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Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, January 28, 2005

BACK-To-School Shopping: David Corrales checks out a selection of shirts for his school uniform at Importadora Elizabeth in San José, while dozens of families flock downtown to shop in preparation for the start of Costa Rica's public school year Feb. 7.
Tico Times/Marie Arago

Vice-President Resigns,
Says Country “Going Bad”
Costa Rica's Second Vice-President, Luis Fishman, presented his resignation to the Legislative Assembly yesterday, saying that the country is “going bad.”
(Click for more)

U.S. Citizen Arrested
In San José on Fraud Charges
Costa Rican authorities arrested a U.S. citizen wanted by the District Court of South Florida, in the United States, for alleged fraud, according to Fabián Mesa, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security.
(Click for more)

Japan Donates More Than
$160,000 to Flood Victims
Japan answered the call to help the victims of the floods on the Caribbean slope and donated more than $160,000 in equipment, the Japanese Embassy announced yesterday.
(Click for more)

Police Investigate
Death of Canadian
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Canadian citizen Eugene Bedard, 78, whose body was found in an advanced state of decay in his house in the central Pacific port town of Puntarenas last Saturday, said Jesús Vargas, assistant chief of the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) in that city.
(Click for more)

January 28

National Poetry Day
Celebration starts at 4 p.m. at the Centro Cultural José Figueres Ferrer in San Ramón, Alajuela. Info: 447-2178.

Blind Pigs Band in Concert
Tomorrow, 9 p.m. at Chango's Bar and Restaurant, 600 m. south of El Cruce in San Rafael, Escazú. Info: 228-1173.

Access I, II, III Basic Programming Course
Taught by Gary Douglas, Jan. 29, Feb. 6, at the Sueño Azul Hotel. Info: Cristina Loving, (559) 641-7602, in the United States.

Edited By María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net

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Vice-President Resigns,
Says Country “Going Bad”

Costa Rica's Second Vice-President, Luis Fishman, presented his resignation to the Legislative Assembly yesterday, saying that the country is “going bad.”

Fishman's resignation comes after three years of having little to no involvement in the government because of a conflict with President Abel Pacheco that dates back to the 2002 elections.

“He had no office, no functions, no programs,” a Casa Presidencial spokeswoman told The Tico Times yesterday. “But he did have a salary.”

President Abel Pacheco could not be reached for comment because he is in Ecuador following Wednesday's conference of heads of state of Latin American banana producing-countries (TT Daily Page, Jan. 27).

First Vice-President Lineth Saborío, filling in for President Pacheco, told The Tico Times Fishman's resignation is “his own decision.”

Fishman told Channel 7 TV News that during these three years, he has had an office of “social assistance,” but, “not being able to exercise my post as (Second Vice-President), I have failed many people who trusted in me.”

The Vice-President has been marginalized from the Pacheco administration since the 2002 elections, which went to a second run-off vote for the first time in history. Disagreement arose between Fishman and Pacheco right after the first election, when Pacheco accused Fishman of demanding complete control of the campaign (TT, Feb. 8, 2002).

While Fishman said he will now dedicate himself to private activities, he also expressed an interest in returning to the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), from which he distanced himself after the elections.

A two-time legislator and former Minister of Public Security, Fishman added that the country is “going bad” under the leadership of Pacheco, and that the country needs profound changes to overcome its huge problems.

“I have no presidential aspirations, but I will return to PUSC,” he told the press.

–Tico Times and EFE reports

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U.S. Citizen Arrested
In San José on Fraud Charges
María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net

Costa Rican authorities arrested a U.S. citizen wanted by the District Court of South Florida, in the United States, for alleged fraud, according to Fabián Mesa, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security.

Immigration officers arrested the suspect, identified by the last name of Spencer, in the Centro Colón office building in San José.

Spencer, 44, is accused of setting up a nationwide telemarketing scam in the United States between 1997-2002.

“Allegedly, he published ads for jobs that didn't exist in the classifieds,” Mesa told The Tico Times yesterday. “People would call a series of operators who worked for him and pay a fee he asked for as a deposit to get the job. Then they would never get the job and he would keep their money.”

According to the accusations, the alleged scam yielded more than $10 million, Mesa said.

According to Immigration, the suspect came to Costa Rica in December 2002. He remained here four days and returned to the United States, said a statement from the Security Ministry.

Since June 2004, when he arrived back in Costa Rica from Montreal, Canada, Spencer has lived in an apartment in Sabana Sur, a suburb west of San José.

Spencer has been placed in preventive detention while authorities await an extradition order from the U.S. government.

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Japan Donates More Than
$160,000 to Flood Victims
By Robert Goodier
Tico Times Staff
rgoodier@ticotimes.net

Japan answered the call to help the victims of the floods on the Caribbean slope and donated more than $160,000 in equipment, the Japanese Embassy announced yesterday.

“Understanding the difficult situation in which the victims of the floods live, and with the goal of contributing to the humanitarian support activities of the National Emergency Commission and other institutions and organizations, both public and private, the government of Japan has decided to donate the materials most needed in these situations,” the embassy said in a statement.

Today, Japanese Ambassador to Costa Rica, Yoshihiko Sumi, will deliver the equipment to Vice-President and Acting President Lineth Saborío in the Casa Presidencial.

The equipment includes 50 tents, 50 water purifiers, 20 power generators and 20 rolls of extension cord.

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Police Investigate Death of Canadian
By María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Canadian citizen Eugene Bedard, 78, whose body was found in an advanced state of decay in his house in the central Pacific port town of Puntarenas last Saturday, said Jesús Vargas, assistant chief of the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) in that city.

“At 8:30 a.m., José Miguel Hidalgo, Bedard's neighbor, walked past his house and perceived a foul stench and a cloud of flies surrounding the Canadian's home, facts he immediately reported to authorities at the OIJ office,” Vargas said.

Neighbors said Bedard frequently visited a bar approximately 25 meters from his home, where he was last seen Jan. 18, the officer confirmed.

According to a Canadian citizen and friend of the deceased, Bedard first visited Puntarenas 15 years ago and returned every summer, alternating between the port town and Canada, the daily Al Día reported.

Police are investigating evidence found inside Bedard's home to determine whether the case is a homicide or he died of natural causes. The body remains at the morgue where forensic doctors are performing an autopsy, according to Al Día

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