The Ministry of Culture and Sports revealed that after an inspection by the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets in the area of the Presidency of the Congress of the Republic where a “bunker” was built, it was determined that said interventions were not authorized. Therefore, some illegality may have been committed, because the property was declared heritage in 1978.
Of this amount, the Culture authorities announced, through a statement, that they will take legal action against the people who are responsible for said modifications to the property.
The document reports that during the inspection it was determined that “the property in question was declared as Heritage Category “A”, according to Ministerial Agreement 328-98, of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and declared a National Monument, through Government Decree 32. -78 of June 14, 1978.”
It also details that “the interventions carried out do not have the proper authorization issued by the General Directorate of Cultural and Natural Heritage, established by the Law for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage of the Nation, Decree 26-97”, so “they will proceed to present the corresponding complaints to the competent authorities, in order to deduce responsibilities regarding interventions carried out without the authorization established by law.”
Since the existence of the “bunker” in the Presidency of Congress became known, Congressman Allan Rodríguez, former president of the Legislature, said that it was a space for “prayer and reflection.” A plaque with Rodríguez’s name was located in the space.
“It makes me laugh,” Rodríguez said in statements he gave to the media on March 5. “After the burning of Congress, a space that was used as a warehouse was readjusted for a private space that was used as a space for prayer and reflection,” he said.
On the plaque it says that it was left in a “comforting” way. According to him, he assured, it is a space of “protection” for “those of us who have principles and values, and respect God, could have a space to reflect and pray,” Rodríguez commented.
The former president himself urged a tour of the space that was repurposed. According to the deputy, the accusation against him is about people “interested in exaggerating and taking things out of context.”
Rodríguez said that the accusations must be accompanied by a complaint. “If the president—Nery Ramos—had said that, he would be concerned and ask him where the complaint is because for him to come and say that, three months after they took office, it makes them look bad.”
For her part, Representative Shirley Rivera declared that, in effect, Rodríguez had shown her the annex. “When I took over the Presidency of Congress, the previous president, Allan Rodríguez, showed me that he had created a space of protection there in the Presidency. That is what exists,” she said.
Rivera said that for her it was a “very private” issue because she used the space to do devotionals. “You have seen the little prayer room, I used it for devotionals, exactly, it exists.”
When questioned about the existence of a cove he said: “Not at all. Let them say where they are, take photos and report them.”
A team from the Prosecutor’s Office against Money Laundering or Other Assets went to the Congress of the Republic on Tuesday, February 5. However, the MP reported that advisors from the legal area of the Legislature did not allow access to the researchers.
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