Allegations Against Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Involving Improper Financial Benefits
The Costa Rican Attorney General's Office details accusations against President Chaves, claiming misuse of public office to benefit a former advisor.
The Costa Rican Attorney General's Office has filed charges against President Rodrigo Chaves Robles, alleging he improperly benefited his former image advisor, Federico ‘Choreco’ Cruz Saravanja.
According to documents from the prosecution, $32,000 used for the rental of a property by Cruz Saravanja originated from the bank account of Christian Bulgarelli, a producer with the audiovisual company RMC La Productora S.A., also known as Nocaut.
This transaction occurred on February 24, 2023, four days after a deposit of $149,765 was made into Bulgarelli’s account by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE), linked to a controversial contract worth $405,800 for communication services to the Presidential House during Chaves's first year in office.
The funds were subsequently transferred to an account held by a woman named Fernández Vílchez, the owner of the rented property located in the Barlovento condominium in Concepción, La Unión de Cartago.
This payment took place shortly after the rental agreement with Cruz Saravanja was signed.
Chorco initially sought to conceal the financial arrangement by attempting to have the rental contract signed in Bulgarelli’s name, which the producer declined, as per his testimony to the authorities.
The prosecution asserts that Chaves Robles coerced Bulgarelli into providing this financial benefit to Cruz Saravanja under threat of losing the contract awarded to his company.
The accusation describes how Chaves allegedly abused his presidential position to induce a property benefit for Cruz in exchange for securing the consulting services contract with the BCIE.
Supporting evidence includes bank statements illustrating the flow of money, testimonies from the landlord, her husband, the notary who formalized the rental agreement, and Bulgarelli himself, who confirmed the coercion and the purpose of the payment.
Following his cooperation, the Attorney General granted him an opportunity to avoid prosecution.
Additional evidence provided by the prosecution includes audio recordings from the Presidential Office, in which Chaves is purportedly heard making requests for the contract, referring to 'pet requests' or 'little favors'.
Furthermore, emails from the landlord detailing the lease agreement were forwarded by Cruz Saravanja to Bulgarelli.
In this case, alongside Chaves, Minister of Culture Jorge Rodríguez Vives has also been charged.
At the time of the contract's awarding, he served as the head of the presidential office.
Both individuals face charges of concusión, a crime punishable by up to eight years in prison.
The Attorney General's Office described the alleged conspiracy, emphasizing that Chaves, by leveraging his highest public office, along with Rodríguez and Cruz Saravanja, orchestrated a plan to improperly secure economic benefits for Cruz derived from the BCIE contract, citing prior collaboration during the electoral campaign that led to Chaves's election.
According to documents from the prosecution, $32,000 used for the rental of a property by Cruz Saravanja originated from the bank account of Christian Bulgarelli, a producer with the audiovisual company RMC La Productora S.A., also known as Nocaut.
This transaction occurred on February 24, 2023, four days after a deposit of $149,765 was made into Bulgarelli’s account by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE), linked to a controversial contract worth $405,800 for communication services to the Presidential House during Chaves's first year in office.
The funds were subsequently transferred to an account held by a woman named Fernández Vílchez, the owner of the rented property located in the Barlovento condominium in Concepción, La Unión de Cartago.
This payment took place shortly after the rental agreement with Cruz Saravanja was signed.
Chorco initially sought to conceal the financial arrangement by attempting to have the rental contract signed in Bulgarelli’s name, which the producer declined, as per his testimony to the authorities.
The prosecution asserts that Chaves Robles coerced Bulgarelli into providing this financial benefit to Cruz Saravanja under threat of losing the contract awarded to his company.
The accusation describes how Chaves allegedly abused his presidential position to induce a property benefit for Cruz in exchange for securing the consulting services contract with the BCIE.
Supporting evidence includes bank statements illustrating the flow of money, testimonies from the landlord, her husband, the notary who formalized the rental agreement, and Bulgarelli himself, who confirmed the coercion and the purpose of the payment.
Following his cooperation, the Attorney General granted him an opportunity to avoid prosecution.
Additional evidence provided by the prosecution includes audio recordings from the Presidential Office, in which Chaves is purportedly heard making requests for the contract, referring to 'pet requests' or 'little favors'.
Furthermore, emails from the landlord detailing the lease agreement were forwarded by Cruz Saravanja to Bulgarelli.
In this case, alongside Chaves, Minister of Culture Jorge Rodríguez Vives has also been charged.
At the time of the contract's awarding, he served as the head of the presidential office.
Both individuals face charges of concusión, a crime punishable by up to eight years in prison.
The Attorney General's Office described the alleged conspiracy, emphasizing that Chaves, by leveraging his highest public office, along with Rodríguez and Cruz Saravanja, orchestrated a plan to improperly secure economic benefits for Cruz derived from the BCIE contract, citing prior collaboration during the electoral campaign that led to Chaves's election.