Golfito Mayor Opens Maritime Zone Corruption Investigation
Max Vilchez is accusing a municipal worker in Golfito of asking for a $15,000 bribe in exchange for approval of a use permit for a beach front property in Playa Zancudo. The mayor, Aida Soto has asked the city council to open an investigation into the matter, but since they did not she has brought the allegations to the Attorney General.
According to Vilchez, a city employee named Ramirez asked for “15 thousand” to process the documents related to the permit. Vilchez understood that 5000 colones was for the permit process and 10 thousand was for a brother and a friend of the functionary, for getting photocopies and other papers. When the envelope was passed, the city employee called Vilchez back to clarify that $15,000 was needed, not 15,000 colones. This amount was to be split among members of the city’s Maritime Zone Commission.
The mayor stated that “this is the first time I have encountered this sort of accusation, but rumor has it that this has been going on for a long time.” She arrived in March after the former mayor Mauricio Alvarado was suspended.