Former president Óscar Arias Sánchez (1986-1990 and 2006-2010) was criminally accused on Monday by a 34-year-old psychiatrist who said the politician touched her in her breasts, her private parts, and forcibly kissed her during a meeting held at the house of the former president, in Rohrmoser (Pavas) on December 1st, 2014.
Patricia Mora, executive president of INAMU, said she is willing to collaborate with the complainant in everything necessary. The hierarchy reiterated that due process must be carried out, but she made it clear that this type of complaints are often minimized.
I want, first of all, to recognize the courage of this professional. For women it is not easy to go out and report any act of aggression, harassment or sexual violence. We live in a society crossed in a macho culture where we first question the victim. This case, like any other, will have to respect due process. Of course, we are exhorting all women who are victims of harassment or abuse to report it, no matter who is the aggressor. The women of this country are not alone,”
said Mora through an official statement.
Like her, Laura Chinchilla, former president of the Republic (2010-2014), referred to the issue through an official publication on her Facebook site. She wrote a strong statement, but noted that the former president will have a right to defense.
As a woman and political leader, I have been an advocate for human rights and especially for women. As such I condemn all violence and harassment of any nature towards women. Experience confirms that for women victims of sexual harassment, it is extremely difficult to denounce the case because of the power relations that operate against them and intimidate them, and because of the stigmatization that they may be subjected to. As a society we have the obligation to support the victims so that they break their silence and the abuses do not go unpunished,”
wrote Chinchilla.