party since 1990 as a member of its Cantonal Assembly. He has held the position of mayor in Osa since 2006. He holds a law degree from Castro Carazo University. In 2019, the Public Ministry reported that Cole was being investigated for the alleged crime of embezzlement.
Arnoldo Barahona, 56, Mayor of Escazú, elected by the New Generation Party: He is a business administrator and has a political activity always linked to the Escazú municipality where he has held positions such as substitute councilor, proprietary councilor and municipal vice president. He has held the position of mayor since 2011. Within the investigation file of the Chochinilla Case, complaints are mentioned that point to alleged irregularities in MECO’s contracts with the Escazú municipality.
Karen Porras, Executive Director of the Union of Local Governments (UNGL), indicated that as representatives of local governments they respect the rule of law of Costa Rica, which guarantees due process and the human rights of the people involved in the Diamond Case.