The “yo-yo” dollar exchange today, Wednesday, April 15, is at a low of ¢564.13 for the buy and ¢569.29, after reaching a high of ¢579.50 for the buy and ¢587.37 on March 31, rebounding from a low of ¢560.66 for the buy and ¢570.33 for the sell on March 15.
Your head spinning?
This while other currencies such as the Colombian Peso and Cordoba in Nicaragua has remained pretty stable. Of course, a dollar in Panama is still a dollar.
“The situation that the country is going through due to the coronavirus, could make us think of a possible impact on the price of the dollar (…),” explained Luis Diego Herrera, economic analyst at Grupo Financiero Acobo, recently.
Although the country is paying less for fuels it imports, on the other hand, with the closing of borders, tourist dollars have stopped entering the economy, affecting the exchange rate, according to experts.
The most recent information from the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BBCR) indicates that 78.64% of the adult (over 18) population that lives in Costa Rica have at least one bank account. According to official data, 72.14% of people 65 years of age or older are banked; this percentage is 72.8% for those who are 10 to 15 years old, and 76.63% for those 15 to 18.
In April of last year, the level of banking penetration in the country was less than 70%. To improve this, President Carlos Alvarado, issued the guideline “To improve efficiency and financial inclusion at the level of people and MIPYMES” directed to state and public banks, seeking to increase their level of banking access and access to credit for medium to small businesses and individuals.
Previously, in July 2018, Alvarado issued the directive “Financial inclusion in State transfer programs”, which sought to ensure that all beneficiaries of social programs acquire a savings account.
For the Minister of Human Development and Social Inclusion and executive president of the Mixed Institute of Social Aid (IMAS), Juan Luis Bermúdez, “financial inclusion is access to services and safeguards in times of crisis such as the one we are currently experiencing with the Covid-19 pandemic”.
He recalled that under this program, and with the support of the national financial system, a process of banking access of the beneficiaries began in 2018 in the CCSS and in the IMAS that has allowed many families to go from receiving the resources manually to the use of debit cards. “Today that effort is the starting point to protect the families that need it most in an agile and safe way,” he said.
According to IMAS, in the first quarter of 2020, the Social Protection and Promotion Program covered 266,083 people and 428,708 families. In total, the transfers were for ¢45.9 billion colones.
A study by the Inter-American Development Bank (BID) called “Financial Inclusion in Latin America” of August 2016, indicates that Costa Rica is one of the three countries with the highest level of bank penetration in the region with 68%, surpassed by Brazil and followed by Chile.
Opening a bank account in Costa Rica
Opening a bank account, at State (public) or private bank is simple as having the right document: a cedula for nationals, DIMEX for foreigner residents and passport for all others.
Although foreigners without residency in the country can open a bank account, the “Cuenta Simplificada” is only available at the BCR and Banco Nacional, is limited to average movements of less than US$1,000 monthly for level 1 and US$2,000 for level 2. The account cannot be used for sending and receiving international transfers.
Riteve stations re-open today after being closed for more than a week, prior to Semana Santa.
On Monday and Tuesday, a reprogramming of appointments was carried out to get the inspection stations ready for users.
Starting today, Wednesday, all the stations throughout the country will operate from 6:00 am in the morning and until 5:00 pm from Monday to Friday, in line with the vehicular restrictions in effect from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm daily.
The stations will be closed on weekends.
The Riteve reminds used to respect the guidelines established to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The inspection service recommends that the least vulnerable member of the family be selected to do the inspection, that appointment times be respected, only one person per vehicle will be permitted and physical distancing be maintained during the reception process.
In addition, products such as alcohol gel and surface disinfectants are available to Riteve staff and users alike.
A major change is that inspectors will NOT be doing an inspection of the interior of vehicles, rather they will guide users for that process, so that Riteve personnel do not have to manipulate the steering wheel, handbrake, seatbelts, etc.
If a person has symptoms or has been diagnosed with COVID-19 they should not be present at the stations.
Starting this Wednesday, you can make your Riteve appointment at www.rtv.co.cr or by calling 905-788-0000.
To carry out the inspection, users should have available the vehicle’s ownership, driver’s license and the respective fee.
176 Nicaraguans were rejected by Costa Rica’s immigration police at the Las Tablillas border post in the last 24 hours.
In addition, authorities rejected 50 foreigners (other than Nicaraguans) at the northern border on Tuesday.
This rejection occurred as a result of controls on the roads, air patrols, and patrols along the border with Nicaragua.
Once apprehended, a basic health checkup and covid-19 health protocols were carried, as well as a review of their belongings before escorted across the border and handed over to immigration officials in their country.
Most of the Nicaraguans had identification, their cedula or passport, but without the required visa or residency to enter Costa Rica.
Costa Rica’s borders are open only to Costa Rican nationals and legal residents (who did not leave the country after March 24) and then are subjected to a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Rico’s Digest – OPINION – People aren’t listening. They did under the strict measures of Semana Santa, where the strict vehicular restrictions kept vehicles off the road and stores closed, only shopping for groceries and medicines allowed.
From Telenoticias on Monday
But on Monday, the first day of the relaxed vehicular restrictions and opening on many stores had people forget that the threat of the beast was, is still, out there.
And despite of the tough words of Health authorities, in particular, the emotional call by Dr. Daniel Salas, with a hint of tighter restrictions to come if the word is not heeded, didn’t have much effect on Tuesday either.
Unfortunately, these actions of social disrespect, failing to maintain social or physical distancing or their hygiene as recommended, will come at a price
Virologist Christian Marín Müller assures that the crowds of people that we witness these first two days of the week could have repercussions in just over 10 days with an expansion of the virus.
For the expert, Health officials and many others, the measures of restriction and that generated isolation at home Semana have to return, only in this way can we keep ahead of this deadly respiratory disease and not have see the efforts to date go to waste.
What most, I suppose, don’t get it that Costa Rica’s health system, however great it may be, whatever confidence we have in it and its managers, is not equipped to handle a large volume of cases.
What many don’t get is that they may be, hopefully, no one should be, in a position one day very soon when a doctor has to decide who will get care and who will not.
We know what the outcome of that is.
The consequences will be deadly.
Authorities reiterate that, if sanitary measures are not followed and staying at home is avoided, they will be forced to take other actions.
Let’s look at some of the numbers.
Besides the obvious of the total reported every day of the infected, there is another number, growing daily, despite the strong sanctions, that of drivers violating the no drive order.
Since the nationwide vehicular restrictions went into effect, as of Monday, 8,541 drivers have been sanctioned. The patios (years of the Ministry of Transport) are overfilled with vehicles of all types.
There is a total nighttime vehicular restriction across the country, yet…
Drivers seem to be happy to pay the fine for the privilege of driving when they shouldn’t be, that as of April 4 was raised to ¢110,400 colones, plus the six points on their driver’s license and the confiscation of the license plate and/or vehicle.
The lines a the Cosevi offices in La Uruca and across the regional centers, were long, and most not respecting physical distancing. This prompted the measure that, starting this morning, Wednesday, you can only retrieve license plates by appointment.
Watching the videos and photos on social networks, what disturbed me, besides a large number of people on the streets, but few wearing masks, few keeping a distance from others.
I too had planned to go out on Monday, get some fresh fruits and visit the hardware store to be able to fix a leaky faucet and toilet tank. This would have been my fourth outing since the last week in March.
But then I thought, and unfortunately, I was right, there are going to be a lot of people. Is it worth the risk of exposing myself?
I know it’s difficult. I have a couple of friends who are finding it hard to stay at home. “I am taking care of myself,” one says. “I am young and strong,” says another.
And maybe they are, but what of the people they come into contact with? How do they know they are taking care of themselves?
My biggest fear is not getting infected, but rather passing on that infection to those closest to me, those I care about. My question to one the foregoing friends, “do you not care enough of your little one at home?”
So, please, if not for yourself, but for the sake of that special person in your life and others in general, stay at home. And if you have to go out, put on a mask, use gloves whenever appropriate and have handy, in your pocket, in your purse, in your car, gel alcohol.
If you have to go out, use a mask
Put on a pair of gloves when using an ATM machine, wipe down your plastic money and wallet after use, before putting it in your pocket or purse, before getting in your car.
Wipe down the steering wheel, door handles, in and out, anything that you will come into contact for your drive. Then wipe down all the bags and items you took home from the grocery store, after you’ve washed your hands first.
Maybe I am overreacting, maybe even seem paranoid, but do you really want to stress yourself out when a few days later you get a little sniffle, even a runny nose due to the change of season were are currently in?
This too shall pass. And with taking care of yourself and caring for others, you will one day be able to tell the stories. So many aren’t be able to. Many others won’t either if we keep on this path.
Stay at home. Stay safe. Stay healthy.
PS, on my second outing, I had to visit a bank branch, the BAC in Lindora. I really pissed me off that I had to pull down my mask at the counter for the security cameras. I had forgotten about this until I was reminded yesterday by a friend who had the same experience, but at Scotiabank.
Daniel Ortega risks Nicaragua an expansion of COVID-19 by not ordering health measures, while he signs the massive purchase of gloves and gel alcohol for use of those closest to him.
In the photo, Rosario Murillo, vice-president of Nicaragua and wife of Daniel Ortega
According to Confidencial, the Presidency acquired, “as a matter of urgency”, 5,000 gloves and more than 100 gallons of gel alcohol, despite the fact that the government has not recognized that the covid-19 virus as a health emergency.
Confidencial reported that it had access to purchase orders issued by the Procurement Division of the Presidency of the Republic, for purchases justified “to ensure personal hygiene.”
The purchase is for use of those closest to the President and his family
“Through the process of contracting number CMB-015-03-2020, called ‘purchase of replacement material to attend epidemiological prevention to the personnel of the Presidency of the Republic and ascribed dependencies’, Ortega ordered the purchase that amounts to 101,085 cordobas ($2,955.70).
“In detail, the presidential couple guided the acquisition of preventive sanitary material consisting of 30 boxes of 100 units each of latex gloves, size M, size L, as well as 110 gallons of 70% Nevaclean brand alcohol gel,” Confidencial revealed.
The purchase order, it added, was issued on March 15, three days before Nicaraguan health authorities reported the appearance of the first case of COVID-19 in the country.
On Tuesday, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) spoke out against the lax position that the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime has taken in the face of the global pandemic of the new coronavirus.
Instead of asking people to remain in voluntary confinement to prevent the transmission of the virus, the Government has organized several massive events in March and April, and has not promoted social isolation, nor has it closed the country’s borders to foreigners.
The non-governmental organization (NGO), Observatorio Ciudadano COVID-19, showed very different figures from those of the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health regarding suspected cases of COVID-19.
“This is one more example of the criminal and selfish character of this Government. They are in self-isolation, almost a month since the family has been seen publicly. On the one hand, we see the regime calling people to expose themselves in massive activities, while they are shielding themselves. It is a criminal and discriminatory attitude,” says Vilma Núñez, president of the Centro Nicaragüense de Derechos Humanos (Cenidh) – Nicaragua’s center for human rights.
The Cenidh maintains that the Government should extend these preventive measures to the general population. “It is no longer enough just the verbal calls, it must be accompanied by providing the necessary for the care of the people. It is definitely criminal to spend 100,000 cordobas to protect their family environment and leave people unprotected. This is the most serious proof of the irresponsibility of the regime,” insists the defender of human rights.
They shield themselves, but they forget the people
Vilma Núñez considers that it is good that Ortega and Murillo take care of themselves against the coronavirus, “but that they should also promote care for all Nicaraguans, which is also their responsibility.”
In this, the former Minister of Health, Dora María Téllez, agrees.
“His (Ortega’s) first obligation is to the people, but here there is no strategy for prevention and containment against the pandemic, but there has been a strategy for the spread of the coronavirus,” he warns.
Tellez regrets that to date in Nicaragua there is no economic and social strategy so that thousands of people who depend and survive in the informal market can protect their health.
“They are not even giving due protection to health personnel. It is a barbaric thing”, Tellez denounces.
Nicaragua reports only 9 cases
While being surrounded by countries with tens and hundreds of cases, Nicaragua, as of today (April 15) has only confirmed 9 positives and one death.
On social networks, in the streets of the towns and cities, gossip or fact, there are stories of people getting sick, suspected of the covid-19 and even dying.
One of the reasons that there are so few cases reported is the lack of testing. For if there is testing, the results will most likely be different. And that all comes at a cost.
In the words of Costa Rica’s president of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), the government agency that runs the hospitals and clinics in that country, Roman Macaya, “Pandemics are very expensive“.
The new coronavirus is a costly one, a cost that the Ortega administration either cannot assume or want to.
Costa Rica has advanced 618 cases since March 6, when the first contagion of COVID-19 was confirmed within the national territory.
Neither influenza AH1N1 is comparable to SARS-CoV-2, the respiratory virus responsible for covid-19, nor the way the conditions were managed in the pandemic that hit the world in 2009 can be compared to those that surprised the planet 11 years later.
Costa Rica has reached 618 cases since March 6, when the first contagion of COVID-19 was confirmed within the national territory. On Monday, many forgot about the measures to be maintained, such as social distancing, to stop the spread of the covid-19
The former Health Minister, Dr. María Luisa Avila Agüero, who was at the forefront during the 2009 AH1N1 flu pandemic, said that the influenza virus and the new coronavirus are not comparable.
She affirmed it when learning about Monday’s demonstrations by the director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Covid-19 was described by Adhanom as a rapidly spreading disease ten times more deadly than the virus responsible for the 2009 flu pandemic, AH1N1.
“The influenza virus has been known for a long time, and for the 2009 pandemic, there was a whole pre-pandemic plan several years earlier. We were prepared to receive it. This new coronavirus is attacking very fast, and most of the world’s health systems, including the WHO itself, got caught completely off guard,” explained Avila.
“That is why it has caused more deaths. In addition, it is a virus that is not known as much as influenza,” said the pediatrician and infectious disease specialist.
Costa Rica has advanced 618 cases since March 6, when the first contagion of COVID-19 was confirmed within the national territory.vila, who served as Minister of Health in the second administration of Óscar Arias Sánchez (2006-2010), and part of that of Laura Chinchilla Miranda (2010-2014), also considers that there are other factors that have affected the course of the covid-19 pandemic.
In 2009, Salud ordered to extend the half-year school vacation period from two to three weeks and also suspended the pilgrimage to Cartago, as measures to cut the transmission chains of what was called the swine flu.
H1N1 caused at least 56 deaths in Costa Rica in 2009 and 1,867 infections. Even at the end of 2016, it caused another 17 deaths.
Costa Rica has advanced 618 cases since March 6, when the first contagion of COVID-19 was confirmed within the national territory.vila mentioned that this covid-19 pandemic is been lived “in real time”, with a lot of information available, and the social networks, a factor that was not so prevalent more than a decade ago.
In Costa Rica, the first confirmed case of the covid-19 was on March 6. Since then, the Ministry of Health has counted 618 infected people and three deaths.
“Health authorities, including the WHO, have had several fronts open to them. One, which I would call the ‘opinionologists’, with people giving their opinion above all with their own data, many of them generating confusion. I believe that in this case, the Costa Rican Ministry of Health has handled the pressure received from this front very well. The other is the fake news”, explained Avila.
Costa Rica has advanced 618 cases since March 6, when the first contagion of COVID-19 was confirmed within the national territory.vila also considers that the WHO authorities are under great pressure from economic groups at this time, especially in the United States, where President Donald Trump has withdrawn funding from this organization due to what the president considers “Mismanagement of the pandemic” and a “biased attitude towards China”.
“I do believe that the WHO and PAHO (Pan American Health Organization, arm in the Americas of the WHO) are very necessary entities, but after this they will have to rethink, because they have become more political than technical organizations”, commented the former minister.
Covid-19 will undoubtedly have a substantial economic effect.
“Leonardo Garnier (former Minister of Planning and Education, among other public offices, as well as an economist with a specialty in Political Economy and Economic Development), wrote an article where he talks about health as a priority. Plans to recover the economy will come later.
“Therefore, mitigation measures cannot be lifted in Costa Rica quickly. This will depend on how the pandemic peak behaves, which we have not yet reached,” Avila warned, referring to Adhanom’s request to the countries for a” lifting of slow confinement. ”
The number of people affected by covid-19 reached 618 this Tuesday, April 14, of which 66 have already recovered from the disease.
The number of patients increased only six compared to Monday, when 612 were reported.
By gender, Of the total confirmed cases, 298 (48%) are women and 320 (52%) are men. By nationality, 575 (93%) are Costa Ricans and 43 foreigners.
In addition, a total of 19 remain hospitalized due to the disease, of which 13 are in intensive care (ICU) with age ranges between 35 and 85 years.
There have been three deaths, three men, two 87 years old and one 45.
Pandemics are very expensive’
Throughout this month and a week of the presence of the virus, n Costa Rica, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) has already used 44% of the fund it has to deal with emergencies.
Román Macaya, executive president of the CCSS, explained that the institution has a contingency fund of ¢45 billion colones, to which another ¢20 billion were added.
Of this ¢65 billion, up this Monday ¢28.3 billion had been spent.
Macaya explained that the funds were used to purchase respirators, converting the National Rehabilitation Center (Cenare) into the hospital specialized in cases of covid-19 and other equipment.
Also, to bring 55 tons of medical equipment donated by China to the country will cost the fund at least US$1.3 million dollars.
Macaya confirmed that much of the regular budget for the normal functioning of the CCSS has also been invested in fighting the pandemic.
How long will this emergency last?
Neither Salas nor Macaya know this, but they only warn that “the worst has not happened.”
The CCSS is close to knowing the first numbers of the hit of the health emergency on its finances, due to the drop in worker-employer quotas due to the thousands of layoffs and salary reductions in the private sector.
“This is going to require a country discussion on how we strengthen the finances of the institution that is leading the way in dealing with a crisis that has a double effect: we have to spend more and at the same time receive less. There is a decrease in income due to this crisis in employment and the country’s difficulties. That discussion needs to happen and also about how we strengthen the institution that is giving the country its face,” he declared.
Corporate liability
After the call of health authorities, on Monday, for the high concentration of people in the main population centers that could provoke a rebound of patients for the next days or weeks, this Tuesday, the alert was for companies and institutions.
“I would like to remind the companies, the employers, the bosses, that responsibility that we have to verify, to put all the clarity so that the measures of attention to the public are complied with. It is a delicate matter and the decreases in capacity are seeking to protect the health of clients and their officials,” said Daniel Salas.
Among the measures, the minister is calling for of both private business and public institutions, are to indicate the distances that must be maintained even with marks on the ground so that people know where to stand and how to stand in line, with a distance of at least 1.8 meters.
Also, he said, they must disinfect surfaces, apply different schedules for senrios and enable places for handwashing.
“We have called a lot to individual responsibility, each person not leave their home to remain in this quarantine, but the person who has to go out because there are things that cannot be postponed, once we have overcome the possibility of doing it online or by phone, if they have to go out, they should feel confident that companies and institutions are following the recommendations and measures to prevent conglomeration,” said the Health Minister.
In the meantime, the individual should remember that if they touched a common object, they cannot touch their face without washing their hands.
“If we are on public roads because we had to go out, maintain that space between people, on the bus, the distance, those two meters become very important. they have to be fulfilled, respected, promoted by everyone is a matter of shared responsibility,” added Salas.
The minister reminded restaurants that they must operate at 50% of their capacity.
Despite concerns about the number of people on the street earlier this week, including the closing of a BCR branch for overcrowding, Salas declined to say whether measures will be stepped up.
“There is no way we can put a police officer behind each person to enforce the measures. Costa Rica is a sufficiently educated country so that it does not lead us into the trap,” said Salas.
He added that until it is achieved that a significant number of people have that development of the defenses against exposure to the virus, in the country we have to get used to living in a different way.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) proposed a plan to rescue the sector, badly hit by the health emergency that produced the coronavirus covid-19.
Costa Rica promoting tourism in the streets of New York
Due to the weight of the tourism business at the global and local level, the WTTC suggested that the governments of the affected countries, including Costa Rica, launch a three-point plan that prevents the complete collapse of the activity.
In an open letter to ALL governments in the world, signed by Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, the WTTC said now is the time to take action, proposing three vital measures, which in addition to recovery funds, will protect the survival of the millions of people who rely on Travel & Tourism for their livelihoods and welfare in the turbulent weeks and months ahead:
Financial help must be granted to protect the incomes of the millions of workers in the sector facing severe economic difficulties.
Governments must extend vital, unlimited interest-free loans to global Travel & Tourism companies as well as the millions of small and medium sized businesses as a stimulus to prevent them from collapse.
All government taxes, dues and financial demands on the travel sector need to be waived with immediate effect at least for the next 12 months.
Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado has not yet announced a package of measures to re-incentivize the tourism sector once the COVID-19 respiratory disease pandemic is overcome.
The Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) – Costa Rican Tourism Board – has only said that it will continue promoting the country as a destination, especially in Europe and the United States.
However, the WTTC considers that the implementation of actions to protect tourism companies is urgent to prevent economic collapse due to the significant weight tourism has on the gross domestic product of nations that depend on the activity.
In the case of Costa Rica, in 2016 the tourism industry accounted for 6.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to data from the Central Bank of Costa Rica. Last year alone, the tourism business brought almost US$4 billion in foreign currency to the country.
“The WTTC estimates that 75 million jobs globally are at risk from the health emergency. Due to the effect of the coronavirus pandemic, an average of one million jobs are lost daily in the tourism sector,” it warns.
Council data indicates that more than 100 countries in the world have implemented specific measures to protect their travel industry.
These include, in addition to interest-free loans, the elimination of certain taxes, as well as assistance for workers in the sector.
In Costa Rica, according to ICT, the tourism industry generated 8.8% of the country’s jobs, more than 200,000, during 2019.
The restaurant sector, which depends in part on tourism activity, had laid off at the end of March 109,000 people for the closure of bars and restaurants.
19.4 months to recovery
WTTC figures show Travel & Tourism represents 10.3% of global GDP and supports 330 million jobs on the planet, or 1 in 10 jobs, making it a critical driver of economic growth and the backbone of many economies around the world.
“With the right measures in place to support the sector, we can, and will be a vehicle to drive recovery when we enter this next phase.
“We are calling upon the world to take urgent and immediate action to prevent this global health crisis from becoming a worldwide economic catastrophe. Doing nothing is not an option.
“We implore every government to take drastic and decisive action now to preserve and protect the contribution of the travel & tourism sector, on which more than 320 million people and their families depend on for their livelihoods.
“Travel & Tourism companies are playing their part to protect their employees,” said the WTTC in a letter send to Governments last month.
The latest research from WTTC estimates that up to 75 million jobs are at immediate risk. The research reveals a potential Travel & Tourism GDP loss of up to US$2.1 trillion in 2020. WTTC also estimates that a staggering one million jobs are being lost every day in the Travel & Tourism sector due to the sweeping effect of the coronavirus pandemic.
A WTTC analysis of previous major viral epidemics shows that the average recovery time for visitor numbers to a destination was 19.4 months, but with the “right response and management” could recover in as little as 10 months.
The Fuerza Publica police vehicles are white and for the most part SUVs
The Constitutional Court or Sala IV determined that the Fuerza Pública (National Police) has the power to carry out inspections of the vehicles (including motorcycles) that they stop, if they consider a suspicion.
The Fuerza Publica police vehicles are white and for the most part SUVs
The decision of March 24 was in reply to a writ of habeas corpus filed by two lawyers, who claimed that officers of the Fuerza Pública had arbitrarily detained them for an hour when they left for lunch while they were in the Puntarenas Courts. And that at no time did they indicate the reasons for the detention.
In addition, they indicated that the officers never identified themselves and that the only thing they could do was write down was the license plates of the patrol unit.
They claimed that their fundamental rights were violated.
However, the Constitutional Court, after consulting the police delegation in the area, determined as a proven fact that the officers acted after receiving a call from the director of the Cen-Cinai of the area about the presence of a suspicious vehicle.
“An alert is received from the Director of the Cen-Cinai in Puntarenas, Gerardina Castro Vargas, as well as residents of the stadium community, who indicate that a gray vehicle with the license plate (…) with two men inside had been for several days parking in front of the place and requested a police presence on site and verify the situation,” they indicated.
Given this, the patrol unit, with officers Juan Carlos Valerín Gómez and Lizeth Quesada Rojas, responds and a preventive closure is activated in the Chacarita sector at the entrance of 20 de Noviembre, where the gray Hyundai Tucson is located.
“The reason for the police approach is explained to them (the complainants), but they arrogantly and with hostility indicate that they are lawyers and that they (the officers) could not intervene, and that what they were doing was illegal, the occupants of the vehicle are identified (…), where both the vehicle and the occupants are investigated through the ECU platform of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) and the individuals have no criminal record pending, and no type of criminal arrest warrant for the vehicle, so they allowed free transit. It is important to indicate that the intervention did not last more than 10 minutes”, the Court statement explained.
The magistrates determined that it was not possible to determine that the lawyers were arbitrarily detained, nor that there were no reasons for the detention by the officers of the Fuerza Pública.
“In any case, it is established that the filing parties were held only for the period of 10 minutes, in order to verify their identification and determine that there was no irregularity, which is why it is ruled out that an infringement against of the fundamental rights of the petitioners”, they concluded.
COVID-19 lockdown: Photos of an old Dacia car on the empty streets of New York go viral
Costa Rica will take advantage of a flight organized by the United States Embassy here to bring back Costa Ricans fleeing the health and economic crisis that the pandemic has generated in that country, and who can pay for the transfer.
COVID-19 lockdown: Photos of an old Dacia car on the empty streets of New York goe viral. Source Dacia1300NewYork
The Costa Rican ambassador to the United States, Fernando Llorca Castro, clarified that this is not a rescue flight. “That is an incorrect term,” he corrected.
“It is a private charter flight that will leave Houston (Texas) next Friday morning. It is a flight organized by the United States Embassy in Costa Rica to pick up US citizens who remained in the country.
“We have 138 Costa Ricans who have expressed their interest to return; 85 are from New York and surroundings,” confirmed Llorca.
In the United States, mainly in New York, five Costa Ricans have died due to covid-19. Other deaths of nationals are in the process of being confirmed, the ambassador reported.
The last of the cases was recorded early Monday morning, an 81-year-old man with 40 years of residence in the United States.
New York and New Jersey are the most devastated states by the pandemic in the US, a country with 586,515 confirmed cases and 23,765 deaths, with more than half of all deaths in New York state and New Jersey, 10,251 and 2,443, respectively, alone, a few seconds ago.
Worldwide, the number of patients is rapidly approaching two million (1,948,435), with 121,954 deceased a few seconds ago, the U.S. surpassing Italy which up to some hours ago had the largest number of deaths reported.
In Costa Rica, meanwhile, the Ministry of Health confirmed Monday 612 infected and the number of deaths remains at three, the last occurring on April 8.
With 49 votes in favor and one against, legislators on Monday approved a bill that will take advantage of the reduction in fuel prices to finance subsidies for workers affected by the coronavirus crisis.
The plan will introduce an additional source of financing to nurture the “Proteger” program, which in turn is legalized with this same bill.
The Proteger subsidy plan aims to give ¢125,000 colones per month to workers who lost their jobs or had their contracts suspended due to the crisis, as well as ¢62,500 to those who had their working hours reduced. For now, in its first stage, the plan will be financed through rearrangements of items in the Government Budget and resources from a loan from the Latin American Development Bank (CAF).
Faced with the fall in international oil prices due to the covid-19, the project will prevent local prices of super gasoline, gasoline plus and diesel from falling further.
In fact, as soon as it comes into force, the law will return fuel prices to the amounts they were on March 4, somewhat higher than today. This was confirmed by the Minister of Planning, Pilar Garrido.
At that time, super gasoline was ¢606 per liter; regular or plus, ¢583 and diesel, ¢498.
Today, prices are lower: ¢580, ¢555 and ¢464, respectively, and it is possible that the Costa Rican Oil Refinery (Recope) will request a new reduction this week in its regular monthly pricing schedule.
The new law, which goes into force once it is signed by President Carlos Alvarado and published in La Gaceta, will allow the difference between the prices of March 4 and the prices that would have to apply if adjustments according to the reduction in the cost of crude oil to be directed to the subsidy fund.
Recope will pass the price differential to the Ministry of Finance.
The differential will cease to exist when the national emergency ends or when fuel prices exceed those of March 4.
If at the end of the emergency due to the new coronavirus there is any amount of money left over from this program, the Treasury must use it to pay public debt.
The price of a barrel of WTI Crude has dropped to a low of US$23.63 (April 73), less than half of what it cost on February 18: US$52.02.
The worldwide crisis of the covid-19 caused an abrupt drop since the beginning of the year. In the first days of January, a WTI barrel cost more than US$63.27.
This caused that, on March 4 and 28, two consecutive reductions in local fuel prices came into effect.
Eroticism and sex online are no longer enough. In isolation due to the pandemic, Colombian webcamers now spend more time listening and offering advice of all kinds to clients who do not know how to deal with quarantine.
The demand for its services has not only increased by 30%, according to industry reports but has also diversified due to the new coronavirus.
Now “we are like psychologists for users,” says a 26-year-old webcam model who calls herself Angela Cianuro in this business.
COVID-19 “is a topic of conversation and concern for many, and we, therefore, try to help them,” says this tattooed woman with lilac hair. “While you offer something erotic, you also offer them (users) company, a smile, warmth.”
With almost half of humanity quarantined by a virus that has resulted in almost 120,000 deaths, many workers in this sector are currently escaping the collapse of the global economy.
Confined to her Bogota apartment, Cianuro prides herself on using her empathy to counsel unemployed, lonely, and concerned Internet users.
Before compulsory isolation began to rule in Colombia, where there are more than 2,800 infections, Cianuro offered virtual erotic shows for six or seven hours a day.
The work time remains the same, but the routine has changed: now one session of hers carries physical exercises, diet recommendations and economic advice.
“You are human and you don’t want a person to be bad,” adds this single mother of a seven-year-old boy.
The streets of downtown San Jose were filled on Monday, as if the virus had been beaten
The new coronavirus has spread to 612 people in Costa Rica, according to the report by the Minister of Health on Monday, April 13. That figure means 17 more cases than the day before.
The streets of downtown San Jose were filled on Monday, as if the virus had been beaten
The Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, reported during the mid-day briefing that of the total infections there are 317 are men and 295 women; nationality, 569 are Costa Rican and 43 foreigners.
To date, 62 people have fully recovered. That means that they underwent two sequential tests in a span of 24 hours and they were negative, so the virus is no longer in their bodies.
Dr. Salas said that there are currently 20 people currently in hospital, of these, 14 are in intensive care units, their ages range from 35 to 85 years.
Dr Daniel Salas (center) during the Monday press briefing
To date, three people have died in the country due to the virus.
The minister did not hide his concern on Monday, in fact he appeared unsettled by the reports, photos, and videos of a large number of people in the streets, abandoning their stay at home of Semana Sana, almost as if the emergency was over and done with.
Salas said, “this is a bad omen” because although the situation has been handled well, the behavior on Monday could imply an increase in the number of cases in the coming week.
“Today I want to refer to the evolution of the covid in our country and what has not happened, we are on the verge of happening, and I do not want this to happen, but the behavior we have seen today is a bad omen (.. .). What we are seeing on the streets will have an impact,” he warned.
Traffic was back to normal in San Jose on Monday
Salas was emphatic that there can be many people out and about without symptoms (asymptomatic) that could infect others and cause serious cases.
“We have seen people very close together, conglomerations, lines outside the banks, on the street. I know that we were in an Easter that was with a high level of restriction, but the rebound effect leaves us thinking about what can happen in the following days or weeks,” he said.
Salas explained that he insists because his intention is for the country to come out “well from this.”
“I do not want your families, that you, members of the government, are going to go through a scenario so bloody that you can say apocalyptic as Italy, Spain and some States in the U.S. have experienced. This is not the time to relax and think that we can say goodbye to this and that we are leaving it behind,” he said.
The presas (congestion) were back on Monday
Although he did not say specifically that measures will be heightened because of this, he left the impression that if the message doesn’t get through, that is people’s behavior doesn’t change, stronger measures could be put forth.
Unrelated to the Minister’s comments, later in the afternoon, the Ministry of Health shuttered at least one branch of the Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) and issued warnings to a couple of others for having too many people inside the branches. The health orders for banks, businesses that attend the public directly. including supermarkets and pharmacies, is that capacity is limited to 50% of their sanitary permits.
Physical distancing is one of the aspects of the sanitary measures to be applied for businesses and banks to remain openPolice close a BCR branch for violation of sanitary regulations
In this regard, Román Macaya, executive president of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), was even more vehement in his final message and referred to the body bags whose purchase was announced last week.
“We have seen soccer games, bbq’s, swimming pools in the alamedas (passageways) in communities such as León XIII, Pavas, La Carpio, Alajuela and Heredia, and others. It is a serious issue, the intention is to protect everyone and this could affect other people,” he said.
Social networks reacted quickly to Macaya’s body bags reference, wit both positive and negative comments.
Vehicular restrictions
Despite the strong message, the tough sanctions, thousands are still violating the vehicle restrictions.
Up to Monday, the Policia de Transito has reported issuing more than 8,400 tickets to drivers for breaching the vehicular restrictions.
Prior to Semana Santa, the fine for a violation was ¢23,000 colones. On Saturday, April 4, the new fine of ¢110,000 colones, six points on the driver’s license and the confiscation of plates and/or vehicle went into force. Yet…
Public Security
Security Minister Micheal Soto reiterated the added efforts to control the borders of illegal crossings, at both, the south with Panama and to the north with Nicaragua, with emphasis on the latter.
Turned back at the border
Additional manpower has been deployed along the northern border to detect illegal crossings through “blind spots”, supported by air surveillance, police in boats, on foot and roadblocks, in a coordinated effort between the Fuerza Publica, immigration police, border police, air surveillance and other police forces.
Though the rainy season doesn’t typically kick in until mid-May, the national weather service reports that the transition from dry to rainy has already begun.
The rainy season typically starts mid-May; the national weather service reports that the transition has already begun
“The Intertropical Convergence Zone has approached our country, a condition that favors humidity entering our territory and the increase in rainfall in it,” says the Instituto Metereologico Nacional (IMN).
This Monday a greater cloud cover is expected from the morning in the Pacific and South Caribbean, where rains could occur. In addition, in the afternoon the occurrence of storm showers is expected on the Pacific side and in the Central Valley,” is the weather report for tdoay
The Ministry of Health warns that with the start of the rains, the panorama of the health emergency will get complicated, as the seasonal respiratory viruses increase.
The other side of the coin is that the rains will bring relief to the lack of water, but it will not be immediate. The scarcity and water rationing continues to affect a large part of the population.
“It has been seen that in Costa Rica the cases of respiratory viruses increase from the months that the rains begin,” said Dr. Rodrigo Marín, director of Health Surveillance at the Ministry of Health.
“The most important thing is to take extreme hygienic and sanitary measures,” he insisted.
It’s also important to remember to drive safely during the rainy season.
Given the health emergency caused by the coronavirus, local health authorities seek to mitigate the effect of other respiratory diseases in the country, to avoid the collapse of medical centers in Costa Rica.
To prevent an increase in influenza cases, Marin said the country will start a vaccination campaign and called on the population not to neglect healthy eating, especially at this time when many people are isolated in their homes.
“Hygiene should be the a, b, c of every day, in all the things we do, as well as eating well. We also wash our hands with soap and water for at least 20-30 seconds, use gel alcohol, social isolation if possible and teleworking,” said the doctor.
A good chart to eat to keep your immune system strong.: Critics, Carrots, Legumes, Fish, Seeds
Respiratory viruses tend to be very common in Costa Rica from May through September. The seasonal respiratory viruses include influenza (the flu or gripe in Spanish) with symptoms of high fever, headaches, sore throat, muscle and joints aches.
The mosquito-transmitted disease Dengue virus also is a concern. The Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries the dengue virus breeds in stagnant water.
Now is a good time to start the cleaning of the gutters,
Updated April 29. The vehicular restrictions have been extended to May 15 to reduce the movement of people and contagion of the coronavirus covid-19.
I’ll start with the night time restrictions, less complicated than the daytime, in that ALL vehicles are restricted from circulation, save the exempted (see list below), from 7:00 pm to 5:00 am.
The daytime restrictions, from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm, are in two parts: weekdays (Monday to Friday) and Weekends (Saturday and Sunday), based on the last digit of the license plate.
WEEKDAYS:
Mondays, restricted are plates ending in 1 and 2
Tuesdays, restricted are plates ending in 3 and 4
Wednesdays, restricted are plates ending in 5 and 6
Thursdays, restricted are plates ending in 7 and 8
Fridays, restricted are plates ending in 9 and 0
For drivers who are used to the vehicular restrictions of San Jose, the foregoing is familiar, what does change is the start time, one hour earlier.
WEEKENDS:
Saturdays restricted are ALL EVEN, that is 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8
Sundays restricted are ALL ODD, that is 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9
The weekends restrictions are to stay local, for grocery shopping, pharmacies, medical appointments and starting May 1, beuaty salons, barbershops, gyms and more, allowed under the relaxed restrictions for businesses.
The nighttime restrictions continue applied to all vehicles.
The restirctions are countrywide.
Here’s a handy guide or you can click here, enter the last digit and learn if you can drive or not on a particular day:
The sanction for violation is, for each instance, a fine of ¢110,400 colones (including costs), six points on the driver’s license, and the confiscation of license plates and or vehicle.
In addition, you can be sanctioned, in addition to all the other, for any other violation of the traffic law, ie not having your driver’s license, Marchamo (circulation permit and Riteve (inspection) current, not wearing your seatbelt, overcrowding, talking on the cell phone and so on.
The exemptions. Basically, if you have to ask, you are probably not exempted, for if you were exempted, by now you know the exemptions list well.
Stay at home. Go out only is necessary. And if you do go out, stay safe, stay healthy.
Michael Mora Cerdas became the fourth confirmed Costa Rican to lose his life in the United States due to the new coronavirus.
Originally from Pérez Zeledón, Michael, who has been living for some time in the United States, would have celebrated his 31st birthday on April 17.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the death but did not release the exact date of his death and the location.
As of April 10, the Foreign Ministry has reported four deaths of Costa Ricans in the United States, three occurring in New York and New Jersey and one in Utah.
The Costa Rican consul in New York, Rolando Madrigal, explained that it is the family or close people who inform the consulate and that no further details can be provided to protect people’s privacy.
“Here we have a network of consuls from Latin America and the experiences are similar, each one reports what comes to them,” he said.
Madrigal is concerned by the cold fact that at this time the number of Costa Rican deaths from covid-19 in the United States (4) exceeds the number of deaths from the respiratory virus in the country (3).
“It is very unfortunate, the causes will be many, but it is sad to know that. Fortunately, in Costa Rica the situation is more controlled; Hopefully, it will continue like this and that here in this jurisdiction, which is the most affected, that there will not be many more deaths. Surely there will be more cases, but hopefully not many Costa Ricans,” Madrigal said.
Asked on the number of Costa Ricans living in the U.S., Madrigal said, “Registered within the electoral register, the number is quite conservative, they are 10,000, But it is estimated that at least 50,000 Costa Rican people live here. There are many, and of them, 80% will be in New Jersey and the other 20% will be between Connecticut and New York.”
Since the covid-19 emergency, everything has changed at the consulate to assist Costa Ricans.
“I have the phones enabled 24 hours and they call 24 hours. People ask for information especially to see how they can return to Costa Rica, because many were stranded; or simply because the situation here is unsustainable from an economic point of view, that they want to return, because they have already lost their jobs, or due to health issues, there are people who want to return,” said the consul.
Madrigal added that he is working from his apartment and that he is quite busy, attending to all kinds of queries.
“Here we have to act as health and economic advisors, a little bit of everything. Fortunately, the Costa Rican population is not as large as in other countries, because if not I would be going crazy, because it is just me as consul and I have two administrative people who assist me on issues to collect information,” he said.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the in the US, as of today (10:00 pm CR time, Sunday, April 12) there are 22,115 deaths and 560,433 infected from covid-19.
In New York State there are 9,566 deaths and 189,415 confirmed cases; In New Jersey, 2,350 deaths and 61,850 confirmed cases.
The pregnant Nicaraguan teenager who entered the country illegally through the border in Upala, in Alajuela, is not infected with the new coronavirus, confirmed by Costa Rican health authorities this Sunday.
The teen had suspicious symptoms of covid-19 such as high fever, cough, nasal congestion, and difficulty breathing. They immediately subjected her to the rigor test, which yielded a negative result, according to the executive president of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), Román Macaya.
“This has come to light in the media, where a minor, pregnant, with symptoms, was transferred to the Upala hospital. As a minor, the PANI (child welfare agency), also immigration and the Red Cross was involved in the transfer. Because she is a minor and in general terms, we are not going to give details about her state of health, other than saying that she was tested and it came out negative,” Macaya said.
When the immigration police officers detected her, on Saturday morning, they realized that she was an unaccompanied minor and that, in addition, she is in a greater state of vulnerability, because of her pregnancy.
Following protocols, the immigration police contacted the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI) – child welfare agency – and the Red Cross to evaluate her physical condition and transfer to the Upala hospital.
“In no case may unaccompanied minors or persons for whom there is no certainty that they are of legal age be rejected (expelled from the country). The immigration authorities in charge of controlling the entry into the country must immediately inform the PANI about the situation of these minors,” states the country’s immigration law.
In addition, it says: “The PANI must assume the temporary representation and the transfer to a shelter until the corresponding investigations are carried out.”
Expecting an influx of illegal entries from the northern neighbor, the Ministry of Public Security reinforced border security, including installing an airbase in the Tablillas border post, to carry air surveillance, supporting police on the ground and in the rivers, to prevent the entry of foreigners.
According to data from the Ministry, with the deployment carried out in recent days, more than 5,000 foreigners have been prevented from entering national territory.
The Sunday afternoon press briefing was given by Roman Macaya, president of the CCSS and Rodrigo Marin, medical director at the Ministry of Health
The number of people infected with covid-19 in Costa Rica reached 595 cases this Sunday, 18 new positives over the previous day.
The Sunday afternoon press briefing was given by Roman Macaya, president of the CCSS and Rodrigo Marin, director of Health Surveillance, of the Ministry of Health
There 583 adults (of which 31 are seniors) and 22 minors. By age, the infected are between one and 87 years old, who live in 59 of the 82 cantons of the country.
Of the total infected, 557 are Costa Rican and another 38 are foreigners; by gender, 285 are women and 310 are men.
The Ministry of Health also reported that the number of hospitalized are now 19, of which 14 are in intensive care units (ICU).
So far, 56 patients have recovered from respiratory disease. Seven more than those reported this Saturday.
The number of deceased remains at three, all men; two 87-year-old registered in the Alajuela hospital, and one more, 45-year-old who died last Wednesday, in the San Juan de Dios hospital.
The number of active cases (infected, less recovered and deceased) is 536. See the full break down of numbers here.
In the mid-day press briefing, Rodrigo Marín, director of Health Surveillance, of the Ministry of Health, reported 6,167 cases were ruled out since tests were carried out to detect the pathogen that causes covid-19.
Marín explained that the number of new daily cases is within the acceptable range, and therefore he asks the population to continue the hygiene measures to avoid many more spreading of the pathogen.
“At the international level there is talk of 20% of people to hospitalize, in Costa Rica wer are at 9%, and this speaks well of the Health system,” he said.
Nicaraguan teen
On Saturday, it was reported that a Nicaragua teen, whose identity is not being released publicly due to her being a minor, was detected to have entered the country illegally with a group of others.
She is pregnant and had a high fever, cough, nasal congestion and difficulty breathing. Several media outlets reported the teen to have been infected with the virus.
The president of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), Roman Macaya, confirmed that the teen was taken to the Upala hospital, under strict protocols and in coordination with the Red Cross.
Macaya reported that the teen tested negative for the covid-19 and is now in the care of the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI).
Asked whether she would be deported, Macaya explained that “She is a minor, and as a minor, she will be not returned to her country of origin. We have a Childhood and Adolescence Code that privileges minors in the country.”
The battle against the coronavirus
Director Marin used a sports metaphor, soccer to be precise, saying “We have not won absolutely anything yet. We are just beginning the second half of the game. The rival (virus) has brought the greatest powers in the world to their knees.”
Marin added that there has been no exponential growth in cases that jeopardize the national health system.
“It is true that the growth curve of cases has not become exponential, yet. We hope that does not happen because, again, there is no Health system in the world that can withstand an exponential growth curve,” said the director.
“We have been able to cope with the forecasts that have been made, but we are in almost 600 cases, that is why we must not let our guard down,” said Roman Macaya, concluding the press briefing.
Daniel Ortega has broken his own record of absences in office.After 30 days without any public appearance, the President of Nicaragua passing his longest absent period in the last two years.
The absence of Ortega for more than four weeks, while his counterparts in the region hae taken the lead in responding to the coronavirus pandemic, has reached the world news, being reported in the pages of The New York Times and other international media and fueled speculation that he ill, including infected with covid-19, to his death.
The 74-year-old president has a history of long periods of absence without explanation, as evidenced by the record of his meager schedule of 84 official activities in a total period of 729 days (almost two years).
Ortega’s record had been 28 days, a record he set in early 2019, appearing last on February 21, for the traditional commemoration of the murder of National Hero, Augusto C. Sandino, and reappearing again on March 21.
Ortega became silent as the coronavirus pandemic appeared in Central America. His last appearance in public was on March 12, the first covid-19 case was confirmed in Nicaragua on March 18, when his wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo, made the official announcement by telephone.
That Thursday, he appeared in the company of authorities from the Ministry of Health and representatives of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), to participate in a virtual meeting with members of the Central American Integration System (SICA).
Ortega prefers the private compound, that some call bunker, in El Carmen, his private residence, that he also uses as for run his presidency.
Ortega has practically not said a word about the pandemic, and in his short time, one minute and thirteen seconds before the members of SICA he never mentioned “covid-19” or “coronavirus”, although he admitted to Nicaragua being in an “emergency situation”.
Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo with representatives of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), on March 12, during a virtual meeting with the other SICA member countries. That was the last day Ortega has been seen in public, fueling specuation of his health and possible death. Photo: Government
Ortega has been criticized by health experts and citizens for the lack of official measures to prevent contagion, while Murillo — delegated to the public administration and official spokesperson — calls for crowds and invites for marches during Easter.
The “absent ruler”
Ortega’s long absence is seriously affected by the fact that it occurred in the midst of the pandemic, which until the morning of this April 11 has infected more than 1.7 million people worldwide (with more than 109,000 deaths), according to data from the Center for Science and the Johns Hopkins University.
Hay rumores sobre la posible muerte de Daniel Ortega, dictador de Nicaragua. Espero que no sean ciertos, pues tiene muchos crímenes por los que responder ante el pueblo nicaragüense.
Las atrocidades de su mandato no pueden terminar sin que haya rendido cuentas. pic.twitter.com/sH8EXj8zAR
But Ortega’s long absences are so common that he has been called the “absent ruler.” In all of 2020, for example, the president has only been reported in nine official activities, according to his speeches and photographic galleries recorded by the official El 19 Digital, whose publications – which must be reviewed one by one – are the only way to know about his appearances, in the absence of a public agenda or presidential blog.
“Ortega no longer goes to the municipalities to find out what is happening, because, among other reasons, there is a network of top-down relationships, where mayors are at the bottom of the pot, unable to act,” said Silvio Prado, expert in Political Science and municipal issues.
On social networks, Ortega’s absence has not gone unnoticed by Nicaraguans either, and has even been mocked.
Mientras la pandemia azota a #Nicaragua y el país se enfrenta al #COVID19, Daniel Ortega se destaca por su ausencia. Nuestros corazones están con el pueblo de #Nicaragua que necesita liderazgo e información veraz acerca de esta pandemia mortífera. #WhereIsOrtega
“Be like Ortega: stay at home,” reads dozens of memes. In the collective imagination, this new absence of Ortega has been the main proof of the need for protection against the pandemic.
However, those accustomed to the president’s prolonged absences, comment that the caudillo (president) is preparing a “glorious reappearance”, perhaps today, at Easter.
From the, it could only happen in Costa Rica, two young men had their skateboards seized for violating the vehicular restrictions imposed during the coronavirus national emergency.
Photo from Twitter
Juan Ignacio León Duarte, of the Special Operations Group (GOE) of the Traffic Police, reported the two men were intercepted by police, while skateboarding, during a road spot check on Thursday afternoon, April 9, in La Uruca, San José.
The incident occurred on the south side of the Pozuelo factory.
“Yesterday in the afternoon in a device in conjunction with the Fuerza Publica (national police), two subjects were approached, of one of them we managed to seize the skateboard and the other escaped. The police carried out a chase until they arrested him and his skateboard is also confiscated,” León explained.
What does the law say?
Article 124 of the Ley de Transito (Traffic Law), prohibits the circulation, on public roads, of skateboards and other self-propelled devices or not, which are not explicitly authorized in the law or its regulations.
Article 147, subsection Z of the Traffic Law sanctions the violation with a fine of ¢23,000, “without prejudice to the related sanctions, to anyone who engages in any of the following behaviors: Whoever circulates on public roads with skateboards, skates and other unauthorized vehicles, in accordance with article 124 of this law.”
So, based on the above, it is clear skateboards are prohibited. But not bicycles.
In the case of Thursday, the men had their skateboards confiscated and issued the relevant traffic tickets.
With everyone focused on the coronavirus, the battle against the virus and the way of daily life, now with forced social distancing, can’t drive our cars, we, including yours truly, forgot about the battle of 164 years ago and the little drummer boy who gave his life so we could live ours.
Officially recognized as the national hero of the country, April 11 commemorates the little drummer boy in the Costa Rican army, Juan Santamaría (August 29, 1831 – April 12, 1856)
Juan Santamaria Day is a national holiday in Costa Rica, held every April 11 to commemorate his death.
It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed, though the closures this year are for a totally different reason.
Hace 164 años, junto a un humilde alajuelense, vencimos a una gran amenaza con unión y valentía. Costa Rica pequeña, pero enorme en la historia, con nuestra sencillez y gran espíritu hoy estamos llamados a vencer a otro enemigo, saldremos adelante y volveremos a hacer historia. pic.twitter.com/GrqM9CmXdv
Santamaria was a poor laborer and the illegitimate son of a single mother joined the army as a drummer boy, whom the troops nicknamed him “el erizo” (“the sea urchin”) on account of his spiked hair.
While others had tried and failed, Santamaria volunteered, in the Battle of Rivas, to set fire to a hostel to repel the advancement of U.S. filibuster William Walker’s attempt to conquer the other nations of Central America after overthrowing the government of Nicaragua.
According to the traditional account, his condition for volunteering was that in the event of his death, someone would look after his mother. Santamaria advanced and was mortally wounded by enemy fire on April 11,
Various historians, however, have questioned whether the account is accurate and whether Santamaria died during that battle or another one. At any rate, towards the end of the 19th century, Costa Rican intellectuals and politicians seized on the war against Walker and on the figure of Santamaría for nationalist purposes.
Santamaría is honored by a statue in a park bearing his name in the central canton of Alajuela one block south of the central park, and by a museum that was a former garrison in the same city.
Two larger-than-life statues of Juan Santamaria are in Costa Rica: one in Alajuela and the other in the front of the Legislative Assembly in San Jose.
The main international airport, the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), is named after him.
Semana Santa is almost over and though there is some letting up of the tight restrictions of this week, the Minister of Health and Minister of Security announced new restrictions that take effect on Monday, April 13.
From April 13 to April 30, the nighttime restrictions will be in place from 7:00 pm to 5:00 am every day. That is on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The restrictions apply countrywide and to all vehicles.
The daytime restrictions from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm are as follows:
Mondays, vehicles with plates ending in 1 & 2 cannot circulate
Tuesdays, vehicles with plates ending in 3 & 4 cannot circulate
Wednesdays, vehicles with plates ending in 5 & 6 cannot circulate
Thursdays, vehicles with plates ending in 7 & 8 cannot circulate
Fridays, vehicles with plates ending in 9 & 0 cannot circulate
Saturdays, vehicles with plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, & 8 cannot circulate
Sundays, vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9 cannot circulate
A note on the weekday and weekend restrictions, the former you can be driving (within the permitted hours) to and from anywhere, for any reason, at will; for the weekends, the going to the supermarket and pharmacy rule applies.
The restrictions to all motorized vehicles, including motorcycles, on any road in the country, unless they are in the list of exempted.
Public transport (buses) can operate only between 4:00 am 11:00 pm daily, and must not carry standing passengers.
Taxis are permitted to operate around the clock.
The fine for violating the vehicular restriction is ¢110,400 colones (with costs), 6 points on the license and possible seizure of license plates and vehicle.
To give you an idea of little drivers are paying attention, between 5:00 pm Friday and 5:00 am Saturday, a total of 497 drivers were fined for violating the vehicular restrictions. Many of them also were issued multiple infractions, that is some drivers were without a license or driving with an expired license (it was not renewed prior to the national emergency), did not have the marchamo and vehicle inspection current, among other infractions, and a number driving under the influence.
Remember, in Costa Rica, a traffic official can issue in one stop a number of tickets to the same driver for different violations. AND you can be issued another series of tickets, even on the same day, if picked off by another official.
Making room for more vehicles to seize
Be smart and save money, drive only on the days allowed and with all the right paperwork: driver’s license (current), vehicle ownership, the current year marchamo and the Riteve inspection.
If you are driving to and from work, have a letter from the employer of your working hours. If going to a doctor’s appointment, be prepared to confirm the appointment. If you are taking someone to the emergency room, quickly explain your situation and ask for a police escort.
From left to right, security minister Micheal Soto
Health Minister Daniel Salas reported at noon today, Saturday, that people infected with the coronavirus reached 577, 19 more than the reported the day before, while a total of 49 now have recovered.
From left to right, security minister Micheal Soto, Minister of Health, Daniel Salas and Mario Ruiz, medical director of the CCSS.
The number of active cases is now 525.
In the total of the number of infected with the covid-19 are 557 adults (of which 31 are seniors) and 20 minors. They are 277 women and 300 men, 541 are Costa Rican and 36 are foreigners.
At the moment, there are cases of infection with covid-19 disease in 59 of the 82 cantons of the country.
Topping the list of infections by cantons is San Jose (72), followed by Alajuela (71), Desamparados (34), Santa Ana (30) and San Carlos (28); the five representing more than 40% of all the cases in the country.
The Minister of Health reported that the number of hospitalized has risen t 18, that is, 3.1%, of these, 13 are in intensive care units (ICU).
The number of deceased remains at three, all men: two 87-year-old registered at the Alajuela hospital, and one more, 45-year-old, who died on Holy Wednesday, at the San Juan de Dios hospital.
Minister Salas said that to continue in the battle against the coronavirus in the country, there will be new restrictions for next week, starting on Monday, April 13, such as the indefinite closure of bars, clubs, casinos, theaters, cinemas, and more, as was applied before Semana Santa.
Businesses with a sanitary operating permit – that is any business that attends face-to-face with the public, such as shopping malls, retail stores, restaurants and beauty salons, to name a few, will close at 7:00 pm on weekdays (Monday to Friday).
On weekends (Saturday and Sunday), all commercial premises will be closed, except supermarkets and pharmacies, as well as home delivery and takeout food operations.
Churches, gyms, as well as access to beaches or crowded sites, will also remain closed until further notice.
Vehicular restrictions
Salas handed over the briefing to Security Minister Micheal Soto who outlined the new vehicular restrictions that take effect starting Monday and continuing to April 30.
Daytime restrictions will begin at 5:00 am Monday and in effect until 7:00 pm, the similar vehicular restrictions applied to San Jose for years will now be countrywide.
Restricted circulation will be:
Mondays, plates ending in 1 & 2
Tuesdays, plates ending in 3 & 4
Wednesdays, plates ending in 5 & 6
Thursdays, plates ending in 7 & 8
Fridays, plates ending in 9 & 0
Saturdays, plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
Sundays, plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, & 9
As with the current restrictions, there are exemptions, ie trucks and vans transporting cargo, people going to and from work (Minister Soto was emphatic that proof of work hours, ie employer letter a must), emergency vehicles, taxis and more.
Nighttime restrictions will be from 7:00 pm to 5:00 am every night.
See below the full list of exemptions.
In addition, public transport (buses) can only operate from 4:00 am to 11:00 pm every day and must not carry standing passengers.
Taxis can operate 24/7.
Minister Soto reminded that all land, air and sea borders continue closed until April 30, only Costa Ricans and legal residents will be allowed entry, and be subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.
The Security chief reminded legal residents that if they leave the country they will be prohibited re-entry during the national emergency and will be subject to losing the residency.
The Government of Costa Rica has installed an area base on the border with Nicaragua and added more police to monitor and prevent the illegal entry of Nicaraguans to Costa Rica through unauthorized crossings or through the Peñas Blancas and Las Tablillas immigration posts.
The La Tablillas border post with Nicaragua
Up to Friday, 5,357 foreigners, mostly from Nicaragua, were rejected at the border in their attempt to enter the country that has prohibited the entry of all foreigners, the Ministry of Public Security reported.
The border controls have even intercepted 60 vehicles transporting illegals.
Also, 1,350 residents or people with work permits in Costa Rica were prevented from re-entering the country, for having left the national territory after March 23, during the period of the health emergency and measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Vice-President Epsy Campbell is leading the troops in ensuring the northern border with Nicaragua is secure from illegal entry
The Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) – immigration service – said it will initiate a process to cancel their immigration status.
“With this police deployment we are protecting all the people who live in our country, guaranteeing that there are no illegal entries, safeguarding Costa Rican public health and security,” said Vice President Epsy Campbell, who together with Security Minister Michael Soto inspected the northern border on Friday.
“We want to assure the citizens that everything within our reach is being done. The number of officers we regularly have at the border has multiplied, and it is going to multiply more. We have surveillance at strategic points in the border cordon and along the highway,” added Campbell.
Soto announced that an alternate airbase was installed in Las Tablillas to maintain permanent air surveillance.
“Costa Ricans must have the guarantee and security of the work we are carrying out … The work of monitoring meter by meter is complicated, but we are making the maximum effort,” said the Security Minister.
Soto added explained that the flow of Nicaraguans headed for their country during this Semana Santa has been much less than usual.
Typically, for the Easter holidays, there is an exodus of tens of thousands of Nicaraguans headed for their homeland and then returning. This year, the fear of not being able to return, and the travel restrictions, including fewer buses, are among the factor of the low number of travelers.
Hemos instalado una base aérea alterna en Las Tablillas para mantener vigilancia parmanente desde el aire de todo el cordón fronterizo con Nicaragua. Utilizamos también drones para garantizar que nadie ingrese de manera irregular al país #FronterasSeguras#CRcontraElCOVID19pic.twitter.com/CHC0ItiHNY
For his part, the director of the Border Police (Policía de Fronteras), Allan Obando, stressed that the teamwork of all the officers and the use of technology such as drones has allowed the operation to run successfully, and with unprecedented results.
The director of the Policia de Transito, Germán Marín, reported that his officials have been working around the clock to enforce the vehicular restrictions and stop the transport of those illegally entering the country.
A 54-year-old Costa Rican died of Covid-19 in New Jersey. The death occurred on April 6 at the Hoboken Medical Center hospital. Photo: from The Jersey Journal
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this Friday, the third death of a Costa Rican in the United States by covid-19.
A 54-year-old Costa Rican died of Covid-19 in New Jersey. The death occurred on April 6 at the Hoboken Medical Center hospital. Photo: from The Jersey Journal
In a very brief statement, the Foreign Ministry reported that the death occurred on Monday, April 6, in a hospital in New Jersey. The Costa Rican consulate in New York reported that it is a 54-year-old Costa Rican who died at Hoboken Medical Center, being treated in the ICU.
More information regarding this death could not be provided for the protection of the privacy of individuals.
On March 31, the family of a 24-year-old woman, whose last name was Meléndez, a native of Alajuela and a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah, confirmed the death. The young woman had risk factors, such as diabetes and a heart operation two years earlier. The entire family nucleus of that young woman also contracted the coronavirus.
The second death of a Costa Rican in United States was that of a 68-year-old woman with the last name Estrada, who died in New York on the morning of April 1, as confirmed by a brother of the woman. In her case, the risk factors were diabetes and hypertension.
The number of people infected with coronavirus in Costa Rica has reached 558 this Good Friday, confirmed the Minister of Health, Daniel Salas.
Compared to Thursday, April 9, there are 19 more cases.
Among the 558 affected today, there are 538 adults (of which 30 are seniors) and 20 minors.
There are 269 women and 289 men, of whom 524 are Costa Rican and 34 foreigners. The cases are presented in 58 of the 82 cantons.
The number of hospitalized reaches 20. Of these, 13 are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Also, 42 patients have fully recovered, including three minors.
The number of deceased remains at three, all men: two 87-year-olds who died at the Alajuela Hospital and one 45-year-old who died on Wednesday at the San Juan de Dios Hospital.
As for the 45-year-old man, Salas confirmed that kidney failure was what caused his death. He confirmed that covid-19 caused the complication.
The Minister added that containment measures past this Sunday will by announced at the Saturday mid-day briefing, advancing that we can expect similar measures applied this week, “the measures will be a bit similar to those of Semana Santa”.
Are sanitary containment measures maintained, such as vehicle restriction and commercial business closings?
The Minister of Health said that this Saturday they will announce what type of measures will be in force from next week, basically a bit similar to those of this week, Semana Santa.
He also warned that no school or college, public or private, is allowed to resume classes on Monday.
“I feel hopeful for the response that the majority of Costa Ricans have given, the majority are on board,” Salas said, “I am confident that we will continue the discipline and attitude that we have maintained in recent weeks.”
Rico’s Digest – I dare say that Nicaragua could become the New York or Italy in Central America, and not in the good way.
The country to the north is in chaos, it’s people have been abandoned by its leader, Daniel Ortega, who has not been seen or heard of publicly in almost a month. A country left to its own devices, taking the matter seriously, heeding to the recommendations of health organizations and other countries, such as ours, to get through this pandemic
Unfortunately, not all Nicaraguans are doing that. One too many is not taking this seriously, following the official voice in the country, to celebrate, visiting tourist areas, the beaches, no need to stay at home, not to worry, God will protect Nicaragua from the coronavirus.
It is no wonder why a lot of Nicaragua is desperate to cross south.
The Costa Rican government has to continue firm taking the necessary measures and reminding Costa Ricans constantly of their responsibilities to themselves and everyone else, for the health and security of all. Anything less will not have served any purpose.
In boats of up to 50 people, Nicaraguans try to enter Costa Rica, that keeps its borders closed to them and all foreigners that are not residents.
Through the Sarapiquí area in Costa Rica, many Nicaraguans have tried to enter Costa Rica illegally, despite restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic and the intensified operations of the immigration police and border police of the Fuerza Publica.
Sarapiqui is one of the “blind spots” – points used by illegals to enter and exit Costa Rica undetected by authorities. Sectors near the San Juan River, Trinidad, Las Marías, La Tigra, Fátima and Boca Sarapiquí are some examples.
“From different points, you can see boats with Nicaraguans, who try to dock on the Costa Rican side in an irregular way (illegally), however, in the presence of the police and land custody actions, the boats do not approach the Tica shore to dock, opting for continuing to San Juan del Norte, Nicaragua,” reported Costa Rica’s immigration service on their social networks.
Boats up to 50 passengers
Costa Rica has deployed officers from the different police forces to protect the borders, which will continue closed until April 30 (extended from April 12). There are also mobility restrictions throughout the entire country, and the government announced that legal residents leaving during the emergency period would not be able to re-enter.
During the national emergency, Costa Rica is allowing only the entry of citizens and legal residents, who are then subjected to a 14-day mandatory quarantine.
Although the immigration police control illegal control points across the 309 kilometer long border, migrants find ways of crossing, in either direction.
On a permanent basis, immigration officers are carrying out prevention work, in particular along the San Juan River, during this national emergency, their work is intensified. There is a police presence in different points, improvised berths, moving according to the movements of people, ensuring that no one enters or leaves illegally.
Agentes de migración de Costa Rica ubican embarcaciones con nicaragüenses que intentaban ingresar ilegalmente a este pais.
Según las autoridades, desde el cierre de fronteras se han rechazado más de 5,000 personas extranjeras que han tratado de ingresar de forma irregular al país pic.twitter.com/GWio5p7YQy
— Trinchera de la Noticia (@LaTrincheraNic) April 9, 2020
Since the closure of the borders, immigration authorities report more than 5,000 people have been rejected trying to enter the country, the majority of them Nicaraguans.
A resident of the Delta Costa Rica area told La Teja that “it is not a secret to anyone that they enter here, at different times of the year, one is sad, because they come to work and because they give them medical attention or whatever, but right now nobody knows how things are in Nicaragua and literally as they and we say, we are just crossing the San Juan away, there is a lot of police presence, but we don’t know how long they going to be able to (cross) with so much police”.
No one says anything about the coronavirus
“A lot of Nicaragua is desperate to cross and you constantly see the boats, overloaded with people … We have a family in Guápiles and we are afraid to go there because one is afraid of carrying the virus to them … we will have to see what will happen next week,” a man identified only as Castro told La Prensa in Nicaragua.
A 23-year-old Tico missionary identified by his last names Zúñiga Zamora will have have to pay a ¢450,000 colones fine for disregarding the mandatory quarantine imposed on his arrival from Mexico.
Zúñiga, like all Costa Rican and residents arriving from abroad, had to stay at home, isolated, for 14 days, in the fight against Covid-19, but he did not.
Now, in addition to paying the fine, he must comply with the preventive measure of house arrest until Saturday, April 18.
The Ministerio Publico (prosecutor’s office) indicated in a statement that a criminal case has been opened against the man by the Assistant Prosecutor of Pococí for disobedience to authorities.
The fine follows from the reform of the Ley General de Salud, approved by the Legislative Assembly on Friday, April 3, and in which those who disrespect the quarantine face sanctions ranging from ¢450,000 to ¢2.2 million colones.
The Ministerio Publico said the man arrived in Costa Rica on April 3 and was duly notified to stay at home, however, he was seen out and about on Monday.
“He was located yesterday (Monday) at 1:26 pm, when he was in the center of Guápiles, he was detained by the police and presented to the Public Ministry, where they opened an investigation,” the Prosecutor’s Office reported.
Although there is no suspicion that man has the coronavirus, he has to comply. The law contemplates higher fines: ¢1.3 million colones for having been in direct contact with a positive case, and ¢2.2 million if tests positive for covid-19.
The Minister of Healj, Daniel Salas, said that the idea is that these fines should not be applied, stressing that people obey the stay at home order, but if they need be, they will.
Salas said that in a case like this, Zúñiga will have 22 days to pay; If he does not, it could lead to a judicial collection.
While the majority of restaurants will be re-opening following a temporary closing this week, some will not, like the case of the renowned Italian restaurant located in La Paco commercial center in Escazu, Il Panino.
The owners blame the closure of a direct effect caused by the national pandemic. The covid-19 affected it such that it did not even manage to obtain the 50% allowed capacity to be able to stay open.
“As you all know, the country is going through an economic crisis derived from COVID-19, a situation that has also affected the world economy, further aggravated by the restriction policies imposed by the Government as part of the measures to stop the spread of the disease, such as promoting social distancing, operating restaurants at 50% of their capacity, the total closure of the service in some periods and the prolonged time of this global emergency, Inverkafe SA it has been forced to definitively close Il Panino and therefore, proceed with what corresponds to each case,” said the statement released to the press.
The company did not provide details of how many people will be without work, as well as their obligations to the payment of severance to its now-former employees.
The closure of Il Panino that opened almost 20 years ago (August 2000) is immediate.
Workers economically affected by the national emergency of the new coronavirus will be able to request government subsidies of up to ¢125,000 colones, in case they have lost their job or their employment contract has been suspended.
Workers who have had their workday reduced and now receive 50% of their salary, may request subsidies of up to ¢62,500.
An application can be made on online
To access this bonus, called “Proteger”, affected workers must fill out a form through at www.proteger.go.cr.
“We are going to use all the resources and tools to help families whose incomes have been reduced and whose basic food needs can be met,” said the Minister of Human Development and Social Welfare, Juan Luis Bermúdez.
The requirements to obtain the subsidy are:
Be a Costa Rican or legal resident
Having lost a job or source of income, having a reduced working day or a suspended contract, all as a result of the covid-19 emergency.
To fill out the form, applicants must have handy their cedula (national ID) for Costa Ricans and a valid DIMEX, the immigration document issued to residents, have a bank account in colones and provide their IBAN account number in the application.
The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Geannina Dinarte, insisted that it is an easy, fast and free mechanism designed to guarantee that the affected can receive support from the State but, at the same time, they maintain physical distancing.
The Labor minister did not rule out that malicious sites may arise that want to scam people.
“Know that the service is free and it will always be absolutely virtual, only through this website,” she said.
Bith Dinarte and Bermúdez stressed that the subsidy is not available to public sector workers. Nor can pensioners, nor the families that receive other monetary transfers from the State, nor people who continue to receive 100% of their salary.
To receive the subsidy, the applicant must have proof of being laid off or reduced work hours and salary, providing a letter from the employer or some document that certifies the change in employment.
Pandemics are very expensive’
Up to Monday, the Policia de Transito has reported issuing more than 8,400 tickets to drivers for breaching the 
(@JRBauza) 
