Costa Rica’s Attorney General Emilia Navas filed a criminal case against former two-time president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, in relation to the Crucitas gold mine case, the information was confirmed by the Public Ministry.

Arias is facing charges for malfeasance (breach of public duty), in an act that took place October 2008, when he signed a decree declaring the Crucitas gold mine a “project of public interest” and “convenient” for the country.

The area of Crucitas near the Northern border was to be mined by Canadian gold mining company, Infinito Gold; however, the company was denied access to the land, the Public Ministry annulled the concession of the open-pit mine project in 2010 due to its potential environmental damage. Infinito Gold fought against Costa Rica for many years and finally gave up on the case in 2015.

Former minister of environment, Roberto Dobles, was convicted in this case (on charges of malfeasance) and sentenced to three years of prison; however, he avoided jail time after the verdict was overturn by an appeals court; Dobles is currently awaiting a hearing to determine if his case goes to trial again.

Back in 2014, the District Attorney Office, under the direction then of former Attorney Gneral Jorge Chavarría, requested the dismissal of the case considering there was no evidence to continue with it; yet, when Attorney General Emilia Navas took over, she ordered to reactivate the case to determine the possibility of pressing charges.

Arias was never under investigation in this case despite having signed the decree along with Dobles, in fact the decree would have not been valid if it didn’t have Arias’ signature.

Arias has always maintained his innocence and willingness to collaborate with justice, and even expressed that as a president many decrees are signed all the time, and its not possible to go over all of them, “As a president you trust your ministers, and the ministers trust their legal teams” he said.