With the CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) referendum only 10 days away, the controversial trade agreement has seen two high level resignations that are bound to affect some members of the public when they come to vote on Sunday October 7th.

The two resignations come in light of a leaked memo earlier this month detailing illegal approaches in trying to sway the public into voting for CAFTA. Kevin Casas, one of the men involved in the scandal, almost immediately resigned from his position as Planning Minister and announced that he would be taking temporary leave until the investigation of the reports was completed. Previously reported here.

However with continued pressure from the on going investigation and also from political groups that are both for and against the trade agreement has seen Casas resign from his position as second Vice-President.

President Arias moved quickly in releasing a statement saying that he accepted Casas’ decision to resign from his position, although he would miss his hard working, capable and efficient work ethic towards Costa Rican politics.

The other member involved in the leaked memo was one Fernando Sanchez who also earlier this week stepped down from two legislative positions due to pressure from the on going investigations. Sanchez headed both the Electoral Reforms Commission and the Commission on the Development Bank Law as President.

The memo had outlined details of how to get mayors to gain votes for the referendum by bribing them. The memo stated that if they didn’t manage to secure a ‘yes’ vote for their constituency then their funding would be significantly cut. It also identified ways of fooling the Supreme Elections Tribunal in order to get around political funding laws to back the ‘yes’ vote.

With the referendum approaching fast, political parties that are both for and against the trade agreement have vented their feelings against Casas and Sanchez. Even the parties who are campaigning in favor of the referendum have distanced themselves away from the memo’s proposed actions as they believe in a fair vote and that they did not support trying to win votes via illegal measures.

This memo has clearly rocked the forth coming referendum and will no doubt play a part in some voters’ minds on whether they will vote for against the trade agreement.

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