President, Sweetheart Engagement Off
by Rod Hughes
Is this newsfeed ready for a little celebrity gossip? If not, blame it on the ACAN-EFE news agency that broke the story.
President Oscar Arias and the lady the press had envisioned as the next First Lady, Giovanna Mendiola, have called off their engagement. The couple did not reveal the reasons.
The once-married and divorced president officially acknowledged his relationship with Mendiola last January. She is a 46-year-old public relations professional, twice divorced with four children.
The 66-year-old president was married to Marguerita Penon during his first term and they had two children. They were divorced in 1996.
It is likely that the breaking of relations with Taiwan will have more lasting effects on the country, however.