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Accused pedophile teaching at Costa Rica schools

From the print edition

 An ex-priest wanted by Interpol on suspicion of participating in a child pornography ring in El Salvador has been teaching at two Central Valley schools for approximately a month. Tico blogger “El Chamuko,” at http://infierno.ticoblogger.com, broke the story after seeing a picture of Lidier Martínez Navarro, a Costa Rican ex-priest, in a report by the daily Diario Extra about Ticos wanted by Interpol.

On the Education Ministry’s website, Martínez is listed as an instructor of religion at the Braulio Odio Herrera School in Monterrey de Aserrí, in the mountains south of San José. School principal Luis Soto said Martínez was employed for approximately one month before resigning his position last Friday, after El Chamuko’s story broke online.

Martínez, 43, is wanted by Salvadoran police, and an Interpol warrant for his arrest on charges of crimes against children is active. Diario Extra reported in 2009 that Martínez was sought in connection with an Interpol investigation of an online network created to share and distribute images of sexual acts with children. The investigation began in Spain and led to computers in San Salvador, El Salvador, where Martínez worked at a Catholic high school. 

Martínez also worked at the Republic of Panamá School in the southern San José suburb of Desamparados since Feb. 17. He taught religion.

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