Legislator Patricia Mora wants to know why the Executive branch is interested in financing cement and rod imported from China with Costa Rican funds, following the agreement between the Presidency and Bank of Costa Rica, which provides credit facilities to import cement from that country.
Mora questioned President Solís on Tuesday at the press conference after the Governing Council. However, Solís transferred the question to the Minister of Economy, Wélmer Ramos, who later said he did was unaware of any decision of the Presidential House on the subject.
However, the minutes of the BCR state that
General Manager Mario Barrenechea and his management team prepared this report, which was already sent to the Minister of the Presidency, Mr. Sergio Iván Alfaro Salas. It includes a solid proposal of collaboration by the BCR, in response to the request made by the Government.”
Said request expressly indicates four measures for the economic reactivation of the country. Three of them are not very specific and do not mention any private sector in particular, but the fourth measure dictates an order
to collaborate in the reduction of yields of the sovereign curve, the financing of public works, the financing oriented to development banking; and finally, the financing of cement and rods imports from China.”
This agreement was signed the same week the company SINOCEM of Costa Rica received the approval for a $ 20-million credit (¢ 10,900 million) to import 180 thousand tons of cement.
Mauricio Herrera, Minister of Communication, was then consulted if they could refer to the specific question, but the answer was the same given by President Solís.
The agreement between the Presidential House and the BCR was signed at the board meeting of October 14th, 2015, as recorded in the minutes.