Although upset and ashamed of their former president's involvement in a bribery scandal, all sectors of Costa Rica welcomed the arrest of Miguel Angel Rodriguez, which is seen as victory of law.

Rodriguez, who left his job in Washington as head of the Organization of American States (OAS) and returned to his country on Friday, was immediately detained on charges of illegal enrichment, bribery and corruption.

Representatives of different sectors of the society supported the measure and hoped that the former head of state will be tried in a fair and prompt way.

Political analysts Leonardo Garnier and Rodolfo Cerdas said thearrest of Rodriguez shows that the judicial system works the same way for everyone in this country, and that there is respect for the principle of equality before the law.

"This is a mature democracy in which there is no distinction among citizens," vice president of the Legislative Assembly, Juan Vargas, expressed satisfaction with the arrest.

Meanwhile, congressmen called on Rodriguez to expose the corruption network taking root in the political establishment of Costa Rica and demanded that Rodriguez "be sincere, not keep any information away from the Office of the Prosecutor for Economic Crimes, and try to remedy the damage done on the country."

"The evidence the Attorney General's office has and the denunciations made by the press make us think he is liable and must be responsive to every single charge filed against him," said Luis Ramirez, representative of the Liberal National Party.

"The serious denunciations of corruption demands the ex-president be accountable for his actions," said Epsy Campbel from the Citizen Action Party.

Congressmen asked the authorities to use all the force of law, irrespective of the health condition of Rodriguez, who was in a clinic in the capital suffering from high blood pressure developed during an interrogation in police custody.

After the arrest, Rodriguez was questioned by prosecutors late into night and held in a police cell. The 64-year-old politician, who pleaded innocent to all charges, has been put under house arrest for six months pending investigation of the charges.

Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco said in a press release that Rodriguez, like any other Costa Rican, can be certain to have a fair legal process, including the right to consult a lawyer and the obligation to be responsive to his actions.

Rodriguez, who was Costa Rican president between 1998 and 2002,has been involved in a scandal over a cellular phone contract in 2001 between French telecommunications company Alcatel and Costa Rica's telecommunications service, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE).

Jose Lobo, former ICE director and a former minister of Rodriguez's cabinet, said Rodriguez had asked for 60 percent of a 2.4-million-US dollar "prize" given by Alcatel for the contract.

Lobo said Friday that Rodriguez also received an additional commission of 800,000 dollars from Alcatel.

Source: Xinhua