The Third Chamber ended the litigation that held the Canadian mining company Industrias Infinito with legislator Edgardo Araya Sibaja from Frente Amplio, who since 2010 has been sued for alleged defamation to the detriment of the company.
During these 6 years the process was canceled several times. As legislator, Araya gave up his political immunity in August 2014 in an effort to face criminal proceedings.
The time came and on November 17th 2016 they agreed to begin the debate. However, Industrias Infinito’s representatives did not arrive.
Faced with this complex situation, the magistrates decided to dismiss the trial against Araya and put an end, once and for all, to the long discrepancy.
They accused me of defamation but never went to trial and tried to avoid it. I waived the immunity and then the prescription for the trial to take place and prove that it was a trick to intimidate and criminalize social protest. If this trial did not take place, it would not be because of Edgardo Araya. We went to all appointments to face this at all times,”
said the legislator in his website.
Araya was sued by an amount close to 500 million colones. Araya, a lawyer by profession and resident of San Carlos, was one of the strongest voices against the establishment of the failed mining project in Crucitas de Cutris.
In February 2015, the Third Chamber ordered the statute of limitations against the legislator. However, he asked to continue with the process.
It is not the only complaint raised by Infinito. In February 2014, the company sued Costa Rica before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and requested a payment of $ 90.4 million for apparently not establishing the mining project. This process is still ongoing.