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All you need to know about Costa Rica’s reopening of airports to tourists

By
Rico
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0

(QCOSTARICA) Starting tomorrow, Saturday, August 1, the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) will be able to receive tourists from Canada, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK).

Those who enter through this terminal must comply with a sanitary protocol created jointly between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) and the airport manager, Aeris (a private company) to contain the spread of contagion due to COVID-19.

The reopening of the air terminal will – initially – allow 5 weekly flights.

On Thursday, July 30, the European Union Council update the list of countries authorized for passenger flights and transfers. Costa Rica is not on the list.

Although, most of the Spanish language media is reporting that, while Costa Rica can receive flights from the EU, flights are not authorized from our country.

However, that is not the case, the fact that Costa Rica is excluded from the authorized list, it only means that Costa Rican nationals are not authorized to enter the EU: European Union citizens and their family members, long-term EU residents and their family members, travelers with an essential function or need, can fly from the San Jose airport to Schengen area country.

In the coming days. Spain and Germany are the only two options. Direct flights between Costa Rica and Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands countries are expected to resume in the coming months. Find the COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map here for information on travel requirements around the world.

At the San Jose airport

  • The use of a facemask or shield is mandatory throughout the airport.
  • Disinfecting mats have been installed at the entrances to the terminal.
  • Hand washing stations have been installed at key points.
  • Sanitizing stations can be found in all common areas of the airport.
  • The frequency of cleaning and disinfection in high traffic areas (service counters, door handles, armrests, handrails, water sources, elevators, etc.) has been increased.
  • There will be a constant cleaning and disinfection of luggage trays and trolleys in terminals, pay stations in parking lots, internal buses, self-check kiosks, toilets and baby changers.

What should you consider when entering the country?

  • Tourists entering Costa Rica from destinations such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the EU must have a PCR test and a negative result 48 hours before the trip.
  • Acquire travel insurance that covers quarantine accommodation and medical expenses for acute illness. This insurance can only be purchased by the State insurer INS. The cost varies depending on the length of stay (maximum 52 weeks), age and health factors.
  • The airlines must inform passengers, with final destination Costa Rica and prior to arrival in the country, that they must complete the form known as the Health Pass, as well as the mandatory use of masks during their passage through the terminal.
  • Body temperature measurements will be carried out on all passengers and must pass through disinfecting mats.
  • Once the immigration process is complete, signs are available to distance the travel bubbles around the baggage carousels until continuing with the Customs and the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) processes.

On leaving the country?

  • The airlines will provide online checking facilities to make processes more efficient.
  • Arrival time at the airport at least 3 hours before departure time or 4 hours for long-haul flights.
  • Only passengers will be allowed to enter the departures hall of the international terminal.
  • The use of masks is mandatory.
  • Temperature measurements, with thermal cameras, will be made at the access bridges to the departures hall.
  • once the passenger enters the departures hall, they will carry out the airline check-in process at self-check kiosks or at the passenger service counters. If the passenger carried out his process online (and does not have checked luggage), they will go directly to the Immigration process.
  • At boarding gates the use of the seats will be limited; In case of travel bubbles, they can use all the seats.
  • The airline will establish procedures to organize the boarding process of small groups (10 passengers), starting with passengers at the rear of the plane. Passengers waiting to board should do so sitting in the boarding room.

Other:

  • Product tastings or samples will not be allowed in the commercial establishments inside the terminal.
  • Line areas will be demarcated with distances of 1.8 meters between each person.
  • The use of contactless cards will be promoted to make the corresponding payments.
  • The common areas must be at 50% of their capacity, respecting distancing.

Land and sea borders remain restricted to foreigners

While the air borders in San Jose and at the Daniel Oduber airport in Liberia, Guanacaste, are authorized to receive foreigners, such is not the case at the land and sea borders.

At the land borders with Nicaragua and Panama and sea borders, the regulation since March allows only the entry of Costa Rican nationals and legal residents of Costa Rica (if they did not leave after March 24).

 

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AyA Faces US$6.7 million dollars fine

By
Q Costa Rica
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The Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA) has no choice but to pay. The national water and sewer utility lost an arbitration against the Spanish company Acciona Agua S.A. and as a fine, must pay a sum greater than US$6.7 million dollars.

 

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Protesters block ruta 27 in Santa Ana this Friday morning

By
Rico
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0

(QCOSTARICA) As had been announced, this Friday morning an important number of people blocked the Ruta 27, in the area of the Mega Super in Santa Ana, demanding the government to allow them to operate, amid sanitary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Anti-riot police had to intervene after protesters closed the highway for several minutes. Apparently, five people are said have been detained for resisting authority.

The group was demanding that the government reopen shops and lift some measures, including the “closed” phase that will be from August 10 to August 21, extended hours to work, extend the vehicle restriction from 5:00 am at 10:00 pm, a 50% discount on water and electricity rates and lower rents, among others.

Another demonstration is scheduled for this Friday at 10:00 am in the area of Casa Presidencial in Zapote.

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Crashes vehicle and strips naked in public

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Q Costa Rica
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[QH] In plain light of day Thursday, in the area of Paso Ancho, San Jose, the driver of one the vehicles involved in a crash, took out a Bible, stripped naked began to pray.

According to witnesses, the cars collided head-on.

“He started screaming and out of nowhere he got naked and climbed on top of the car. He said ‘silence’, he began to read a Bible and he was like praying,” explained witnesses.

As shown in the images, the man climbed onto the roof of the car and was naked for several minutes, until he climbed back into his vehicle.

It is unknown if the man was under the influence of any substance.

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Central Bank estimates for this year the biggest economic contraction since 1982

By
Q Costa Rica
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(QCOSTARICA) The Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR) – Central Bank – published on Thursday afternoon, July 30, the revision of the country’s economic projections and now estimates a stronger drop in production, in 2020, than had been announced in April.

Sign of the times. “…. Closed until further notice.”

The entity foresees a contraction of 5% this year and with partial recovery, in 2021, of 2.3%.

“This year the national economy is going to suffer the strongest contraction since 1982,” said Rodrigo Cubero, president of the Central Bank. In that year, production fell 7.3%.

The drop is significantly influenced by the expected drop in household consumption, which is forecast at 3%. Investments would also fall 8.8%, exports 14.7% and imports 10.2%. The only component of aggregate demand that would increase is government spending, at 0.7%.

In January 2020, the Central Bank expected a growth in production of 2.5% for this year and 3% for the next, but with the arrival of the pandemic last March, the entity adjusted the projections in April to a 3.6% drop in 2020, with a 2.3% recovery in 2021.

Cubero explained that the new adjustment between April and July is due to the revisions in the performance of the world economy carried out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and because the pandemic has demanded more measures of sanitary restrictions. He clarified that these projections are subject to great uncertainty.

“Although the lifting of sanitary restrictions began in May, earlier than originally expected, the abrupt escalation in the contagion rate of COVID-19 as of June stopped this reopening process, forcing (the government) to intensify some of the confinement measures, and suggests a possible selective tightening of these measures in this second half. This contrasts with the assumption in April of a gradual opening in this second semester,” the Central Bank detailed in a statement.

Only in the second quarter of 2020 the economy fell 9.2% compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The most affected sectors are hotels and restaurants, with a drop of 50% in that period, and transport, with a reduction of 38%.

The lower production is reflected in an increase in unemployment, which reached a record figure of 20.1% in the moving quarter of March, April, and May (approximately 468,000 people), according to the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC).

Cubero explained that the Central Bank has applied an expansive and countercyclical monetary policy to mitigate the fall in production, with measures such as the reduction of the monetary policy rate to bring it to a record low of 0.75% per year, which has helped market rates fall. The entity, Cubero said, will continue with that approach.

The drop in production, together with the drop in tax collection and the higher spending to face the COVID-19 also raised the projection of the Government’s financial deficit (excess of total expenses over total revenues), which went from 5, 9% of production in the January 2020 estimate, to 9.3% of production. For 2021 it is expected to be 8.1%.

In the monetary sector, Cubero highlighted that savers have transferred resources to more liquid terms.

In inflation, the Central Bank forecasts an average result of 0.8% for this year, below the target range of between 2% and 4%.

In the external sector, direct investment resources would not cover, for the first time, the current account deficit, but would have the resources of international loans to finance the shortfall.

The Bank explained that the projections incorporate the best information available as of July 28 of this year.

 

 

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EU once again excludes Costa Rica

By
Rico
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General view of the empty central area in the atrium of the building of the Council of the European Union (EU) on the fourth day of a summit in Brussels held on July 20. Photography: AFP.

(QCOSTARICA) For the third time, Costa Rica was excluded this Friday from the list of countries authorized to send passengers on commercial flights to the European Union, even though since last week Costa Rica announced that it will accept the entry of tourists from the EU starting this Saturday, August 1.

General view of the empty central area in the atrium of the building of the Council of the European Union (EU) on the fourth day of a summit in Brussels held on July 20. Photography: AFP.

This was confirmed by the European Council in the third review of a list of nations that began with 15, on June 30, and at the end of July, it was reduced to 12.

The EU reopened borders to flights for citizens of 15 countries outside the bloc that it considered to be least risky, according to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of today, only Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay (the only Latin American country) remain, according to a statement. Also included is China, which has not yet opened its borders to Europe.

However, this does not mean that European citizens in Costa Rica cannot fly to countries such as Spain, France, Germany, Italy and others.

Exempted from the restrictions: EU citizens and their family members, long-term EU residents and their family members, travelers with an essential function or need.

The EU Council on the epidemiological situation said third countries listed should meet the following criteria, in particular:

  • Number of new COVID-19 cases over the last 14 days and per 100 000 inhabitants close to or below the EU average (as it stood on 15 June 2020)
  • Stable or decreasing trend of new cases over this period in comparison to the previous 14 days
  • Overall response to COVID-19 taking into account available information, including on aspects such as testing, surveillance, contact tracing, containment, treatment and reporting, as well as the reliability of the information and, if needed, the total average score for International Health Regulations (IHR). Information provided by EU delegations on these aspects should also be taken into account.

Reciprocity should also be taken into account regularly and on a case-by-case basis.

Find the COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map here for information on travel requirements around the world.

Last week, on July 23, Costa Rica’s Tourism Minister, Gustavo Segura, indicated in a press conference that Costa Rica would begin to receive tourists first from the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

The plan is to start with five flights per week, for which airlines such as Iberia, Lufthansa and Air France had begun to process the resumption of operations.

“The reopening is necessary as a signal for the international tourism sector to make its forecasts. The analysis of new routes depend on many factors and it will be gradual and responsible, ”explained the minister at the time.

 

 

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Public and private cemeteries required to reserve 5% of niches for pandemic deaths

By
Rico
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0

(QCOSTARICA) Through an amendment to the General Cemetery Regulations, the Government ordered public and private cemeteries to reserve at least 5% of the niches for eventual victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Due to the global pandemic that is being experienced due to COVID-19 disease, this point must be detailed, in order to provide adequate management of corpses and reduce the risk of contamination of bioinfectious origin,” states the amendment signed by President Carlos Alvarado, and the Minister of Health, Daniel Salas.

As originally stated in the regulations, burials must be made between 24 and 36 hours after death. However, the modification gives authority to the doctor in charge of the morgue of public and private hospitals to issue a certification, so that the burial is done urgently, before the above, “because there is a danger to the health of the population.”

In the event that the pathologist is not available, the certification may be issued by the director of the hospital.

The modification made to this regulation guarantees the proper management of the bodies in cases of mass deaths, natural disasters and health emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, these are necessary for proper coordination and intersectoral responsibility in the country.

It is also detailed in the document that the cemetery staff are in charge of carrying out burials or burials in the event of massive deaths from natural disasters or health emergencies such as in the pandemic.

As of Thursday, July 30, Costa Rica reported 140 deaths related to the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The Ministry of Health bans mass graves to bury COVID-19 deaths in the country.

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Recoved COVID-19 patient was transferred by ambulance to the wrong home

By
Rico
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0

(QCOSTARICA) Mistakes do happen, even at specialized medical centers. That was the case at the Centro Especializado para la Atención de Pacientes con Covid-19, known as the CEACO, on Wednesday.

Imagine the surprise of the poor woman realizing that the man the ambulance just dropped off after being released from the medical center, on taking off his mask, realized it wasn’t her husband.

The Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) said it has opened an investigation to determine the reasons why a recovered COVID-19 patient was transferred from Ceaco to a house that was not his own.

In a press release, the institution explains that last Wednesday night there were two simultaneous transfers, to the same area, and of patients with the same name.

“Both the Ceaco / CCSS Medical Directorate and the Red Cross are interested in determining what led to this situation to make the necessary corrections.

“It should be clarified that both patients were transferred in safe conditions and their health status was never affected and the safety of the family was not put at risk either,” the CCSS press office reported, without giving further details.

 

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COVID-19 in Costa Rica: Total infections more than 17,000; CNE to warms communities approaching orange alert

By
Rico
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0

(QCOSTARICA) With 490 new cases of COVID-19 this Thursday, the cumulative total reached 17,290 cases, the Ministry of Health reported.

The figure comes two days before Costa Rica enters a new phase in the pandemic, the experiment of “open” and “closed” phase, with implications mainly for 25 cantons and five districts in orange alert.

 

For the first 9 days of August, in the orange alert areas, allowed to resume operations are many commercial activities, the ‘closed’, meaning strict measures for 12 days, from August 10 to 21 and ‘open’ again from August 22 to 30.

The areas in orange alert are mainly in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM), the province most affected is San Jose, while most of the country, in particular the coastal areas, is under a yellow alert.

Precisely, in the face of multiple questions by the declaration of regions under that category, the National Emergency Commission (CNE) released an early warning model that will allow cantons or districts approaching orange alert status to anticipate and take corrective actions.

Alexánder Solís, president of the CNE, reported that at the moment there are 26 cantons with districts in this early warning condition.

In the noon presser from Casa Presidencial, Priscilla Herrera, Director of Health, stressed that prevention is very important since these early alerts give a territorial alarm sign to promote preventive work.

“The cantons with this high-risk early warning, which can go orange, are recommended to intensify supervision of protocol compliance from municipal police, with the support of cameras and the community,” she said.

The cantons today in a yellow alert but that are already categorized in the early warning are:

  1. Province of San José: Pérez Zeledón (Pejibaye district) and Tarrazú (San Carlos and San Lorenzo districts).
  2. Alajuela Province: Atenas (Atenas), San Carlos (Aguas, Cutris, La Fortuna, Pocosol and Quesada), Los Chiles (Amparo and Los Chiles), Orotina (Hacienda Vieja) and Upala (Dos Ríos and Yolillal).
  3. Cartago Province: Alvarado (Capellades), Oreamuno (Cot) and Turrialba (Chirripó, Pavones and Turrialba).
  4. Heredia Province: Belén (San Antonio).
  5. Guanacaste Province: Bagaces (Bagaces), Cañas (San Miguel), Liberia (Liberia) and Nicoya (Nicoya).
  6. Puntarenas Province: Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires and Potrero Grande), Esparza (Espíritu Santo), Golfito (Puerto Jiménez), Osa (Palmar) and Puntarenas (Lepanto, Puntarenas and El Roble).
  7. Limón Province: Guácimo (Duacarí, Guácimo, Pocora and Río Jiménez), Limón (Valle de La Estrella), Matina (Carrandí, Batán and Matina), Pococí (Cariari, Colorado, Guápiles, Jiménez, La Rita and Roxana), Siquirres (Cairo and Siquirres) and Talamanca (Bratxi, Cahuita and Sixaola).

For his part, the Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, called on the Catholic faithful and the population in general not to participate in ‘romeria’ or the walk to Cartago, which is traditionally made between August 1 and 2.

“At this time, pilgrimage exposes infections, we are in an important stage, it is true that there has not been an exponential increase, but we are seeing an important occupation of hospitals,” said Salas.

On the hospitalizations, this Thursday the Minister reported a high of 352 people in hospital, of these 80 are in intensive care.

In addition, seven new deceased were reported, bringing the death statistic to 140. The Ministry of Health has stopped providing detailed information on the deaths.

There are 4280 people recovered in 79 of the 82 cantons with ages from zero to 96 years, of which 1,880 are women and 24.00 are men, by age we have: 3422 adults, 189 older adults, 598 minors and 71 are under investigation.

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Court orders owners to remodel house built more than 100 years ago in Desamparados

By
Q Costa Rica
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0

[HQ] The Desamparados Criminal Court ordered the owners of the house known as Casa Delgado Carvajal to proceed with the reconstruction and remodeling of the aforementioned property, which was declared a historical-architectural heritage of Costa Rica.

The Court gave the owners six months to complete the works, which expires on January 26, 2021, the press office of the Public Ministry reported on Wednesday.

The so-called Casa Delgado Carvajal was built between the years 1851 to 1900. It belonged to José Luis Delgado Carvajal and was declared a historical-architectural heritage in 2007, through a decree signed by the President at the time, Óscar Arias Sánchez.

When the declaration was made, it was specified that the “declaration prohibits the demolition of the property, and also its partial or total remodeling, without the prior authorization of the Center for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.”

According to area residents, the house was the first school in San Antonio de Desamparados.

The court action was taken against the current owner, a woman identified by her last name, Li Chang, following an investigation by the La Herencia Antigua Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada determining that since 2014, the owners of the property omitted all conservation, preservation and maintenance actions, resulting in considerable damage to the estate.

According to the Court order, the works must be those recommended by experts in remodeling and reconstruction.

 

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US company announces purchase of Telefónica (Movistar) in Costa Rica

By
Rico
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0
Telefonica's Movistar is housed in Escazu Costa Rica. This is the second time in a year that Telefonica has tried selling the brand

(QCOSTARICA) Liberty Latin America announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the purchase of the operations of the Spanish company Telefónica (operating under the Movistar brand) in Costa Rica.

Telefonica’s Movistar is housed in Escazu Costa Rica. This is the second time in a year that Telefonica has tried selling the brand in Costa Rica.

The information was released by the company in a statement this Thursday, July 30.

The cash transaction totals US$500 million dollars and is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Liberty says it plans to close the deal in the first half of 2021.

Liberty Latin America is part of the multinational Liberty Global with headquarters in London (England), Amsterdam (Holland), and Denver (United States).

“We have had great success in Costa Rica through our 2018 investment in Cabletica, owned by 80%, a leading fixed provider in the country and one of the fastest-growing businesses in Latin America,” announced Balan Nair, president and executive director of Liberty Latin America in the statement.

“We are excited to increase our investment in the country,” added the businessman.

According to him, in his opinion, Telefónica Costa Rica has provided a solid financial performance, “including high growth of the single-digit upper line.”

The company had purchased 80% of Cabletica from Televisora ​​de Costa Rica, owner of local television Channel 7, in February 2018. The remaining 20% ​​of the company remains in the hands of the current owners of the television station.

In combination with Cabletica, Nair announced that they hoped to create “a leading player in integrated communications that offers customers in Costa Rica high-quality value and unmatched customer service.”

The businessman also announced that Liberty Latin America intends for Telefónica Costa Rica to become part of the VTR credit group, which will also include Cabletica. VTR is a Chilean telecommunications company also owned by Liberty Latin America since 2014.

Millicom backs out

This is the second attempt by Telefonica to sell its Costa Rica operations. In 2019, Millicom struck a deal with Telefonica for US$570 million dollars to purchase the Costa Rica operations.

On May 1 of this year, Millicom backed out of the deal.

Millicom cited an important drop in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for pulling out of the deal. Telefónica, for its part, had said that it would file a lawsuit against Millicom in a court in New York.

Despite the new deal, Telefónica stressed this Thursday that it maintains the legal claim against Millicom. “Telefónica underlines that it maintains the legal action initiated against Millicom last May for unjustified breach of the terms of the agreement reached in 2019 and will demand compensation for all damages that such breach has caused to the company,” said the Spanish in a statement.

Telefónica Costa Rica is the second largest provider of mobile services in Costa Rica, behind the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) with its Kolbi brand.

As of June 30, 2020, Telefónica’s Movistar brand in Costa Rica had some 2.3 million active cell lines and its mobile network currently has approximately 90% coverage on the LTE (4G) network.

Who is Liberty Latin America?

Liberty Latin America, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is a leading telecommunications company operating in over 20 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean under the consumer brands VTR, Flow, Liberty, Más Móvil, BTC and Cabletica (in Costa Rica).

In November 2015, Liberty Global announced its acquisition of Cable & Wireless Communications for US$5.3 billion and thus expanded Liberty Global’s presence in the Caribbean and Latin America.

In January 2018, Liberty Latin America (NASDAQ:LILA) spun off the main company and began operating independently from Liberty Global.

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Italian woman dies touching electrical cable in Puerto Viejo

By
Q Costa Rica
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0

[HQ] A 54-year-old Italian woman died on Wednesday after suffering an electric shock in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón. The victim was identified as Lolita Avendaño.

The accident happened on a road near the beach, about 200 meters before the Tuba Creek bar. Apparently, when the woman tried to move a branch that obstructed her path, she touched a 240 volts electrical cable.

The electric shock immediately knocked her unconscious. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) maneuvers for more than 20 minutes did not revive her.

She was then transferred to the Hone Creek Clinic, where she was declared deceased.

 

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Paraguay: Protesters Reject Heading Back To Quarantine

By
Q24N
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0

(Q24N) Protesters from Ciudad del Este and neighboring towns mobilized on Wednesday to oppose the return to quarantine mandated by the government of Mario Abdo Benítez due to the increase of COVID-19 infections in the region of Alto Paraná.

The police officer and the military attacked the demonstrators as they arrived at the surroundings of the Friendship Bridge on Wednesday night.

teleSUR´s correspondent in Paraguay Osvaldo Zayas says that shootings could be heard and citizens threw stones at the military. Furthermore, people set fire to several objects including an empty truck that was parked on the street.

On the other hand, local media outlet ADNdigital claims that the protests were summoned via social media, and some users urged to confront the police in case they tried to stop the demonstration. Moreover, the citizens said the government was selling the country and it was irresponsible and looting.

As COVID-19 infections rose, the government imposed new measures in Alto Paraná, returning the department to the “smart pre-quarantine” phase for two weeks and only some economic activities are allowed. The city reports 80 percent of total active COVID-18 cases in the country.

On the other hand, the city of Alto Paraná relies heavily on commercial exchange with bordering Brazil so the measures taken by the government would lead to an economic disaster for its population, demonstrators said. As protests continues, Twitter users from the city claim that several are hurt.

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(Photos) Coronavirus overwhelms cemetery in Mexico

By
Rico
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0

Mexico is one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus. The death rate in the city of Neyahualcoyotl has left the municipal cemetery struggling. Photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie documented the desperate scenes.

No space for the dead

At the municipal cemetery in the city of Nezahualcoyotl, which lies just to the east of the capital Mexico City, the graves are stacked on top of each other to ensure there is enough space to lay people to rest. But the coronavirus pandemic is pushing it beyond breaking point. Workers are forced to remove coffins, including those of babies, to make space for new arrivals.

 

Coffins in the streets

A baby’s coffin that had occupied a plot for a while has been removed and left on the street. If families do not tend to the plot the remains are removed so a new coffin can replace them. The cemetery makes an effort to contact the family to ask what they want to happen next but, if they don’t receive an answer, the remains are burned and the ashes reburied in mass graves.

 

Hit hard by coronavirus

Mexico has been hit very hard by COVID-19. As of July 25 it was the fourth-worst affected country, with 42,645 deaths and 378,285 total infections. Nezahualcoyotl has suffered especially. A slum before it was made a city, it is Mexico’s most densely populated municipality, with over 15,000 people per square kilometer. The virus has been able to spread easily here.

A hotspot around Mexico City

Many locals live from their small businesses, says photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie, making it impossible for them not to work for long periods of time. Throughout the crisis, he reports, many were trying to carry on with their daily lives to make ends meet. This has taken a huge toll — the virus has been rampant, and Nezahualcóyotl is one of the more affected areas around Mexico City.

Lockdown ‘lifted too quickly’

Public health messages are spread around the area, such as on this poster, which reads: “That this is not your last exit.” But there have been many critics of the government’s response. Many argue it implemented its lockdown too slowly and lifted restrictions too quickly. Nezahualcoyotl’s mayor, Juan Hugo de la Rosa, told the New York Times he also felt restrictions were eased too soon.

Crematorium workers feel the heat

People have died at such a rate that it has not been possible to find graves for everyone. Many of the dead are cremated. Crematorium workers in Nezahualcoyotl told AFP news agency they are cremating eight or more bodies a day. Coming into contact with so many grieving families is tough, they say, and they are also worried about catching the virus themselves.

Choosing home over hospital

Many families are dealing with family members suffering from COVID-19, but the scale of the crisis has knocked people’s confidence in the health services. According to Alpeyrie, ambulances and hospitals are seen as places where the virus spreads fastest. After a positive diagnosis for COVID-19 in the home, many families refuse to let people be taken to hospital.

Hit-and-run

It was a similar scenario for this young man, says Alpeyrie. He was a victim of a hit-and-run and received treatment on the scene from paramedics. While they were assessing him, they determined he was likely to have contracted COVID-19. His family was called and arrived at the scene of the accident while he was being looked after by the paramedics.

Looking out for the family

His family refused to let the paramedics put him into an ambulance and take him to an emergency room, says Alpeyrie. Instead, they decided to take him home in a car and look after him themselves, believing it is better for him to be there than in the hospital in Nezahualcoyotl.

 

Photojournalist Jonathan Alpeyrie, author of “The Shattered Lens,” has been documenting the coronavirus crisis in Mexico and shared these images with CBS News. Click here for all 61 photos.

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Chile’s Sebastian Pinera’s government teeters towards collapse

By
Deutsche Welle
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0

(Q24N) The political atmosphere in Chile is highly charged. Parliament just adopted a controversial reform that allows citizens to have 10% of their pensions savings paid out as emergency coronavirus aid. The decision deals a blow to the conservative government of President Sebastian Pinera, which had vowed not to interfere with the decades-old private pensions scheme.

Demonstrations against the Pinera government were met frequently with a violent police response

The president now finds himself with his back to the wall. Protests against the country’s neoliberal economic order, tensions within the governing coalition and the coronavirus crisis have caused the president’s approval ratings to plummet. In a recent survey, only 6% said they support Pinera, and 81% said the Chilean government’s crisis management was poor or extremely poor.

The anthropologist Pablo Ortuzar, one of the new right-wing intellectuals, said recently in a radio interview, “I’m not sure Pinera will be able to see out his term in office. The president is alone and politically isolated, while state structures are collapsing around him.”

Other representatives of the right-wing spectrum are less extreme in their diagnoses, but they are also far from optimistic. In an interview with the Chilean weekly magazine The Clinic, political scientist Daniel Mansuy stated that the current process of constitutional reform, the pension system crisis and the possible collapse of the right-wing coalition could make Pinera the “gravedigger of the Chilean presidential system.”

Last October, Chileans began taking to the streets of the capital, Santiago, to protest a spike in subway ticket prices. The protests soon grew into countrywide movement taking aim at low wages, high education and health care costs and the growing divide between the rich and poor. Under pressure, President Pinera then announced a constitutional referendum would be held in April. It has since been postponed to October due to the pandemic. Massive police crackdowns on protesters, cabinet reshuffles, half-hearted reforms and the resignation of Health Minister Jaime Manalich have left President Pinera’s government overwhelmed and helpless.

The coronavirus has only compounded problems for President Pinera (L)

President Pinera under pressure

Analyst Patricio Navia wrote in El Libero, a private Chilean news site, that it is “very clear that the Chilean right, as we knew it, is dead.” He described the government as having “lost its orientation.”

But while the government is staggering, the opposition appears just as helpless. According to journalist and political commentator Ascanio Cavallo, “The government coalition Chile Vamos is just as fragmented and incapable of governing as the opposition. That is why there are currently no alternatives.”

Nevertheless, Andreas Klein, a political scientist and representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a conservative German think tank, believes President Pinera is under considerable pressure. “The government is not responsible for the coronavirus crisis nor for last year’s social crisis. For 24 of the last 30 years, Chile was governed by a center-left alliance,” he adds.

Klein believes that Pinera’s possible departure would “not automatically mean the left would win the new elections.” He believes the present task is to find solutions within the existing system.

“I believe that President Pinera will conclude his mandate and that this is also right from a democratic point of view,” Klein says.
Chile’s fragmented opposition

The big problem of Chilean politics is its fragmentation, he adds, explaining that there are no large, compact blocs any more, but rather atomized sectors that seek temporary agreements under particular circumstances.

“The problem of the opposition in Chile has several layers. One of them is a question of generations. There is one group that rejects the post-dictatorship transitional arrangements and another group that sees them as a government consensus,” Mario Alvarez, from the Institute of Communications Studies at Leeds University in the UK, explains to DW.

Even though Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s reign ended 30 years ago, the regime’s constitution largely remains in place. There have been some reforms, such as ending binomial voting, which effectively barred smaller parties from entering Parliament. Meanwhile, the country’s neoliberal economic order has not been fundamentally altered since Pinochet’s rule ended. In addition, Chile’s military has never accounted for human rights abuses committed during the Pinochet years and refuses to help shed light on the past.

But the opposition’s fragmentation is based on more than just the legacy of the dictatorship, Alvarez says: “There are those who respect institutions of political representation, such as parties and unions, and those who see them as mere instruments to stifle the energy of social change.”

“None of these tendencies within the opposition has been able to prevail, and one could hope that the process of constitutional reform forces them into a dialogue, but that remains to be seen,” he adds.
A new Chilean model ahead?

The opposition won a rare victory over the government with the successful pension-payout vote. But Klein is skeptical that such consensus will be long-lasting.

“Chile is facing big challenges. It has to overcome the coronavirus crisis and get the economy moving again,” he says. “Parliamentary and presidential elections are coming up next year, and a new constitution needs to be drafted. It is time to break away from traditional bloc-based thinking and strengthen the political center, which combines economic experience with a social consciousness.”

A constitutional referendum was one of the protesters’ main demands over the past months. They are hoping for a new model that would minimize social disparities and equalize the distribution of wealth. Today, approximately 1% of Chileans own some 30% of the country’s wealth.

For his part, Alvarez warns of a loss of trust in democratic institutions. “Pinera has basically already resigned,” he says. “He may still be in office, but he is not governing. The problem is that the institutions owe their legitimacy partly to their effectiveness. When democracy doesn’t show itself to be at least minimally effective in solving daily life, its existence is in danger,” he says.

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COVID-19 in Costa Rica: 456 new cases and sharp increase in ICU patients for July 29

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) The Ministry of Health reported for July 29, 456 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 16,800 confirmed cases, with an age range of zero to 100 years. They are 7,665 women and 9,135 men, of which 12, 136 are Costa Rican and 4,664 are foreigners.

A total of 12,617 active cases continue in 81 of the 82 cantons  (Dota the only canton without a case of the coronavirus), and 4,050 have recovered.

The number of people in hospital increase to 334 people, 75 of whom are in intensive care, the highest number so far.

Eight more deaths were reported: five men, and three women, with an age range of 56 to 86 years, from the provinces of San José, Cartago and Alajuela, for a total of 133 (0.8%): 50 women and 83 men, with an age range of 23 to 99 years.

The first death by COVID-19 in Costa Rica was reported in March.  It was an 87 years old man, a doctor. From that moment, the cases continued to increase, presenting an important increase for several days.

The Ministry of Health announced Wednesday it will no longer report deaths on a case-by-case basis, but announces them all together at the press conference.

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Clear as mud. What is allowed, then isn’t and is again for August!

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) Costa Rica president Carlos Alvarado this Wednesday announced the measures that will be in place for the month of August, leaving aside the “martillo y baile” (hammer and dance) for the “apertura y cierre” (open and closed) experiment.

The metropolitan areas of the provinces of San Jose, Alajuela and Heredia will continue under Orange alert for the month of August, with stricter measures from August 10 to 21

Leaving the details of the measures to his team made up of the Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, the head of the Comision Nacional de Emergencias (CNE), Alexander Sollis and the Minister of Planning and Economy, Pilar Garrido, the plan is for relaxing of the measures in the orange alert areas for nine days of August, clamp down again for 12 days and then relax them to the end of the month.

The areas under “yellow” and “orange” alert from August 1 to 30

Solis explained the timetable that of the openings and closing and the vehicular restrictions, and the areas that will continue under orange alert, while 17 cantons and districts dropped down to yellow.

Casa Presidencial created this site (in Spanish) with the official guidelines for the month of August.  The website https://covid19.go.cr/ is also the official government information on the COVID-19 in Costa Rica.

The “open and closed” phases

From August 1 to August 9 and August 22 to August 30, most commercial premises will be allowed to operate nationwide.


From August 10 to August 21 there will be an almost total closure of commercial activity in orange alert zones in the provinces of San Jose (pretty much the entire metropolitan area of San Jose): Alajuelita, Aserrí, Coronado, Curridabat, Desamparados, Escazú, Goicoechea, Montes de Oca, Mora, Moravia, San José center, Santa Ana, and Tibás;  Alajuela: Alajuela center, Naranjo and Poas; Heredia: Heredia center, Barva, Flores, San Isidro, San Pablo, San Rafael and Santo Domingo; Cartago: La Union; Puntarenas: Corredores, Agua Buena, Sabalito, Pavón, Barranca and Chacarita

There are no orange zones in the province of Guanacaste and Limon.

All the cantons and districts in yellow alert zones (pretty much the entire country), the “closed” measures of August 10 to 21 do not apply, that is they can continue to operate as the days before and after.

Beaches for the month of August will be open from 5 am to 2:30 pm, except for Orange alert areas from 5 am to 9: 30 am

Vehicular restrictions

The vehicular restrictions will continue nationwide for the month of August, basically, the same as they are today with the exception of the orange zone from August 10 to 21, which will be the same as the lockdown of earlier this month.

For areas under Orange Alert:

  • From August 1 to August 9 and August 22 to August 30 there is a total vehicular restriction between 5:00 pm and 5:00 am from Monday to Sunday. Driving between 5:00 am and 5:00 pm from Monday to Sunday will be restricted as follows:- Mondays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 1 & 2
    – Tuesdays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 3 & 4
    – Wednesdays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 5 & 6
    – Thursdays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 7 & 8
    – Fridays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 9 & 0
    – Saturdays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
    – Sundays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
  • From August 10 to August 21, there is a total vehicular restriction between 5:00 pm and 5:00 am from Monday to Sunday. Driving between 5:00 am and 5:00 pm from Monday to Sunday will be restricted as follows:- Mondays: can circulate are only vehicles with plates ending in 1 & 2
    – Tuesdays: can circulate are only vehicles with plates ending in 3 & 4
    – Wednesdays: can circulate are only vehicles with plates ending in 5 & 6
    – Thursdays: can circulate are only vehicles with plates ending in 7 & 8
    – Fridays: can circulate are only vehicles with plates ending in 9 & 0
    – Saturdays: can circulate are only vehicles with plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
    – Sundays: can circulate are only vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9

In Yellow alert areas

During the entire month of August, driving is permitted from 5 am to 10 pm on weekdays and from 5 am to 7 pm on weekends, as follows:

  • Mondays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 1 & 2
  • Tuesdays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 3 & 4
  • Wednesdays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 5 & 6
  • Thursdays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 7 & 8
  • Fridays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 9 & 0
  • Saturdays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
  • Sundays: cannot circulate are vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9

In the coming days, we will be posting more detailed information on what will be open and not, in what areas, and under what conditions.

We want to highlight a few important notes for August in Costa Rica:

  • Mother’s Day is August 15, but as it falls on a Saturday, the holiday will be celebrated on Monday, August 17. In Orange alert areas the holiday falls in the closing phase.
  • Beaches are open from 5 am to 9:30 am in the few beach areas under orange alert, including the “closed phase”; the rest of the beaches (in yellow) are open from 5 am to 2:30 pm every day.
  • The international airports will reopen on August 1, however, only the Juan Santamaria (San Jose) airport will have flight operations, starting with the first on August 3 from Frankfurt, Germany.
  • The ‘romeria’ are not permitted anywhere. Though the canton of Catago is under yellow alert, the Basilica de Los Angeles will remain closed to avoid a conglomeration of Catholic faithful for the August 2 celebration.
  • ALL public transport – buses and taxis – can operate normally in Yellow and Orange alerts.
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Americans can after all arrive in Costa Rica starting August 1, but they really, really have to want to

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Rico
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Ready to receive travelers at the Juan Santamaria international airport in San Jose, Costa Rica

(Rico’s TICO BULL) As I’ve expressed it before, “everything simple made difficult” is the Costa Rican Way of things. Especially when it comes to central government and its agencies; one day one says one thing, a few days later another says something else or explains what the one said that really meant this, not that, or the other.

Ready to receive travelers at the Juan Santamaria international airport in San Jose, Costa Rica

Today, July 29, we are facing, once again, one of those “Costa Rican Way” moments. But this one doesn’t just affect the we here in paradise, who are used to this, almost, but the outside world that who knows what they think of us.

Last week, the Minister of Tourism, Gustavo Segura, announced that starting August 1 the San Jose and Liberia airports will be open to international tourists, but only from Canada, the EU, and UK.

A day earlier, the Aeris Holdings, the manager of the San Jose (SJO) airport, though not a government agency, rather a private company operating under concession, said the airport was ready to receive Americans (U.S. citizens).

I got a lot of flack on social networks for my post, “San Jose Airport ready to receive tourists from the US, Canada and Europe“, including several emails, demanding I delete the post. Only if they had taken the time to read the actual post. Oh well.

On Tuesday, the same minister of Tourism that last week announced that Americans were not welcome, said, well they and others from non-authorized countries, now can enter Costa Rica, but under different rules from those of authorized countries.

ONE: Foreigners (tourist and not resident or citizen of authorized countries) must have stayed a minimum of 14 days and not have had any symptoms of the coronavirus in one of the authorized countries: Canada; the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland; and the European Union (Schengen area countries): Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

No stopovers, layovers, hey nice to see you, I’m out of here. You really have to go there with the intention to stay for the min of 14 days.

But this requirement is not so easy for Americans:

  • Until July 31 the EU does not allow entry to Americans. That could change on the next review expected on August 1.
  • Canada does not allow American tourists, but it will allow Americans who are traveling for a purpose other than tourism.
  • Canada has a 14-day quarantine for all entries. Besides, Air Canada and WestJet (for now) don’t have plans to fly to Costa Rica until mid-September. Lots of time to quarantine.

TWO: Foreigners (does not apply to legal foreigner residents of Costa Rica) are required to provide a PCR COVID-19 test and have a negative result 48 hours before coming.

THREE: Foreigners (does not apply to legal foreigner residents of Costa Rica*) are required to purchase travel insurance from the State insurer. They can have other insurance, great, but still need to buy the INS policy. The example of cost is US$280 for a 30-year-old passenger who will visit Costa Rica for two weeks. The cost will vary according to the passenger’s health conditions (their age, for example) and days of stay, among other things. You can bet that the expected 90 days for visitors will no longer be, most likely the length of stay will be tied to the insurance purchased and return date.

That is, I don’t believe you can get away with buying a 7 days insurance policy when your return date is 30 or 60 days away.

That is all for now. Stay tuned to this bat channel for any changes.

Thank you for listening.

Stay at home. Stay healthy. Stay safe.

 

1. Having a house, a business, family, or just spend a lot of time in Costa Rica does not make you a foreigner resident, unless you hold legal residency in Costa Rica, you are still a tourist.

2. I am using the example of an American tourist, but the new rule applies to all tourists from a non-authorized country

3. I am assuming the traveler qualifies with all the regular rules of travel and immigration, ie passport in good order and has their travel out of the country.

 

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Non-Canadian, EU or UK citizens with new entry rules for Costa Rica

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) Travelers who are not citizens of countries authorized to fly to Costa Rica for now, such as U.S. citizens, will be able to enter Costa Rica meeting the requirements set out on Tuesday (July 28) by the Dirección General de Migración de Extranjería (DGME) – Costa Rica’s immigration service.

Starting August 1, when the country’s air borders are reopened to international tourists from Canada, European Union, and the United Kingdom, other nationalities will also be allowed entry but they will have to comply with different rules.

Thus, to enter the country, residents or citizens from Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom must undergo a COVID-19 test and have a negative result 48 hours before coming, in addition to purchasing travel insurance from Costa Rica’s State insurer, the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS), that covers eventualities if they require quarantine or medical expenses, as explained by Gustavo Segura, Minister of Tourism last week.

Meanwhile, visitors (residents or citizens) from other countries, in addition to these rules, must show that they remained at least 14 days without symptoms of the coronavirus in any of the authorized countries even though they normally live in another country.

According to information provided by the DGME on Tuesday, for example, a U.S. citizen can travel to Canada, the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland) or any of the Schengen area countries (Schengen area countries. Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland) and then come to Costa Rica.

The requirement is that they must have been in one of the authorized countries for at least 14 days and coronavirus symptom-free before flying to the San Jose (SJO) or Liberia (LIR) airports.

Immigration made it clear that a traveler cannot simply make a stop in an authorized country and then pretend to fly to Costa Rica.

This specific detail, it warned, will be reviewed by the Immigration Officer at the time of entry, and if it is determined that the passenger only made a stopover, the officer may reject entry (be it a tourist or a resident foreigner) and would have to leave the country/

Of course, the DGME will periodically review the list of nationals from which flights would be authorized, just as the European Union does.

“Every two weeks the international epidemiological situation will be reviewed by COVID-19 to assess the list of countries and territories from which flights will be received,” the entity said in verbatim.

The complication for U.S. citizens is that, until July 31, the UK, Canada (save for traveling for a purpose other than tourism), and the European Union has its borders closed to them. See the IATA COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map.

In addition, repatriation flights will continue to be carried out from any other country outside the index of countries that will have commercial flights. Where these types of transfers are most carried out are Central American countries and the United States.

In the case of non-essential private flights, the immigration authority clarified that they can arrive from the permitted countries bringing nationalities of the authorized countries or other nationals who show 14 days of stay in any of those nations with the green light.

Travel Insurance

Any tourist, regardless of their nationality, does have an obligation to purchase travel insurance for medical expenses of at least US$20,000 and isolation (lodging) expenses of at least US$4,000 that can only be purchased from the INS, immigration clarified.

No other policy will be accepted at this time. Travelers with another type of insurance will still have to buy the INS policy on arrival in Costa Rica.

Regarding the cost of the INS insurance, the DGME clarified in the document that it varies according to the passenger’s health conditions (their age, for example), days of stay or if the purchase is individual or family.

“As an example, travel insurance for a 30-year-old passenger who will visit Costa Rica for two weeks has an approximate cost of US$280,” said the immigration service.

Costa Ricans and foreigners residing in Costa Rica should NOT buy this insurance.

The Health Pass

Upon arrival, tourists and foreigners residing in the country will fill out the digital form called Pase de Salud (Health Pass) which will be available at the address https://salud.go.cr

This form will make distinctions between tourists, Costa Ricans, and foreigners with legal residence. The Health Pass will ask the passenger “Do you live in Costa Rica?”

If the answer is no, the passenger is assumed to be a tourist and a specific questions section will open. If the answer is yes, it is assumed that you are Costa Rican or a foreign resident and will answer other questions.

Tourists who successfully complete the Health Pass will receive a green check and an alphanumeric code (numbers and letters). Without this code, the Immigration officer will not be able to locate them in the system and manage their entry.

However, Ticos and foreigner residents in Costa Rica will undergo a medical evaluation upon arrival in the country regardless if they have no symptoms related to COVID-19 or exposed to the virus based on their response.

 

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5,000 daily cases of Covid-19 in Costa Rica in August?

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) The failure by the population to comply with sanitary measures prompted the increase in Covid-19 infections in Costa Rica during July, and if it continued, it could cause up to 5,000 cases to a day in late August.

For demographer Luis Rosero authorities must improve the way in which they get the message to the population in order to (again) attract people’s attention. In the photo, Dr. Daniel Salas (in grey suit) leads the daily press conference that has become routine and boring.

This was the warning by the demographer Luis Rosero, who presented his projections this Tuesday, July 28, on the ‘Nuestra Voz’ podcast.

The university professor expressed his concern about what might happen due to the contempt that people have for the confinement measures.

“We are in a very very difficult situation,” said Rosero, explaining that to analyze the data, it must be taken into account that there is a delay “of about a week” between the moment of infection and the moment in which it is possible to confirm a case.

“If we reach the contagion levels in May (an R rate equal to 2) we will be in a catastrophic situation with more than 5,000 cases every day” by the end of August, Rosero said, adding that this would cause the imminent collapse of the health system.

The contagion rate represents the number of people that a patient will infect others. Currently, it is at 1.4, this means that 100 people with Covid-19 will infect 140 more.

In this scenario of 5,000 daily cases by lat August, it would represent a cumulative 60,000 infections and in turn, according to the mortality rate, we would have 300 to 500 deaths. The effect, he said, would be the scenario of overflowing hospitals and collapsed emergency rooms, which authorities have already warned about.

If the country regains control of the cases (virus tracking) and the rate of infection or reproduction is lowered, “we are going to stabilize at 1,300 cases per day, which still is a difficult situation,” says the expert.

However, continuing at today’s level (1.4), “in a month we will have four times more cases daily than we have now, about 3,000 cases a day.”

According to the demographer, authorities must analyze the measures taken, but – mainly – they must improve the way in which they get the message to the population in order to (again) attract people’s attention and achieve compliance with the measures.

Roseto said that with the mandatory mask use, and message of social distancing messages, the transmission rate was reduced for the month of June, however, “around July 15 the situation began to reverse”, which caused the contagion rate to increase.

For him, the above caused people to not respond positively to the “hammer” strategy, which tightened the containment measures in several cantons of the country.

“We do not know why it was that people got tired, reached a point of fatigue, rebelled against government measures (since mid-July) and the restriction of mobility has stopped working and rather has increased the amount of contact between people,” said Rosero, referring to Google’s mobility indexes, which showed this increase in people’s daily activity.

Analyzing this point, the expert assures that it can be concluded that the mandatory measures of keeping churches and restaurants (for example) closed have ceased to be effective. In addition, the “loss” of the virus trace also affects the figures, since not having the correct record of contacts, generates greater expansion – without control – of the disease.

“Unfortunately for Costa Rica, since May it had been losing control or reducing the number of traces and tests and last week, the Health Minister (Daniel Salas) admits that there is no control over this, that this important tool was lost to contain the epidemic,” the demographer concluded.

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Second suspect in murdering doctor in Quepos will spend 6 months in preventive detention

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Q Costa Rica
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[HQ] The Quepos Criminal Court issued six months of preventive detention against the second suspected of participating in the murder María Luisa Cedeño Quesada, on Monday, July 20, at the Hotel La Mansión in Quepos.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Quepos and Parrita confirmed that the precautionary measure requested against the man, suspected of participating in the murder of a prominent anesthesiologist, the previous week was accepted last night.

The accused, identified by his surname Miranda Izquierdo, was arrested last Saturday.

“After analyzing new indications, the Prosecutor’s Office ordered his arrest, which materialized on July 25, on public roads in Jacó, Garabito. The following day, the Prosecutor’s Office directed a raid on Miranda’s apartment, located in a condominium in the same town where he was captured,” said the Public Ministry in a statement.

Last Thursday the Quepos Criminal Court also ordered 6 months of preventive detention against a foreigner who is also a suspect in the murder.

“Since Monday, when the victim’s body was found, the Prosecutor’s Office has conducted the investigation. She requested a search that began on Tuesday night and ended yesterday morning, finding important scientific evidence to be analyzed in laboratories of the Forensic Science Complex,” said the Public Ministry.

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Woman with COVID-19 dies after giving birth

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) The youngest of the victims of COVID-19 announced this Tuesday, a 29-year-old woman, died on Monday, July 27, at the Hospital Mexico after giving birth.

The woman, who suffered from high blood pressure, was previously diagnosed with the Sars-Cov-2 virus.

“The baby is stable and out of danger,” said the Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, during the noon press conference.

She is the second-youngest woman whose death is associated with COVID-19; the youngest was 23 years old on July 17, a resident of Puntarenas who suffered from High blood pressure and chronic kidney disease.

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COVID-19 Costa Rica: 503 new cases and 10 more deaths this July 28

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) With 503 new cases confirmed this Tuesday, July 28, the cumulative total is now 16,344, exceeding the number forecast for September, if the social distancing and hygiene measures were maintained.

Today’s press conference at Casa Presidencial included a full house, starting about 15 minutes later and lasting until the television stations decided we had had enough

The Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, also reported 10 more deaths over the previous day, bringing the total to 125 deaths.

This Tuesday, the number of hospitalizations remained the same as Monday, 323 people and dropping 3 from Monday to 53 in intensive care.

This Tuesday, Salas spoke of the concept of the cantonal “attack rate” to explain how the risk condition is declared in one area or another of the country and what is the increased risk of contagion in each canton, according to the analysis.

The winded talk is most likely a preamble to the announcement expected most likely tomorrow, Wednesday, on the measures that will be maintained and relaxed, changes in alert areas, vehicular restrictions and others starting on Saturday, August 1.

The deceased this Tuesday were:

  1. An 89-year-old woman, Costa Rican, resident of San José. Being diagnosed on July 8, she was in her home. She suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure and had sequelae of cerebrovascular accident.
  2. A 92-year-old Costa Rican woman from San José. She was admitted to the Calderón Guardia Hospital, being diagnosed on July 26. She had a history of smoking and suffered from high blood pressure.
  3. 29-year-old Costa Rican woman from San José. She was admitted to the Mexico Hospital, being diagnosed on July 20. She suffered from high blood pressure, her mortality is recorded post partum.
  4. A 70-year-old man, Costa Rican, a resident of San José. He was in the San Juan de Dios Hospital, being diagnosed on July 17. He suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes.
  5. A 78-year-old man, Costa Rican, resident of Alajuela. He was admitted to the Mexico Hospital, being diagnosed on July 14. He suffered from high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease and a history of stroke.
  6. A 77-year-old Costa Rican woman from San José. She was admitted to the Biblical Clinica, being diagnosed on July 17. She suffered from mixed heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.
  7. A 79-year-old man, Costa Rican, a resident of San José. He was admitted to the Calderón Guardia Hospital, being diagnosed on July 13. He suffered from high blood pressure.
  8. An 83-year-old man, Costa Rican, a resident of San José. He was admitted to the Calderón Guardia Hospital, being diagnosed on July 12. He suffered from high blood pressure.
  9. A 94-year-old man, a foreigner, a resident of Alajuela. He was admitted to the San Francisco de Asís Hospital, being diagnosed on July 19. He suffered from acute kidney injury.
  10. A 35-year-old Costa Rican woman from Heredia. She was admitted to the Mexico Hospital, being diagnosed on July 13. She suffered from obesity.
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Costa Rican scientists developed drug that stops the coronavirus

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) Carlos Araya, the rector of the University of Costa Rica (UCR), reported that scientists at the Clodomiro Picado Institute managed to produce a treatment that neutralizes the coronavirus. This means that, when applied, it prevents people with COVID-19 from getting worse.

Tico scientists have been working on the serum for months. Finally, professionals from George Mason University in Virginia, United States, confirmed that the formulations “are capable of inhibiting the infectivity of the SARS-Cov2, which produces the coronavirus,” said Araya.

“George Mason University tests confirmed that the(Costa Rican) scientists’ strategy allows for antibodies that neutralize the virus, which prevents the disease from progressing in patients, preventing them from worsening,” said the UCR president at the press conference.

Now that the drug passed the tests in the United States, the clinical study will begin, applied to a group of people to test its effectiveness. If it passes this test, it would be ready for use at all medical centers in the country.

Román Macaya, president of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), explained that this is the first time in the history of the CCSS that a clinical study of a product produced in Costa Rica will be carried out.

“It is going to help us lower the viral load so that they can leave (the hospital) faster,” said Macaya, at the press conference on Tuesday, July 28.

This treatment is not a substitute for a vaccine, which fully protects those who have not been infected. On the contrary, it is a drug that lowers the effectiveness of the virus in the body of those who have already been infected.

This drug was achieved by scientists of the Clodomiro Picado Institute by injected coronavirus proteins into the body of a group of horses. Equines, as a natural response, produced antibodies against these proteins.

Scientists then extracted the blood from the horses that already contained the defenses against Sars-Cov2, creating the drug that, in a nutshell, comes to fight the virus in infected people.

Important to note the horses were not injured in the process.

“We are going from the first patient diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 6 to the first patient treated by a therapy done entirely in Costa Rica in just five months. This is record time.

“Because this virus is so contagious and so deadly, we needed a laboratory that had the necessary biosafety levels. The George Mason University did the preclinical part, evaluated the potency of the antibodies to neutralize the virus,” said Macaya.

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What will happen to the Nicaraguans rejected by their country?

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) While humanitarian organizations continue pressuring Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega to let in the more his 600 compatriots waiting desperately at the doors of their homeland, Costa Rica has taken the initiative to announce that it allow back in all those rejected by their country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nicaragua riot police were called in to keep order and intimidate the stranded on the Nicaragua side of the border line

Since Monday, July 20, when the first group of some 100 arrived, to today’s estimate to be almost 600 Nicaraguans, waiting in desperation at the door to their homeland, braving the hot Guanacaste sun, the rains of the season, hunger, thirst and all sharing one toilet.

Over the weekend, the Permanent Commission on Human Rights (CPDH) denounced that the Daniel Ortega regime is violating Nicaragua’s Constitution by preventing the entry of his compatriots.

Daniel Ortega’s riot police stand guard night and day

In a statement, the CPDH indicates that “among them children, pregnant women, young people and the elderly, who since July 18 have endured the sun, rain and sleep in cardboard, claiming their constitutional right to enter their country”.

A pregnant woman fainted from the heat and exhaustion

The CPDH says that Article 31 of the Political Constitution of Nicaragua establishes “Nicaraguans have the right to move and fix their residence in any part of the national territory; to enter and leave the country freely”.

Yet, the Sandinista regime had held firm that the requirement for them to enter is a negative COVID-19 test, a measure not consistent with the economic difficulties faced by Nicaraguans who decided to return.

“If they do not have money for food, housing, and health, how will they have money to pay a test whose cost is greater than US$100 dollars,” the CPDH points out.

No room for social distancing

“Nicaragua should guarantee the orderly and controlled entry due to the pandemic and guarantee access to the test to people who consider that this test should be performed, these people do not have help from their relatives in Nicaragua, nor help from their relatives in Costa Rica,” explained Denis Darce, Executive Secretary of the CPDH.

And while it could be said this is not Costa Rica’s problem, that the Nicaraguans have completed the migratory process, that is checked out of Costa Rica, and it’s now up to their country to deal with it, Ortega’s refusal to budge has somehow become our problem.

The orange traffic barrier on the Costa Rica side of the border line

To ensure that more Nicaraguans don’t reach the border without the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test results of not more than 72 hours, Costa Rica’s immigration decreed last Friday that the COVID test is required to leave Costa Rica.

But what of the ones already in between borders and Nicaragua continues to reject them?

Costa Rica has no choice to let them back in if they want to. This is written in stone, so to speak, reflected in the “General Guideline for the departure of people traveling to the Republic of Nicaragua for a migrant post authorized by the alert by (COVID-19)“, dated July 24 and issued by the Ministry of Health.

Point 5.2 indicates, verbatim, that:

“The person who is rejected by the Republic of Nicaragua for any situation related to health issues (presenting symptoms, rejection of the PCR test, or others of that type), may be admitted in Costa Rica, by virtue that the egress did not occur, must immediately proceed to request the cancellation of the egress procedure and other collateral administrative acts that have been issued to the egress, in the office of the General Directorate of Immigration, in case of not doing so, this institution may not cancel the eventual measures of sanitary entry impediment issued against the person at the time of egress,” the document indicates.

In other words, despite their checking out of the country, authorities deem the check out never occurred and a request can be made to annul the sanitary measure that bars foreigners or residents leaving the country after March 24, to re-enter.

The Cruz Roja Costarricense (Costa Rican Red Cross) at work to the lucky ones on this side of the border line

It is a process to not set precedent at other borders or under different circumstances, say experts in immigration law.

But do they want to come back to Costa Rica?

In interviews with local media, prior to the presence of riot police sent in by Ortega to control the situation and intimidate, some of them said what the want is to go home, to their homeland. They do not want to go back to Costa Rica.

For many, their decision to return to Nicaragua is economics, the loss of jobs, the higher cost of living in Costa Rica, and some citing discrimination and xenophobia on the part of Ticos against the Nicas in the country.

What led to the border situation?

At the beginning of last week, the Ortega regime rejected the entry of Nicaraguans with reason or explanation given.

With no cover over their head, no water, no food, just one toilet for hundreds, women (some pregnant), children, seniors, all waited, desperately, to be let in, someone to talk to them, to tell why they are being denied entry.

As the days passed, more Nicaraguans made their way to the border. But all they got was silence from their compatriots in uniform.

On Wednesday, the official word from Managua arrived, that to be allowed to enter they were required to present a negative proof of COVID-19 with a maximum of 72, a measure applicable to nationals or foreigners.

What was known up to Wednesday was that foreigners wanting to leave Nicaragua by air were required to have the negative test result, which could only be done by Nicaragua’s Ministry of Health (Minsa), in Managua and at a cost of US$150 dollars.

On Friday, Nicaragua’s vice-president and first lady, Rosario Murillo reiterated that although nationals have the right to return to their home, “it is very important (…) that they comply with the protection measures for all families.”

Meanwhile…

Since the pandemic reached Nicaragua in March, the Ortega regime has refused to establish containment measures and instead has promoted mass activities and agglomerations, such as the “Love in the time of COVID-19″ promoted by Rosario Murillo., contrary to the recommendations of international health organizations.

The country’s official numbers indicate 3,672 confirmed cases and 116 deaths by COVID-19. However, the calculations made by a group of Nicaraguan epidemiologists, medical professionals, and students known as the Observatorio Cuidadano (Citizen Observatory) suggest that the number of COVID-19 cases in Nicaragua, updated on July 27, 2020, is 8,755 and 2,487 deaths, with the majority of the cases and deaths in Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua.

At this time it is unknown how many Nicaraguans will take up Costa Rica’s offer to let them back in, where they will go or how they will get there, many had said they only had only enough get home, never expecting to be rejected.

Without possibly a place to stay or work, it may be impossible in the short term to be able to afford the COVID-19 PCR test by private clinics and hospitals in Costa Rica, which ranges from about ¢49,000 to ¢57,200.

Some of the labs, clinics and hospitals:

 

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Owners of confiscated cars will only have 3 months to reclaim them

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) The owners of cars seized cars by police for would have only three months to get their vehicles from the impound before they are put up for auction.

Legislators are rushing the approval of a bill that aims to reform the Traffic Law so that there is a deadline for the reclaiming impounded vehicles.

The change intends is to decongest the impound lots of vehicles abandoned by their owners.

Two of the reasons vehicles become abandoned is that the fines in some cases are higher than the value of the vehicle and/or the registered owner differs from the owner of the vehicle. The latter happens when a buyer does not file a transfer of ownership to avoid paying the transfer fees and taxes. Only the registered owner can reclaim an impounded vehicle.

At the end of 2019, the Ministry of Transport (MOPT) reported 44,707 vehicles in impound lots across the country, some for years.

In the Ministry of Public Security, reported more than 5,000 vehicles (to August 2019) in impound lots or police stations.

According to the authorities, maintaining these vehicles costs the State more a ¢1 billion colones a near, for expenses such maintenance of the impound lots, security and protection of assets.

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Hotel operators reported high occupancy during the first long weekend

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Q Costa Rica
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(QCOSTARICA) Tourism was reactivated during the first long weekend, the first of the seven holidays moved to next Monday, in order to reactivate the economy of this sector.

Juan Carlos Chávez of the Pacific Chamber of Tourism and Sustainable Commerce, explained that in Playa Jacó, the hotels were fully occupied (to the sanitary measures) and visitors were able to enjoy the beach again until 9:30 am.

The leader explained that both hotels and local businesses benefited from the three days holiday weekend.

For her part, Flora Ayub of the Chamber of Hotels, added that despite the fact that the preliminary data is good, it is also remarkable that hoteliers are rehiring employees who months ago had laid off or reduced their working hours.

“It was a positive weekend and that the sector has benefited not only in hotels, but restaurants and the productive sector in general,” said Rubén Acón of the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur).

The next long weekend Mother’s day, August 15-17.

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COVID-19 Costa Rica: 612 new cases and deaths in 11 on July 27

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Rico
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(QCOSTARICA) This Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, reported Monday the country registered 612 new cases of the new coronavirus, for a total of 15,841 confirmed cases ranging from 0 to 100 years.

A total of 3,824 people have recovered in 79 cantons: 323 people are hospitalized, 56 of them in intensive care with an age range of 0 to 79 years.

“Already the number of hospitalized cases is reaching a record 323 people and we have 56 people in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). The ICU is not only for COVID-19, it is also for all serious conditions. The more we all collaborate, the more we do our part, the more we comply with the protocols, the more we are going to ensure that this number of people does not continue to increase, but rather that it falls and that it does not lead to a collapse, “said Salas.

Salas reported that this Monday 11 new deaths,  for a total of 115.

Ten of the deceased were Costa Rican and one foreigner. Six were residents of San José; one of them died in the ambulance while being transferred to the San Juan de Dios Hospital from complications in his health; He was a 52 years old and had no risk factors.

Six of the deceased were admitted to the Specialized Patient Care Center with covid-19 (Ceaco). The ages of all the dead range between 42 and 93 years; most had high blood pressure and diabetes as risk factors.

  • A 93-year-old woman, Costa Rican, resident of Heredia. She was admitted to the San Vicente de Paul Hospital, being diagnosed on July 22. She suffered from high blood pressure.
  • A 77-year-old foreign woman, a resident of Heredia. She was admitted to Ceaco, being diagnosed on July 20. In addition to age, she had no history of risk.
  • A 73-year-old woman, Costa Rican, resident of San José. She was admitted to Ceaco, being diagnosed on July 21. She suffered from high blood pressure and diabetes.
  • An 82-year-old man, Costa Rican, a resident of San José. He was admitted to the San Juan de Dios Hospital, being diagnosed on July 19. He suffered from high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
  • A 52-year-old man, Costa Rican, a resident of San José. He died in the ambulance while being transferred to the San Juan de Dios hospital. A post-mortem sample was taken with a positive result on July 26. The deceased was known as sane.
  • A 42-year-old woman, Costa Rican, resident of San José. She was admitted to the Hospital México, being diagnosed on July 26. She suffered from high blood pressure and obesity.
  • An 89-year-old man, Costa Rican, resident of Alajuela. He was admitted to Ceaco, being diagnosed on June 3. He suffered from heart disease and lung disease.
  • An 85-year-old man, Costa Rican, a resident of San José. He was admitted to Ceaco, being diagnosed on July 26. He suffered from ischemic heart disease, high blood pressure and had a history of smoking.
  • A 53-year-old man, Costa Rican, resident of Puntarenas. He was admitted to Ceaco, being diagnosed on July 17. He suffered from high blood pressure.
  • A 92-year-old man, Costa Rican, resident of Heredia. He was admitted to Ceaco and was diagnosed on July 24. He had COPD and had a history of smoking.
  • A 76-year-old man, Costa Rican, a resident of San José. He was admitted to the Calderón Guardia Hospital, being diagnosed on July 12. In addition to age, he had no history of risk.
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Ortega says he’s got the virus under control!

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Q24N
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Schools in Nicaragua remain opened during the pandemic

(TODAY NICARAGUA) On Sunday, July 22, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega made a rare appearance, at which he announced that the country’s death toll was low and that the pandemic had not affected Nicaragua’s health system – as had happened in “capitalist” countries.

Workers wear masks as a protection against the spread of the new coronavirus as they leave from a day’s work in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday, May 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga)

Ortega said agricultural output had not suffered from the pandemic and commended “the hard-working spirit of the Nicaraguan, the hard-working spirit of the peasants, who in the worst moments have not stopped producing.”

But as the majority of Nicaraguans, experts in the country and abroad and civil organizations warn that Ortega’s regime is hiding the true extent of infections and deaths and that, despite Nicaragua’s refusal to shut down the economy, poverty and unemployment could rise dramatically this year.

According to Nicaragua’s Ministry of Health (Minsa), the “official” source for coronavirus information, 108 Nicaraguans have died sue to COVID-19 and just 3,439 have been infected, of which the majority have recovered, in the country of 6 million.

But those figures aren’t convincing to anyone outside Ortega’s circle of loyalists.

This Monday, July 27, 2020, Nicaragua’s remaining print newspaper, La Prensa, reported Nicaragua registers 2,344 deaths from pneumonia, suspected of Covid-19, in the last four months.

There aren’t made up numbers, not at least by any other than Daniel Ortega himself on July 19 personally reported the numbers published by his Ministry of Health.

The Minsa figures used in the La Prensa report indicate that between March 11 and June 30 of this year, at the height of the increase in coronavirus cases, 453 more people died of pneumonia than the total number of people who died from this same cause in the sum of the last three years, from 2017 to 2019.

Ortega said that in these 111 days of 2020, some 2,344 people died of pneumonia. However, adding the last three years, a total of 1,891 people died from this cause.

Schools in Nicaragua remain opened during the pandemic

Taken into context, Ortega is not lying that there have been few deaths due to COVID-19 in his country. But the people aren’t fooled.

Pneumonia went from being the ninth most frequent cause in the last three years (2017, 2018 and 2019) to being the main cause of death in the 111 days between March 11 and June 30 of this year. In this period, deaths from pneumonia increased by 1,141%.

From another perspective, between January 2017 and December 2019 there were almost two (1.7) people who died from pneumonia on a daily basis, while there were more than 20 (21.1) people killed by this causes daily between March 11 and June 30 of this year.

President Daniel Ortega’s government has stood out for its refusal to impose measures to halt the new coronavirus for more than two months since the disease was first diagnosed in Nicaragua. Now, doctors and family members of apparent victims say, the government has gone from denying the disease’s presence in the country to actively trying to conceal its spread.

Confounded numbers

When the first cases of people infected with coronavirus were reported in late March, it was reported that hundreds of cases were being diagnosed in hospitals as atypical pneumonia. The relatives of the deceased showed epicrisis with this cause of death, although the patients did not have this condition or any other comorbidity.

Three months later, the Minsa data reveal this possible underreporting of deaths by COVID-19 that many relatives of the deceased and doctors in hospitals reported.

“We cannot affirm that they were for Covid-19 because no tests were carried out, but the increase may reveal that it was one of the under-registries they used,”  health worker Carmen Torres told La Prensa.

The increase was such that if the same average of pneumonia deaths in the last three years had been followed, in these 111 days 189 people would have died from this cause, instead of the 2,344 that Ortega confirmed.

Rival calculations made by a group of Nicaraguan epidemiologists, medical professionals and students known as the Observatorio Cuidadano (Citizen Observatory) suggest that the number of COVID-19 cases in Nicaragua, updated on July 27, 2020, is 8,755 and 2,487 deaths, with the majority of the cases and deaths in Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua.

Backing up the Observatorio’s claims is the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional arm of the World Health Organization, that says the government’s data lacks transparency and that, “in the absence of updated and transparent information from the government, unofficial data sources like the Citizen Observatory should be taken into account”.

Official data is only published weekly, but in Ortwga’s Nicaragua weekly is not every week. And the official data has not provided detailed statistics on the age, sex, and location of those infected, nor on testing.

The PAHO’s concerns go back at least April, when its director, Dr Carissa Etienne, pointed out the Ortega regime’s lack of testing, contact tracing, and case reporting, as well as its weak disease prevention and control measures.

Also in April, the medical journal the Lancet published the writings of several epidemiologists that Nicaragua’s response to the pandemic has been “perhaps the most erratic of any country in the world to date.” They noted that the government had recommended self-quarantine for travelers from some countries but had not restricted travel, closed borders, or suspended public events, such as the “Love in the time of COVID-19″ promoted by Ortega’s wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo.

In contrast to its neighbors, in Nicaragua businesses have continued to operate, festivals and cultural events are happening on an almost weekly basis, and schools remain open.

And despite Ortega’s insistence, after 40 days of self-hiding, that normal life and business must continue, that the virus is under control, the United Nations predicts that unemployment will exceed 9% in Nicaragua this year, as a result of the pandemic, and that the number of Nicaraguans living in extreme poverty will rise this year from 17% to 22% — nearly a quarter of the entire population.

Ortega’s disappearance this time around is allegedly due to Ortega having been infected with the COVID-19 virus. This according to businessman José Dolores Blandino, a supporter of the dictator, although politically oppositional, and the father of Xiomara Blandino, common-law wife of Juan Carlos Ortega Murillo, sone of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.

Article originally appeared on Today Nicaragua and is republished here with permission.

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El Salvador to postpone second phase of economic reopening

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Q Costa Rica
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(REUTERS) Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said on Sunday that he would postpone the second phase of the country’s economic reopening, slated to begin Tuesday, after evaluating inputs from experts and the Salvadoran health ministry.

Just on Saturday, the president had reiterated his intention to move forward with the next stage of restarting the economy.

“After listening to the opinions of experts and above all, the Ministry of Health … I have decided to suspend Phase 2 of the economic reopening,” Bukele wrote in a post on Twitter.

Bukele and El Salvador’s congress have clashed over how to manage the pandemic. Lawmakers have so far refused to approve a request from Bukele’s government for new emergency measures to restrict the movement of people.

El Salvador, as today, Monday, July 27, has registered a total of 15,035 coronavirus cases and 408 deaths.

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Over 1,000 restaurants call it a day in Panama

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Q Costa Rica
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(NEWSROOM PANAMA) Burdened by fixed costs and a disappearing customer base over 1,000 Panama restaurants have permanently closed their doors leading to 6,000 lost jobs,

Others have created new versions of themselves so as not to disappear as they prepare for the new world of dining out which will likely never be the same with closely packed restaurants and bars.

The sector has registered an 80% drop in sales and the closure of at least 20% nationwide, according to data from the Panama Restaurant Association (Arap).

Parallel, with the near-total stoppage of activities and the need to generate income, an independent movement has been created in social networks for the sale of food, which sparked the attention of both consumers and authorities.

“Food preparation that is being done in apartments and in workshops, the public has to be very careful about hygiene. That is a problem that the authorities (the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Directorate of Revenue) have to attack, because they are also businesses that do not pay taxes,” said Domingo De Obaldía, president of Arap.

The effects of the health emergency caused the Monthly Index of Economic Activities in April to register a fall of 34.7%, compared to the same period last year, due mainly to the impact in the construction sectors, and hotels and restaurants sectors.

The Arap meets regularly to validate and discuss the measures that its members are taking, to have their security protocols ready to open the day the health authorities give the go-ahead.

Today, Monday, July 27, 2020, Panama reports 60,296 cumulative cases and 1,294deaths by COVID-19 in a population of 4.3 million.

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Sharing the road with cyclists

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Rico
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(Rico’s Digest) Our friend Joan Ritchie Dewar posted photos of what we all who were out with our vehicles this weekend experienced.

“It’s like dodging bullets! Wonderful to see bicycling enthusiasm, even whole families out for a Sunday ride, but scary at times on our narrow roads (with no shoulders) when they don’t keep to single file & 2m apart. Encountering literally hundreds in every direction, turning our early morning quest for groceries into a hit-me-not adventure,” wrote Joan.

For me, in my little world in Santa Ana, same thing on my way to and from the supermarket on Sunday.

It’s not so much there are a lot of cyclists, it’s the few who insist on riding side-by-side or in the middle of the lane and then flip the finger, annoyed that we, as motorists, are asking to share the road.

One commenter said: “Start a bicycle lane initiative! Or bicycle paths. That’d be fab in CR!!!”.

Great idea, but where would you put a bicycle lane on a two-lane road that barely fits two cars, bridges where cars have to pull over to give way to a bus?

I will use my little world as an example, the ruta 121, from the Cruz Roja to Piedades.

In the past 2 years, they have been working on replacing all the bridges. The work is done, but not completed as is typical in Costa Rica works.

The bridges are wider, 3 cars and sidewalks on both sides. Some patches of this road have wide sidewalks with green space so you are not abutting traffic. Other patches, the sidewalks so narrow, stick out your elbow or arm and you will be hit by a vehicle.

And for most of the road, there are no sidewalks at all, you are walking with traffic. No choice.

Now, where would you put a bicycle lane?

The ruta 121 is typical of many roads, especially in older areas such as Santa Ana or Escazu, where the roads were built for ox and carts. Today they are paved, but the same roads.

The battle of sharing roads with cyclists and pedestrians is not new. The problem is greater today because there are more pedallers and fewer cars.

What I have personally experienced, both driving and walking, is the complete unwillingness of cyclists to share the narrow roads, as they own the road, their road.

BTW, the same thing happens with shoppers and their carts.

Just saying.

Thanks for listening. Stay at home. Stay safe. Stay healthy.

 

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27 March 2026 - At The Banks - Source: BCCR

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