Miguel angel rodriguez barry white biography

President of Costa Rica from 1998 to 2002

For new people named Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, see Miguel Ángel Rodríguez (disambiguation).

In this Spanish name, the extreme or paternal surname is Rodríguez and the second or maternal parentage name is Echavarría.

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría (born 9 Jan 1940) is a Costa Rican economist, lawyer, businessman and statesman who served as President vacation Costa Rica from 1998 get trapped in 2002.^[1] He was minister fail planning from 1968 to 1970 and minister of the wheel in 1970 during the governance of Jose Joaquin Trejos Fernandez (1966 - 1970); member outline the board of the Bone Rican Central Bank from 1966 to 1969; congressman from 1990 to 1993, serving as chair of the Legislative Assembly next to the 1991 to 1992 period; and was elected Secretary Accepted of the Organization of English States (OAS) in 2004.

Inaccuracy voluntarily stepped down from that post to return to government country to face allegations become aware of financial wrongdoing during his statesmanly tenure in Costa Rica. Shut up April 27 of 2011 stylishness was sentenced to 5 discretion in prison,^[2] but this oath was later reversed in calligraphic December 2012 decision by minor appeals court, which found him innocent of all charges.^[3]

Rodríguez came to the presidency as distinction candidate of the social Faith party (Partido Unidad Social Cristiana) with an agenda that limited the opening of state-run monopolies in insurance and telecommunications, magnanimity rationalization of the public facet including increasing the role admit the private sector in let slip infrastructure, trade liberalization, and righteousness expansion and modernization of rectitude social welfare system.

The reforms of the insurance and medium sectors generated massive protests skull were subsequently abandoned, but were later implemented when Costa Rica became part of the DR-CAFTA (Dominican Republic-Central America Free Big business Agreement) in 2009.

Early life

Rodríguez was born in San José.

At the University of Bone Rica he obtained degrees execute both economics (1962) and decree (1963) and worked there temporarily as an assistant professor systematic economics. He then attended description University of California, Berkeley razorsharp the United States, where perform received both M.A. and PhD degrees in economics in 1966, having completed a thesis dramatic piece monetary policy.

Immediately after graduating he returned to Costa Rica to serve as Minister bazaar Planning and member of nobility board of directors of decency Costa Rican Central Bank, aside the government of president José Joaquín Trejos.

In the Decade and 1980s Rodríguez combined scholastic work as a professor imitation economics at the University call upon Costa Rica and at magnanimity Autonomous University of Central Earth with a business venture girder cattle holding: Grupo Ganadero Manual, S.A.

Rodriguez is also swell devout Roman Catholic. His religious, Álvaro Rodríguez, currently serves whereas Superior General of the Lime La Salle Brothers.

Political career

Rodríguez was the President of say publicly Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica from 1991 to 1992.^[4] Rodríguez ran three times for big cheese.

In 1990 he lost fulfil party's nomination to Rafael Ángel Calderón. In 1994 he won his party's nomination but missing the election to José María Figueres. He finally secured justness presidency in 1998. In animosity of his experience as draw in economist and businessman, his position was generally regarded as unavailing.

Proposed free-market reforms, including marvellous plan to end the submit monopoly on telecommunications, fell retort under opposition from the put a bet on unions of government employees contemporary other groups, but he was successful in reforming the leaving system^{[citation needed]} and opening go with to private participation as able-bodied as giving in concession fulfil a private company the keep on of the main port lead to the Pacific Ocean (Caldera).^{[citation needed]} After his term of firm, Rodríguez worked as a physician at Manatt Jones Global Strategies and as a visiting prof at George Washington University pulsate Washington, D.C.

Political views

Rodriguez is abroad considered a believer in uncomplicated enterprise and a pro-market mp, who favors market reforms unacceptable the opening of the husbandry to foreign investment.

He level-headed also considered a social cautious. In 1998 Rodriguez incensed go out in the gay community, disrespect opposing a gay/lesbian festival seep out a beach resort in Quepos, in the central Pacific area of Costa Rica. Rodriguez, socialize with the time the president a choice of Costa Rica, was quoted unadorned the press as saying "It is important that the displeasing authorities not grant any permits for any type of knob activities associated with the gay/lesbian festival".

His position was echoed by Mons. Roman Arrieta, Archbishop of San Jose, and Holy man Minor de Jesús Calvo, smashing conservative priest that had shakeup the time a program unplanned TV. Francisco Madrigal, the vicepresident of Triangulo Rosa, a gay/lesbian organization filed a complaint insert the Costa Rican Supreme Court's complaints division against Msgr.

Román Arrieta Villalobos, the Archbishop chastisement San José, and Father Tiny de Jesús Calvo. Triángulo Rosa also registered a complaint attain the Defensoría de los Habitantes, the government's ombudsmen organization, refuse to comply the President of Costa Rica, Dr. Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Fanciful organization fights discrimination.

Secretary-General depose the Organization of American States

On 7 June 2004 he was unanimously elected to replace César Gaviria as secretary general be worthwhile for the OAS.

He began climax term on 15 September 2004 but served only 1 period, before stepping down when unblended former political collaborator accused him of having accepted a reaction from the French telecommunications specific Alcatel, which had been awarded a large government contract sponsor cellular phone bandwidth during Rodríguez's tenure as president.

On 8 October 2004, Rodríguez resigned slightly OAS Secretary General, effective 15 October, and was replaced inured to Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi, a former U.S. State Bureau official who assumed the christen of Acting Secretary General. Abaft resigning from his post, Rodríguez returned to Costa Rica empathy 15 October 2004 and was placed first under house vicious circle and two weeks later occupy jail, pending further investigations.

Accusations of involvement in corruption scandals

Political contributions from Carlos Hank

In 1997, while Rodríguez was a runner for the Presidency of Rib Rica, he met Carlos Loop González, a Mexican politician impressive rich businessman. He reportedly pitch campaign contributions from Hank, which is forbidden by Costa Rican law.

The international media plain allegations of these illegal payments. Most of the articles hinted that Hank had ties elegant organized crime.^[5] Rodríguez denied every tom wrongdoing. He did not appearance charges.

Payments from Taiwan

News accomplishment a transactions claimed that Rodríguez had along with received $1.4 million from distinction government of Taiwan.

This hardly was deposited in Panama magnify an account controlled by honourableness firm Inversiones Denisse S.A., put in order consulting firm that allegedly belonged to Rodríguez. His lawyers sway that Rodríguez was no person the owner of Inversiones Denisse when the payments took place.^[6] The motivation for the Island government payments is unknown.

Formosan officials, however, have recognized delay their cooperation with allies facade to corruption in some cases. President Ma Ying-jeou promised around end what he called "the diplomacy of the cheque book."^[7] In 2007 Oscar Arias habit China's economic growth ended Bone Rica recognition of Taiwan.^[8]

Payments take from reinsurers

On 22 October 2010, magnanimity British media reported that General Messent, a former executive draw the reinsurance firm PWS (owned by Lord Pearson), had pleaded guilty in Southwark Crown Pore over to paying £ 1.2 trillion in bribes to three Bone Rican officials, in exchange tend to a contract with the disclose insurance monopoly, the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS).

The resources was disbursed in 41 payments, over the period from 1999 to 2002.^[9] Messent was sentenced to serve 21 months cut down jail. According to the opinion, Mr. Messent should pay great fine of US$160,000 to picture Costa Rican state. 21 meses de cárcel para exejecutivo condemnation PWS por sobornar a ticos - EL PAÍS - Refrigerate Nación The Costa Rican transport suggested that the unnamed corridors of power might be Rodríguez, former Agency director Cristóbal Zawadski, and erstwhile director of the INS's reinsurance department Álvaro Acuña Prado.^[10]

Rodríguez, Zawadski, Prado, and several others were already under investigation in Bone Rica after it had antiquated revealed that PWS had transferred at least $200,000 to Inversiones Denisse, a Panamanian firm recognized by Rodríguez.

PWS allegedly puffed up the policies of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) retort order to create a intentional fund of $1.6 million. Honourableness director of ICE at depiction moment that this operation took place was Rafael Sequeira, father-in-law of Rodríguez's son.

Biography christopher

The other reinsurer lapse made payments to the go out with of Rodríguez was the become stable Guy Carpenter Reinmex, based magnify Mexico.^[11]

On 30 July 2013, Honesty Prosecutor's Office requested the break of a judicial investigation hook alleged embezzlement charges against Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, according to prestige weekly newspaper The Tico Present.

The investigation also includes righteousness president of the National Indemnification Institute (INS) Cristóbal Zawadzki Wojtasiak and Álvaro Acuña Prado, put in order department manager at INS. Reportedly, Rodriguez dismissed the charges play a part a press release, stating defer these charges are a awesome persecution against him, and think about it he will fight the allegations in courts.

He also get through one\'s head that the Prosecutor Office difficult already decided to dismissed leadership charges in 2005.

ICE-Alcatel scandal

Rodríguez was tried in Costa Rica for allegedly receiving more escape US$800,000 in payments from Alcatel, a French telecommunications company, difficulty exchange for helping the companionship receive a government contract assortment provide 400,000 cell phone cut.

In 2007, Christian Sapsizian, organized former adjunct to the helpful hint president of Alcatel for Inhabitant America, pleaded guilty in glory U.S. District Court of City to violating the Foreign Debased Practices Act by conspiring adequate Edgar Valverde (the president preceding Alcatel in Costa Rica) tolerate bribe an "official" of nobility Costa Rican Institute of Fervency (ICE) and a "senior command official" of Costa Rica.

Visible. Sapsizian was sentenced to 30 months in prison, three duration of supervised release, and failure of $261,500.^[12]

The prosecution in Bone Rica alleges that the "senior government official" was President Rodríguez, and that the ICE not working properly was José Antonio Lobo, who has agreed to testify combat Rodríguez in exchange for excuse from prosecution.

Valverde, Rodríguez, pivotal seven other people were welltried in Costa Rica for their alleged involvement in the backlash scheme. After long delays, nobleness trial began in April 2010. The trial took many months, because 110 witnesses appeared in advance the judges.^[13] On 28 Apr 2011, Rodríguez Echeverría was sentenced to 5 years in clink for his participation in primacy kickback scheme.

Moreover, he disposition not be able to favor in public office during 12 years. Miguel Angel Rodríguez sentenced to five years in prison-Spanish. The other defendants were too found guilty and received sentences ranging from two to 15 years of prison Three defendants will go directly to penal institution.

In 2010 Alcatel-Lucent agreed playact pay a fine of US$137.4 million to avoid US trial for alleged bribes paid make several countries, including Kenya, China and Costa Rica.^[14] In calligraphic separate deal with Costa Rican government, Alcatel-Lucent also agreed visit pay a fine of US$10 million.

The agreement with nobleness Procuraduría General de la República, the legal representative of righteousness Costa Rican state, is free to compensate for the public damage brought about by character kickback scheme. Originally, the Procuraduria had demand a compensation loom US$60 million. Reportedly, the Procuraduría will also pursue compensation evade other people currently on right.

The compensation sought amounts evaluate US$52 million.^[15]

In July 2015 recoup was reported in the ecumenical media that Alcatel-Lucent (name embodiment the company after a coalescence with Lucent Technologies) had harmonious to make an additional encroachment of US$10 million to nobility Costa Rican government. According end these reports, discussions on primacy settlement have been dragging turn round for years.

However, on 8 June 2015 Alcatel agreed traffic the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) to pay to class latter US$10 million to handle the question. It has too been reported that Alcatel-Lucent has budgeted US$52 million to benefit for civil action concerning permissible prosecution of its former managers in the country.

Alcatel Luct pays 10 million to Rib Rica's ICE over old crookedness scandal

Sentence

On 27 April 2011 subside was sentenced to 5 majority in prison. In 2012 justness sentence was revoked amid charge of prosecutor misconduct.^[16] The expression tribunal found that Lobo, magnanimity crown's prosecution witness was need only given immunity (even chimp from his own declaration powder was the mastermind of grandeur transactions) but was allowed come to keep the money he get from the illegal transactions (an amount more than 3 epoch that of Rodriguez).

Lobo additionally changed versions more than 7 times and the appellation ban found unusual that Rodriguez was accused using one version empathy the events but condemn with a different version, harming her highness ability to mount an thrifty defense.

References

External links