American Expatriate Costa Rica

Finally! Corrupt legislators will lose credentials

On Tuesday, the Legislative Assembly unanimously approved in its fifth and final reading the constitutional reform that will punish legislators who fail the duty of probity with the loss of their credentials.

The initiative, which was promoted by former legislator Ottón Solís from the Citizen Action Party (PAC), had to reading in the first legislature and three in the second.

With the last approval of the project, Article 112 of the Political Constitution will be reformed, to which this paragraph will be added:

The lawmakers will fulfill the duty of probity. The violation of that duty will result in the loss of their credential, in the cases and in accordance with the procedures established by a law that will be approved by two thirds of the total members of the Legislative Assembly.”

Now a law will be required to regulate the procedure to remove the credentials from corrupt.

The previous Legislative Assembly could not sanction former congressmen Otto Guevara, from the Libertarian Movement (ML), Johnny Leiva, from the Christian Social Unity Party (PUSC), and the independent Víctor Morales Zapata, despite the fact that the Public Ethics Office (PEP) concluded in confidential reports that they breached the duty of probity when making efforts in favor of the Chinese cement importer, Juan Carlos Bolaños.

crhoy.com