Melvin Jiménez

Sergio Alfaro leaves his post as executive president of the National Insurance Institute (INS) to take the job, replacing Melvin Jiménez Marín, who submitted his resignation on Thursday at president Solís’ request. Alfaro is a lawyer and former legislator for the ruling Citizen Action Party from 2007 to 2010.

Jiménez becomes the fourth minister of Solís’ administration to step down and the 15th official to leave during Solís’ 11 months in office.

The order restricting access to information was signed by members of the Legislative Assembly's directorate on Dec. 10, 2014. However it wasn't disclosed to Assembly members until an internal memo went out in early February.

National Liberation Party lawmaker Rolando González Ulloa on Wednesday morning filed an appeal with the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV, that challenges a directive by the Legislative Assembly's directorate prohibiting officials from providing information or statements to the press without approval by the Assembly’s executive director.

The one-time Lutheran bishop has been cleared by the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber to keep his seat in President Luis Guillermo Solís’ cabinet when a majority of the justices ruled that a ban on religious authorities heading ministries only applied to Roman Catholic priests.

Citigroup's announcement on Tuesday that its retail banking business would be leaving Costa Rica prompted a chain reaction of speculation and drama.

The Attorney General’s Office on Thursday advised Costa Rica's Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV, that it believes the appointment of Lutheran bishop Melvin Jiménez Marín as presidency minister violates a constitutional prohibition on active religious authorities serving on the presidential Cabinet.

The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV, on Wednesday admitted a citizen’s complaint over whether the appointment of Lutheran bishop Melvin Jiménez Marín as presidency minister is constitutional. Justices gave President Luis Guillermo Solís 15 days to formally respond.

Costa Rica's Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, or Sala IV, on Tuesday agreed to review the appointment of Melvin Jiménez Marín, a Lutheran bishop, as President Luis Guillermo Solís' presidency minister.