On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Chaves commented on the ongoing investigation regarding the alleged illegal logging case in Gandoca Manzanillo. He backed the National System of Conservation Areas’ (SINAC) decision to grant the permits to the businessman Allan Pacheco Dent.
During the press conference, Chaves denied any irregularities or that he owed anyone a favor. The Minister of Environment and Energy (MINAE), Franz Tattenbach, reiterated that the permits given to Playa Manzanillo S.A., the company represented by Pacheco Dent, are lawful. He assured that an internal MINAE investigation concluded that they complied with all internal procedures.
The Environmental Prosecutor’s Office is, precisely, investigating the issuance of said permits, as it is believed the company Playa Manzanillo S.A., represented by Pacheco Dent, intended to “change the use of land in forest and wetland areas” and develop urban infrastructure.
“The permit is in order, we have investigated it, it complies with all our procedures to issue a forest harvesting permit. They (the Prosecutor’s Office) believe that we did not follow our procedure correctly. For us, the property had no annotation,” defended Chaves.
Last Tuesday, Congressman Ariel Robles denounced a meeting of Presidency personnel on a farm belonging to Pacheco Dent’s family, held in December 2022. President Chaves told Congressman Robles to find “something better to do,” as he believes the claims have no valid grounds.
Nonetheless, local media CRHOY and La Nacion revealed that the hierarchy of the Government had a party in an event center belonging to the Pacheco Dent family and the place was used for proselytizing activities when Chaves was a presidential candidate.
Further investigations show that the businessman held at least six meetings in the Presidential Office during November 2022 and October 2023. Pacheco visited different offices. He had 2 meetings with Rodrigo Chaves, President of the Republic, and 6 in the office of Jeffry Cerdas, head of security of the Presidency and of the Special Intervention Unit (UEI). There are also two visits that do not specify the meeting.
In addition, on one occasion, the businessman was listed as a visitor without specifying the office he would be attending. On another occasion, they omitted the details of the place he would be visiting.
