Legislator Evita Arguedas broke ties this week with the Libertarian Movement Party (ML) and declared herself an independent.
“I’ve come to the sad conclusion that the (Libertarian Movement) faction and several party leaders cling to a negative and unconstructive way of doing politics,” she wrote in a letter to Libertarian Movement President Otto Guevara announcing her split.
Party leaders released a statement calling for Arguedas’ resignation, so she can be replaced by another Libertarian.
“The Libertarian Movement is the victim of treachery from an opportunistic person who used the party to ascend to power,” wrote Guevara, Secretary General Ronaldo Alfaro and faction head Luis Barrantes.
They implied that she was ungrateful for leadership positions the Libertarians gave her, and they accused her of forging an “unconditional alliance” with the National Liberation Party (PLN).
Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias defended Arguedas this week, saying she has always had an independent streak.
Arias, the President’s brother and a member of the PLN, denied that the party pressured her to declare independence.
“This is her own decision… she did not feel comfortable (in the Libertarian Movement Party) from a personal or ideological standpoint,” he said.
The Libertarian Movement Party now has five members in the Legislative Assembly.
