COSTA RICA: Ex-Prez Rodriguez Gets 5 Years Prison For Corruption.

LAHT/

    Miguel Angel Rodriguez (pictured) president from 1998-2002...was sentenced to five years for taking a  $600,000 usd kickback from French telecom Alcatel.
   Rodriguez, who once headed the OAS, is the second former Costa Rican president to be convicted on corruption charges...after Rafael Angel Calderon's 2009 conviction.
  Rodriguez was acquitted on four other charges but was also banned for 12-years from holding any public office.

COSTA RICA: Corruption Trial Of Former President Rodriguez Begins.

CNN/    Former President Miguel Angel Rodriguez and eight others are accused of taking bribes for awarding a $149 million government mobile phone contract to Alcatel. Rodriguez, president from 1998-2002, is charged with receiving more than $600,000 in payments from Alcatel for an August 2001 contract with the Costa Rican Electricity Institute, commonly known as ICE.