Yet another major business in Costa Rica is called on the carpet by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) for sending emails to employees with political propaganda.
On Tuesday we learned that the elections tribunal ordered Adrian Goldgewicht, president of Tienda Internacional de Productos Sensacionales (Tips S.A.) – a major wholesale and retail food services supplier – to refrain from sending emails, telling employees how to vote in Sunday’s election.
Last week the TSE made a similar case against the Costa Rican fast food franchisee for Subway. The week earlier, the Avon products distributor was scolded by the TSE. See report.
The TSE action follows a complaint by Frente Amplio presidential candidate, José María Villalta, accusing the company of an internal campaign against him.
Gustavo Roman of the TSE, explained that in the case of Tips, the company has been notified and an injuction filed against its president and legal representative. Goldgewicht will also be the focus of an investigation by the TSE and the Ministry of Labour.
Villalta had also filed a complaint against the group Alianza Costa Rica and its representative, former Costa Rican ambassador to the U.S. Tomás Dueñas, but the TSE rejected the complaint.
Villalta said the group had sent letters to businessmen “warning of the consequences that would imply a Villalta presidency“.
The presidenital candidate, in his complaint, said the Dueñas initiative violated the right to self-determination or the voters and the rights of workers to not receive employer pressures on electoral issues.
