Detention of Former Conavi Director Linked to Corruption Investigation
Cristhian Arroyo Gamboa, the former director of Costa Rica's National Roadway Council, was arrested amid a corruption probe involving local government officials.
Cristhian Arroyo Gamboa, the former director of the National Roadway Council (Conavi), was apprehended on Wednesday morning outside his residence in Ciudad Colón. His arrest is part of an ongoing investigation focusing on corruption allegations surrounding Ricardo Jiménez, the mayor of the Municipality of Mora, and his deputy, Cabal Lombodorzh, regarding irregularities in bidding processes.
The investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General centers on claims that Jiménez and Lombodorzh unlawfully awarded contracts to specific companies, allegedly to benefit them financially.
Reportedly, in some cases, payments were completed for projects that remained unfinished.
The Attorney General's office confirmed that Arroyo Gamboa is investigated in relation to the case number 24-000152-1218-PE, looking into possible offenses including irregular contract payments, embezzlement, and breach of duty, all to the detriment of the Municipality of Mora.
Prior to his role at Conavi, which he held until February 14, 2025, when he resigned at the request of the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Efraím Zeledón, Arroyo served as the director of the Technical Unit of Road Management in the Municipality of Mora from 2021 to 2022. The allegations suggest that during his tenure in the municipal role, he allegedly drafted a bidding document intended to favor a particular enterprise and oversaw inflated payments impacting the municipality's budget.
In related news, an uptick in violence has been reported throughout Costa Rica, with domestic violence cases more than doubling from 2021 to 2024. Official statistics indicate that the country recorded 9,406 instances of domestic violence in 2021, which increased to 23,046 by 2024, marking a 145% rise.
Data for early 2025 shows 2,659 reported cases, demonstrating a continuing trend.
Experts attribute this surge to a broader social crisis exacerbated by factors such as poverty, unemployment, and organized crime.
Women and vulnerable groups are particularly affected by this rising tide of violence.
Official figures from the Judiciary’s Gender Observatory reveal a concerning increase in femicides as well, from 27 in 2022 to 31 in 2023.
In response to these escalating issues, hundreds of women rallied in San José for International Women’s Day, demanding equality, justice, and immediate action to address rising gender-based violence.
Protesters highlighted systemic inequalities and criticized government shortcomings in effectively tackling these urgent social issues.
In the tourism sector, the Minister of Tourism, William Rodríguez, attributed a notable decline in tourist arrivals to decreased airline seat availability.
He indicated that between September and October 2024, many airlines, particularly from the United States and Europe, reduced their seating capacity to Costa Rica, impacting overall tourism numbers.
This drop was reported alongside a general decline from key markets, including a 22.4% decrease in arrivals from the U.S. and significant reductions from various European nations.
Rodríguez confirmed that the government is pursuing strategies to address the issue and recover lost seating capacity, although specific measures were not disclosed.
The investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General centers on claims that Jiménez and Lombodorzh unlawfully awarded contracts to specific companies, allegedly to benefit them financially.
Reportedly, in some cases, payments were completed for projects that remained unfinished.
The Attorney General's office confirmed that Arroyo Gamboa is investigated in relation to the case number 24-000152-1218-PE, looking into possible offenses including irregular contract payments, embezzlement, and breach of duty, all to the detriment of the Municipality of Mora.
Prior to his role at Conavi, which he held until February 14, 2025, when he resigned at the request of the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Efraím Zeledón, Arroyo served as the director of the Technical Unit of Road Management in the Municipality of Mora from 2021 to 2022. The allegations suggest that during his tenure in the municipal role, he allegedly drafted a bidding document intended to favor a particular enterprise and oversaw inflated payments impacting the municipality's budget.
In related news, an uptick in violence has been reported throughout Costa Rica, with domestic violence cases more than doubling from 2021 to 2024. Official statistics indicate that the country recorded 9,406 instances of domestic violence in 2021, which increased to 23,046 by 2024, marking a 145% rise.
Data for early 2025 shows 2,659 reported cases, demonstrating a continuing trend.
Experts attribute this surge to a broader social crisis exacerbated by factors such as poverty, unemployment, and organized crime.
Women and vulnerable groups are particularly affected by this rising tide of violence.
Official figures from the Judiciary’s Gender Observatory reveal a concerning increase in femicides as well, from 27 in 2022 to 31 in 2023.
In response to these escalating issues, hundreds of women rallied in San José for International Women’s Day, demanding equality, justice, and immediate action to address rising gender-based violence.
Protesters highlighted systemic inequalities and criticized government shortcomings in effectively tackling these urgent social issues.
In the tourism sector, the Minister of Tourism, William Rodríguez, attributed a notable decline in tourist arrivals to decreased airline seat availability.
He indicated that between September and October 2024, many airlines, particularly from the United States and Europe, reduced their seating capacity to Costa Rica, impacting overall tourism numbers.
This drop was reported alongside a general decline from key markets, including a 22.4% decrease in arrivals from the U.S. and significant reductions from various European nations.
Rodríguez confirmed that the government is pursuing strategies to address the issue and recover lost seating capacity, although specific measures were not disclosed.
