On Wednesday afternoon, the committee investigating the cement loan approved a motion to ask Chinese cement importer Juan Carlos Bolaños to lift the bank secrecy of his accounts.
The motion would determine the fate of the funds granted to Bolaños by the Bank of Costa Rica. A recent report from the General Superintendence of Financial Entities (Sugef) found that more than $12 million of the BCR loan remained in Bolaños’ accounts in the country for more than six months, although that money was to be used for the purchase and import of Chinese cement. In addition, the destination of these $12 million is unknown.
Legislator Jorge Rodriguez, who filed the motion, said Bolaños may allow bank secrecy to be lifted. Last year, Bolaños appeared before the Commission of Income and Public Expenditure and assured that he had no problem in revealing his accounts.
The motion was approved unanimously.