The former legislator rejected this “unilateral” decision by the Central American country’s executive branch “at this moment when the danger of foreign intervention by the United States government looms over the people and government of Cuba.”

“This attitude of the outgoing Costa Rican government (following the February 1 elections) is at odds with the best pacifist and solidarity-based traditions of the noble Costa Rican people,” the former rector added in his statement, which he also endorsed “as a citizen.”

“It is evident,” he emphasizes, “that, with no justification whatsoever for such a decision, the Costa Rican government’s subservient attitude toward the United States is clear, in its arrogance of wanting to trample on the sovereignty of the Cuban people and government.”

Former congressman Salom rememembered that “since diplomatic relations were established between the Republic of Cuba and the Republic of Costa Rica (1907), there has not been a single act by the Cuban government that justifies the decision made by the Costa Rican government and recently communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

“I sincerely hope that a new leader with a democratic spirit will rectify this act of insanity and servility on the part of the current administration,” the statement concludes, addressed “to the government and people of Cuba and to my fellow Costa Rican citizens.” Costa Rica elected former government minister Laura Fernandez as its new president in the February 1st elections, who will be sworn in on August 8th, becoming the second woman to hold the office in the country’s history, after Laura Chinchilla.

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