Tico Consul Resigns Nica Post Under Fire

The Tico consul in Nicaragua resigned this week amid charges that he smuggled foreigners into Costa Rica.

The consul, Víctor Láscarez, is suspected of escorting a Jordanian and a Lebanese man through the northern border in a diplomatic car in September.

“He used his consular powers in a way that could undermine confidence in his judgment and may have affected national security,” said Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias.

Láscarez temporarily stepped down March 15 while a government ethics committee investigated the case. The committee found that Láscarez abused his diplomatic authority by bringing people into Costa Rica in a car with diplomatic plates, Arias said. He declined to reveal more details.