President Oscar Arias yesterday appointed University of Costa Rica (UCR) professor Roberto Gallardo as his new planning minister, according to a statement from Casa Presidencial.

Gallardo replaces Kevin Casas, the former Planning Minister and Vice-President who last month stepped down after a scandalous memo he co-authored suggesting that the government use intimidation tactics in its campaign for the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) (TT, Sept. 28).

Gallardo will be sworn into his new post Oct. 17 at the President's weekly Cabinet meeting.

“I wanted to announce to all Costa Ricans that I feel very honored that an intellectual such as Roberto Gallardo has accepted the job of future planning minister,” Arias said, remarking on Gallardo's merit as a political mind at UCR.

Gallardo will pick up some of the projects Casas was working on, including Digital Government, a plan to upgrade technology in government offices, and the National Development Plan.

-Tico Times