The mayor of San José, Luis Diego Miranda Méndezrequested the Human Talent Department of the Municipality of San José to suspend the salary increase that the councilors approved on May 28, with which the chief’s salary would have risen from ¢5,565,000 to ¢5,740,000.
On Tuesday, June 4, the San José Municipal Council urged the mayor to freeze the increase, because the Comptroller General of the Republic warned that the approved amount exceeded the limit set by law.
However, since May 30, the mayor had asked Talento Humano to stop the adjustment for both him and the vice mayor, Yariela Quirós, and the former leaders Johnny Araya (former mayor) and Paula Vargas (former vice mayor). For the latter, a retroactive adjustment was going to be applied for the four months they were in the position this year.
Miranda indicated that the suspension will remain until the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR) answers a formal request for criteria to determine what the maximum salary of the capital’s ruler is.
READ MORE: Salary of ¢5.7 million for mayor exceeds what is dictated by law, says the Comptroller’s Office
In response to a query The nationthe controlling entity recalled that, according to the Public Employment Framework Law, no public remuneration can exceed the global salary of the President of the Republic, the amount of which was established at ¢5,565,000 on March 10, 2023, through an agreement made by the Budget Authority.
On June 4, the councilors also instructed Miranda to consult the opinion of the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) on the legality of his salary.
The motion was proposed by councilors Brandon Guadamuz and David Contreras, from the Frente Amplio (FA), with the support of councilors Juan Diego Gómez, from Más San José; Álvaro Salas, from the Christian Social Unit (PUSC); Yorleny Córdoba, from Progreso Social Democrático (PPSD); José Manuel Jiménez, of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), and Mariana Zúñiga, Rafael González and Andrea Rudín, of the ruling Juntos San José party.
READ MORE: Mayor of San José, Diego Miranda, imposes silence on officials
Prior to the Municipal Council vote, Miranda defended the salary adjustment and assured that the criticism of the Mayor’s Office occurred because some councilors “pained” that he won the municipal elections on February 4.
“There has been a lot of manipulation about the supposed increase, and I say supposed increase because, in the first instance, the qualification was proposed by Human Talent. They have wanted to manipulate this, even though I have said with all humility that I am not interested in earning ¢200,000 more, nor did I come to the municipality to enrich myself as others did,” the mayor declared in that session.
The mayor of San José, Diego Miranda, during the Municipal Council session on June 4, 2024. Photos: Mayela López. (Mayela López)
