  The Prosecutor's Office and the Attorney General's Office announced that they will appeal the judge's decision. - A.M. Costa Rica illustrative photo - |
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 Published Wednesday, October 21, 2020 Protest leader called to testify for
the
alleged crimes of instigation and public road blockades By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Former deputy Celimo Guido, leader of the protester's group called Movimiento Rescate Nacional (National Rescue Organization in English), along with three others involved suspects of the alleged crimes of public instigation and obstruction of public roads, were called to testify before the San José Criminal Court on Tuesday. According to the Prosecutor's Office, it was requested of the judge to impose pre-trial precautionary measures against Guido and two other suspects, a man surnamed Villalobos-Rojas and a woman surnamed López-Quesada. The deputy prosecutor in charge of the case asked the judge to apply pre-trial measures "for six months, while the investigation advances." The following are among the measures requested against the suspects: • Prohibition of attending or participating in meetings aimed at continuing with the crimes under investigation. • Prohibition of visiting any point of road blockades or attending citizens assembling at blockades throughout the national territory. • Prohibition of communicating with people who incite road blockades or public employees to force them to adopt any measure or carry out these actions. • Prohibition of communicating with the other defendants, in their capacity as leaders of the Movimiento de Rescate Nacional, when that communication has the goal of instigating road blockades or coordinating their implementation and/or, coordinating in groups of 10 people or more to force them to take some actions. • Prohibition of expressing support for the road blockades or citizen meetings, instigating or promoting their actions. • Prohibition of expressing that they are organizing these actions (referring to road blockades and other accusations) on behalf of the Costa Rican people. The Criminal Court judge rejected the pre-trial precautionary measures requested by the Prosecutor's Office against Guido, López- Quesada and Villalobos Rojas. The Prosecutor's Office and the Attorney General's Office announced that they will appeal the judge's decision. On Oct. 15, the government filed a criminal complaint before the judicial authorities against the two former deputies José Miguel Corrales and Celimo Guido, leaders of the protester's group who have caused the road blockades and vandalism. The complaint was signed by the minister of the Presidency, Marcelo Prieto, the Minister of Public Security, Michael Soto, and the minister of Justice and Peace, Fiorella Salazar. They believe those leading the protests are inciting citizens to block streets. Protesters blocked ports and the main roads of the most important routes in the country, causing obstruction of public services and unleashing violence and vandalism, the government said. The protests began against the government's plan to increase taxes as part of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for a loan of $1.75 billion. However, protests and vandalism continued after the government had announced that they would not be implementing the original tax plan. The government called for dialogue with representatives of various sectors of the country. This meeting was rejected by Corrales and Guido. Both insist on instigating citizens to maintain the road blockades and do not condemn the acts of violence and organized crime carried out by the organization members. The complaint adds that, even though one of the alleged public instigators, Corrales, decided to leave the organization, his co-leader, Guido, has continued to call himself a representative of the group. Through a video posted on the group's Facebook page, one of the leaders, Corrales, called on his followers not to continue with the blockades, because the protests were out of control due to infiltrated drug traffickers among the protesters. "From the depths of my soul, I apologize to Costa Rica for my part of the responsibility that I may have in this regard," Corrales said. "I apologize to the victims of violence and to all those who have lived days of distress." Regarding the intensification of violence, Corrales assured that at the beginning he made a peaceful call for protests against taxes and other issues. However, "the drug traffickers vandalized what started as a peaceful protest." For that reason, he called on protesters "to put down all marches in the streets." Corrales' apology speech can be seen on the group's Facebook page. Although the leaders have split from the group, deputy Celimo Guido called on the protesters to continue with marches. On Monday, Oct 12, Guido organized a national demonstration in San José from La Merced Church on Second Avenue and made their way to the Congressional building and then reached the Presidential House in Zapote Canton. Videos of the march organized by Guido can be seen on the protester's group's Facebook page. Likewise, the complainants point out that both the accused leaders influenced the blockades and violence to the point that they have validated acts of mutiny, attacks against police officers through attacks and so they could not fulfill their operations to safeguarding free movement and the protection of citizens, the government said. Finally, the complaint indicates that both the leaders of the organization and its members are responsible for crimes such as illicit association, public instigation, obstruction of public roads, obstruction of public services, riot, attack, among other vandalism. They also said the leaders threaten the public tranquility, public institutions, public authority, among others According to the government, there is ample evidence, including in the media and social networks, that has been presented together with the complaint before the Prosecutor General's Office. Last weekend, an agreement was signed between Guido and the Union of Companies Chamber, known as Uccaep. According to José Alvaro Jenkis, president of Uccaep, the goal of meeting with protesters' was to listen to their concerns about the business sector due to the millions of dollars lost in the economy caused by the blockades. The agreement is to include the representatives of the group of protesters to meetings of the Workers' Assembly of the Banco Popular. There they will share their concerns in search of reaching agreements with the government. "Both parties reiterate to public opinion the need for a true, transparent, social dialogue without exclusions, for the sake of peace and social justice," the Chamber said in its statement. Last week the Ministry of Security reported that as a result of the protests, more than 100 police officers were injured and more than 80 protesters have been arrested. Should the Prosecutor's Office speed up the case against the suspects due to the impacts of the blockades and protests? -------------------- Are you for or against the judge's decision in this case? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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