Legislator Julio Rojas said on Wednesday that he has no doubt there was influence peddling around the $30 million loan given by the Bank of Costa Rica (BCR) to the importer of Chinese cement, Juan Carlos Bolaños, and the modification to the regulation of credit.
There is no longer any doubt about influence peddling and this is confirmed by the documents and evidence that have been presented in the legislative commission investigating this matter,”
said Rojas in a statement.
He explained that the minutes stated that the general manager of the BCR, Mario Barrenechea, who is suspended from office, presented to the Board of Directors the guidelines on which the Government wanted the bank’s support for the supposed economic recovery of the country.
Among the measures proposed and accepted by Zapote, it is worth mentioning the financing of Chinese cement and rod imports.
This is evidenced in the agreements of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Costa Rica, in session 44-15 of October 14, 2015, making very clear the Executive’s participation in importing Chinese cement, and the Minister of the Presidency, Sergio Alfaro is also involved in this influence peddling, there is no doubt,”
said Rojas.
He indicated that the proof of the minutes are added by Andrés Víquez, Deputy Manager of Wholesale Banking at the commission, who confirmed on Tuesday that the report was only made by Barrenechea and was approved by the Board of Directors.