The government is holding back the appointment of the new Costa Rican ambassador to the Netherlands, despite the fact that since November 2017 this country granted the approval in to diplomat Norman Lizano, appointed by the former foreign minister Epsy Campbell.
Lizano, who has the rank of ambassador, is the current president of the Costa Rican Association of Career Diplomats (ACDC). In recent months, the official has been subject to criticism and questioning given the silence of this union regarding the irregularities committed by Campbell and that at other times were repudiated by this organization.
Lizano confirmed that he met with Foreign Minister Manuel Ventura recently, but declined to confirm if the government desisted from sending him to this embassy.
On December 18th, when the possibility of appointing Lizano as the ambassador to the Netherlands was already public, the legislative fraction of the Social Unity Party Cristina (PUSC) opposed it.
The Social Christians said that, given that the ambassador in this country participates in important instances such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (CPI), a person with extensive diplomatic experience is needed for this position and they advocated for Ambassador Sergio Ugalde to remain in office.