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Costa Rica’s New Chancellor Will Have A “More Active Role” In The Crisis in Nicaragua and Venezuela

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President Carlos Alvarado said on Tuesday his government will give greater impetus to the approach of the crisis in Nicaragua and Venezuela, as part of a new phase in the foreign policy of the country.

President Carlos Alvarado (left) formalized Manuel Ventura as the new Foreign Minister. Photo: Albert Marín.

The president made the statement was made during the official presentation of the new Foreign Minister, Manuel Ventura Robles, who takes over the position from Epsy Campbell who resigned last month over questioned appointments,.

In the Tuesday ceremony, President Carlos also presented the new minister of Communication, Nancy Martin and the new president of the Instituto Mixto de Ayuda Social (IMAS).

Alvarado justified that, during the first eight months, his government was focused on overcoming domestic issues such as reducing spending and approving the tax reform.

But, he added, that in foreign policy Costa Rica will now prioritize the regional agenda, mainly due to the crisis in Nicaragua and Venezuela.

“We know that the regional situation is taking on a nuance that requires much more participation from the chancellor, the vice chancellor and even from me. We will be taking a more active role both for the issues mainly in Nicaragua and the positions in relation in Venezuela,” said Alvarado.

However, neither Alvarado nor Ventura detailed concrete actions that Costa Rica has reiterated in different forums, in favor of democracy and against the violation of human rights by the regimes of those two countries.

Alvarado defended the political decision of only supporting, and not sign, the denunciation against Nicolás Maduro before the International Criminal Court (ICC), as seven other States have done.

On Nicaragua

Responding to questions related to the Nicaraguan crisis, Ventura ruled out any possibility of the country launching a complaint against Daniel Ortega before the International Criminal Court, as have seven other states against Maduro.

“Nicaragua has neither signed nor ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. It is not a state party,” said the foreign minister, explaining that for Daniel Ortega to be accused in the International Criminal Court, Nicaragua must be a subscriber of that international treaty.

On Venezuela

With respect to the agreement of the Lima Group last Friday, to prevent the entry into their territories and limit financial actions of officials questioned by the Maduro regime in Venezuela, Alvarado was evasive.

“(The agreement of the Lima Group) is not a matter that we must assume in a hurry,” said the president.

On Thursday and Friday, the Organization of American States (OAS) will hold extraordinary sessions to individually address the crisis in Venezuela and Nicaragua.

However, the Alvarado government did not advance concrete actions that Costa Rica will propose in these meetings in favor of resolving the crises in these two countries.

The new chancellor

Manuel Ventura, 70, who has worked for the last 37 years at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), 12 of them as a judge, explained that along with the crisis in these two countries, other priorities on his agenda will be migration and foreign trade issues.

He agreed with Alvarado that as a democratic country, Costa Rica cannot renounce multilateralism or the promotion of representative democracy and respect for human rights.

The new chancellor has also been a critic of the decision of Costa Rica not to sign the complaint against Maduro.

He was part of a panel of three experts appointed by the OAS who between September 2017 and May 2018 investigated actions of the Venezuelan government and concluded that “crimes against humanity were committed there” and that they were able to verify such in at least seven cases.

They also discovered cases of torture, “which strongly impacted me,” Ventura said in an article published in La Nación on November 4, 2018. There, he expressed his “vergüenza” (shame) when he saw that Costa Rica did not sign the complaint against Maduro, despite the fact that “he was expected to lead the initiative”.

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CTP Suspends Issue of New Permits Pending Public Transport Demand Study

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Consejo de Transporte Público (CTP) – Public Transportation Council – announced it is suspending the issuing of new permits for the transport of students, workers, and tourists until it completes a study on demand.

According to the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) – Ministry of Public Works and Transportation – the objective of the study is to balance the demand on the different types of services.

Manuel Vega, director of the CTP, said that there are currently 11,400 special permits, which were granted only by meeting basic requirements.

This situation, he explained, not only harms users of the service but public transport in general. “It is important and necessary to stop and carry out demand studies to determine if these permits are being delivered according to the number of users.”

The director expects the study will be completed by the end of the year, meanwhile, the CTP is working on new regulations to issue permits.

The current permits will continue until their expiry when the CTP will then consider if they will be renewed or extended, according to the technical and operational conditions and provided that they do not conflict with the policies for the modernization of the public transport.

The suspension took effect on December 21, 2018. Vega confirmed that all applications prior to that date will follow their due process.

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The New Traffic Lights Of San Jose

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Downtown San Jose’s Avenida Segunda (2nd Avenue) has new traffic lights. At least the first half, from La Merced church to the Cathedral.

The new traffic lights includes the number of seconds for the green and red (34) and 3 seconds for the yellow.

When approaching a traffic light in Costa Rica, unlike the traditional red for stop, yellow for caution and green for go, in Costa Rica, this is what the lights mean:

  • Red – make sure no one or traffic police is coming
  • Yellow –  give it all you got (as in floor it)
  • Green – just go

What is your experience driving in Costa Rica?

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Costa Rica – Korea Trade To Increase With CABEI Entry, FTA

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With South Korea’s recent entry into the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), Costa Rica – a founding member – looks forward to stronger trade and investment ties with Korea.

Korea entered the bank on December 28, 2018,  becoming its second-largest extraregional partner.

The CABEI, – Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economica (BCIE) in Spanish – whose main purpose is to lend institutional and financial support to Central American public and economic entities, represents a market of more than 60 million people throughout the Central American and Caribbean region. It is also tasked with facilitating trade and investment ties between the region and its global partners.

CABEI Executive President, Dante Mossi, explained that the capital subscription request of the Republic of Korea amounts to US$450 million, which will generate an increase in the available amount of credits by US$2.25 billion; this represents an increase in CABEI’s portfolio of US$7 billion to more than US$9 billion; the resources will be used to promote programs and projects in the region.

Korea is one of the largest economies in Asia and the world; a leader in technology and innovation; and one of the most successful stories of global economic development. The Central American region will benefit directly from its link to CABEI.

Costa Rica and South Korea are also in the implementing stage of their free trade agreement, which was signed on February 21, 2018.

“Implementing the FTA will allow Costa Rica and South Korea to improve their economic and commercial standings by capitalizing on their competitive advantages and economic complementarities,” Costa Rican Ambassador to South Korea Rodolfo Solano Quiros said.

Korea remains Costa Rica’s strategic partner the ambassador noted, adding that the prospective bilateral accord includes regulations on supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting a positive business climate, exchanging information as well as improving sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

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Tuyo Movil To Dissappear On January 15

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Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Tuyo Movil, owned by Televisora de Costa Rica (Teletica), will be ceasing activities on 15 January. The operator’s customer base has fallen drastically in recent years, from 96,000 at the end of 2013 to barely 4,000 at the end of 2017.

What will happen to users after January 15?

Tuyo Movil will no longer be activating new services or recharge existing. Customers who have a balance before January 15 will be able to continue using the service up to 90 days (from the recharge). On April 15, 2019, TuYo Movil will completely disappear from the market.

Users can keep their number through number portability, that is, ask to migrate the number to another provider. If users do not port the number, it will be lost for good.

If you are a TuYo user and have any questions or concerns call 800 8896 6845 or 800 8896 1718. Their website only provides the closing notice.

Fullmovil, owned by Grupo ICE, may also disappear soon. State-owned ICE reports evaluating continuing the service.

Costa Rica’s mobile market is shared by three operators: ICE (Kolbi) with 52% of the market, followed by Spain’s Telefonica (Movistar) with 26% and Mexico’s America Movil (Claro) with 21%.

MVNOs account for just 0.6% of the market.

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Fiscalia Raids Movistar For Alleged Tax Fraud

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The Fiscalía Adjunta de Delitos Económicos y Tributarios (Deputy Prosecutor for Economic and Tax Crimes) Tuesday morning raided the offices of Movistar to collect information about an alleged tax fraud that exceeds ¢1.25 billion colones.

Movistar (Telefonica) head offices in Escazu, Costa Rica

The search and seizure, endorsed by a judge, began at 8:00 am this Tuesday in the office Telefónica de Costa Rica TC S. A. in Escazú and the offices of its subsidiary company Tejisa.

A raid was also made on the law offices of Zurcher Odio & Raven and the tax advisory company KPMG.

Six people are being investigated. The Fiscalia identified them by their surnames Neggelli, Torres, Arroyo, Donato, López and Mena.

The investigation stems from a complaint filed by the Ministerio de Hacienda (Ministry of Finance or Treasury) on December 14, 2018, for the alleged crime of fraud against public finances.

“According to the complaint, fraudulent maneuvers apparently consisted in the creation of the subsidiary company so that, subsequently, Telefónica would sell it essential assets with which its main economic activity was carried out,” the Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

It adds that, for this purpose, both companies signed an agreement for the sale and purchase of assets financed in December 2017, in which Telefónica granted a loan to the subsidiary since it did not have the financial capacity to make the purchase.

In addition, it is presumed that, in parallel, another lease was made between both companies, which would have allowed “Telefónica to deduct and declare as an expense the rental of assets with taxation for goods that never ceased to belong to it.”

The Prosecutor’s Office indicates, the Treasury stopped receiving more than ¢1.25 billion as a tax revenue on profits for the 2017 tax period.

In a brief statement, Movistar said it is “collaborating” with the authorities “on the matter in order to clarify this situation.”

Movistar is the trade name by Telefonia S.A., the Spanish multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Madrid, Spain. It is one of the largest telephone operators and mobile network providers in the world. It provides fixed and mobile telephony, broadband and subscription television, operating in Europe and the Americas.

Telefonica began operations in Costa Rica in 2011, sharing the mobile market in the country with Mexico’s Claro (America Movil) and Costa Rica’s very own Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) under the Kolbi brand.

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Gas Stations Back Off On Threat After Quick Action By Ministry of Finance

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All is cool again at the country’s gasoline stations. The threat of not accepting credit and debit cards starting today as announced Monday night was called off thanks to the “prompt” reaction by the Ministerio de Hacienda (Ministry of Finance).

This morning, Tuesday, José Miguel Masís, executive director of the Asociación de Expendedores de Combustible (Association of Fuel Expenders), representing the majority of the gasoline stations in the country, confirmed that the Ministry of Finance acknowledged the error and ordered the banks to suspend the withholding tax on net sales.

“There was a very important action of the Treasury, ordering banks to suspend the withholdings so obviously there is no interest of service station (owners) to affect consumers. The issue was more a protection of finances due to the high levels of retention to which they were being subjected to,” he said.

Monday night, gasoline station owners affiliated with the Asociación decided to keep available the option of paying with a credit or debit card – in addition to cash – giving time for Hacienda to correct the error.

Earlier in the day,  the gasoline station owners had complained about the withholding tax and had threatened not to accept cars as a form of payment, that until the error was fixed, it would be cash only.

The error by the banks was in the interpretation of the Ley de Simplificación y Eficiencia Tributarias (Ley 8114) – Law of Tax Simplification and Efficiency.

The banks, for an unspecified time, had been withholding from 6% to 9% on payments made with a credit or debit card, when the Ley 8114 exempts the application of sales tax on the sale of fuel at the retail level.

Ley 8114 already applies a single tax on fuels, whose taxpayer is the  State refinery, the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (Recope).

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Feeling Ignored For Being On Your Cell Phone? You Are Not Alone.

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The cellular phone has become an essential part of life. So much so that 90% of users have it close by, less than a meter away, all the time. In fact, according to the study released by CCK Centroamerica up to half of users (49.41%) have it by the dinner table.

The survey by the leading communication and public relations agency in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panamá, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, that was conducted in six countries in Central America during May, June and July of 2018 with more than 1,472 responses, showed that young adults are the segment that spends the most time with a smartphone phone (approximately 5.3 hours a day), followed by adults in relationships (5.3 hours).

In face-to-face conversations we also use the telephone

The researchers consulted the respondents if they used their mobile phone while holding a face-to-face conversation with their family, friends or colleagues.

Only 45% agreed to doing it, however, the figure is contradicted when put to perspective if they have ever felt ignored by someone who uses the phone. 94% said yes.

In addition, it was discovered that more than half of the respondents claimed to have discussed with their better half about the excessive use of cell phones. And the situation gets worse in the relationships between the 24 and 25-year-olds.

Also, more than 70% believe that mobile devices can facilitate infidelities. The main reason they point out is “the ease that the smartphones give them to contact the other person and the possibility of meeting new people through social networks or applications.”

Similarly, more than 45% of respondents said they have made friends through social networks.

We all understand the joys of our always-wired world—the connections, the validations, the laughs … the info. … But we are only beginning to get our minds around the costs. Andrew Sullivan

The negative impact of the smartphone on relationships

An experiment conducted by the research firm showed that the mere presence of the smartphone in a conversation can negatively impact the interaction.

The researchers asked a group of 32 people who had a conversation with a stranger for ten minutes, in a controlled environment. After the talk, each person would complete a form composed of five variables: relationship, interest/enjoyment, a perception of choice, tension, effort.

The score for each variable was altered when the subjects used their smartphones. It was noted that the interest, the relationship and the perception of choice decreased; while tension and effort increased. This is an indication of how mobile devices impact negatively in interpersonal relationships.

Researchers have come to the conclusion that the smartphone has in ways both quotidian and profound, become extensions of our mind and this generates addiction.

Karina Vold on Motherboard explains it, ‘to get a sense of this, imagine being out with a group of friends when the subject of a movie comes up. One person wonders aloud who the director was. Unless everyone is a movie buff, guesses ensue. In no time at all, someone responds with: ‘I’ll just Google that.’

“What is remarkable about this chain of events is just how unremarkable it has become. Our devices are so deeply enmeshed in our lives that we anticipate them being there at all times with access to the full range of the internet’s offerings.”

“In the absence of the mobile phone many of the people said they felt incomplete (…) 70% of the reactions to the potential absence of their cell phone were negative, which shows the strong link we have developed with the stimuli that this device offers us”, reveals the CKK study.

It also affects productivity

The cell phone is the enemy of attention. A 2017 paper by The Journal of the Association of Consumer Research (JACR) revealed that the mere presence of one’s own smartphone may occupy limited-capacity cognitive resources, thereby leaving fewer resources available for other tasks and undercutting cognitive performance.

It even has a name: “brain drain”.

Results from two experiments indicate that even when people are successful at maintaining sustained attention—as when avoiding the temptation to check their phones—the mere presence of these devices reduces available cognitive capacity. Moreover, these cognitive costs are highest for those highest in smartphone dependence. We conclude by discussing the practical implications of this smartphone-induced brain drain for consumer decision-making and consumer welfare.

American professor and essayist Adrian Ward, details that to minimize this “drain” you have to realize how many “conscious” thoughts are occupied by your phone.

via GIPHY

But not all is lost

Admitting the problem is the first step to overcome the addiction. But if you are strong enough to do it alone, your smartphone, yes your smartphone, can help you.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The Verge explains the tools that are already on your phone. Apple’s iOS 12 update included a new feature called Screen Time, which gives you a wealth of data about your iPhone and iPad usage, breaking down the amount of time you spent in each individual app on your device.

Android phone users have a setting called Digital Wellbeing, which is pretty similar to Screen Time. The main difference between the two features is that you can basically press a button to ignore it on iOS, but on Android, you have to manually remove the limit, which is way more annoying.

But the easiest method – and probably the most infallible – is to leave your smartphone at home.

And you, how much time do you spend with your mobile devices?

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Gasoline Stations Threaten No Cards, Cash Only!

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See report here.

 

 

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PXMOLINA: The Flutist of Central America…

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Source: Confidencial

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

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Cuba President Miguel Díaz-Canel To Attend Maduro Inauguration

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Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, confirmed on Monday that President Miguel Díaz-Canel will be heading the Cuban delegation to attend the inauguration of Nicolas Maduro and reiterated Cuba’s support to Venezuela and “its legitimately elected government”.

On his Twitter account, Rodriguez wrote, “President @DiazCanelB will travel to #Caracas within the next few days heading the Cuban delegation that will attend the inauguration of comrade @NicolasMaduro. #Cuba reiterates its support to #Venezuela and its legitimately elected government.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOn Sunday, January 5, Rodriguez tweeted, “We reiterate our unwavering support to Venezuela and reject the recent interventionist statements and actions against this sister nation. We wish every success to President Nicolas Maduro in a new term”.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

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

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Costa Rica To Buy Trains From China

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The national railway, the Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarriles (INCOFER), awarded to China’s CRRC Qingdao Sifang the contract to supply eight two-car diesel multiple-units for use on commuter train services in the San José Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM).

The announcement to buy the 8 new train units with capacity for 400 people was made back in November 2017, with the Incofer’s announcement of the modernization of the train in Costa Rica, when it announced five work actions in the process of “Modernization of the Passenger Rail Transportation System”.

From the Incofer website

The plan includes the expansion of the Alajuela and Paraiso de Cartago rail, a free app to allow access to schedules, rates, map route and the purchase of the trains, a process that was to have started in December of that year.

“These five components that are framed in the Action Plan presented to the citizens who will be carried out by the INCOFER in the coming months, as a fundamental basis for the construction of the Rapid Passenger Train (TRP), the country project proposed as the backbone of the Costa Rican public transport”, said then the Executive President of the Incofer, Elizabeth Briceño Jiménez, who has been at the head of the Incofer since May 2017.

On December last, President Carlos Alvarado and the Incofer president announced the awarding of the contract for the purchase of the eight trains to the Chinese company.

The contract for the eight units with a capacity of 372 passengers, is valued at US$32.7 million ($32.659.122) dollars. In the deal, the supplier includes training, spare parts, and maintenance for three years. Delivery is scheduled to begin in April 2020 and concluded two months later.

According to the statement by the Presidencia, the stainless steel trains have a useful life of up to 30 years. The engines will be friendlier when complying with European regulations EU STAGE III A, which consists of the best use of fuel, which will contaminate less than the current trains.

Alvarado said in a Tweet on December 6, 2018, the trains will have sound reduction and more environmentally friendly engines. “We are moving steadily towards a sustainable, efficient and quality mobility for the population.”

The contract was signed on December 18, 2018 at Casa Presidencial.

The “Diesel Multiple Unit” (DMU) will have a maximum speed of 70 km/h. Each unit will have areas for passengers with reduced mobility, air-conditioning, and a passenger information system.

Costa Rica’s commuter trains are currently operated using a fleet of Class 240 DMUs acquired second-hand from Spanish operator FEVE, a division of state-owned Spanish railway company Renfe Operadora.

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Apple Vacations Offers Costa Rica Direct Flights From Chicago’s Rockford IL

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Chicago’s Rockford Airport (RFD) celebrated on Friday the first direct flight to Costa Rica on Fridays until the end of April. Costa Rica joins Cancun (Mexico) and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) as the airport’s international destinations through Apple Vacations.

Flights depart from the main the Rockford Airport Terminal and arrive at Costa Rica’s Daniel Oduber international airport in the city of Liberia, Guanacaste.

The Exclusive Vacation Flight on Fridays by Apple Vacations leaves Chicago’s Rockford (RFD) at 10:20am and arrives at Costa Rica’s LIR at 3:00 pm. The return flight leaves Costa Rica at 4:00 pm and arrives at Chicago at 8:55 pm.

The flights by Miami air, operated by TUI Airlines Belgium N.V., are to and March 20, 2019.

Hotel options include Secrets Papagayo Resort & Spa, Casa Conde Beachfront Resort, Planet Hollywood Beach Resort, and Andaz Peninsula Papagayo.

Though the Apple Vacations website offers a “flights only” option, we were not able to get any result on a variety of different dates.

For more information on the airport’s upcoming departures to Costa Rica, click here. ​

Visa Requirements

Americans do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica. However, they must have a current valid passport and a return ticket to exit Costa Rica. (Either to return to your country or to go to another country). US passport must be valid for a minimum of one day from the day you enter Costa Rica.

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Bolivian music schools offers kids a way out

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In 1972, a German architect found 17th century musical scores while renovating a mission church in eastern Bolivia. These days music schools are booming in the eastern lowlands, providing a better future for children.

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Playing for their future

The school Paz y Bien is run by a Franciscan parish in San Ignacio de Velasco. Polish priest Adalberto Mazur explains music classes help the children to not only learn how to play an instrument, but also acquire social skills, discipline and how to set goals in life.

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Dreaming big

Roman Arirepia practices cello at the music school in Urubicha. His dream is to become part of an international traveling orchestra.

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A musical refuge

Urubicha, only accessible by unpaved roads, is a dusty Amazon village and home to one of Bolivia’s largest and most famous music schools. The church provides the infrastructure, the government pays the teachers’ salaries and the municipality gives donations.

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Songs in the key of life

Olga Papu Claure, 9, is an extremely talented pianist from Urubicha. At a concert in Santa Cruz she met an American music teacher who, impressed by her talent, sent a piano from the US to Bolivia. Unfortunately, insects ate away at the wood, making it almost unplayable.

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Practice pays off

The music school in Urubicha is highly regarded internationally. Many of the students who pass their exams become professional musicians or teachers in other music schools in the Chiquitania region.

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That’s entertainment

The school says 689 children are inscribed in the institution. For many children, becoming a musician is their dream. President Evo Morales has given his support and wants to commit more funds to arts, music and traditions. In the rural areas musical education is becoming increasingly recognized and valued.

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Take me to church

All the villages also have several choirs and orchestras which play at local fiestas and tour the neighboring towns. This local orchestra is playing in the church of Concepcion.

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Keeping score

The original 17th century musical scores are kept in the archive of Concepcion. There is only one original for public display. Even the researchers are only allowed to take digital copies.

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Taking a break

Santa Ana, the smallest among the missions, also has it’s own music school. At night you hear violins being played in the streets or in the houses, when the children are practicing their homework.

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Chipping away

Samuel Cruz Tancara makes violins based on European models, using tropical woods that can withstand the moisture and heat in Concepcion. Originally from La Paz, he started his business six years ago. He learned by watching and experimenting: “The first violins sounded horrible,” he told DW. Over time he was able to collect technical drawings and learn how to make the exact sizes.

Poás Volcano Eruption Monday (Video)

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The Poás volcano registered activity on Monday afternoon. The Ovsicori Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica) published a video in which it shows the colossus activity at 2:39 pm local time.

On Sunday, both the Poás and Turrialba had eruptions with plumes of ash.

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A bloody start to 2019: 11 Murders In First Six Days

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The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) confirmed 11 homicides in the first 6 days of the new year.

Although the number is high, it is 3 fewer than in the same period last year.

The most recent homicides were in Ipis and Escazu over the weekend. In the first, a family dispute led to the death of Christian Altamirano López, 36.

In the second, in Bello Horizonte area of Escazu, Jimmy Hicks Blandón, 46, was found shot twice. According to the OIJ, the man, a Nicaraguan national, had an extensive criminal history that included robbery, attempted murder and drug trafficking.

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Gas Stations May Stop Accepting Cards Starting On Tuesday Due To Bank Error

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An apparent error in the banking system could result in gas stations across the country to stop accepting credit and debit card payments.

According to the executive director of the Association of Fuel Expenders (Asociación de Expendedores de Combustible), Jose Miguel Masis, at the beginning of this month affiliated gas station operation detected banks withholding of 6% on their net sales.

However,  Ministerio de Hacienda (the Treasury) confirmed that the sale of gasoline is exempt from the application of sales tax.

Masis said Monday that after the announcement of the Treasury, they will wait until tomorrow, Tuesday, to define if they apply the measure of not accepting cards at the service stations.

The Association groups about 295 gas stations or 80% of the 371 licensed to operate in Costa Rica, according to records of the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep).

According to Masis, 60% of purchases at gas stations is with cards. The pressure measure could affect some 25,000 customers daily.

But is it legal, the refusal to accept cards?

If gas station refuse to accept cards they could be in violation of the law. Article 4 of the Ley para Mejorar la Lucha contra el Fraude Fiscal, N° 9416 (Law to Improve the Fight against Tax Fraud, No. 9416), stipulates that “all persons, whether natural or legal, with a lucrative activity that renders their services to the public, are obliged to accept, as alternative means of payment, credit or debit cards (…) “.

Carlos Vargas, director of Taxation, explained this Monday afternoon that the error was already detected and solved, so the withholding should not continue on Tuesday.

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A Million In Costa Rica Swear To Have Been Victim of “Brujería”

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Approximately one million in Costa Rica- that is one in five – believe they have been the victim of some “hechizo” (spell) or “brujería” (witchcraft), says a survey by the University of Costa Rica (UCR).

That belief occurs mainly among people 50 years of ager or older, with only a sixth grade education or never finished school.

It is striking that this happens in a country that, for the most part, says also to believe in God.

According to the survey, the people consulted are clear that it is easy to contact “brujo o hechiceros” (witches or sorcerers) and the amount of “believers” is on the increase.

The survey by the UCR School of Statistics of 1,096 random face-to-face interviews in the month October of 2018, reveals that about half of the people that admitted to visiting a sorcerer did so to resolve issues with finances, love, health and problems at work.

And that many young, between 18 and 29 and mainly from rural areas of the country, admitted to visiting a brujo to have their fortune read.

Accessing a divination services is moderatly high, but higher when it comes to witchcraft. But,

in spite of the ease, those who have visited this type of service went more for divination than for sorcery.

Finding sorcerers or fortune tellers in Costa Rica is easy, one needs only to browse local and

national newspaper classified and recently the social networks.

The researchers were struck by the fact that many said they were unware of withcraft or fortune tellers, and that they never used such service, but did believe that at some point in their lives had been hexed.

The researchers only asked for a first name. Despite not asking for a lastname or cedula (a common practice in Costa Rica), people were afraid to answer. “We Ticos are afraid of sorcery, it is still a taboo subject,” said the UCR School of Statistics report.

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Skeleton of ‘Ripped’ Woman Who Lived 5,900 Years Ago Discovered in Nicaragua

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The skeleton of a ‘muscular’ woman who lived 5,900 years ago and had bulging forearms has been discovered in what is now Nicaragua.

The excavated burial (top) of the ancient woman, next to an illustration (bottom) of how she was buried in a shallow oval pit about 5,900 years ago. Credit: Roksandic M. et al., Antiquity 2018; Courtesy of BICU-CIDCA

Archaeologists say the rare discovery is the oldest known burial in Lower Central America.

The ancient human remains were buried in a shell mound 2.3 meters  (7.5 feet) below the ground’s surface with her legs flexed towards her stomach.

According to scientists, the adult woman had ‘strongly developed musculature of the forearm, possibly from rowing or similar activities’. The analysis showed pronounced marking and ridges on the bone, indicating strong muscles.

Tropical places like Nicaragua don’t usually preserve human remains well but scientists believe that the shell mound under which the woman was buried reduced the acidity of the soil.

Mirjana Roksandic, a professor of anthropology at the University of Winnipeg in Canada, told LiveScience: ‘Ancient people created shell mounds for a number of reasons, including to bury their dead or to mark the landscape.’

(Top left) A map of Nicaragua, where the ancient woman’s remains were found; (bottom left) Monkey Point, the site of the archaeological dig; (right) a zoomed-in image of Monkey Point, showing the exact spot of the Angi site. Credit: Roksandic M. et al., Antiquity 2018; Figure by L.M. Viera Sanfiel from Imagery @2018 Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO, Landsat/Copernicus, Data LDEO-Columbia, NSF, NOAA

Professor Roksandic and her team had originally been studying the ancient people of Cuba but got a tip from an anthropologist that they should investigate the area, known as the Angi spot in Monkey Point, southern Nicaragua.

‘I was delighted and went there right away to visit the site and examine the burial,’ Professor Roksandic added.

The spot was originally excavated in the 1970s but the female remains weren’t found until recently.

After anthropologists located the skeleton, they got permission from the indigenous communities to continue their work.

The woman was uncovered in an oval pit on her back with both her arms by her side and her legs tucked in towards her stomach.

An analysis revealed that the woman was an adult, but not particularly old — likely between 25 and 40 years old. And she wasn’t that tall; the woman stood 4 feet, 11 inches (150 centimeters) tall, which is short by Northern American and Northern European standards, “but not by the standards of Central America or other Southern populations,” Roksandic noted.

Despite the woman’s small stature, she had “strongly developed musculature of the forearm — possibly from rowing or similar activities,” Roksandic said. Even today, local people are adept rowers.

A profile shot of the Angi burial. On the left is a photo taken during the excavation. On the right is a drawing of that photo, showing the different layers, as well as where the shells and body were buried. Credit: Roksandic M. et al., Antiquity 2018; Courtesy of BICU-CIDCA

“While we were in the village of Bankukuk Taik, [study co-researcher] Harly Duncan introduced us to a Rama elder who rowed that very day for 4 hours to visit family,” Roksandic said. “She was 82 years old. Kids as young as 9 rowed around Rama islands in a dugout.”

Moreover, like other people who eat a fair amount of shellfish, the woman had extensive wear on her teeth, Roksandic said.

Professor Roksandic says that little is known about the ancient indigenous cultures of lower Central America and that further study of the site is necessary.

Ancient people who bury the dead among shell mounds are often fishers, gatherers and horticulturalists, according to Professor Roksandic.

She said that it is not possible to ascertain the reason why the burial took place there or the particular significance of this woman.

The left radius (arm bone) of the ancient woman. Notice the pronounced markings on the bone, which suggest she was muscular. Credit: Roksandic M. et al., Antiquity 2018

The study concluded that the individual demonstrates the importance of the site for understanding the early history of lowland Central America and the urgent need for its protection and further evaluation.

In the anthropology world, time is of the essence, as Monkey Point will soon be affected by the construction of the Nicaraguan canal and other developmental projects, Roksandic said.

The woman’s remains are currently housed in the CIDCA Historical Cultural Museum of the Caribbean Coast, the researchers said. The local communities, which are working with anthropologists on how to preserve their heritage, will decide what happens to her next.

The study was published online in the December issue of the journal Antiquity.

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

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Careful! Strong winds will be with us all week

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Photo from Flickr

The presence of high-pressure systems in the Caribbean that maintain masses of cold air near the country will cause strong winds and lower temperatures throughout the week.

Photo from Flickr

Daniel Poleo, of the national weather service, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), reported that maximum gusts of between 60 and 70 kilometers per hour are forecast in mountainous areas and in the province of Guanacaste.

In the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) of San Jose, winds will hit highs of 60 km/h.

“For the Central Valley, maximum winds are expected to reach 60 kilometers per hour. These conditions will be maintained at least until Thursday,” said the meteorologist.

The increase in the ‘vientos alisios’ (trade winds) began at the end of December and have caused emergencies in different areas of the country.

The most serious was the death of a 13-year-old teenager American tourist who was struck by a falling tree in the Varablanca, in the mountains of Heredia. The incident occurred on January 2, in the tourist complex La Paz Waterfall Gardens. The minor was airlifted to the Hospital Mexico where she died hours later.

Other incidents include fallen trees, demolished utility posts, downed power lines and even damaged billboards.

Get the latest weather warnings here!

Get the latest regional forecasts here!

Pay attention!

To prevent injury or damage from the strong winds, the IMN issued a series of recommendations for the entire population.

  • If you are at home, check that there are no trees in poor condition, as they could be knocked down by the winds.
  • Remove from high places flower pots, cages and any object that may fall and hurt someone.
  • In public areas stay clear of signs, billboard and large trees. Avoid being near power lines, or buildings under construction.
  • Avoid ‘quemas’ and ‘fogatas’ (controlled burns and bonfires) since strong gusts could cause the fire to get out of control.
  • Finally, if you are in a car, motorcycle or bike, reduce your speed as much as possible, as a wind blow could make you lose control of the vehicle;
  • For motorcyclists and cyclist, in case the situation becomes very dangerous – winds are too strong –  park in a safe place until it is prudent to continue on your way.

Keep in mind that certain areas are prone to strong winds and wind gusts that others. In the greater San Jose area, the south side of Santa Ana, you can hear the winds howling. In Arenal, there is a reason ICE chose to the area to develop their wind farm.

Wind turbines near Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Costa Rica. Photo Luciana Gallardo Lomeli, World Resources Institute

Temperatures can easily dip to the low 20 Celsius in the day and mid teens at night, bundle up. Even lower at higher altitudes.

Lower temperatures are normal during the last week in December and first week in January, this year, like last, the winds make it feel even colder thanks to climate change.

 

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Glenda Peraza uncovers

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The entrepreneur and television personality Glenda Peraza is aware that she has an enviable figure, worthy of showing off.

See more of Glenda at Costa Rica Confidential.

 

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Honduras: Land of gangs and violence

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Criminal gangs pose an existential threat to state and society in Honduras. For many, the only option is to flee.

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One of most violent countries in the world

Honduras has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. In 2011-2012, there were 86 homicides per 100,000 people. That amounted to 7,172 murders a year in a country of some 9 million people. In 2018, the homicide rate fell to 40 per 100,000 people, according to government statistics. In comparison, in 2015 there were some 5,000 homicides in the EU, where the population is 500 million.

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Gang-fueled violence

There are as many as 40,000 gang members in Honduras. Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio-18 (members pictured here) are the two main criminal groups engaging in turf wars over drug and human trafficking, extortion and other criminal enterprises.

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Pushing people out

The wave of violence, gang control and erosion of state authority has pushed tens of thousands of people out of neighborhoods where funeral processions are all too common. Many families fear that their children will be recruited into gangs as early as the age of 11. Many of those who can often try to make the dangerous and hard journey through Mexico to the United States.

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Existential Threat

Gang-fueled violence and criminality have torn apart Honduran society and the authority of the state. According to a report by the US National Defense University, MS-13 has become a “criminal-economic-military-political power that poses an existential threat” to the state of Honduras. The group has infiltrated key state institutions, including the police, military, judiciary, and political system.

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Police patrols

In Honduras, MS-13 has been known to corrupt and infiltrate local police. The group has expanded with the aid of police forces who have reportedly targeted and cleared neighborhoods controlled by rival groups. Police and security forces sacked for corruption are said to join gangs or train gang members.

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No justice

The corrupt and dysfunctional criminal system fuels more violence. Around 80 percent of homicides are not investigated and 96 percent are not adjudicated.

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Fleeing north

Brazil troops deployed to stop gang attack violence

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Troops from Brazil’s National Police Force are being deployed in the northeastern state of Ceara with orders to end a wave of violent attacks by criminal gangs against banks, buses and shops, local officials said Saturday.

Close to 300 members of the force arrived in the state capital, Fortaleza, and more than 10 other cities across Ceara on Friday in a bid to halt the rampage which has spiked over the past four days, national Public Security Secretary Guilherme Teophilo said, according to the government news agency Agencia Brasil.

Brazilian media have shown security footage of service stations being torched by gang members in Fortaleza.

Test for new president

Troops were deployed after Justice Minister Sergio Moro concluded Ceara police were overwhelmed. More than 50 suspects have been arrested since the violence broke out.

The deployment is the first test for President Jair Bolsonaro and his strict law-and-order platform since he took office last Tuesday.

While the trigger for the wave of violence is still being investigated, officials suspect the vicious attacks were ordered by organized crime gangs in retaliation for government plans to impose tighter controls in the state’s prisons, according to intelligence reports published in local media.

Changes are set to include blocks on mobile phone signals and an end to a policy of separating prisoners according to gang membership.

Bolsonaro aims to ‘restore order’

In a bid to crack down on Brazil’s rampant crime, the far-right president has extended immunity to soldiers and police using lethal force. He has also made a move to ease gun laws so “good citizens” can confront armed criminals.

The 63-year-old former paratrooper has made “restoring order” the main feature of his four-year term.

Brazil has the third-highest number of inmates in the world, behind the United States and China, with close to 730,000 prisoners as of 2016. Jails are overcrowded, with gangs often violently turning on each other.

jlw/cmk (AFP, AP, Reuters)

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Venezuela congress names new leader, calls Nicolas Maduro illegitimate

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Venezuela’s opposition-controlled National Assembly opened a new legislative session on Saturday, swearing in a new leader who declared Nicolas Maduro’s presidency illegitimate.

Juan Guaido, 35, assumed the presidency of the National Assembly stripped of power by Maduro, who is set to be inaugurated to a second six-year term next Thursday following controversial elections last May.

Juan Guaido assumed the presidency of the weakened National Assembly

“We reaffirm the illegitimacy of Nicolas Maduro,” Guaido told lawmakers and foreign diplomats in attendance to show solidarity with the embattled legislative body. “As of January 10, he will be usurping the presidency and consequently this National Assembly is the only legitimate representative of the people.”

Guaido called the Socialist president a dictator who has plunged the oil-rich country into economic and social misery, adding that Venezuela was living through a “dark but transitional” period in its history. He told lawmakers that opposition politicians have been jailed, driven into exile or killed.

Election boycott

The National Assembly was stripped of its powers in 2016 by the Supreme Court, which is dominated by Maduro loyalists, and replaced by a separate regime-created Constituent Assembly.

The May 20 elections called by the Constituent Assembly were boycotted by most of the main opposition groups and condemned by the international community.

On Friday, a dozen Latin American countries and Canada declared they would not recognize Maduro as president if he stays in office and called on him to hand power to the National Assembly. Maduro accused the so-called Lima group of encouraging a Washington-backed “coup d’etat.”

Transitional body

In his speech, Guaido said the National Assembly would move to create a transitional body and prepare for free, democratic elections. He did not provide details of how this process would work, but called for the armed forces and civil society to play a role.

The National Assembly would assume “the representation of the people and of Venezuela before the international community, to defend and protect the interests, rights and patrimony of the people and state, inside and outside of Venezuela, while the usurpation lasts,” he said.

He also said the military chain of command had been “broken or usurped” and the armed forces should help “restore democracy.”

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

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Producing and spreading ‘fake news’ could land you in jail in Costa Rica

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Newspapers

A person who produces and disseminates fake news with the intention of deceiving in Costa Rica would be exposed to between one and four years in prison.

That is the proposal (legislative file 21.187) by Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC) legislator Erwen Masis, in the bill to combat cybercrime.

The bill was presented by PUSC legislator Erwen Masis and supported by experts in cybernetics

Masis said that his proposal does not seek to limit freedom of expression, but the establishment of a legal order for this type of situation.

Adalith Medrano, a lawyer specializing in computer crimes who assisted in drafting the proposal, said that this does not involve the people who disseminate this type of news or parodies because there is no fraud intended and or ignorance that it is false information.

The lawyer said there is a difference made between fake news and parody.

As an example of parody, sites include The OnionThe Babylon Bee, and the Q’s own Fughesi. On Facebook, El Pejibaye pokes fun at Costa Rica.

According to the proposed bill, the definition of spreading false news then is the following: “the use of false profiles, Facebook pages, and websites specialized in spreading false news in order to manipulate the electorate is a worldwide trend and should be sanctioned criminally if this act is carried out in order to manipulate the decision of citizens with the use of flagrantly false facts.”

Other crimes

The proposal includes other crimes that could mean a prison term.

  • Computer fraud, from two to six years.
  • Spoofing of electronic pages, the penalty would be one to three years.
  • Cybernetic harassment, would be sanction from six months to three years. This includes harassment of one of more people through the sending of messages or publications by electronic means, dissemination of images, audio or video of a sexual or pornographic nature where the victim appears and/or participates in.
  • The manufacture, production or reproduction of child pornography, would mean four to eight years in prison.
  • Possession of child pornographic material would be sanctioned with one to four years.
  • Illicit purchases with plastic, two to five years to those who acquire goods or services through the use of a credit or debit card not issued in their favor.
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Tourist deaths jeopardize Costa Rica’s ‘safe’ destination reputation

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By Christian Gollayan | New York Post – For years, travelers have flocked to Costa Rica for its serene beaches, lush wildlife and vibrant cities.

But the Central American country has been rocked with crime in the past year, and a spike in killings and fatal accidents involving foreigners have threatened Costa Rica’s reputation as one of the safest countries in the region for tourists.

In December, The Post reported on the murder of Carla Stefaniak, a 36-year-old Miami resident who was traveling to San Jose for her birthday. Her body was discovered in a shallow grave near the Airbnb where she was staying. A security guard at the Airbnb listing has been arrested in connection with her case. Meanwhile, local authorities said the killing was sexually motivated.

Unfortunately, Stefaniak was just the latest in a string of violence against Costa Rican tourists. Two unidentified female travelers were found dead near Tortuguero National Park in August. One 31-year-old woman’s body was discovered with strangle marks around her neck, and a 25-year-old woman drowned after she was attacked by two men. Over the summer, a 19-year-old Canadian tourist was robbed and raped after a local tried to offer her a ride from San Jose to Puerto Viejo.

And in October, authorities said that Tom Cook, a 62-year-old “hippie” from Vermont, was murdered in Jaco, a surf town in Costa Rica after he went missing for two months.

Costa Rica has seen a rise in murders in 2012, and a record 603 people were killed in 2017. Meanwhile, authorities told Bloomberg that they’re forecasting an even higher number in 2018.

“There has already been damage done to the country’s image,” Security minister Michael Soto told Bloomberg.

According to the Costa Rican Tourism Board, about 3 million travelers visit the country every year. But in 2017, the number of American tourists dropped for the first time since 2009.

This could spell bad news for Costa Rica, as tourism brings in about US$3.5 billion for its economy.

“These incidents infuriate us,” President Carlos Alvarado told Bloomberg, and he promised “intense work” to address the situation.

According to the US embassy website, “Crime is increasing in Costa Rica and US citizens are frequent victims … US citizens are encouraged to exercise a high level of caution and vigilance due to increasing levels of violent crime.”

And the US embassy has advised visitors to be extra cautious in the cities of Liberia, San Rafael and San Jose due to crime.

Costa Rica’s Tourism Board did not immediately return a request for comment.

This story was originally published by the New York Post.

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Three foreigners hiding out in Costa Rica nabbed by police

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Oficiales de la Policía de Fronteras mantuvieron celosamente vigilado al estadounidense prófugo. Foto: Ministerio de Seguridad Pública (MSP).

An American and two Salvadorans in the country illegally were detained on Friday by the Policía de Fronteras (Border Police) and Immigration.

An American wanted in Florida and Virginia, hiding out in Costa Rica, was banned by the Policía de Fronteras (Border Police) in Puerto Jimenez, in the southern zone, is now in the hands of immigration officials. Photo: Ministerio de Seguridad Pública (MSP).

The first detained was a U.S. citizen named Mohns, 38, in Puerto Jiménez de Golfito. Mohns was arrested during at a police post on kilometer 35 of the Interamericana Sur. The American had two ‘active’ international arrest warrants issued last year.

The first from the state of Florida for aggravated assault and attempted robbery, the second from the state of Virginia for drug possession. In addition to the warrants, the Ministerio de Seguridad Publica (MSP) said the American had a long criminal history.

On the other side of the country, in the Caribbean city of Limon, the immigration police arrested two brothers from El Salvador on Friday afternoon.

Two brothers, wanted in their native El Salvador, suspected of being gang members, were nabbed by immigration police in Limon

The two brothers, 22 and 23 years of age, with the surnames Puquirre Calzada, were in the country illegally. They were wanted by Salvadoran authorities, as possible gang militants.

Daguer Hernández, interim director the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) – immigration service – said that the arrest is due to the excellent work of the police controls carried out by the officers of the immigration police.

The three fugitives now face deportation from Costa Rica.

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Gun Used by BAC Branch Robbers in Coronado Was Stolen From an OIJ Agent

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A 9-mm-caliber gun used by the three assailants killed in Coronado was taken from an Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) agent, the judicial police confirmed on Saturday.

The gun had been reported stolen in July 2018 by an investigator from the OIJ office in Batán, Limón, said the OIJ, without giving further details about the way in which the theft occurred.

In addition to the 9-mm, the assailants in the attempted robbery of the BAC San Jose customer outside the branch they carried a 38-caliber revolver.

As a result of a gun battle with the bank guard, a father and his two sons died. These were identified by the OIJ as Carlos Roberto Quesada Ramírez, 46; Daniel Josué Quesada Fuentes, 21, and Jessie Roberto Quesada Fuentes, 29.

The objective was to grab a bag with ¢30 million colons that a woman intended to deposit at the branch, but foiled by the quick action by the bank guard who came to the aid of the woman.

The woman, identified by her last name Fuentes, as it turns out was the ex-wife of Carlos and mother of the two boys accompanying their father in the foiled heist.

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Man Who Died In Foiled Robbery Had A Criminal Past

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The father and the two children were neighbors of San Felipe de Alajuelita. Photo: Taken from Facebook.

UPDATED Jan 6 – Carlos Quesada Ramírez, one of three assailants shot dead on Thursday in Coronado, had a criminal history that included time in jail for theft and drug possession.

The criminal trio: the father and his two older children were residents of San Felipe de Alajuelita. Photo taken from Facebook.

Quesada had a plan. With the help of his two sons, who also died in the shootout with the bank security guard, he was going to have his payday, a ¢30 million (US$50,000) payday, by robbing from the lady on her way to making a deposit to the BAC San Jose branch in Coronado.

The plan didn’t go well.  Quesada probably didn’t count on the quick action by the security guard who has remained nameless or that the guard would fire back.

Crime scene investigators said the guard fired a total of 10 rounds at the three assailants, hitting the elder Quesada and his two sons, Jessie Quesada Fuentes, 29, and Daniel Quesada Fuentes, 21. Two of the three lay dead at the scene, the third died in hospital minutes after arriving at the medical center.

The Ministry of Justice reported Friday that Quesada Ramírez was sentenced in 2011 to eight years in prison and had released on September 23, 2017.

Marco Carrión, interim head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ), reported that Quesada Ramírez had been arrested in 2010 for threats and in 2011 for drug possession.

In this criminal trio, the father was the most experienced criminal. His older son had a criminal record, while his younger son, was clean.

We will never know who decided what role they would play in the act, but from the video, we can see the father hitting his victim with the butt of his pistol, snatch the money bag and then get into a scuffle with two other men outside the doors to the bank.

The younger son was running interference. At first he seems to be a bystander, watching the guard fire and hit one of the assailants (his brother) until he picks up his brother’s gun and fires at the guard.

The struggle and shootout with the guard ends with the death of the trio. The security guard was hit in the shoulder but lived. The woman also survived the attack directly to the head by Carlos and with the butt of his gun.

We learned of Friday that Carlos and the woman, identified by her last name Fuentes, had been married and was the mother of sons accompanying Carlos in the robbery.

“The action happened so fast that the perp immediately takes the bag but in the same moments, almost simultaneously, the security officer approaches him and there is no real disempowerment of the money,” said Carrión.

Carrión admitted on Friday that they haven’t been able to learn much about the trio, only that they were from Alajuelita.

Carrión added that Jesse (the older son) had a criminal record for possession of a firearm. That was in 2009, but nothing after that.

“We have not been able to establish in any formal employment for three,” said the OIJ chief, after speaking with family members.

On the day of the foiled robbery, the injured woman, identified by her last name Fuentes, posted a message on her Facebook account saying: “He who is free from sin throws the first stone! Today is the saddest day of my life, do not judge if you do not know.”

Immediately dozens of users started insulting her in the comments, some accusing of her cowardice, lying dead. Shortly after she closed the account.

La Teja reports*, recorded in the Registro Civil (Civil Registry) Quesada and Fuentes were married on July 4, 1998, and had four children: the two who died on Thursday in the assault (the oldest), and a boy who is 19 and and a girl now eight.  The couple divorced on May 3, 2017, when Carlos was still in prison. The Civil Registry records Jessie with two children, a nine-year-old and seven-year-old, but never married; his brother Daniel, also never married, had a two-year-old baby.

 

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Health Rules Out Hepatitis A Outbreak in Puntarenas

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A possible outbreak of hepatitis A, in at least 28 cases in Puntarenas, was ruled out after a field study conducted jointly by the Ministry of Health, the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) and the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA).

The Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA) carried out a study that confirmed that potable water ingested by Puntarenas is safe for human consumption. Photography: John Durán

Health and Caja authorities carried out health studies, while the water and sewer utility (AyA) carried out a water study in Puntarenas. Laboratory analyzes revealed that the water is completely safe for human consumption.

Health authorities raised the alert after suspecting up to 162 patients of carrying the disease in the province.

Of this group of patients, 28 were finally confirmed with hepatitis A: 14 cases in Barranca, 4 in Puntarenas (ity), 6 in Chacarita, 1 in El Roble, 2 in Esparza and 1 in Jicaral. The average age of the patients is 30.

Symptoms

Hepatitis A signs and symptoms typically don’t appear until you’ve had the virus for a few weeks. But not everyone with hepatitis A develops them. If you do, hepatitis signs and symptoms can include:

  • Fatigue
  • Sudden nausea and vomiting
  • Abdominal pain or discomfort, especially on the upper right side beneath your lower ribs (by your liver)
  • Clay-colored bowel movements
  • Loss of appetite
  • Low-grade fever
  • Dark urine
  • Joint pain
  • Yellowing of the skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
  • Intense itching

These symptoms may be relatively mild and go away in a few weeks. Sometimes, however, hepatitis A infection results in a severe illness that lasts several months.

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Siquirres Court frees suspect who brutally assaulted a 4-year-old boy

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Foto: Reiner Montero

The Juzgado Penal de Siquirres (Siquirres Criminal Court) released a man named Madriz Pérez, 25, who is the main suspect of brutally assaulting a four-year-old boy who is fighting for his life at the Hospital Nacional de Niños – Children’s Hospital – in San José.

The main suspect in the brutal assault on the 4-year-old boy in police custody on January 2, 2019. Foto: Reiner Montero

The child’s aggression occurred on January 1 in the community of Indiana 1 of Siquirres, Limón. According to information from the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), the young boy disappeared from his home that day.

His parents went looking for him and it was Madriz – a neighbor – who told them that he was with the little boy for a while.

After an hour and a half of searching, the child appeared seriously injured, with multiple blows and fractures to his head and face. He was quickly taken to the Siquirres clinic and, later, transferred to the Children’s Hospital in San Jose.

The boy’s parents reported the suspect, who was arrested on January 2.

However, on Friday, Siquirres decided to release him and, as a precautionary measure, ordered him to leave the area, granted him permission to reside in Cartago.

Investigators have not confirmed (or denied) that the child has been a victim of sexual abuse.

Apparently, months back Madriz had an altercation with the parents of the child. The couple discovered that the Madriz took advantage of the proximity and confidence of being neighbors to get in their house and steal underwear of their 11-year-old daughter.

Apparently, after talking it out, the relationship between neighbors normalized.

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Beatriz Becerra: The MEP Fighting for Freedom in Nicaragua and Venezuela

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MEP Beatriz Becerra has publicized the plight of the Venezuelan and Nicaraguan people, struggling against Communist dictatorship (Flickr).

Two days before the end of 2018, the MEP and vice president of the Human Rights subcommittee of the European Parliament, Beatriz Becerra, said through her Twitter account: “I promise to remain firm with Venezuela, accompanying their struggle to recover their freedom and future. Without getting tired or giving up.”

MEP Beatriz Becerra has publicized the plight of the Venezuelan and Nicaraguan people, struggling against Communist dictatorship (Flickr).

Becerra pledged her support for the commitment of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, to continue promoting all mechanisms to lift Venezuela out of the deep crisis in which Chavez and Nicolás Maduro have plunged the country.

“What we have gone through in 2018 seems much longer than a year. The crisis in Venezuela, far from being resolved, is becoming more serious, pressing and distressing, but know that I will continue by your side and not abandon you in this fight,” said Almagro on social networks.

While Almagro has been one of the great defenders of democracy in the Americas, denouncing first the dictatorship of Maduro and, now, that of Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, his counterpart in Europe has been Becerra.

“Venezuela is suffering a multi-organ failure. The kidneys, the liver, the lungs, the heart are all failing. Electricity is rationed and rights are trampled. Medicines have disappeared from hospitals, and freedoms are under constant assault. Those who ask for food and those who ask for democracy are silenced. The Constitutional order has been overthrown. And when we denounce it and offer our help, do they still have the nerve to tell us to mind our own business?” Becerra said on May 22, 2016 in an speech before the European Parliament.

While this was one of her first pronouncements against the Venezuelan dictatorship, in November 2018 she began to publicly call attention to the crisis in Nicaragua, which began with a series of anti-government protests in April 2018, when she alleged that the Central American country was on the way to becoming the new Venezuela.

In fact, Ortega has followed the same Cuban recipe as his counterparts in Venezuela. At its heart, it involves repression using, in addition to the military and police forces, paramilitary groups, arbitrary arrests, torture, and disappearance.

“Cuba’s main export is its authoritarian model. The situation in Venezuela and the collapse in Nicaragua can not be explained without the role of the Cuban regime,” she said in a video in November 2018.

Her most recent call for democracy in Nicaragua was made on December 22nd. Becerra supported the request of the executive director of the Americas division of Human Rights Watch, José Miguel Vivanco, for OAS members to call a special session of the permanent council to support the conclusions of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI) and condemn “with vehemence” the recent attacks on the press and NGOs in the Central American country.

Becerra requested that the high representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, the President of the EP, Antonio Tajani, and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, formulate “a firm and urgent position of condemnation with regard to the very serious events that are taking place in Nicaragua.”

On December 7, in a letter to Mogherini, Becerra asked the EU to refuse to recognize the legitimacy of Maduro’s next term:

On January 10 the current term of President Nicolás Maduro will expire. After abolishing all democratic institutions and indefinitely suspending the electoral processes established in the Constitution, a scenario now emerges where Venezuela has a “president” lacking in any political or Constitutional legitimacy.

Against Zapatero and Errejón

In addition, Becerra has worked hard to denounce her own compatriots who have supported the Venezuelan regime.

In February 2018, the MEP wrote an article in the Spanish newspaper El País, entitled “Zapatero’s open letter on Venezuela”, in response to a letter that the former president of that country addressed to the Venezuelan opposition blaming them for the failure of the last round of negotiations with the Maduro regime.

She did not mince her words:

“You are not a mediator: you work for one of the parties, for a government that, I remind you, has just withdrawn its ambassador from Spain creating a diplomatic crisis with our country, with his, Mr. Zapatero, of which you were president. You conveniently appear to ignore this fact, and the dictatorial nature of this regime?” Becerra wrote.

Recently, on December 21, in a series of tweets, Becerra answered Íñigo Errejón, Madrid deputy for the political party Podemos. The party has spent several years praising, defending, and advising the Chavista-Madurista regime, with lucrative fees to boot.

Errejón, wisely, has now changed his mind. He said in an interview with El Economista that “Venezuela is a disaster and is not a model for our country.”

“Your problem, Errejón, is that if Venezuela today is a disaster, it is also thanks to you and your party, accomplices of a dictatorial, corrupt, and ineffective regime,” Becerra said on her Twitter account.

Becerra ends by stating: “Your defense of Venezuela was indecent: if someone in Spain expressed their concern for Venezuela, you ridiculed them, merely because they were not addressing the problems in Spain.”

Becerra also took the opportunity to criticize the separatist strategy of Podemos that has generated a political crisis in Catalonia and in the country at large.

“Do you know what happens? You came to say that everything was rotten, that you had to demolish the constitutional ‘house’ and build another one. And there you go. It is only fair that we ask you about the specifics of your model” Becerra tweeted.

The MEP continues in her attack on Errejón, noting that “With great impudence, you have sometimes suggested that our model should be Denmark, as if the Nordic social-democratic model had been created by populists like you.”

“Your problem is that the only thing that you can offer to the Spaniards is Chavista Venezuela. And so it goes.”

That is the problem with the left that Becerra sees clearly. That intrinsic contradiction of an ideology that advocates an “equality” that is only achieved by blood and fire. A model that destroys everything in its wake. A political system that needs totalitarianism and repression to survive. A carbon copy of Cuba, a dictatorship that just celebrated its 60th anniversary after the seizure of power by Fidel Castro.

Source: Panampost.com

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27 March 2026 - At The Banks - Source: BCCR