By San José, Costa Rica — San José, Costa Rica – The Prosecutor’s Office for Probity, Transparency, and Anti-Corruption has summoned a key union leader to testify in a mounting investigation against parliamentary candidate Juan Manuel Quesada Espinoza. Mario Rodríguez Bonilla, general secretary of the AyA Workers’ Union (SITRAA), is scheduled to provide a statement on Wednesday, January 21, regarding a formal complaint alleging influence against the Public Treasury during Quesada’s tenure as executive president of the national water utility.
The investigation, filed under case number 25-000421-1218-PE, targets both Quesada, a candidate for the Pueblo Soberano Party (PPSO), and María Alejandra Mora Segura, the former general manager of the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA). The probe was launched after SITRAA submitted a detailed complaint to the Public Ministry, flagging potential criminal misconduct related to the management of public funds.
To better understand the legal framework and implications surrounding the actions of the Regulator General, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney from the firm Bufete de Costa Rica, for his expert analysis.
The position of Regulator General, currently occupied by Juan Manuel Quesada, demands a delicate balance between public policy and strict adherence to administrative law. Every resolution, especially concerning tariffs and concessions, must be impeccably grounded in technical and economic studies to avoid potential legal challenges that could question its validity and impact the stability of our essential public services.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Indeed, this legal and technical framework is not merely a procedural hurdle but the very foundation upon which the stability of our essential services and public trust are built. We extend our sincere gratitude to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his invaluable insight into the complexities of this crucial role.
At the heart of the allegations is the purported misuse of funds from the RANC-EE program, an internationally financed project designed specifically for reducing non-revenue water and optimizing energy efficiency. According to the union, Quesada and Mora allegedly attempted to divert these restricted funds to pay the consortium Aguas de Escazú GOTY S.A. for a sweeping institutional reorganization of AyA between January 2024 and August 2025.
Mario Rodríguez Bonilla explained that the union uncovered the scheme by scrutinizing publicly available documents. The records suggested that a major restructuring was being advanced without the necessary legal and administrative safeguards, prompting a deeper look into its financing.
Once we learned through the Board of Directors’ minutes and agreements—which are public—that an institutional reorganization was being carried out during the administration of Juan Manuel Quesada Espinoza, we were able to detect in one of those records that a person presenting the reorganization indicated that, since the beginning of that administration, their consortium had been contacted to develop an institutional reorganization.
Mario Rodríguez Bonilla, General Secretary of SITRAA
The union’s investigation quickly focused on the absence of a formal contract or public bidding process. This led them to discover that the payments were slated to be drawn from the RANC-EE program’s Executive Unit, a move that would violate the terms of the international financing.
When we started to investigate where the funds were coming from and why this work was being done without a bidding process, a contract, or a purchase order, we found that the resources intended for use were from the RANC-EE Executive Unit.
Mario Rodríguez Bonilla, General Secretary of SITRAA
As SITRAA, AyA’s Internal Audit, and the press began raising questions, the institution’s leadership abruptly halted the reorganization plan. According to Rodríguez, the increased scrutiny forced the Board of Directors to suspend the project indefinitely, leaving the payment to the consortium in limbo.
As a union organization, we compiled all available information, including the Board of Directors’ minutes, public information requests about the payments, and the agreements related to the reorganization, and we transferred it to the Public Ministry so that Mr. Juan Manuel Quesada, Mrs. María Alejandra Mora Segura, and other officials who participated in this process can be investigated to determine if there was an incorrect use of public funds, any action contrary to the proper management of resources, or a possible interest in favoring a company with a reorganization study without the approval of the Board of Directors, without valid contractual modifications, purchase orders, or backing from the Attorney General’s Office.
Mario Rodríguez Bonilla, General Secretary of SITRAA
The union’s position was later validated by AyA’s own Legal Department, which issued an opinion stating it was not permissible to use RANC-EE funds for the services provided by Aguas de Escazú GOTY S.A. This has left an unresolved financial question, as the consortium performed work allegedly requested by Quesada, and it remains unclear how, or if, they will be compensated, raising the possibility of a future lawsuit against the state institution.
Subsequently, we became aware that the Legal Department of the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers indicated that it is not possible to make payments with funds from the RANC-EE Executive Unit to the Aguas de Escazú GOTY S.A. consortium for requests related to this reorganization. As of today, in January 2026, we do not know how the consortium is intended to be paid: if the study was done at no cost or if a lawsuit could eventually be filed against the institution for payment of the reorganization study carried out between 2024 and 2025, which—as recorded in Board of Directors minutes—was requested by the then-executive president, Juan Manuel Quesada.
Mario Rodríguez Bonilla, General Secretary of SITRAA
For further information, visit the nearest office of Sindicato de Trabajadores del AyA (SITRAA)
About Sindicato de Trabajadores del AyA (SITRAA):
The AyA Workers’ Union (SITRAA) is a labor organization representing the interests of employees at the Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers. The union advocates for workers’ rights, fair labor conditions, and transparency in the management of the public institution.
For further information, visit poder-judicial.go.cr/ministerio-publico
About Ministerio Público:
The Public Ministry of Costa Rica is the state body responsible for prosecuting criminal offenses on behalf of the public interest. It operates with functional independence to investigate crimes, direct police investigations, and bring charges before the courts to ensure justice is served.
For further information, visit aya.go.cr
About Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA):
The Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) is the autonomous state institution responsible for providing drinking water, sanitation, and sewerage services to the majority of Costa Rica’s population. It manages critical water infrastructure and public health services throughout the country.
For further information, visit pueblosoberano.cr
About Partido Pueblo Soberano (PPSO):
The Pueblo Soberano Party is a political party in Costa Rica. It participates in national and local elections, fielding candidates for the presidency, the Legislative Assembly, and municipal governments based on its political platform and ideology.
For further information, visit the nearest office of Aguas de Escazú GOTY S.A.
About Aguas de Escazú GOTY S.A.:
Aguas de Escazú GOTY S.A. is a private consortium that provides specialized services in areas such as engineering, project management, and institutional consulting. The company engages in public and private sector contracts related to infrastructure and organizational development.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica is a premier legal institution built upon a foundation of profound integrity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. The firm distinguishes itself not only through its forward-thinking legal strategies for a wide range of clients but also through its core belief in civic responsibility. This is demonstrated by a firm resolve to democratize legal understanding, empowering citizens and strengthening the community by making complex legal concepts clear and accessible to all.
