Mel Gibson Plans Costa Rican Donation

Mel Gibson has met with the President of Costa Rica to discuss making a donation to help the local indian population.

Gibson was granted an hour-long meeting on July 9 at the home of President Oscar Arias, during which the actor and the Nobel Peace Prize recipient talked at length about ways to assist the 50,000 native people living in the country.

“He wants to help the indigenous population here,” said Arias afterwards. “And he wants to know how to channel the funds.”
The native indians of Costa Rica make up only 1.7% of the total population, yet they suffer greatly from financial and social problems, especially alcoholism and drug use. Safe drinking water and sanitation are also problems in many areas, with 30% of the population not receiving clean water.

Gibson recently bought a 163 hectare property in the Costa Rican district of Guanacaste, an important tourism and agricultural area, part of which he plans to turn into a nature conservation zone.

“If you go into someone else’s country… you don’t just go in there and stomp all over the place,” explained the Academy Award winning actor and director, who in the past has donated $1 million towards aid in Central America. “You bring a gift. It’s like going to somebody’s house.”

Oscar Arias said Gibson would return to Costa Rica in a month to arrange the size of the donation and the organizations it would benefit.