Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, September 1,  2003

Japan Makes
Donation for Planetarium
The Japanese government Saturday donated $427,000 for the construction of a planetarium on the grounds of the University of Costa Rica in San Pedro, according to a Foreign Ministry press release.
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Bruce Willis Visiting Costa Rica
U.S. movie star Bruce Willis, star of the Die Hard trilogy and partial owner of the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain, is reportedly vacationing incognito in the Central Pacific beach town of Manuel Antonio with his girlfriend actress Brooke Burns, who is starring in a Joel Silverman movie being filmed here called "Death to Supermodels."
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September 1

Stainglass Exhibit
Display called "Luz Creativa," mixes light, color and creativity at Deposito Barrio Luján, Ca. 15, Av. 14/16. Info: 221-1344.

Open House and General Meeting
Mon., Sept. 1, 7 p.m., Blanche Brown Theatre, Bello Horizonte, Escazú. Info: 282-3861.

International PhotoSeptember Festival
Opens today with the following exhibits: Quimera, by students and teachers of Colegio Universitario de Alajuela (CUNA), at the Supreme Election Tribunal, Ca. 15, Av. 1/Ctrl. Light Cookers, by Ana de Vicente, José Pablo Cortés, Federico Herrero, Marco Kelso, at Café Loft, Av. 11, Ca. 3. Info: 221-2302.

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Fugitives Donated to Pacheco's Campaign

Jose Trinidad Sosa Sosa Chin Won Li Su Cc/ Pablo Li Su Anita Vemon Fung

Three fugitives sought in what is being called one of the largest cases of fiscal fraud in Costa Rica's history donated more than $67,000 to secret accounts controlled by the campaign of President Abel Pacheco, according to the congressional commission investigating campaign finance irregularities.

The fugitives, Taiwanese nationals Chi Kwon Li Su and his wife Anita Vemon Fung and Salvadoran José Trinidad Sosa, are accused of committing $12.5 million in tax fraud in Costa Rica between 2000 and 2002. All three were naturalized Costa Ricans.

Police and prosecutors raided the suspects' homes and offices Friday, but all three managed to flee to the country hours earlier on private flights.

Congressional commission member Humberto Arce of the Patriotic Parliamentary Bloc said the fact the three fugitives had donated campaign funds is proof that some of the donations handled by Pacheco's parallel campaign structure came from "indecent" and "illegal" sources.

Arce also claimed he had information revealing Pacheco attended a private dinner in the home of one of the suspects the night one of the donations was made.

The commission has discovered at least six secret accounts controlled by the Pacheco campaign. The accounts are thought to have handled millions of dollars worth of donations from sources that are still under investigation.

The commission has also discovered numerous foreign donations, which are illegal under Costa Rica's Electoral Code.

Pacheco, meanwhile, insists he did not have knowledge of the parallel finance structure set up by his campaign team. He insists that he has nothing to hide, and last Thursday authorized the opening of three personal bank accounts held in his name in the Banco Popular, Banco de Costa Rica and Bank of America.

Pacheco noted that it was the first time in history that a President has opened his personal bank accounts to a congressional commission, and asked that the investigation of donation irregularities be extended to the other 13 candidates who participated in the presidential campaign.

-AFP

Bruce Willis AFP/TT