Angulo Charged Formally

National Liberation party lawmaker Jorge Angulo was charged formally this week with fraud, influence paddling and extortion, the first sitting deputy to have been charged with crimes.

Angulo earlier said he would renounce his congressional immunity to face the charges, although he stopped short of saying he would step down from his Legislative Assembly seat.

The legislator made his announcement after a majority of lawmakers, including those of his own party, indicated a willingness to strip him of his immunity.  Such a willingness is unusual in the nation's political history.

But charges against Angulo are serious. (See previous articles.) He is charged with extorting KOINKJ SA construction company to pay him kickbacks in the construction of new classrooms. He is also charged with the misuse of funds of a development association in the southern zone of the country.

Should Angulo change his mind about renouncing his immunity against legal actions against him, Chief Prosecutor Jorge Chavarria would have to present a dossier detailing the charges against him to his fellow lawmakers.

Earlier, a large number from several major parties already have indicated a willingness to do so. But even before this can happen, Liberation party chief Bernal Jimenez has already arranged a seven-member party ethics tribunal to "try" him. Other than expelling him from the party, it is unclear what action could be taken against Angulo.

Meanwhile, Angulo is an embarrassment to his own party. Since his legal problems surfaced, he has been largely absent from his desk at the Legislative Assembly and National Liberation might well need his vote if the controversial tax reform package is put up for a vote.