Costa Rica, along with Chile, has the well—earned reputation of being an honest, almost corruption—free nation in Latin America. So the public reaction there was bitter when news came out that their former president, Angel Luis Rodriguez, who had two weeks earlier been elected secretary general of the Organization of American States, had taken a $500,000 bribe from Alcatel, the French phone giant.

Without casting judgment, OAS nations like Nicaragua and Mexico pressured him to resign until the controversy subsided. Under pressure, Rodriguez announced his resignation several days ago, with the that caveat he'd remain in office for another week to wrap up business. But angry Costa Rica was having none of that. The morning he flew into the country he was greeted by clicking handcuffs and crowds of angry Costa Ricans shouting "Corrupt!"  along his parade route to the clink. "From this moment on, he's no longer OAS president," Costa Rican prosecutor dourly noted, apparently denying the ex—president his expected time to take care of those loose ends at the OAS.   
A.M. Mora y Leon    10 17 04