Multiple former officials were taken into custody early this morning in Costa Rica as part of an expanding investigation into a ₡21.8 billion (≈ $41 million) no-bid contract to overhaul the runway at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste. The scandal, which has shaken one of the country’s main tourism gateways, centers on accusations of bribery, falsified documentation, and misrepresentation of storm damage.
According to the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), raids were carried out at 22 sites nationwide, leading to the arrest of ex-Minister of Public Works and Transportation Luis Amador and former Director of Civil Aviation Fernando Naranjo, among others. Prosecutors say they have “uncovered evidence of a bribery scheme tied to the contract award, and our investigation is far from over.”
The controversy began after Tropical Storm Bonnie struck in July 2022, prompting a national emergency declaration. In June 2023, Executive Decree No. 44.072 extended that emergency to the Liberia airport, allowing the government to bypass standard procurement procedures and award the runway project directly to construction firm Meco. However, an August 2023 technical report by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation found no clear link between storm-related damage and the runway’s condition, noting that images and data used to justify the decree were outdated or failed to show significant deterioration.
President Rodrigo Chaves dismissed Amador and Naranjo in March 2024 amid public uproar, but calls for accountability only intensified. The Prosecutor’s Office has opened case file No. 24-000030-1218-PE to examine potential crimes including ideological falsehood and corruption, with several high-level figures—such as former Minister of the Presidency Natalia Díaz and National Emergency Commission head Alejandro Picado—also under scrutiny.
In response to today’s arrests, President Chaves maintained his innocence: “I’ve always acted with integrity and in the best interest of Costa Rica. I trust the courts will get to the bottom of this.” Meanwhile, airport authorities reassured travelers that “the runway repairs are still critical. We’re doing everything we can to keep flights safe and on schedule.”
News of the detentions has sparked protests in Liberia, where residents and business owners fear fallout on the region’s vital tourism economy. “This airport keeps our town alive,” said one demonstrator. “We can’t let corruption mess it up.”
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