The traffic officials (policias de Tránsito) are on the wrong side of the law today, after being arrested yesterday by the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), suspected of charging drivers a bribe.
The detained were identified (by their last names) as: Solano, Loría and Vargas.
The three face from two to eights years in prison if convicted.
The OIJ report says the officials would demand cash payments from offending drivers in exchange not to write them a ticket. The “chorizo”, as a bribe is known in Costa Rica, was up to ¢40.000 colones. The amount in each case, says the report, depended on the statutory fine for the offences, which could be up to ten times the bribe.
The three were arrested on duty, one on the Ruta 27, the other two in Paso Ancho.
The OIJ report indicates that the suspected official on the Ruta 27 tried to flee on spotting OIJ officials coming towards him.
Last month, two other Tránsitos were detained for corruption, bringing the total so far this year to five.
Costa Rica used tobe a financially humane place, That is changing. Invading gringo greed is and has changed Tico values from pura vida to pura greeda. The transit fines are exorbitant. This is another part of the culture that is sadly changing.
I find it financially humane to be able to pay off a traffic ticket.
Costa Ricans used to always put humanity first, before government. Now big government wants to change that culturally. I hope we stand firm and realize that we are the people that carry out the governments financial brutality. If we don’t do it, it does not get done – so I say to those who are carrying out the punitive rules – “don’t do it.” Don’t co operate with big government and unfair transit codes and regulations. The government works only if we participate and I say – in cases that are unfair simply don’t participate – and if we all don’t participate there is nothing they can do. Solidarity is the key,