EBI Berthier, the developer of the Turrúcares landfill, has stated that Juan Carlos Obando is not on its payroll and does not hold any position within the company. The firm did not clarify whether Obando serves as an advisor or whether it has made payments to him for services. On Thursday, La Nación reported that Obando, a former manager of Berthier EBI in Costa Rica, is listed as an advisor to the company. According to the newspaper, he also acted as the transport coordinator for President Laura Fernández’s campaign and contributed ₡5 million to the Partido Pueblo Soberano (PPSO) for her campaign. When La Nación asked EBI Berthier about its relationship with Obando, the company replied that it could not provide information on his private activities or past processes. “Juan Carlos Obando is not on the payroll of EBI and does not hold any position in the company. Therefore, we are not in a position to comment on his personal activities or previous processes,” the statement read. The company also said it had no connection to the events that occurred on 4 November, when Minister Rodrigo Chaves defended the landfill project in front of Turrúcares residents. EBI Berthier was asked to clarify whether Obando had acted as an advisor and whether the company had paid him for advisory or other professional services during 2025 and 2026. The company declined to provide further details, citing confidentiality policies. “EBI does not disclose information about its contractual relationships or payments to suppliers, consultants, or third parties,” the statement added. It reiterated that it had no involvement in the events of 4 November or in the personal or political activities of third parties. Attempts by La Nación to obtain a statement from Obando via phone and text messages were unsuccessful by the time the paper closed its edition. Obando’s involvement in political financing is documented. In a document dated 29 June 2026, he identified himself as an “advisor empresarial” (business advisor) to EBI of Costa Rica and noted his role as transport coordinator for the PPSO campaign, where he was responsible for the strategic mobilization axis. Earlier, he had made donations to the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN). On 6 August 2025, a few days after President Fernández announced her pre‑candidacy, Obando donated to Pueblo Soberano. On the night of 4 November 2026, Minister Rodrigo Chaves defended the landfill project to Turrúcares residents and linked a potential community investment of ₡6 billion to the project’s completion.