Court opens file on apparent illegal and foreign donations in Rodrigo Chaves’ campaign, after Choreco’s sworn-in in Assembly
The Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) announced the opening of an investigation into the possible commission of the crimes of illegal and foreign donations to the campaign of the President of the Republic, Rodrigo Chaves, following the statements that the president’s image adviser, Federico Cruz, known as Choreco, made Monday in the Legislative Assembly.
Before the Electoral Financing Commission, Cruz said a foreigner, Argentine political adviser José Norte, donated big data in the 2022 campaign.
In addition, he said that a house used in San Pedro de Montes de Oca, which housed Chaves’ communication team for the second round, was not reported to the TSE by the Social Democratic Progress Party (PPSD) because it was a negotiation between private companies.
The advice of the foreigner, director of the company Reputación Digital, was not reported either, despite the fact that the Electoral Code prohibits and punishes both donations of foreigners and the concealment of contributions.
Rónald Chacón, head of the Department of Financing Political Parties of the TSE, reported that, once the statements given under oath by Mr. Federico Cruz Saravanja, the preliminary administrative investigation was set to be opened, under file No. DFPP-EE-009-2023).
Chacón specified that it will be in the case of the offences under articles 274 (b) and 275 (b) of the Electoral Code.
The first imposes two to four years in prison on the alien to contribute to a campaign in Costa Rica.
The second provides for two to six years in prison for the party leader receiving contributions, donations or any other form of contribution using a parallel structure to evade control of the political party.
The TSE will also analyse whether the possible electoral offences sanctioned in paragraph (b) of 287 and points (a) and (c) of 288 were committed.
In the first case, a fine of two to 10 base wages is imposed on anyone who fails to comply with the single principle of a party financing.
The other two subparagraphs require an economic sanction for parties that fail to comply with the requirements of private donations and receive contributions outside the country.
The fine is double the illegal donation.
This article has been translated from the original which first appeared in Nacion