President Back at Work After Hospital Stay

PRESIDENT Abel Pacheco returnedto work Monday after a week of recuperationat home and in the hospital, where hewas treated for high blood pressure.At the press conference following hisweekly Cabinet meeting Tuesday,Pacheco, 71, declared himself “profoundlygrateful” to the Costa Rican people fortheir prayers and for “worrying so muchabout this little old man.”The President entered Rafael ÁngelCalderón Guardia Hospital in San JoséJune 6 when a regular checkup in hisoffice revealed his blood pressure to bewell over normal levels. He was releasedJune 9 after spending three days undertreatment and observation (TT, June 10).Pacheco, who has diabetes and suffereda stroke in 2000, was also hospitalizedfor heart problems in February.Asked whether he would reduce hisworkload as doctors recommended onboth occasions, Pacheco said Tuesday hehopes he will be able to spend less timedealing with accusations from the press.He has come under fire in recentweeks for accepting perks including freeairline tickets and lifetime membershipsto an exclusive club, and claims the mediais attacking him unfairly (TT, June 10).