The Dirección de Inteligencia y Seguridad (DIS) – Costa Rica’s intelligence and spy unit – requested all hotels ear the Foreign Ministry a list of all their guests who are staying or will be staying while Obama is in town.
CRHoy.com says the request was confirmed by DIS sources close to the online publication.
In addition, members of the United States Secret Service visited major hotels like the Intercontinental and Marriott and the hospital Clinica Biblica, assessing the preparations in the event the US president requires attention.
The source says that a U.S. Air Force helicopter is stationed at the medical centre’s helipad, where Obama would receive basic medical care and transferred to Air Force One, where he would be treated by U.S. doctors on board the presidential plane.
Hotels have also been asked to have a hotel vehicle available to transport guests, as taxi services will not be allowed within the security perimeter.
While the precise time of Obama’s arrival and his exact movements while in Costa Rica have not been released to the press, what is known is that the President will meet with Costa Rican presidenta, Laura Chinchilla and possibly Johnny Araya, who is favoured to be win the 2014 presidential elections, as well as the other Central American presidents who will be in Costa Rica for the SICA conference.
Enrique Castillo, Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister, noted that groups have made clear their intentions to protest the Obama visit, saying, “they want to spoil the party and this minimizes the chances of Obama’s contact with the public”.
Castillo urged these groups are taking advantage of the visit to protest, forgetting the courtesy that whould be given to a viisto as distinguished as Obama.
