The participation of a top-level public official in the recent march in memory of Jairo Mora has become the subject of political controversy. As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star:

With picket signs, banners, slogans, songs, and a general feeling of indignation, a march in memory of slain environmentalist Jairo Mora took place in San Jose on Thursday, January 29th. Demonstrators were united by a common sentiment and desire to see justice prevail in Jairo’s memory.

Among the demonstrators were two legislators, a former presidential candidate and even Edgar Gutierrez, Minister of the Environment.

The attendance of Minister Gutierrez prompted criticism from Celso Gamboa, Minister of Public Security, as well as from Zarela Villanueva, President of the Judicial Branch of Costa Rica. Other public officials who were not pleased to see Minister Gutierrez join this march included a number of high court judges.

In essence, critics suggest that Minister Gutierrez showed disrespect for the judicial process that cleared seven suspects believed to have been responsible for the murder of environmentalist Jairo Mora, who was 26 years old when he was killed in Moin, in the Caribbean province of Limon, in late May of 2013. The seven suspects were brought to the Criminal Tribunal in Limon, and yet none of them were charged with murder due to a series of blunders by prosecutors and law enforcement agents.

Critics of Minister Gutierrez also mentioned that his participation in the march failed to establish a clear division of powers in Costa Rica. As with other democratic republics, Costa Rica is subject to a balance of power between the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches of government. It is important to note, however, that the presence of legislators at the march in memory of Jairo Mora has been lauded.

For his part, President Luis Guillermo Solis defended the actions of his Environment Minister; the President explained that his Minister was there to support Jairo’s family and to stress the need of more investigative and judicial resources. It is interesting to note that President Solis has also taken sides in protests, particularly when it comes to the subject of the rights of students.