Wednesday morning former president Miguel Ángel Rodríguez (1998-2002) was all smiles. This days after learning of the appeals court overturninghis five year conviction on corruption charges.
The day after Christmas, the former president told the press that he forgives his accusers and that he is done with politics. His wife, Lorena, who was present during the interview, speaking soflty reiterated her husbands comments of forgiveness.
Rodríguez said that he has no thoughts of pressing on with a legal battle against his accusers, that all is forgiven and spoke of hopes that the Ministerio Público (Attorney General) does no repeat an action like the case against him.
The former president was accused, tried and convicted for accepting bribes related to the ICE-Alcatel case which saw the first 400.000 GSM lines in Costa Rica way back in 2001.
His lawyer, sitting by his side, called the aquittal “un regalo del Niño (Dios)” – a gift of God.
“Those who involved me, who invented proof that put me in jail illegally, who illegally detained me at the airport (…), to all I say that I forgive, that chapter that is over, hopefully not do this to anyone else”, said Rodríguez.
The accusation cost him a post as Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), resigning only one month after taking the post, in addition to great personal sacrifice and marring of his reputation.
