“We have to found a Third Republic,” says Costa Rica President

QCOSTARICA — “In Costa Rica, there has been a process of weakening of the Presidency (of the Republic),” were the words of President Rodrigo Chaves 28 months into his 4-year term, in an interview with El Observador.

Chaves compares the current situation of the country with the French scenario of the mid-twentieth century, where General Charles de Gaulle ended up intervening. At that historical moment, the Gallic country had a diluted figure of the president that led to the creation of the Fifth Republic.

According to Chaves, the situation in Costa Rica is already compared to that moment or to something like 1948 in Costa Rica. This should generate a deeper renewal at the national level.

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“I believe that Costa Rica is in a situation where we have to found a Third Republic, which would be the Second Republic and a half,” he said.

The person responsible for providing an explanation is not in control. “The one who has to answer does not control the steering wheel, nor the clutch, nor the brake, nor the gear lever. Ah, but he is the one who has to give an account of himself,” Chaves explained the current presidential role.

“They blame me, they ask me to give an account of myself, but on the other hand they have me in control of the gearbox that is totally immovable,” he noted.

What should the reform be like?

With the panorama that President Chaves paints, the other key question is about an eventual Constituent Assembly (a body assembled to draft or revise a constitution).

For him, “the country needs it,” but he questions whether it would be acceptable with the current political configuration.

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“What we don’t know is if we have the political maturity, the parties will want to approve it, because they know, Liberación Nacional knows, the PUSC knows, the PLP knows, the Frente Amplio knows, Neuva Republica knows that their power quotas in the face of a political change in the political architecture will fall, they are falling at this moment,” he argues.

Chaves is not closing the door on his future political participation

On the one hand, like many of his predecessors, he stresses that the time frame is not enough for all projects.

“Four years are not enough for Rodrigo Chavez or the Virgen de los Ángeles (Virgin of the Angels, Costa Rica’s patron saint, also known as La Negrita),” he says.

Since there is no immediate reelection, the panorama is open for him between his pension, job offers abroad or staying active on the national scene.

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“If I see that I have a space to contribute, obviously I will value it. If not, well, I don’t live off of this,” he says.

The 17 months that Chaves has left in power

While this progresses, the President defends the achievements that have been made in economic matters and lists some issues for the rest of his Administration.

There he notes that time is finite and therefore several issues must be monitored at the same time.

“I had the opportunity to work advising, discussing and negotiating with heads of state of huge states. And one of them once told me, I told him, look sir, you have to follow the sequence, he told me, I don’t have the luxury of having a sequence, first I’m going to focus on this and then on that,” he recalls.

As for priorities, he talks about issues such as public works. He mentions the expectation of “finishing public works or stopping the contracting of large projects,” highlighting the Expansion of Route 27 and the Road to San Ramón.

He also criticizes the problems they face with the Comptroller’s Office for the Marina de Limón and the Cuidad Gobierno (Government City).

Regarding other projects that he suggested taking to Referendum, the panorama is divided.

And, how does the President define his style?

Another topic addressed with the President is his style, which on the one hand earns him support and on the other criticism.

How does he define it?

“Let the people define it,” he says.

“Look, I speak three languages: the truth, upfront, and clear,” he answers.

Along those lines, he gives as an example a boss he worked with.

“The best boss I have ever had in my life had a style that, if you consider mine a little harsh and direct, I don’t know how the Costa Ricans would have taken hers,” he says ironically.



Adapted and translated from the article in Spanish, at Observador.cr.

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