Fiscal With Six Bodyguards To Take Him Home From Drinking Binges
While Costa Ricans daily complain of the increased security in the streets due to the constant assaults and immediate response by authorities, one person enjoys the benefits of a security detail that uses up half the Servicio Policial de Intervención Inmediata (SIP) - special intervention police force - who on occasion has had to drag their charge home after a drinking binge.

The person under the protection of SIP is none other the country's Fiscal General (chief prosecutor), Francisco Dall’Anesse.

The complaints by the SIP agents of the irregular detail have, according to a report by the daily Spanish newspaper DIARIO EXTRA, unleashed a "caseria de brujas" (witch hunt) that has forced the head of the SIP unit to disqualify himself and retire, following an internal investigation that has led to accusation of coercion of those who complain.

The report says that agents who complained of the situation were told to transfer to another unit if they did not like their assignment or not to provoke the fiscal because it would be like stepping in front of a train.

The DIARIO says it has a document in its possession confirming that Minor Araya, head of the SIP, has written to the director of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), Jorge Rojas, of what is going on and the concern of some agents of the irregular situation.

The report says that the move by Araya was not well seen by higher ups and from that moment on relations became tense, including Araya receiving intimidating calls from Dall'Anesse.

Araya said that Dall'Anesse called him to get an earful of "why the f*** did you change the people in charge of moving my daughter" and that he would personally make sure that he knew exactly who he is.

As a result of the what has been going on with the security detail of the fiscal, Araya said he was notified yesterday that he best take time off work and begin the process of retiring and that there is already a replacement for his post.

The head of the SIP says that close sourced told him "you are great officer, but you got railroaded for crossing Dall'Anesse".

The security detail to protect the Fiscal General began in 2004 by a resolution passed on June 2 of that year, where a driver and bodyguard was to accompany the fiscal on a 24 hour basis.

However, only recently did a court legally authorize the security detail that provides the fiscal the same protection given to the the President, picking him up at his home, escorting him to his office and back and at all functions, including social functions, public or not.

Therefore, agents have been escorting the fiscal since 2004 in an illegal function, who claim to have to wait for the fiscal at all hours of the night, having to wait outside while he entertains a lady friend, who is then to be driven home by the agents.

The cost of the detail includes some 150 hours of overtime clocked in by agents that can run from ¢300.000 to ¢1 million colones extra salary per month. In addition, there is the additional cost of fuel for two official vehicles that are used to escort the fiscal and the agents.

Hernán Campos, secretary general of the Sindicato de Agentes Judiciales (judicial agents union) expressed his concern for the extra cost of the detail, eating away at the budget to purchase bullet proof vests, arms and important necessities by the officials.

The SIP is a special unit fully trained in special operations seems to have become a "babysitter" and "Cuidaborrachos" (looking after the drunk), because in addition to providing security for Dall'Anesse, they are required to chauffeur the fiscals children to and back from university.

Agents, who spoke to the DIARIO on the basis of anonymity, fearing reprisals, talked to the daily of have spoke of on the behaviour of the "children" under their guard, saying that the children do not respect the agents and call them to be picked up similar as to calling a taxi and yelling at the agents if they arrive late.

Agents also complain that the fiscal does not take the security seriously, putting at risk his own life and that of the agents assigned to his security, saying he does not respect security protocols, and change some of his habits, like going out late at night and the fiscal not obeying their recommendations on two specific incidents when the agents felt they were being followed.