Mexico: Caravan Migrants Protest Closure of Shelter in Tijuana

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5 January 2019

BUENOS AIRES – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sworn in earlier in January, expressed concern about the recent drills carried out by Russian combat planes in Venezuela.

In December, two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers, an An-124 military transport aircraft and an Il-62 plane arrived in Venezuela where they held joint exercises with the South American country’s Air Force.

“Russia carried out maneuvers in Venezuela. We are aware of the intentions of the dictatorship of [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro. Thus, Brazil should be concerned about it,” Bolsonaro said in an interview with the local SBT broadcaster.

The Russian planes subsequently returned to their home bases. However, Russian officials have suggested that more jets might fly to Venezuela in the future.

Bolsonaro also did not rule out that his country might sign military cooperation deals with the United States.

“I approach the United States from the economic point of view. But this can be a military point of view, too. We may conclude some agreements on this issue,” Bolsonaro said in an interview.

Asked about the possibility of setting up a US military base in Brazil, Bolsonaro said “who knows if it would be necessary to discuss this.”

The president argued that Brazil did not want to become a South American super-power, noting that still, the country should have a dominant position in comparison with regional states.

Relations between Brasilia and Washington have been tense over recent years. However, Bolsonaro has repeatedly expressed support for US policies. Notably, populist sentiments voiced by the right-wing Brazilian president have been compared to statements of US President Donald Trump, which prompted media to call Bolsonaro the “Trump of the Tropics.”

Bolsonaro has been also among the Latin American leaders who have criticized Maduro’s policies. The Venezuelan president, in his turn, has suggested that the election of Bolsonaro would result in emergence of leftist governments across the region.

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Lima Group Refuses to Recognize Maduro’s New Term

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5 January 2019

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

The Lima Group (Grupo de Lima in Spanish) of countries seeking an end to the Venezuelan crisis said in a declaration on Friday they do not recognize President Nicolas Maduro’s new term starting next week.

The Lima Group has called on Maduro “not to assume presidency on January 10… and to temporarily transfer the executive power to the National Assembly until a new, democratic presidential poll is held.”

The Lima Group have said they will not recognize his new term because last year’s election was “illegitimate.”

The paper, published by Peru’s government, was also signed by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Saint Lucia. Mexico abstained.

The nations reiterated their full support of the Venezuelan legislature, elected in 2015, and rejected as illegal last May’s vote that saw Maduro re-elected for a second six-year term.

Reacting to media reports that US State Secretary Mike Pompeo took part in the meeting via teleconference, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza slammed the 14-member group for taking orders from US President Donald Trump.

The Grupo de Lima

The Lima Group was established following the Lima Declaration on 8 August 2017 in the Peruvian capital of Lima, where representatives of 12 countries met in order to establish a peaceful exit to the crisis in Venezuela.

welve countries initially signed the declaration: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru. Guyana and Saint Lucia joined later.

What did the Lima Group decide?

The declaration states that the following measures have been agreed by the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Saint Lucia:

Reevaluate the status or level of diplomatic relations with Venezuela.
Prevent Venezuelan officials from entering the territory of the countries of the Lima Group.
Suspend military cooperation with the Maduro regime.
Urges other nations to support an International Criminal Court investigation into the commission of possible crimes against humanity in Venezuela.
Calls on the international community to adopt similar measures.

‘Void of legitimacy and credibility’

At least 16 Latin American nations, as well as the United States, warned Venezuela ahead of the May 2018 election that it would be seen as illegitimate by the region unless it restored democratic standards before the poll.

A joint declaration put out at the Summit of the Americas in Peru in April said the election would be “void of legitimacy and credibility” if it went ahead under the then-current conditions.

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Keylor Navas Staying Put At Real Madrid, Signs New Deal

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5 January 2019

For the last few weeks, it’s been claimed that the Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas is unhappy at Real Madrid and keen to leave. However, Navas has reportedly had a change of heart signed a new contract.

The 32-year-old Navas has fallen behind Thibaut Courtois in the pecking order at Madrid and had been expected to leave, recently linked to reports he was set to join Arsenal. However, Arsenal manager Unai Emery insisted there was no truth to the rumors, saying “we have never spoken about Navas. We are happy with the three goalkeepers that we have”.

According to Marca, Navas has signed a new deal which will keep him in the Spanish capital until 2021. His previous deal was due to expire next year.

The Costa Rican superstar is staying put with a new contract allegedly worth US$5.7 million dollars (¢3.4 billion colones) a year.

Navas made the headlines internationally during Costa Rica’s 2014 World Cup.

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Birds, Snakes and Bats of Costa Rica: Nature Up Close

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5 January 2019

costa-rica-keel-billed-toucan-judy-lehmberg-660 — The lower areas of Costa Rica's mountain ranges contain a large number of toucans, oropendolas, woodpeckers, tanagers, caciques and honeycreepers.

CBS “Sunday Morning” contributing videographer Judy Lehmberg recently had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica to photograph wildlife. Because there are so many national parks in the country, it isn’t difficult to find plenty of birds, but also a few snakes and bats, if you look in the right places, and even a poison arrow frog or two.

The lower areas of Costa Rica’s mountain ranges contain a large number of toucans, oropendolas, woodpeckers, tanagers, caciques and honeycreepers.

The video below illustrates several species of birds found at mid-elevations in the Costa Rican mountains. There are several species of toucans, including the keel-billed, the chestnut-mandibled, and the collared aracari. Until recently the toucan’s bill shape and size was a mystery.

It possesses the largest bill in relationship to a bird’s size of any birds on Earth. Many biologists thought it was to attract a mate, and maybe it is, but a more important use may be temperature regulation. The toucan’s bill is extremely lightweight but it does have vascular tissue – blood vessels that can expand or contract depending on temperature.

Scientists have used infrared thermography, a technique that allows them to see heat distribution change over time in a living animal. When it is cooler toucans constrict their bill blood vessels, allowing it to cool down without cooling the rest of its body. When it gets warm the bill blood vessels open up and provide more surface area for cooling. So now we know the toucan’s bill is not only beautiful, it is functional as well.

Another group of birds common in Costa Rica is the honeycreepers. Related to tanagers, honeycreepers come in a variety of colors ranging from light green females to deep blue males. They spend their days looking for fruit, nectar and insects.

One of the more obvious birds in the lowland rainforest is the oropendolas. Relatives of blackbirds, these large birds have a most unusual raucous call (as heard in the accompanying video). Oropendola females make large hanging nests that can be up to three feet long. They are colonial nesters, meaning one male mates with all the females in a colony, which can number in the low hundreds.

The slaty flowerpiercer, like other flowerpiercers, is related to tanagers, and cheats for a living. Many birds (like most nectar-feeding birds) are designed to transfer pollen from one flower to another, but not the flowerpiercers. Like their names imply, they pierce a hole at the base of a flower and suck the nectar out, bypassing the flower’s pollen and stigma.

Although not obvious, because they are only active at night, bats are common in the Costa Rican rainforests, particularly nectar-feeding bats, such as Pallas’s long-tongued bat (pictured, on the flower) and an orange nectar bat (below it).

A Pallas’s long-tongued bat (above) and an orange nectar bat.

The orange nectar bat is, so far, the only bat (or any other animal) known to feed by pumping nectar along two grooves in its tongue against gravity. It uses both muscle force and capillary action to pull nectar up into its mouth. Other nectar-feeding bats, such as the Pallas’s, feed by lapping nectar up with their tongue.

One of our favorite Costa Rican animals is the strawberry frog, a species of poison dart frogs. Its brightly-colored body is a warning to would-be predators to avoid them, as they are toxic.

Poison dart frogs have become common in zoo and museum displays where they lose their toxicity, which only comes from the insects they eat.

Every once in a while a photo session provides a surprise, such as this fer-de-lance. Fer-de-lances are one of the more poisonous species of snakes in Costa Rica, and are relatively common. This one may have been more surprised than we were to find a wasp carrying a spider that landed on its face. The wasp had just immobilized the spider and was taking it to its underground nest where it would lay an egg on the spider’s abdomen. The egg will eat the spider once it hatches.

Mind you, the spider isn’t dead; it is just paralyzed by the wasp’s venom. That way it will be nice and fresh when the wasp’s egg hatches into a hungry caterpillar.

Judy Lehmberg is a former college biology teacher who now shoots nature videos.

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Monserrat Benz

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5 January 2019

See more of this Venezuelan beauty at Volemo.com

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Orteguista police puts into practice “razzia”, according to the GIEI

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5 January 2019

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

The Grupo Interdisciplinario de Expertos Independientes (GIEI) – Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts – found that the Policia Orteguista (PO) carried out a fascist policy of mass and indiscriminate detention of men, women, and adolescents known as “razzia”.

The repression and illegal detentions of the Police in Nicaragua has intensified. La Prensa / ÓSCAR NAVARRETE

“Razzia” was borrowed via French and Italian with origin from Algerian Arabic ġāziya ‘raid’ and it may refer to police raids rounding up many people.

In Nicaragua, police “razzia” is characterized by massive surprises attacks whose objective is the detain and intimidate.

“They are put into practice in systems of dynasties and authoritarianism contrary to democratic systems”, explained lawyer Nelson Cortez.

“In addition, these police abuses violate fundamental rights such as free movement, the presumption of innocence, among others,” added the lawyer.

The GIEI recalled in its report that the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) stated that “raids are incompatible with respect for fundamental rights, among others, of the presumption of innocence, of the existence of a judicial order to detain – except in the hypothesis of flagrancy- and the obligation to notify those responsible for minors. ”

Abuse of apparent legality

Orteguista Police during the first two months (April and May) of civic protest in Nicaragua abused the alleged commission of the criminal offense of “public scandal” to justify the detention of more than six hundred people, mostly young people, who participated in marches and protests against the regime of Daniel Ortega.

The use of this legal figure allowed to “justify” the arrests on account of presumed commission in flagrancy, without the need of a court order or communication to the Public Ministry, indicates the latest report of GIEI.

The referral of faults to the courts is the power of the police, therefore none of the people arrested was the subject of a police accusation, the GIEI clarifies in its report.

The report notes, “The arrests of the blue and white (police), as they are recognized to the opponents of Ortega, also affected dozens of adolescents who were deprived of their liberty in this context, without respecting the 24 hours of detention. The situation of the detainees was further aggravated by the ineffectiveness of the appeal for personal exhibition and judicial control of such abusive practices.”

According to relatives of political prisoners, the Court of Appeals assigned them up to three judges that did not fulfill their legal obligation, even assigning them to lawyers already deceased.

According to the Comisión de la Verdad, Justicia y Paz (Truth, Justice and Peace Commission), between April 18 and May 30, 2018, there were 690 detentions linked to the protests: 491 in April and 199 in May.

In conclusion, says the GIEI report, “it is evident that there was a practice of police raids linked to the exercise of social protest. This is clear if they are observed together: the mass of arrests, the coincidence between the dates of registration of most of these arrests and the date on which collective demonstrations were held, and the use of the lack of scandal public as justification.”

“The initial pattern of arrests in the use of public scandal to justify showed a difference that was seen starting in July and August, which consists in the selective detention of student leaders, peasants and other social referents, or people who have participated in protests, whom is accused judicially and remains in prison,” affirms the GIEI.

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Ortega Offers Nicaragua “Reconciliation” And A “Gallo Pinto” Economy

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5 January 2019

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

In his last speech of the outgoing year, Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega kept silent about the report of international human rights organizations, which point to his regime as responsible for the worst bloodbath in the country’s history in times of peace.

Nor did he say a word about the approval of the Nica Act, which establishes harsh US political and economic sanctions against his regime.

With the excuse of offering a New Year message, Ortega left his room and stood in the conference hall of his residence/bunker, to deliver his last speech of 2018, backed by his wife Rosario Murillo, Fidel Moreno, Secretary General of Managua Mayor’s Office (sanctioned with the Magnistsky Law) and by Gustavo Porras, President of the National Assembly.

Ortega stressed that the road to peace is “reconciliation,” and that the people, despite the difficulties that lie ahead in 2019, will know how to “work to get ahead.” The dictator said that in 2019 the battle for justice and peace will continue, “convinced that this goal will be achieved.”

“This is a heroic and courageous people, that in spite of the difficulties knows how to work, to advance, to open roads where obstacles are present and it is the challenge we have for 2019, to continue opening the way so that in this new path we can advance with more speed and quickly towards our goals,” said Ortega.

The “gallo pinto” (rice and beans) economy

The government repression against the civic protests dynamited a privileged relationship, revealing the fragility of the national economy, assured the economist Jose Luis Medal.

Surrounded by statistics that show the new failure of his economic management, Daniel Ortega proposed weeks ago to apply in the country a “gallo pinto” economy, appealing to the creativity and resistance of Nicaraguans to endure the hardships of an economic debacle caused by himself.

The problem is that this proposal is a fallacy, “a total absurdity, because taxes are not collected from rice and beans, which are tax-exempt. Taxes are collected from the sale of televisions, vehicles, and the formal sector of the economy.” Medal recalls.

Although it is true that “about 50% of the population already lives in the ‘gallo pinto’ economy, if vehicles are not sold—whose sale fully contracted this year—if the formal sector of the economy does not work, which is what generates fiscal revenues that allow the Government to function, how is the budget going to be covered?” He questioned.

“Remember that the Government has already adopted certain measures: it reduced the budget, which is contractive measure of the economy, and tax revenues have fallen. A “gallo pinto” economy does not generate fiscal revenues to maintain a state bureaucracy,” he emphasized.

During his last speech, Ortega indicated that “the challenges are huge, it is true, no one can deny it, but the people have showed that even in the biggest catastrophes, tragedies, they overcome them.”

The dictator insisted that Nicaragua has made progress despite the difficulties, and pointed out that it is a people of great faith, tenacity, laborious and creative. “These virtues, accompanied by the value of solidarity, become a powerhouse at moments like this, to resume or open new roads, new paths to peace, stability and the well-being of our families,” he stated.

Ortega got sentimental, and recalled that his government has inaugurated many public works despite the political and ideological differences. He spoke about the project of the road to Bluefields, adding that after it is finished, they will build a port so as not to depend entirely on those located in Costa Rica and Honduras.

“We will have our own port to export Nicaraguan products and import products from other regions, and to import the necessary inputs to develop economic activities in our country…and schools, health centers, roads, and paved streets could continue to be built,” said the dictator in a hopeful tone.

His New Year message ended with a kind of personality cult. All applauding, holding their hands and then singing the Ode to Joy.

Source: Confidencial.com.ni

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The Moment Three Armed Robbers Killed By Lone Security Guard in Coronado

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5 January 2019

Click here to see the video on Facebook.

Three men (farther 46, and his two sons 29 and 21) were shot and killed by a lone bank security guard when they tried to rob a woman, outside the BAC San Jose branch in Coronado, when she was about to enter bank to make a deposit.

The bank guard, whose identity has not been made public, noticing, as the video shows, what was going down outside the branch doors, intervenes and first gets into a scuffle with the robbers. A gunfight then ensues. Tow of the robbers are dead at the scene, the third died in hospital minutes later.

You need to watch the video a few times to understand what was going on, as one of the robbers, it appears the younger son who at first appears to be a stander-by and not part of the robbery, is clear seconds later when he takes his shot brother’s gun and fires on the guard.

In the meleé, the guard is hit by a bullet in the shoulder. He survived and taken to hospital where is recovering. The woman was struck by one of the assailants when he grabbed the money back from her is also recovering in hospital.

A video (see it at Q24TV) of security cameras was posted on Facebook on Friday by Ahora Las Noticias.

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Ruta 27 “One Way” To San Jose Saturday and Sunday

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4 January 2019

The Ruta 27 (San Jose – Caldera) will enable ‘carril reversible’ – reversible lane – to San Jose this weekend, when all lanes of the #27 between Orotina and Cuidad Colon will be one way to San Jose

The reversible is between 2 pm and 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday to allow vacationers a smoother return home to the Central Valley from the Pacific coast beaches and resorts.

Although the one way is between 2 and 8, expect the closure of the Caldera (Puntarenas) bound lanes to start around 1 pm and last to 8 pm, one hour before and after.

Drivers heading to the Pacific coast can use the following alternate routes:

Ruta 1: Cambronero – the Interamerican north highway from the airport to Puntarenas
Ruta 3: Atenas or the ‘old road to Jaco’ known as the Aguacate that runs from the Ruta 1 at Manolos (by the Recope) to Orotina.
Ruta 239: Ciudad Colón – Puriscal – Turrubares – Orotina. This route is a very scenic, but like the ‘Aguacate’, two lanes up and down the winding mountains.

Maximum speed on the Ruta 27 during the reversible is limited to 60 km/h.

To know the traffic conditions on the Ruta 27, Globalvia will staff telephones at 2588 4040. Online, you can check road conditions at Camarasvialescr.com, and Accidentes de Costa Rica on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, take note, that for the month of January the Ruta 27 will be reversible to San Jose on Sundays.

Thinking it can’t happen to you? Here are some images from Accidentes de Costa Rica to consider before getting behind the wheel this weekend (or at any other time). These are real photos or real accidents without any filters. All occurring within the last few days.

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161 parties want to participate in the 2020 municipal elections

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4 January 2019

A total of 161 political parties aspire to participate in the February 2020 municipal elections, to elect mayors, aldermen, and trustees in the 82 cantons of the country and in eight district municipal councils.

Of those groups, 92 are already registered with the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) – Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Among these, are the parties that currently have representation in the Legislative Assembly.

Twelve are new, that is, they are newly constituted. They have already submitted the application for registration and are waiting to be approved by that body. In as much, 57 more are aiming to complete the requirements.

Without a question, this is a “historic” amount of political forces interested in participating in an election, said Esteban Duran, head of the Electoral Programs Department of the TSE.

In the February 2018 municipal elections, there were 60 parties.

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3.9 Quake Hits Jaco

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4 January 2019

A 3.9 magnitude earthquake shook the area of Jaco at 9:47 pm Thursday.

According to the Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN) the quake’s epicenter was 45 kilometers south of Jaco, Garabito (9.211 & -84.715), at a depth of 18 km.

Meanwhile, the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (Ovsicori), reported the quake a 3.0 magnitude.

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28 criminals were killed while committing crimes in 2018, A 155% Increase Over 2017

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4 January 2019

A number never before seen: 28 criminals were killed while committing a crime during 2018. Most cases happened during assaults according to data provided by the Minister of Security, Michael Soto Rojas.

Soto explained that in 2017 there were 11 “events” where criminals were shot dead while committing a crime. The increase in 2018 of people fighting back their attackers with deadly force concerning.

“There are cases where there is legitimate defense protecting life, but in a large number of the cases there have been beatings and torture,” commented the Minister.

Soto pointed out the case in November where the owners of a mechanic garage called thevictims to come to the garage about an alleged theft of tools.

According to the police report, the victims denied the theft but were beaten, doused with gasoline and set on fire.

Arrested were Alvarez Ocampo (owner of the shop), Castro Quesada (employee) and Campos Ramírez (Alvarez’s partner).

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Bank Guard and Client Recuperating; Father And Two Sons Identified As The Attackers

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4 January 2019

The security guard at the BAC San Jose branch in Coronado who shot the three assailants on Thursday and the bank customer, the intended victim of the robbery, are in good condition and recuperating in hospital.

The attempted robbery occurred before noon on Thursday when three armed individuals who authorities confirmed are father and two sons, attempted to rob the bank customer outside the branch when the security guard noticed what was going down and opened fire on the assailants.

Two of the thieves were killed on site, the third died in hospital minutes after his arrival.

The three men were identified as Carlos Roberto Quesada Ramírez, 46 (father), Jessie Roberto Quesada Fuentes, 29 (Son), who had a criminal record and Daniel Quesada Fuentes, 21 (son).

One of the reports in the local Spanish media said the guard, a 52-year-old man whose identity has not been revealed, noted a recent perfect score in his last time at the firing range and excellent score on the correct handling, use and firing of a firearm and the evaluation of knowledge in safety principles to discern when to use the weapon and how to identify targets.

A BAC security expert, speaking anonymously said, “he (the guard) is an (security) agent with two years of working with the security of the bank. He is very disciplined, he is a very good agent. In practices he always does very well, normally the standard of BAC agents is very good”.

Marco Carrión, interim chief of the department of criminal investigations at the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ), explained the bank client, a woman accompanied by a man, was about to enter the bank at the time of the attack, she was going to make a deposit of ¢30 millones colones. She is a local merchant.

Carrión took the opportunity to remind people to use the services of an armored car when handling large sums of cash, to avoid a situation similar to that occurring on Thursday.

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The World’s Best Places to Retire in 2019 – InternationalLiving.com

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4 January 2019

Costa Rica was #1 in 2018.

“Where should you retire?” We can bet you’ve asked this question of yourself more than once. If not, you will.

“Where should I retire?” is the question we hear most often at International Living (IL). And this January, like and every January IL gives us their most definitive answer in the form of their Annual Global Retirement Index.

The Index scores the world´s top 25 retirement destinations across 13 categories, including the cost of living, governance, retiree benefits, climate, healthcare, and more. This yearly Index examines safe, good-value destinations beyond the U.S. or Canadian borders—comparing, contrasting, ranking, and rating them to select spots across the globe where a retired couple can live a comfortable, carefree life on $1,800 or less a month, all in.

The Index is a unique tool that allows potential expats to quickly and constructively compare and contrast their best options abroad and give their search some smart direction

And IL should know a thing or two about the subject, they have been publishing the Index for the last 29 years.

The 2019 Index includes a much bigger and ever-growing selection of outstanding destinations where you can live a healthier and happier life, spend a lot less money, and get a whole lot more.

But how do you choose? The Index is still the most comprehensive and in-depth survey of its kind. It’s the best way to sift through the wealth of opportunity the world offers, bring some order, and help you pinpoint the best destination for you.

According to InternationalLiving.com’s 2019 Global Retirement Index, the world’s top 10 retirement destinations are:

#1 Panama
#2 Costa Rica
#3 Mexico
#4 Ecuador
#5 Malaysia
#6 Colombia
#7 Portugal
#8 Peru
#9 Thailand
#10 Spain

IL Coastal Costa Rica Corresponden, Kathleen Evans, writes this about Costa Rica:

Costa Rica attracts visitors with its tropical climate; low cost of living; top-notch, affordable medical care; bargain real estate; and natural beauty.

Costa Rica has a stable democracy and a peace-loving culture. They abolished their army in 1948 and pledged that budget to education and healthcare. Often called the “Switzerland of Central America” it is known for its safety, neutrality and good banking system—especially compared to many other countries in the region. The current government is progressive and LGBT rights are respected.

One of the things you hear very often from expats is how warm and welcoming the Ticos (Costa Ricans) are. Overall, they are wonderful people, eager to share the magic of their culture with foreigners. You will also find great communities of expats who will help you through the process of acclimating to new surroundings and language. I joined a girl’s dinner group and quickly bonded with women from all over the world. I found it very easy to make friends since many folks move not knowing anyone and are often looking to forge new friendships.

Nicole Rangel from Texas says “From the moment we stepped off the plane in September 2017 with our five suitcases ready to move to Costa Rica with our two elementary age children, I felt the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders. The community is so supportive of each other and the locals. I pinch myself often because of how lucky my kids are.”

Once you have acquired your residency, you pay between 7% and 11% or your reported monthly income, and the socialized medicine program is available to you. You can also blend public healthcare with a private policy. The country has three JCI accredited hospitals and numerous private clinics. More doctors are also taking the U.S. retired military insurance called Tricare Overseas.

Costa Rica also has an outdoor loving culture – with activities from fishing to golfing to horseback riding to hiking to diving to yoga. Plus, there are less processed foods, and more healthy choices with an abundance of locally grown fruits, vegetables, organic eggs and endless seafood. Most of the people I know who have moved to Costa Rica have shed unwanted weight, are taking less prescription drugs and overall feel better.

And, with a dozen microclimates, there is someplace for everyone to fit your personal weather preferences. Many people love the temperate “eternal spring” climate of San Jose, the capital and all the surrounding Central Valley. Or the dry, hot beaches of Guanacaste, or the lush, green landscape of the jungles in the south.

What are the other top destinations?

#11 France
#12 Cambodia
#13 Italy
#14 Belize
#15 Malta
#16 Honduras (Roatan)
#17 Bolivia
#18 Ireland
#19 Vietnam
#20 Uruguay
#21 Sri Lanka
#22 Dominican Republic
#23 Bali
#24 Croatia
#25 Nicaragua

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4 Costa Rica Beaches In To 50 Beaches In Central America and Caribbean

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4 January 2019

Often touted as the Mecca of lust-worthy beaches, Central America and the Caribbean beaches provide ample reasons to pack your bagas and book a flight.

To ensure your vacation doesn’t disappoint, Flight Network has developed one of the most extensive lists of Central American and Caribbean beaches.

To create Central America and the Caribbean’s Top 50 Beaches FlightNetwork collected insight from over 1200 journalists, editors, bloggers, and agencies, who know travel.

According to this insight, four of Costa Rica’s beaches are in the top 50 in the region. Let’s meet them.

#8 Manuel Antonio (Puntarenas)

Manuel Antonio, located 7 kilometers south of Quepos, is one of the most popular of the Pacific coast beaches of Costa Rica. The beach is located within the Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the most biodiverse locations in the world. Whether you treasure relaxing on the beach or enjoying adventure activities on the water, Manuel Antonio will not disappoint.

#35 Punta Uva (Limon)

Located on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, this remote seaside fishing village will rewarded you with a blanket of green palm trees, a myriad of natural beauty and clear blue water. The laid-back Punta Uva is tucked away from the noisier crowded spots. There are just a handful of shops, small hotels and restaurants nearby. Unique to Costa Rica, the shallow reef is actually close enough to swim to, which makes for fantastic snorkeling and diving.

#37 Playa Conchal (Guanacaste)

Playa Conchal is located along the Costa Rican Gold Coast, a breath-taking beach filled with millions of shells that inspired its name. Take a dip in the warm azure waters or collect your favorite shells. Gaze back at the majestic rainforest. Walk towards the forest and you’ll find sandier spots to sink your toes into. The rich marine life offers a wealth of things to explore.

#49 Playa Sombrero (Puntarenas)

Looking for an ‘untouched natural paradise’, Playa Sombrero, on the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula, in Costa Rica’s South Pacific, is the place. Playa Sombrero is surrounded by lush rainforests and unmatched vistas.

Which are the other 46 life-enhancing beaches?

Click here for FlightNetwork’s Central America and Caribbean Top 50 Beaches.

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Colombia Probes Alleged Plot by Venezuelans to Assassinate President Duque

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3 January 2019

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The Colombian government is investigating a possible plot by three Venezuelan nationals to assassinate President Ivan Duque, Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a video message.

Authorities are investigating a presumed planned attempt President Iván Duque in which Venezuelan citizens would be involved

The trio was arrested in the cities of Valledupar and Barranquilla, according to Caracol Radio. They carried large-caliber weapons, a machine gun, a grenade, and a scope.

Colombian authorities are reportedly looking into whether the suspects had any links to the Venezuelan government. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier accused Bogota of a plot to kill him.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza responded on Twitter, saying that Venezuela had been trying to contact the Colombian top diplomat to offer police and intelligence help in probing the allegations.

“We will request from the Colombian authorities the information… regarding the three captured Venezuelan nationals with an intent to conduct a rigorous investigation,” he tweeted.

2/3 Le solicitaremos a las autoridades colombianas la información que ha hecho pública el Canciller @CarlosHolmesTru referida a 3 ciudadanos venezolanos capturados, con la plena disposición de adelantar una rigurosa investigación.

— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) December 30, 2018

Arreaza added that the Venezuelan government hoped to investigate together with Colombia the failed drone attack on President Maduro during his speech in Caracas on August 4.

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

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Brace Yourself For A Hike in Electricity Rates for 2019

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3 January 2019

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) – the national power and light company (and telecom) – announced it will be seeking an increase of 20% in electricity rates for 2019.

The increase comes only weeks after the regulator of public services, the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep), approved an 8% increase.

The new increase, if approved, would see rates go from the current ¢78.69 to ¢94.72 kWh for the first 200 kWh consumed in a month and from ¢141.82 to ¢170.71 on consumption over 200 kWh.

The increase represents an increase of ¢3.206 colones monthly for a family consuming 200 kWh. Their monthly bill would go from ¢15,738 to ¢18,944 colones starting on April 1.

Weeks back, Irene Cañas, said that Grupo ICE would close 2018 in the red, the state institution reporting a ¢314 billion colones loss, almost of half (46%) due to the dollar exchange rate.

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570 Drivers Walking For Not Having Paid The Marchamo

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3 January 2019

OCSK7SVCOZEQJOU5JGUDDJNY24 — One of the tools of every Transito is a screwdriver or remove license platres. Photo Alonso Tenorio

At 12:01 am January 1, drivers without the respective 2019 Marchamo or circulation permit faced a fine of ¢53,340 colones and/or the seizure of license plates.

One of the tools of every Transito is a tool to remove license platres. Photo Alonso Tenorio

In less than 72 hours, the Policia de Transito (Traffic Police) reports issuing 570 tickets and confiscation of the same number of license plates.

Drivers who had their plates seize had to endure the cost of a tow or face confiscation of the vehicle as well.

Making the situation worse is that the Cosevi offices are closed this week, re-opening on Monday, January 7.

In addition, Transito reports issuing an unspecified number of fines for ¢23,000 colones to drivers who had paid the Marchamo but failed to apply the sticker on their windshield.

Mine. Transito with a seized a motorcycle for circulating without the respective 2019 Marchamo. Photo Alonso Tenorio

The Traffic police will maintain operations throughout the country for the rest of the week, including roadblocks in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM), among other things, monitoring that drivers are behind the wheel of a vehicle with the 2019 Marchamo paid.

According to the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS), some 270,000 vehicle still have their Marchamo unpaid.

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Bank Guard In Shootout Kills Three In Attempted Assault On Bank Client

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3 January 2019

It was before noon on Thursday when three men attempted to assault a client of the BAC San Jose branch located in Paseo Nuevo, in Vasquez de Coronado, on the east side of San Jose.

Two of the assailants died at the scene, shot by the bank security guard, the third assailant died in hospital minutes after his arrival at the medical center.

Original report: Noon Assault On Bank Client in Coronado: 2 Dead and 2 In Hospital

The bank guard and the intended victim of the assault were injured in the shootout. They are recovering in the Hospital Calderon Guardia.

According to the Ministry of Public Security (MSP), the suspects arrived on a motorcycle and wearing bulletproof vests. One of them wore a uniform with the logo of the Correos de Costa Rica (Costa Rican Post Office).

The assailants, identified as 46-year-old Carlos Roberto Quesada Ramirez, Jesse Quesada Fuentes, 29 and Daniel Quesada Fuentes, 21, arrived in a motorcycle and a vehicle. Authorities suspect a fourth assailant may by at large.

Authorities say the intended victim was carrying ¢30 million colones, which he was going to deposit at the branch.

Apparently, the bank guard noticed a suspicious attitude of the three men outside the bank entrance and got into a shootout with them.

The deaths of the assailants was confirmed by the director of the Fuerza Publica (National Police, Daniel Calderon. The identity of the assailants was not made public.

Kenneth Lopez, spokesperson for Correos, ruled out the assailant wearing the uniform was an employee of the post office. Lopez said he did check of the postmen in charge of the area and “all was well”.

In addition, the license plate of the motorcycle used in the frustrated assault is not registered with the Correos.

For its part, the BAC San Jose issued a statement to the press in which it explained that the client (intended victim) was about to enter the branch when he was confronted by the assailants.

“Immediately, the security forces intervened. This generated a confrontation with the criminals,” the bank said in the statement.

José Sánchez, who was withdrawing money from the bank’s ATM told said he saw that one of the assailants was running towards the branch with a gun in his hand and took cover.

He told La Nacion, “I saw when he took out the gun (…). I looked for cover, I went running to my car that was inside the parking lot of the mall and there I stayed. The branch was not full of people, but there were people.”

He added that he heard six or seven shots fired while he was inside his car.

The last bank robbery occurred last October when assailants entered the San Francisco de Dos Ríos branch of the Banco Popular. The assailants arrived at the branch after 8 am, tied up staff, including the two guards and took their cell phones.

According to information by police, in that robbery, the thieves took 12 minutes. The silent alarm was triggered, but they were gone by the time police arrived. No details were given on what and how much they took from the bank.

In March, four men took advantage of a distracted guard of the Banco Nacional in Moravia. In five minutes, two of the men took off with a bag of money and abandoned their motorcycles less than a kilometer away.

In both cases, no one was injured.

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Noon Assault On Bank Client in Coronado: 2 Dead and 2 In Hospital

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3 January 2019

A shootout in Coronado minutes before noon resulted in 2 dead and 2 others in hospital, one of which is believed to be one of the assailants, is in critical condition in hospital.

The other in hospital is the intended victim of the attempted assault.

Initially, it was believed the assault was on the BAC branch in Coronado. However, José Calderon, regional director of the Fuerza Publica, explained that it was an attempted assault on a customer of the bank, occurring outside the branch located in a strip plaza, and not on the bank.

Apparently, the plaza security guard, realizing what was going down, opened fire on the assailants, killing two of the 3 assailants.

Police believe a fourth person, having left the scene, may also be involved

This story is developing.

Last update 1:15pm.

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85, The Number Of Crashes With The Train in 2018

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3 January 2019

The number of vehicle crashes involving the train in 2018 was 85.

The good news is that the number, though it is still high, is much lower than the 156 in 2017 and 118 on 2016.

The bad news, five people lost their lives in the crashes. In addition, five pedestrians were fatally hit by the train, for a death total of 12 for 2018.

The national railway, the Incofer, reminds drivers to be respectful of the train and people not to walk on the tracks, using the tracks as their personal right of way, not minding that the train can come at any time.

It is expected that the train level crossings will improve the situation, that is reduce the number of crashed between vehicles and the train.

But, there is still the pedestrain factor.

55 people have been run over by the train in the last three years.

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Cold and strong winds caused damage, blamed for the death of young tourist in Varablanca

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3 January 2019

traslado-pacientes-hospital-mexico-4-accidnete-cinchina-octubre-2016 — Image for illustrative purposes

A high-pressure system is responsible for the cold and strong winds in most of Costa Rica since the beginning of the new year.

The phenomenon caused winds that reach up to 90 kilometers per hour in Guanacaste and gusts of up to 70 kilometers in the Central Valley.

In La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Varablanca de Heredia, a 13-year-old girl was struck by a fallen tree caused by the strong winds on Wednesday.

Paramedics confirmed that the young girl, an American tourist and whose identity has not been released to the public, had trauma to her head and due to her seriousness, was airlifted to the Hospital Mexico in San Jose where she died hours later.

A 13-year-old American tourist was airlifted to the Hospital Mexico after being struck by a fallen tree in La Paz, Varablanca de Heredia, caused by the strong winds on Wednesday. She died later in hospital. Photo Cristian Cartín

Susana Saravia, from the press office at the hospital Mexico, confirmed the death occurred at 3:20 pm, despite efforts to save her.

In San Pablo de Heredia a billboard gave way to the force of the winds and fell on the train line causing an interruption in the electric power in the area for most of the day Wednesday.

In Cartago, the winds caused the temeprature to dip to 13 Celsius (55 Fahrenheit).

The forecast more of the same for today, Thursday.

In addition, experts recommend taking measures to avoid skin damage caused by the sun.

The sun does not get cold with strong and cold winds. Some people think the sun gets colder with the cooler temperatures. But this idea is wrong.

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Pickup Collides With Bus on the Ruta 32, One Dead, 16 Injured

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3 January 2019

A collision between a bus and pickup on the Ruta 32, in the area of Carrandi, Matina, in the province of Limon on Wednesday left one dead and 16 others injured.

The Cruz Roja (Red Cross) reported eight of the injured required a transfer to hospital.

Though the reasons are unclear, the Policia de Transito (Traffic Police) reported the driver of the pickup lost control and crashed head-on with the bus.

The incident occurring at 7:15 am, the road was slippery. The fatal victim, 18 years of age, was the driver of the pickup. His identity was not released.

The bus, traveling in the San José-Limon direction carried 25 passengers.

The Ruta 32 was closed off for hours, re-opening shortly after 11 am, when Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) agents concluded their crime scene investigation.

This death was not the only one in the first two days of the year.

Though the number of road deaths was lower in 2018 over the previous year, 2019 has not gotten off to a good start. And that does include the big travel weekend that is about to start.

The number of deaths in the first three days of the year has been released by authorities.

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Important! How many holidays fall on weekends? Write them down.

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3 January 2019

bull-fights-major-attraction — Bullfights are a major attraction at Costa Rica festivals. Photo La Nacion

Corrected: August 2 is the Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles and October 12 the Encuentro de las Culturas. Originally the article had August 1 and October 13.

Check your calendar, 2019 will be a year of many ‘legal’ holidays falling on a Sunday. By itself it is not a big deal, as is often the case, it just means a long – or longer, as in the case of Costa Rica – weekend.

But, hold on a minute or three, there are some holidays that are not – cannot be – moved to the Monday.

One of those is the mother of all holidays in Costa Rica, Mother’s Day, the day that is ALWAYS on August 15 and the day that HAS TO BE celebrated on August 15.

Some years back there was an attempt, just like moving the clocks back or forward an hour, to celebrate Mother’s Day the Monday following August 15. Guess what happened? There were two holidays that year: one on August 15, though not a legal holiday most still didn’t show for work and the second, on Monday next.

So what are the ‘legal’ holidays for 2019 and which fall on a Sunday?

Janury 1. Come and gone.
April 11. Juan Santamaria Day: Thursday
April 14 – 21. Seman Santa (Though Thursday and Friday are the only legal holidays)
May 1. Labor Day: Wednesday
July 25. Anexión del Partido de Nicoya a Costa Rica (the annexation of Guanacaste): Thursday
August 2. Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles: Friday
August 15. Mother’s Day (Día de la Madre): Thursday
September 15. Independence Day: Sunday
October 12. Encuentro de las Culturas: Saturday
December 25. Christmas: Wednesday
January 1, 2020. New Year’s Day: Wednesday.

Oh wait, there is an only legal holiday on a Sunday in 2019, all the rest are mid-week, which means, including September 15, all will most likely be moved to the following Monday. Except, if you were paying attention, the August 15 holiday. And what day is that?

Hope this is informative, helping you plan, if you live and/or work in Costa Rica, your long weekends and for visitors on business what is open and closed and when.

For tourists, hey you are on vacation, Costa Rica’s primary industry is you (the tourist) and is never closed for you.

Pura Vida, Mae.

Feliz Año

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Pura Vida! Hope for Change!

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3 January 2019

It might seem the world is going “Pura Vida,” adopting a “pure” style of living, by the reaction to a video filmed in Costa Rica by marine biologist Christine Figgener’s team removing a plastic straw stuck in an olive ridley sea turtle’s nose in August 2015.

Across the United States and Europe, individuals, corporations, and communities began boycotting and banning single-use plastic drinking straws – Ed Begley Jr., Starbucks, and Seattle, to mention a few.

It makes for a puzzling paradox, an eight-minute video generating such concern — time will tell whether their action is a “straw man,” a distraction, or the advent of a change in attitude.

People travel to Costa Rica for its eco-tourism, beaches, volcanoes, canopied rain forests, and snorkeling with sea turtles. We marvel at the creatures that share the planet, and it’s now known that we also share our garbage with them.

The Journal of Global Change Biology reports that synthetic fibers from tires, cigarette butts, and plastics have been found in the gut of sea turtles. Philip Schwabl, gastroenterologist, Medical University of Vienna, studied the feces of residents from eight different European countries and Japan with similar results.

Marine biologist Christine Figgener poses with a sea turtle and members of her research team on their boat in Costa Rica in 2015. L to R: Macdonal Gomez, Daniel Stuart, Christine Figgener, Andrey MacCarthy, and Vee Koleff.
Provided by Christine Figgener

Many take a cruise ship, floating communities built to be the acme of good living, with comfort and convenience. The amount of waste and pollution per day that a cruise ship generates — 21,000 tons of sewage, 170,000 gallons of wastewater, 25 pounds of batteries, fluorescent lights, medical waste, 8,500 plastic bottles, and enough sulfur dioxide to equal 13.1 million cars, is the uncalculated cost.

As an individual, our footprint may seem slight, but, when aggregated, the problem of pollution comes into focus.

The advance of civilization is like “building cruise ships,” maximizing the standard of living, minimizing the consequences. The rivers of the world, flowing from high to low lands, provided accessibility to fertile land, fresh water, and avenues of commerce. Upon the banks, settlements were built that grew into cities, the rivers carrying the residue of our presence to the sea.

When the river reminded us of its strength by stretching its waters, we would attempt to channelize it.

“There is no tonic like the Housatonic,” Oliver Wendel Holmes, justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, said of the river in Connecticut and Massachusetts. In 1930, sociologist W. E. B. DuBois, who grew up on the banks of the Housatonic, spoke of “turning our backs to the rivers.” His speech was a reminder that the beauty and serenity of a free-flowing river should be as important to our way of life as is commerce.

There are 500 million single-use plastic drinking straws used in the United States daily, enough to circumvent the earth 2.5 times. Perhaps the video of a distressed sea turtle will be the “straw that broke the camel’s back,” visual communication generates awareness. Friends of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary will host the 7th annual Thunder Bay International Film Festival Jan. 23 to 27, featuring themes related to rivers, lakes, and seas.

“For convenience sake, we deny the truth and look past it. Instant pleasure transforms quickly into immense pain.” — Amitav Chowdhury, poet, thinker, and philosopher

Article first appeared at Thealpenanews.com

If you would like to support research and conservation efforts in Costa Rica, please think about donating to our GoFundMe Campaign http://gofundme.com/wuhvd6zj

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South America does not help self-employed individuals thrive, study shows

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3 January 2019

Uruguay and Argentina finished last and next respectively in a study carried out by international consultants Expert Market on the difficulties faced by self-employed individuals in 57 countries, it was reported Saturday.

Topping the list where starting a business is most favored was Hong Kong.

The researchers, who specialize in comparing products and services worldwide, have concluded that South America is a difficult continent for the self-employed, and countries such as Peru and Ecuador are also near the bottom of the list.

Expert Market highlighted that these four countries have a poor transport infrastructure and low internet speed.

Also, the World Bank has given them a poor score in terms of the conditions to start a business, which means that novice entrepreneurs will find more obstacles than in other parts of the world at the early stages of its operation, a period which is crucial for future development.

On the other hand, topping the list where starting a business is most favoured were Hong Kong, the United States, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

The former British domain in China was ranked first thanks to its transport network, and was placed second when it came down to access to credit, in addition to one of the three lowest tax rates.

Expert Market draws up its list comparing countries based on eight items: cost of living, income tax, access to credit, average Internet speed, transport networks, free WiFi availability, cost of a cup of coffee and favourabilitt of the conditions to start a business. Once the data about these items has been collected, a general score is calculated.

Best 10 countries for self-employed individuals:

Hong Kong
USA
South Korea
United Arab Emirates
UK
Spain
New Zealand
8. Estonia
Bulgaria
Czech Republic

Worst 10 countries for self-employed individuals:

57. Uruguay
56. Argentina
55. Israel
54. Philippines
53. Ecuador
52. Slovenia
51. Costa Rica
50. Ireland
49. Belgium
48. Peru.

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Ecuador Welcomes New Year With ‘Dance With the Devil’

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3 January 2019

people_celebrate_the_new_year_for_a_week_in_pillarox_ecuador_.jpg_1718483346 — People dressed as devils celebrate the new year in Pillaro, Ecuador, Jan. 2, 2018. | Photo: EFE

The new year arrives in Pillaro, a colorful city in the Tungurahua province of Ecuador, with devils dancing non-stop to a contagious rhythm throughout the week, calling out for renewal and purification of the soul.

People dressed as devils celebrate the new year in Pillaro, Ecuador, Jan. 2, 2018. | Photo: EFE

This is the “Diablada of Pillaro,” a celebration in which dancers become characters disguised in devil masks that, far from frightening, call out for participants to relish in the thousand-year-old tradition.

This one-week celebration began on Jan. 1 to the almost 30,000 visitors who arrived in this Andean city to celebrate the New Year’s event to dance with the devil.

“It is expected that 60,000 visitors attend the celebration every day,” Patricio Sarabia, Pillaro’s mayor, said.

La Diablada de Píllaro es una celebración que ha crecido en la última década. Según cuenta la historia, en épocas coloniales los indígenas se disfrazaban de diablos en repudio a las prédicas sacerdotales y al maltrato físico y moral que recibían de los españoles.#ViajaEcuador pic.twitter.com/9GdjQGtwVh

— Viaja Ecuador (@ViajaPrimeroEC) January 2, 2019

“The Diablada of Pillaro is a celebration that has grown in the last decade. According to the story, in colonial times, Indians disguised themselves as devils in repudiation of priestly proselytization and the physical and moral mistreatment they received from the Spanish.”

Angel Velasco, a local artisan, recounted that he began with the trade of making devil’s masks 43 years ago and that he has perfected his technique with value outside the country.

The Diablada of Pillaro, besides being part of Ecuador’s intangible heritage, “is a time to enjoy. It is not a devil’s cult but a dance. It provides an overflowing joy because the devils will dance again when the new year arrives,” Velasco explained.

The devil masks are elaborate, in a meticulous way, and each of them can cost between US$60 and US$200, depending on the design.

Artists, politicians, academics and foreigners usually buy devil’s masks, which are often used to adorn homes and museums abroad.

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Venezuelan Gov’t Takes Over Goodyear Plant After Company’s Withdrawal – Reports

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3 January 2019

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

Venezuelan authorities have announced the immediate introduction of government control over the plant of the US-based Goodyear tire manufacturing company, located in the country’s northern Carabobo state, local media reported, citing the Labor Ministry’s order published in Gaceta Oficial newspaper.

The document stipulated that the employees of the factory should return to their workplaces for resuming manufacturing processes, according to the Globovision news outlet, citing the order.

Goodyear announced shutting down its factory in Venezuela in mid-December, citing hyperinflation and economic crisis in the South American country. The company, which employed over 1,200 people, said it would pay severance packages to its staff and give 10 tires to each of the employees.

Notably, the company said it did not authorize anyone to manufacture tires under its trademark in Venezuela.

Goodyear was the latest foreign corporation to cease its operations in the crisis-torn country.

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Costa Rica: ‘It’s not Nicaragua Who Determines The Legality of the Application of the Democratic Charter’

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3 January 2019

LXNYB62CAJFK3IXQZAQCMTMTKU — El secreatario general de la OEA, Luis Almagro, y la presidenta del Consejo Permanente, Montserrat Solano, en la sesión extraordinaria, en Washigton, el 27 de diciembre. Foto cortesía de Presidencia

Costa Rica rejected the statements of the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister, Denis Moncada, who described as illegal the process that could suspend his country from the Organization of American States (OAS).

The Secretary-General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, and the Chair of the Permanent Council, Montserrat Solano, in Washington, on December 27.

“It is not the Nicaraguan Chancellor who determines the legality or otherwise of the application of the Inter-American Democratic Charter,” Costa Rica’s interim Foreign Minister, Lorena Aguilar, said on Wednesday.

She added that the government of Carlos Alvarado “maintains its support for the application of Article 20 of the Democratic Charter”, which would lead to a thorough review of the fulfillment of democratic mandates by the government of Daniel Ortega and, eventually, a suspension of Nicaragua as a member of the OAS.

If there is a rupture of the democratic order, the Ortega regime would be exposed to a freezing of the loans granted by multilateral financial institutions of the Inter-American region, as well as a suspension of diplomatic relations with the rest of the countries and the banishment of the political forums.

Aguilar added that the country is holding consultations within the Working Group of the Permanent Council on Nicaragua, which is also composed of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, United States, Guyana, Mexico, Panama and Peru.

“The (OAS) States are holding talks with each other, particularly the members of the Working Group from the moment the Secretary General sent the note and it was informed to the States. These conversations seek to define the next steps to be taken in the face of the letter sent by the Secretary General,” said Aguilar.

On December 29, OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, asked Costa Rica to activate the process.

In response, on January 1, in a note addressed to the foreign ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean, Nicaragua’s Foreign Minister Moncada said that the invocation of the Democratic Charter is an act “unlawful, illegal, without legal basis.”

He alleged that Almagro does not have the authority to invoke said mechanism, in compliance with Article 20.

Article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, established in 2001, empowers the general secretary or any member state to request the immediate convocation of the Permanent Council to make a collective assessment of the situation and adopt the decisions it deems appropriate.

However, Nicaragua’s interpretation of the article is that it is the responsibility of the general secretary or a member state to invoke the Democratic Charter only when the affected State can not do so because there has been an alteration in the constitutional order, which has not occurred in Nicaragua, according to Moncada.

Almagro announced the application of this mechanism after the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) revealed that in the neighboring country, behaviors have been recorded that should be considered as “crimes against humanity.”

In his rejection, Moncada argued that the Democratic Charter was constituted to restore the democratic governments or when there is a coup d’etat, which is not the situation in Nicaragua, he argued.

He accused Almagro of supporting coup groups and terrorist forces in his country, “intending to drag the member states to their irresponsible and illegal actions against Nicaragua.”

“I kindly request the support of your governments so that the requests of the Secretary General, related to the application of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, are not approved by the OAS,” concluded the Chancellor.

How is the Democratic Charter activated?

The Inter-American Democratic Charter of the OAS applies when there is an alteration or a breakdown of the democratic order. The process can lead to its suspension from the regional body.

In the first instance, it is necessary for the Permanent Council of the body to declare by simple majority (with 18 votes) of its members that there is an alteration of the constitutional and democratic order. If this is endorsed, the OAS should undertake diplomatic efforts to try to resolve the crisis through dialogue and mediation.

In the event that the suspension process fails to obtain the required votes, with the vote of two thirds of the members (24 votes) it is possible to call an extraordinary session of the General Assembly of the organization.

Once again, the diplomatic channel would be tried and, if it failed, the vote of 24 countries would be necessary again to suspend Nicaragua from the entity, which would stop participating in the programs and activities of the OAS.

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Filmed in Costa Rica, footage shows how a ‘scuba-diving’ lizard can breathe underwater

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3 January 2019

5c214193e04d62080f26c286-1136-852 — Aquatic insects like diving beetles use a similar method of underwater breathing.

Scientists have discovered how lizards breathe underwater by using a bubble of air trapped on their nose.

It had previously been thought that the reptiles held their breath for up to 16 minutes when they submerged.

But close scrutiny of new footage of a land-dwelling river anole reveals that it breathes from a bubble of air believed to be held around its head and throat.

Scientists say it is similar to how a diver breathes from an air tank.

Footage, filmed in Coto Brus, Costa Rica, captures the reptile’s nose as it bulges at the bridge – revealing the substantial air pocket.

But the bubble only remains in place for a second before the bulge completely disappears.

This process repeats every few seconds as inhalation and exhalation of the air bubble allows for ‘trading’ of fresh air among these air pockets.

Dr Lindsey Swierk, who captured the footage, said she ‘doesn’t know too much’ about the phenomenon yet but believes it could be similar to a technique used by a diving beetle.

A water anole breathing underwater. Lindsey Swierk/Youtube

‘Diving beetles will trap air bubbles on their body surfaces using surface tension, and they can breathe the air within these bubbles,’ she told Business Insider.

Dr Swierk had been studying the water reptile for four years before the discovery was made.

The Assistant Research Professor at Binghamton University in New York said: ‘This behaviour opens up fascinating new doors that allow us to investigate how terrestrial animals adapt to aquatic habitats.

‘I started looking into this odd behaviour in 2015, when I noted a lizard spending 16 minutes completely submerged.

‘I was both impressed and confused about the length of the dive, which motivated me to take a closer look with an underwater camera.

‘We are still figuring out what is going on, but it’s certainly an exciting hypothesis to examine.’

The air then disappears beneath the lizard’s skin – leaving no trace of ever having appeared

Dr Swierk has studied lizards for 10 years and said she has never witnessed this phenomenon before – which she believes is to help the reptiles avoid predators.

She said: ‘We really don’t know too much about this phenomenon yet, which makes it so interesting.

‘I think it’s possible that some air pockets are being trapped around the anole’s head and throat, and the inhalation and exhalation of the air bubble allow for some ‘trading’ of fresh air among these air pockets.

Anolis aquaticus, also known as the water anole.Etienne Boncourt/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

‘Or perhaps it has to do with using the bubble to get rid of CO2.

‘It’s easy to “disappear” to a predator’s eye once you hide underwater for a few minutes.’

However, Swierk is quick to caution that her work is in its infancy, and she is simply reporting on a “cool observation”.

Water anoles are only found in Costa Rica and parts of Panama.Shutterstock/Vilainecrevette

No study has been published on the topic, although a short natural history observation will be published in the March issue of Herpetological Review. Nevertheless, she believes her work could eventually lead to a better understanding of how evolution has led to multiple solutions to the same problem – how species remain underwater for long periods of time.

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Costa Rica achieves “small victory” by reducing the number of homicides

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1 January 2019