The Costa Rican government did not apologized to Paul Watson, leader of Sea Sheperd, an organization that seeks to protect the oceans and sea fauna.
Recently, Costa Rica withdrew the notice from Interpol’s red list against me and I received an apology from the new government. Now, with that behind me, I want to join the government of Costa Rica to continue our efforts to protect and defend the marine reserve of Isla del Coco,”
assured the controversial Canadian in a video posted on his Facebook site, which has already been deleted.
On Monday afternoon the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) denied this.
No official apology has been offered to this gentleman; it is a judicial matter where the Executive Power does not intervene. We are very respectful of the independence of powers,”
said Minister Carlos Manuel Rodríguez.
The spokesman for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in Costa Rica, Jorge Serendero, confirmed that there had never been an apology from the government. He mentioned that it was a mistake from Watson. Of course, Serendero stressed that there is an approach with the new authorities and a cordial relationship.
Last June, Minister Rodríguez applauded Watson’s conciliation with the fishermen, who had filed a complaint against him for aggression. The hierarch described him as “a hero of conservation”.
In 2002, during an illegal Sea Sheperd operation, there was a clash in Guatemalan waters against the crew of the Varadero 1 fishing vessel. The fishermen alleged damages and filed a complaint against Watson, who was wanted by the Costa Rican Judiciary and was included in the list of the International Police (Interpol). In June 2018, the organization announced that its leader achieved conciliation.
Now the Minister of the Environment said that he spoke with Watson in May.
I respectfully heard his position. However, I made it very clear that this case is in the hands of the Judicial Branch,”
added Rodríguez.