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MYTHS SHATTERED, A CORRUPT COSTA RICA RETHINKS HISTORY.

Article Excerpt
Jose Maria Figueres, ex-president of Costa Rica (1994-1998), has stepped down from his post as director of the World Economic Forum (WEF). He is the third of his country's three past presidents to be involved in a corruption scandal, following Rafael Angel Calderon (1990-1994) and Miguel Angel Rodriquez (1998-2002) into disgrace (see NotiCen, 2004-10-07 and 2004-10-14). The three leave their country's reputation for good government shattered, two important international organizations leaderless, and several international corporations to set their corruption-ridden houses in order.

Figueres resigned his WEF job after information surfaced that he had received US$900,000 from Alcatel, the French telecommunications company that figured in the resignation of Rodriguez from his hard-won position as secretary-general of the Organization of American States (OAS). Figueres told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland, "I resign the direction of the World Economic Forum while I clear my name with respect to injurious slanders I have received in Costa Rica."

The WEF issued a statement that it, "through the press, has discovered that Jose Maria Figueres had, during two and a half years, a significant contractual agreement with another enterprise while holding a directorial post in the Forum." The arrangement Figueres had with Alcatel contravenes WEF rules on outside employment.

Figueres admitted to the media that he...

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