by Rod Hughes

The Costa Rican government this week took the unusual step of rejecting an extradition request by the U.S. government for Chere Lyn Tomayco, a mother accused of abducting her own daughter, Alexandria. Tomayco, 47, shared custody of their daughter with ex-husband Roger Cyprian.

The decision to grant refuge here, made by Security Minister Janina del Vecchio on the grounds of domestic violence , at once raised the cloud over the mother’s head and allowed her release from Buen Pastor women’s jail where she had been awaiting return to the United States. The woman had fled to Costa Rica with her daughter in 1997. Del Vecchio said the woman’s fears for her safety in Texas were “well founded.”

Interpol found Tomayco (or Tomayko–La Nación had the spelling both ways) last September and a Texas court solicited her extradition. The charge against her is international kidnapping. But it is unlikely that she will return to her native country. After being notified of del Vecchio´s decision, Ombudswoman Marta Iris Muñoz immediately asked Tomayco’s release from a Buen Pastor holding cell. Javier Montero, Tomayco’s current husband, applauded the decision by saying that “in this country, peace, liberty and justice prevail.”

The Spanish’language daily Al Dia claimed that U.S. authorities were upset about the minister’s decision and cancelled a ceremony today to turn over donated aircraft to the Ministry of Public Security. (The embassy told del Vecchio that they cancelled the ceremony because they had “other matters” to attend to.)

This formerly unabashed macho culture has in the last decade become increasingly sensitive to domestic violence after murders of conjugal partners began to rise sharply in the last years of the 20th century, and as more women lawmakers were elected. Current domestic violence statutes are strict. On the other hand, rejection of extradition on humane grounds may be construed as a swipe at the reputation of at least Texas if not at the U.S. in general.