The National Liberation Party confirmed on Thursday that former president Oscar Arias, who was a leader in that party, will distance himself from the party until the situation of a formal accusation of sexual harassment is clarified.

The party made a statement on its formal position regarding Dr. Arias and his possible separation from the party. The statement referred to “elementary prudence and respect for the principle of innocence” adding that it is reasonable to give the process time and wait for the facts to be revealed.

The response of the former president was made through his representative Alfredo Ortuño, who confirmed "former President Arias has informed the Secretary that he will stay away from the party and will abstain from participating in the National Political Directory until his legal status will be finally clarified.”

The National Liberation Party (PLN) has been one of the most important political parties in Costa Rica since 1948.

In 1986, Oscar Arias, the party leader, won the country's presidency from 1986 to 1990. His role in the negotiation of a peace agreement to stop the Central American Wars earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987. In 2006 as party leader Arias won reelection as Costa Rican president from 2006 to 2010.

A.M. Costa Rica reported that on Monday a woman filed a sexual assault complaint against former President Oscar Arias at the Public Prosecutor's Office. This accusation was registered as file #190994PE to be investigated by the prosecutor's officials.

As the accuser requested, her name will not be published. This is the only official complaint filed at the prosecutor's office.

From Tuesday until Thursday, four more women made public complaints against former president Arias, for similar behavior.

The second public complaint was made by journalist Emma Daly, editor of the Human Rights Watch organization. Ms Daly made the public accusations in an interview in the Washington Post.

According to Ms Daly, former president Arias groped her in 1990 when she was a reporter covering Central America issues and Mr. Arias was also at the Intercontinental Hotel in Managua, Nicaragua. Ms Daly said she asked a question and instead of answering the question, Arias put his hand between her breasts and exclaimed, "You're not wearing a bra." Ms. Daly said that she responded, "Yes, I am."

The third public accusation against former president Arias was made by the reporter Ana Eleonora Antillón. In an interview covered by local newspaper, La Nación, Antillon, who first revealed details of her experience on social networks, told La Nación that when she was 25 years old, she was working as a press adviser for Arias in the electoral campaign of the National Liberation Party before the 1986 elections. "I was sitting in front of his desk, he came up to me, took my hand and put it on his erect penis, I pushed him and I stood up and he threw himself at me, grabbed me by the shoulders, threw me against a closet and began to touch me. With the noise, somebody began to knock on the door, From then on I did not accept to be alone with him when he was quoting me alone."

The fourth complaint was made by the journalist Monica Morales who the published an article entitled “ My bad experience with Óscar Arias” in the magazine Perfil (Profile). According to Ms Morales she had an interview with Arias in 2013 about the arms trade treaty at his house in Rohrmoser, when "at the end of the interview he sat at his desk to look for some photos on his computer. There he beckoned to me (with a gesture) that I would sit on his leg so we could see the screen. "