Costa Rica News – There are stories that you hear all around Costa Rica about people greasing the palms of police officers. There are the common traffic cop payoffs to get out of a speeding ticket or other moving violation. There are local business owners that have to slide some cash under the table that make the local authorities look the other way. There are the real estate developments that are able to push needed permits through quicker thanks to a little extra cash flowing into the pockets of the those in charge of getting the needed documents processed.
This is normal every day life in Costa Rica and honestly why a lot of us live here. It has always been like this and do not expect any drastic changes soon.
However, when cops are lying around an incident that involved the President of Costa Rica then do not expect much leniency in the ranks.
Some policemen are now suspended from their normal functions, after lying about a shooting that happened at president Luis Guillermo Solis’ house. Six officials lied about the incident on the official report.
Security Minister Celso Gamboa held a press conference and said that the incident happened just a few meters from the president’s house. Three officials were patrolling the area, when one become injured by gunfire.
All of the officers at the site said the shots came from a black motorcycle. It appears that this version is not correct. Even the OIJ rejected the idea, because the shot came from within the police car, according to the evidence.
Gamboa said that a mistake could be tolerated, but lies cannot. It is being believed that there was a firearm mishandled. They have ruled out the idea that this was meant as an attack on the president’s house.
Policemen and women should take a mental note……do not accidentally fire you weapon near the house of the President of Costa Rica.
