QCOSTARICA – Because there is a risk of generating a fiscal gap, President Carlos Alvarado today opposes a reduction in the 2022 Marchamo, as was done last December.
The president expressed fears for the quality of the roads (ok, even less quality of the roads) that would result from further lack of maintenance.
“It (the reduction) would be a momentary relief, but later they are going to ask me what I did,” Alvarado said.
The alleged corruption scandal in Conavi is a valid argument to approve a more significant reduction in the Marchamo compared to last year, according to PLN legislator Franggi Nicolás.
“The reduction of the Marchamo must be greater this year: that money is better in the hands of the people than the Conavi.
“A year ago there was great resistance from the Government to a major reduction of the Marchamo, arguing that we could not touch a ‘cinco’ (penny) more because ‘we were defunding’ Conavi in the construction and improvement of roads.
“Today we all know that much of that money, far from having been used to alleviate hundreds of families with a reduction, it was used to pay road surcharges and favor large construction companies in exchange for even sexual favors,” said Nicolás.
The legislator was referencing the “cochinilla” case that involves corruption within the Conavi with public road works by two of the largest constructions companies in the country,
For the legislator, the government cannot oppose the reduction, since Costa Ricans are tired of paying high prices for Marchamos and gasoline.
This year, starting in January, we have seen six consecutive increases in gasoline prices.
