Is the Vice-President’s brother a “close personal friend” of George Nayor, an alleged drug trafficker accused of planning the assassination of Salvadoran President Tony Saca? Did he disappear just days after Nayor was arrested in the United States?
Conflicting accounts and descriptions given this week by Kevin Casas, Costa Rica’s Second Vice-President, and Ciro Casas, his older brother, have done little to clear the air after it was revealed Ciro worked as Nayor’s lawyer.
Nayor, allegedly a close associate of Pablo Escobar, the former leader of the now-defunct Medellín Cartel, is currently imprisoned in the United States on charges of international drug trafficking (see article in The Nica Times).
After the connection between Nayor and Ciro was revealed, Kevin Casas released a statement Monday to the press saying his family was concerned about the “disappearance” of his brother. He also said he had been introduced to Nayor at a birthday party for Ciro as “a close friend” of his brother.
Nayor, however, appeared Wednesday, telling Channel 6 TV News that his relationship with Nayor was strictly professional.
“I have been a lawyer for 25 years. I have worked for a lot of people. It is possible that I have had a professional relationship, a legal relationship, with him. I do not feel that it is a relationship of friendship,” Ciro said.
As for his whereabouts, Ciro’s son Sebastian Casas said in a statement Tuesday that his father had not disappeared, but was in Colombia Oct. 2-7 giving workshops on labor conflicts and collective bargaining, the daily La Nación reported.
U.S. investigations indicate that Nayor could have $15 million in Costa Rican bank accounts. Ciro denied having any information about such accounts, or any “illicit activities” by Nayor.
