QCOSTARICA – With the exit of the Minister of Liaison with the Private Sector, André Garnier, there are only 8 “survivors” remaining in the so-called “Gabinete de Unidad Nacional” (Cabinet of National Unity), with which President Carlos Alvarado boasted at the start of his mandate almost three years ago, in May 2018.
Asked about the frequent losses, President Alvarado claimed that he prefers to be asked about the results.
“One can have a Cabinet that does not change in four years and achieve very little. Or you can have a cabinet that has a lot of modifications and achieves a lot of things. Let them judge our management by what we are achieving,” he said.
Alvarado resorted to baseball metaphors since according to him there are players that are in only for one game.
“You change pitchers as needed,” he said. “There are pitchers in a game who come in on just one pitch. If they get the out next in, they can be replaced, but they did their job.
“Here the important thing is the objectives and the people are simply means,” concluded the president.
The Departures
Although Garnier said his resignation presented on Monday, March 29 and accepted by Alvarado, are for family and business reasons, not all the others have departed on the best terms.
2018
- Guiselle Amador – Ministra de Salud (Minister of Health): she departed on November 26, 2018, denouncing pressure from the tobacco companies.
- Epsy Campbell* – Ministra de Relaciones Exteriores (Minister of Foreign Affairs): she resigned from the Foreign Ministry for irregular appointments on December 11, 2018.
Total for the year: 1 (While Campbell was removed from her post as Minister of Foreign Affairs, she continues in the government as the country’s first vice-president)
2019
- Maria Fullmen – Ministra de Bienestar Social (Social Welfare): she resigned on January 8, 2019, after weeks of arrears in the deposits of social benefits.
- Juan Carlos Mendoza – Ministro de Comunicación (Minister of Communication): He left office on January 8, 2019.
- Edna Camacho – Ministra Coordinación Económica (Minister of Economic Coordination): she was sent as the country’s representative to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on May 16.
- Edgar Mora – Ministro de Educación (Minister of Education): weeks of protests brought him down on July 1.
- Rodolfo Piza – Ministro de la Presidencia (Minister of the Presidency): He left for the OAS on July 29 after months of rumors about his departure.
- Steven Núñez – Ministro de Trabajo (Minister of Labor): he had to resign on October 1 after the Traffic Officer escorting him without authorization died in an accident.
- Rocío Aguilar – Ministra de Hacienda (Minister of Finance): she resigned on October 23 after a report from the Comptroller’s Office on debt payments without legislative authorization.
Total for the year: 7
2020
- Patricia Vega – PANI ( Child Welfare): after the death of several children and a request for the intervention of PANI, she resigned on January 16 due to “exhaustion.”
- Manuel Ventura – Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores (Minister of Foreign Relations): left on January 28 for an eventual diplomatic appointment.
- Marcia González – Ministra de Justicia (Minister of Justice): Payment arrears with the luxury home tax put her out on February 7.
- Victor Morales – Ministro de la Presidencia (Minister of the Presidency): he left on March 4 in the middle of the UPAD scandal just before motions of censure against him where to occur.
- Rodrigo Chaves – Ministro de Hacienda (Minister of Finance): dismissed on May 28 after wide differences with the Government.
- Luis Adrián Salazar – Ministro de Ciencia y Tecnología (Minister of Science and Technology): also out on May 28 criticizing the government’s claims on Fonatel resources.
- Nancy Marín – Ministra de Comunicación (Minister of Communication): she was the third to depart on May 28, claiming that she had take care of her son.
- Maria Amalia Revelo – Ministra de Turismo (Minister of Tourism): she resigned for health reasons on July 8.
- Dyalá Jiménez – Ministra de Comercio Exterior (Minister of Foreign Trade): she left on August 7, claiming ideological disagreements with the Government.
- Carlos Manuel Rodríguez – Ministro de Ambiente (Minister of Enviroment): He left at the end of August to assume an international post.
- Patricia Mora – Ministra de Condición de la Mujer (Minister of Status of Women): she resigned on December 7 with a frontal attack on the Government’s economic policy.
- Marcelo Prieto – Ministro de la Presidencia (Minister of the Presidency): The third Chief of Staff, departing when the approval of international loans failed.
Total for the year: 12
2021
- Hernán Solano – Ministro de Deportes (Minister of Sports): he showed interest in the presidential candidacy of the PAC, resigning on February 5 due to the election law deadlines.
- André Garnier – Ministro de Enlace con el Sector Privado (Minister of Liaison with the Private Sector): he will leave on March 31 to resume family and business activities.
Total for the year (to date): 2
Total for the mandate (to date) which ends on May 8, 2022: 22
