No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeFIA 2015Costa Rica's culture minister sacked over failed international arts festival

Costa Rica’s culture minister sacked over failed international arts festival

Costa Rica’s Culture and Youth Minister Elizabeth Fonseca Corrales and two of her vice ministers were fired this week over the failed 2015 International Arts Festival (FIA). The government invested some ₡782 million ($1.4 million) in the two-week festival, even though most of the scheduled events and presentations were canceled following a series of failures in coordination and logistics.

President Luis Guillermo Solís confirmed the three officials’ exit Tuesday at a press conference following the weekly Cabinet meeting at Casa Presidencial. The president also confirmed that Fonseca had dismissed FIA Director Inti Picado on Monday.

In recent days Fonseca had said she would not leave her post despite widespread outrage over the implosion of the traditionally successful festival. However, she submitted her resignation letter at the president’s request on Tuesday morning.

Read all The Tico Times 2015 FIA coverage

On Monday evening, the now ex-minister sent Solís a report he had requested on the festival failures. (Download the 15-page report, in Spanish, here. It’s quite a read.) She also was scheduled to appear before the Legislative Assembly at 3 p.m. Tuesday to explain what went wrong.

In her resignation letter, Fonseca said: “I hope that whoever replaces me in the ministry will preserve the vision we have been developing. A vision that calls for opening opportunities for cultural rights for all citizens throughout the country and not just in the Central Valley. A vision that all communities in the country deserve cultural infrastructure and not just the country’s capital.”

President Solís said he will announce replacements for the ministry’s top officials in the coming days.

Trending Now

Gisele Bündchen’s Summer Getaway in Costa Rica’s Santa Teresa

Supermodel Gisele Bündchen spent late June in Costa Rica, soaking up the sun and sand in Santa Teresa with her partner, Joaquim Valente, and...

US and Panama Begin Joint Exercises to Protect Panama Canal

US forces teamed up with Panamanian police for fresh military drills focused on safeguarding the Panama Canal, starting amid ongoing debates about foreign influence...

Guatemala Earthquakes Leave Two Dead and Several Injured

Two people died following the strong earthquakes that shook much of Guatemala on Tuesday and caused various material damages, according to civil protection authorities....

Illegal Airstrip Allegedly Built in Costa Rica’s Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge

The Limón branch of the Environmental Prosecutor's Office is investigating the alleged construction of an airstrip inside the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, as well...

Honduran teen deported by US feels like foreigner in native country

Emerson Colindres had just finished high school when he was sent back to Honduras by the United States, a country that he had called...

EU and Central America Launch First Meeting to Expand Trade Relations

The European Union and Central American nations came together for their first Association Council meeting in Brussels. They focused on growing trade and investment...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica