Costa Rica President Oscar Arias Was Prescribed Vocal Rest for a Month.

Costa Rica’s President Oscar Arias sought treatment abroad this week in the United States for a severe vocal chord issue that rendered him unable to speak, causing him to cancel important meetings and diplomatic trips. Though many were worried for the leader’s health, the country breathed a collective sigh of relief today when it was announced that Arias is suffering from a benign vocal cyst, and will not even need surgery.

President Arias, aged 68, had been progressively losing his voice over the past few weeks, and when he finally lost his voice completely on May 12, he knew that serious measures had to be taken. After a local exam, the president decided to seek a second opinion in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

During his expected 8-day absence, Vice President Laura Chinchilla — party favorite for the 2010 presidential bid — served as acting president. When the trip was first announced, the Casa Presidencial (the federal governmental seat) declined to release details on where Arias would seek treatment. In addition, President Arias himself wrote a letter to the Legislative Assembly, stating that “The exact reason for my trip, as well as its costs, are absolutely private.”

On Tuesday, Arias headed to Philadelphia, where he met with otolaryngology specialists, otherwise known as ENT’s at the Philadelphia Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates. Before this trip, Arias had already met with Mauricio Buitrago, a local ENT, who had prescribed vocal rest. Arias had not spoken in public for over a week before his Philadelphia trip, where his attending doctors confirmed Buitrago’s assessment of Arias’s severe vocal problem, and commenced with their own testing.

Arias was finally diagnosed with a benign vocal cyst that, while posing no immediate health threat, has been severely impeding his ability to speak. Instead of surgery, the ENT specialists recommended the same as Buitrago: vocal rest. Indeed, Arias has medical orders to remain quiet for over a month, so as to allow his vocal chords to heal as best they can.

If, after his month-long silence, Arias has still not recovered use of his voice, then doctors will revisit the issue and consider surgery to resolve the problem. However, as the president’s daughter, Silvia Eugenia Arias, explains, President Arias is following orders strictly, and will be sure to comply with his doctor’s requests and suggestions.

Though Arias was originally expected to be out of Costa Rica for 8 days, the latest reports have him arriving home on Saturday, May 24, just 4-5 days after his departure. However, nothing is confirmed, as the Casa Presidencial has been very guarded about the president’s health and travel plans. In fact, President Arias has had to deal with several health problems since he took office for the second time: in addition to his vocal chords, he has also suffered from tendinitis, severe back pain in his lumbar region, and several other minor problems.

Thankfully, hopes are high and the outlook is good that Arias’s vocal chords will heal themselves after a month-long respite from the daily oratory responsibilities of being Costa Rica’s president. In the meantime, those closest to the president will rally around him, ensuring that his responsibilities are seen to, and the country taken care of.

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Filed under: Costa Rica News on May 22nd, 2008