QCOSTARICA – The coastal local governments achieved their goal in their meeting this afternoon with representatives of the central government, having beaches remain open until 6:00 pm.
Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, January 13, all beaches in the country will close at 6:00 pm and no longer at 2:30 pm.
The measure will be in place until the end of the month (January) when it will be subjected to analysis.
The meeting this afternoon came about after pressure last week when the municipal councils of Garabito and Quepos approved to maintain their beaches until 6:30 pm starting Saturday, January 9.
Last Friday, Garabito Mayor Tobías Murillo threatened to break from the central government’s directive and open the beaches of Jaco, Herradura, Hermosa, and others, arguing the closing of beaches early discouraged the arrival of tourists and prevents the reactivation and employment generation for the dry season.
Murillo demanded the central government give a convincing explanation, failing, there were going to have repercussions at the national level.
“What is the damage we have done? Loosen us up; I believe that the measures they have taken are enough and we have complied with them,” said Murillo, in a message by WhatsApp sent to the press Friday.
In addition, he asked rhetorically if what they (the central government) want is to bring their canton “to ruin” or to bankruptcy with this unfair measure”.
“We were the first canton to close the beaches, but we are also going to be the first canton to rise up due to injustice, persecution and the lack of sincerity of this government towards our area. If they want war, they will have war,” warned Murillo, whose canton reported on Friday only two active cases of Covid-19, of the 24 that have been in that canton.
By Friday afternoon, Murillo and the other mayors, who exposed themselves to a sanitary order and judicial complaint, backed down, accepting the offer by the central government to dialogue for this Tuesday.
