Rodrigo Chaves Robles has become the first sitting president in the history of Costa Rica to testify to a legislative committee as he faced charges of corruption and the possibility of a criminal trial.

The three-member committee held the hearing on Friday to consider whether or not to lift Chaves Robles’s immunity as president.

Doing so would pave the way for Chaves Robles to be prosecuted based on allegations he used government-related funds to give kickbacks to an ally.

Chaves Robles has denied any wrongdoing and accused his opponents of using the judiciary to oust his government.

“What we are experiencing has historic consequences,” Chaves Robles said on Friday. “The entire country is witnessing a legal rigging by the attorney general and the criminal court.”

He told his supporter

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