Starting Monday, July 2, and for the next two weeks, there will be no vehicular restrictions in downtown San Jose.
The restrictions will return on Monday, July 16, with license plates 1 and 2.
The next two weeks are the traditional “mid-year school vacation” period when many take to the beaches and resorts to take advantage of the two-week school break.
Traditionally the period is also known as “veranillo de San Juan”, a break in the rainy season. However, given climate change affecting the land of Pura Vida as well, there may not be the typical sunny break from the rain. At least not like it used to be.
The Director of the Policia de Transito, German Marín, explained that the decision is made based on the experience of previous years, in which there is a significant reduction in the number of vehicles entering and transiting the capital, since primary and secondary students are on vacation, as are their teachers.
Also, many parents also take vacations to coincide with the school break.
Marin added that his officials will be reinforcing coverage along the major highways and resort towns.
A couple of months ago, Victoria Elizabeth Rovira Hernández (23 years old) made an application to the Civil Registry with the purpose of requesting a change of name, in accordance with the amendment approved by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) in May.
After a long wait, he received the approval by email where the change of name becomes official, going from Josué to Victoria.
After learning of the news, Josué decided to publish on social the networks where he expressed his happiness at the decision, where he received comments in support.
Buenas tardes playos, tortis, travestis, bisetsuales, queers, heterxs y toda la diversidad completa, les quiero mostrar algo hermoso que acaba de suceder, hace menos de una hora ❤️????
Es oficial güilas ???????? pic.twitter.com/3WMrYkoq8K
— Vicky La Travesti Rovira. (@lamatrona94) June 27, 2018
“Vicky”, a speaker and fighter of human rights, conducts talks around the country regarding communication and discrimination.
Yo me veo en el espejo y siento envidia de mi misma, es que no se puede ser tan guapa.
O sea ¿Cómo me van a decir que soy un hombre disfrazado? Ya quisieran algunos hombres verse así de bien ????????. pic.twitter.com/MSWIX1luJG
— Vicky La Travesti Rovira. (@lamatrona94) June 19, 2018
“I look in the mirror and I envy myself, that I cannot be more beautiful. I mean, how can they say to me I’m a man in disguise? Some men wish they could look this good.”
However, Victoria is not the first Costa Rican to obtain a change. As reported by the TSE at least 107 transsexuals obtained the name change and another some 190 applications have been received.
Ziad Akl, the 45-year-old Canadian-Lebanese, who with his brother Elias formed one of the most vicious loan shark operations in the country, accepted the charges against him and agreed to an abbreviated process that could see the 23-year prison sentence confirmed by the Pavas Criminal Court in the coming days.
The brothers Akl. Ziad (left) was detained at the San Jose airport trying to flee the country the afternoon his brother Elias (right) was gunned down while dropping off his daugther at school in Guachipelin, Escazu.
The Akl brothers, known to Costa Rican authorities and recommended expelled from the country, formed the criminal group dedicated to lending money at exorbitant rates, in which, in case of non-compliance, debtors were subjected to beatings, torture, robbery and other violence.
Akl, was arrested at the Juan Santamaria international airport in San Jose (SJO) on May 15, 2017, hours after his brother Elías was murdered in Guachipelín de Escazú, while taking his young daughter to school.
According to the Office of Narcotrafficking and Related Crimes, informal taxi drivers as their main clients of the Akl brothers, who along with others, operated out of a luxury home in Guachipelin.
The authorities determined that between 2016 and 2017, the Akl brothers – together with the others – committed crimes of attempted homicide, extortion, kidnapping, aggravated and robbery, among other crimes.
The judicial investigation determined that at least 200 people took out loans with the Akl brothers. The clients, in their majority, were from Escazú, Santa Ana, La Sabana and other surroundings of the greater metropolitan area.
The Akl brothers asked few requirements of their customers to obtain the money, typically an informal guarantor, who would ultimately answer if the debt was not repaid.
If the customer was late (in repaying) a bully, who was sometimes Ziad, was sent to collect. If the customer could not pay, they went to the guarantor.
The amounts typically ranged from US$2,000 to US$20,000 dollars.
“When the victims claimed they could not pay the full debt, the brothers threatened these people and their families. In specific cases, the sentenced person (Akl) threatened the lives of his victims, deprived them of their liberty, robbed them and caused physical injuries,” said the accusation made by the prosecution.
Ziad Akl has been in custody since his arrrest.
This is how the loans operated:
The client (borrower) showed up at the gym owned and operated by the Akl brothers in Escazu, with an informal guarantor who would ultimately respond (pay) for the debt.
They signed a kind of promissory note, reached a basic agreement and agreed on the amount and term of the loan.
The loans came with heavy penalties for late payment.
1 day late: interest would be ¢2,000 colones per ¢100.000 borrowed.
Second day late, the fine was double: ¢4,000 colones per ¢100.000 borrowed.
Fourth day late, the fine was now ¢17,000 colones per ¢100.000 borrowed.
Fifth day late: threats, aggressions and intimidation begins (by text message, calls or on social networks).
The fines and threats were in addition to the original borrowed amount to be repaid.
@pxmolina calls for the world to pay attention to what’s happening in Nicaragua, where violence and repression by the government of president Daniel Ortega is leaving children dead in its wake.
The violence in Nicaragua since the protests against the government of Daniel Ortega began mid-April leaves a death toll of 285, more than 1,500 were injured and 156 missing between April 18 and June 25, according to the report presented Tuesday by the Nicaraguan Association for Human Rights (ANPDH).
Meanwhile, the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh) counts the dead at 212 up to last Sunday.
The Cenidh said it is investigating possible deaths in recent days. Of the 285 deaths reported by ANPDH, 262 have been identified and registered by the agency with name, date, place and cause of death.
According to the report, most of the victims are young people who died from bullet wounds to the head and thorax in the capital city of Managua and Masaya.
Masay, 30 km south of the capital, is under a permanent threat of bloodshed and has been heavily punished by government repression.
In June alone at least 120 deaths have occurred, coinciding with the appearance, at the end of May, of groups of armed civilians participating in intimidations and shootings with the National Police against demonstrators.
What a wild finish! First, an initial penalty is determined to have been off-side through VAR. Then, Costa Rica are awarded another penalty shortly thereafter. Bryan Ruiz hits the crossbar but the ball bounces off goalie Yann Sommer’s head and into the net to finish 2-2.
Bryan Ruiz ties the game with a penalty kick at minute 93
It a happened in the last few minutes of the game, the Ruiz goal clocked in at minute 93.
Unbelievable!
Costa Rica sheds the title of the team with not having scored a goal in the World Cup 2018 and goes home with one point rather than a zero.
After all is said and done, Brazil and Switzerland are moving on from Group E, Costa Rica is packing its bags for the trip home.
After the government’s decision to destroy the barricades in León, the citizens decided on Tuesday to build ditches (zanjas in Spanish) on the public roads of the neighborhoods Laborío, Zaragoza and Sutiaba, as a means of protection against the stalking of the so-called “trucks of death”.
Ditches as a means of protection against the stalking of the so-called death trucks. Photo: José Luis González / END –
Since last June 22, the municipality with the support of armed police and paramilitaries and “men in hoods”, have been given the task of intimidating the population and destroy the more than 400 barricades. Dozens of injured and arrested as a result.
“It’s inhumane what the police are doing, they shoot at all the people they see in the streets, they remove the barricade but they do not respect the citizens, this Monday I spent 45 minutes sheltered in a house for fear of being killed”, said Martinez, who called on the government to regulate this situation.
For his part, Byron Fuentes, a bus driver at the Sutiaba Bus Terminal, said he has stopped working for 10 days but supports the protests of the people.
“The roads are obstructed but we seek to circulate even against it but the important thing is to provide the service and respect the struggle that the population has,” said Fuentes, a member of Cotranscul.
Ditches as a means of protection against the stalking of the so-called death trucks. Photo: José Luis González / END –
Francisco Ramón Berrios, one of the more than three thousand “caponeros” (moto taxi drivers) who circulate illegally in the city, said that the barricades have not been an obstacle to work.
“The people who are in the barricades have left areas free for the pedestrian and vehicular crossing above all in the morning hours, at night they close them again as a precaution,” said Berrios, who admitted that the business has been very good.
Costa Rica is second in Latin America in school bullying with almost 11% of children claimed to have been victim of according to the PISA report conducted in 2015 by this body. The data was revealed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Psychological bullying
On average across OECD countries, around 11% of students reported that they are frequently (at least a few times per month) made fun of, 7% reported that they are frequently left out of things, and 8% reported that they are frequently the object of nasty rumors in school. More than 10% of students in 34 out of 53 countries and economies reported that their peers make fun of them at least a few times per month.
Social bullying
In Latin America, in the ‘Index of exposure to bullying’, Costa Rica scored a 0.10. Colombia had the highest score with a 0.16.
A similar proportion of students in 13 of 53 countries and economies reported that others frequently leave them out of things, while in 16 out of 53 countries and economies, more than 10% of students of students reported that they are frequently the object of nasty rumors.
Group bullying
The phenomenon does not remain at the grade and high school level and covers other contexts, among them, technical schools and universities.
On average across OECD countries, boys were more likely than girls to report being victims of all forms of bullying.
Among the most common types of bullying is verbal aggression, which according to the psychologist Sonia Chinchilla of the Department of Counseling and Psychology of the TEC, located in Cartago, has filtered into Costa Rican culture. Chinchilla especially highlights the treatment between Costa Rican men, where bullying occurs frequently.
“There are things that seem normal in the culture that are not (…) When the pressure is from a group, bullying is much stronger and has different effects,” said Chinchilla.
Former legislator and perennial presidential candidate, Otto Guevara
Former legislator and perennial presidential candidate for the Movimiento Libertario, Otto Guevara, commented that the Government must open a process to dismiss the thousands of trade unionists and public officials that participated in Monday’s strike against the fiscal plan that is currently being discussed in the Legislative Assembly.
Former legislator and perennial presidential candidate, Otto Guevara
According to Guevara, what is proper is to reduce the day not worked from their salary.
The former legislator also wants to see the government fire each public official who abandoned his or her post on Monday and “without employer responsibility” (severance pay and benefits).
The strike was called by the two great union blocs: Patria Justa and Bussco, that brought together some of the countries largest public employee unions such as the ANDE that represents public school teachers, the ANEP representing the majority of public sector workers, and ASDEICE representing a large block of ICE workers.
Switzerland will face the already eliminated Costa Rica today, Wednesday. A win or even a draw will be enough for Switzerland to advance in World Cup 2018 play.
For Costa Rica, also known as the “Switzerland of Central America”, on the other hand, it’s not a matter of winning or losing, though winning would surely give the Ticos and fans at home a relief, it’s the risk of an unwanted record in Russia.
The Ticos are in danger of being the only team to finish the World Cup in Russia without a goal.
Costa Rican was eliminated after losing 1-0 to Serbia and 2-0 to Brazil. The loss to Brazil, after two injury-time goals, was especially tough to take.
Costa Rica centre-back Kendall Waston
Kendall Watson said it best, “I don’t think that we could be more under pressure than we are.”
The results at the World Cup has led to harsh criticism back home for coach Oscar Ramirez. He says some of the criticism was “quite hurtful” but “if they attack myself or my family, I am going to show (them) that there’s a tiger inside of me.”
Coach Oscar Ramirez
Waston on Tuesday said the team were more united than ever despite sharp criticism over their two losses and quick elimination.
“Instead of being distracted, we have tried to be more united. We didn’t want things outside the group, externally, what they say on social media, to bring negative things out. We became more united. There were comments made because the results didn’t go our way. If things had gone differently, no one would be talking about this. We’re relaxed about representing Costa Rica,” the 30-year-old defender said in a press conference.
“We still have a lot to play for. We’re winners, not average. We’re not going to play a match just because we have to. In our line of work, we always try to do our best. We want to win for our pride. We have a country to represent and we want to finish in the best way possible,” Waston said.
Press conference with Kendall Waston and Óscar Ramírez
Costa Rica is sitting in last place in Group E, with 0 points and 0 goals, after losing to Serbia and Brazil.
At least one goal. Costa Rica have never before left a FIFA World Cup goalless.
Hoy logramos darle una sorpresa muy especial a Doña Vilma una señora que me ha apoyado desde hace mucho tiempo. Gracias Doña Vilma y a toda su familia por todo el apoyo siempre, Dios les bendiga. @AnaVilkia ????????⚽ #KW#LosSueñosSeCumplenpic.twitter.com/LNdwb9EyG2
As a complement to the efforts and negotiations carried out by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, the ICT, to increase the frequencies of flights from the United States, Alaska airline announced on Tuesday an increase of frequency on the Los Angeles – San José route from three weekly to one daily, during the high season.
The daily flights will operate from November 15 to November 26, 2018, and from December 16, 2018, to January 6, 2019. Alaska has flights into both the Daniel Oduber Quirós (LIR) in Liberia and the Juan Santamaría (SJO) in San Jose.
Additionally, United Airlines announced the increase in frequency on the Chicago – San Jose route, which will be daily during January and February of next year.
The airline will maintain its flights from Liberia airport to the United States, and the Houston-Liberia route in January 2019, departing twice a week on Saturdays and Sundays.
The increase in flights represents an increase of almost 15,000 seats (14.838) from the United States.
The U.S. is the main source of tourists to Costa Rica with 1.2 million visitors in 2017, a figure that represents 40% of international arrivals in this period.
The Minister of Tourism, María Amalia Revelo said the ICT has been carrying out marketing efforts in key U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Washington D.C. and Dallas.
It is an undeniable fact that Costa Rica offers another heaven on earth. Costa Rica attracts 2 million tourists everywhere and they discover the beauty of Costa Rica. The country offers so many exotic places to explore. Small Costa Rica has a variety of spots from erupting volcanoes to green rainforests that makes it ‘Rich Coast’.
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
The green lush forest land, the mountains and the aesthetically pleasing environment and positive vibes make Costa Rica an unimaginable heaven to every traveller. And while there are plenty of beaches for you to visit around here, we will take a look at all the other things that you can pay a visit to as well.
The Top Places You Need to Make a Visit to
If are you stuck with where to go and what to do in this beautiful place here is a guide that can help you discover Costa Rica’s must visit destinations and pick your favourite and pack your bag to get a unique experience.
Did you forget the other National Parks?
National Parks are quite an exciting and frequently visited. Corcovado National Park and Tortuguero National Park are other destinations you cannot afford to miss because of the amazing boat rides to reach the destination.
Another famous place to visit in Costa Rica is Arenal Volcano National Park. It is an all-in-one spot, that is to say, from adventure to relaxation. You will find so many things to do there. It’s sure to have activities that will give you the adrenaline rush. Apart from the main attraction of volcano, this national park offers hot springs, zip line, hanging bridges and water rafting experiences.
Don’t forget the Waterfalls
Also, La Fortuna Waterfall is the nearby spot from Arenal Volcano National Park which offers a refreshing and relaxing atmosphere. A swim there is a must.
Enjoy Your Mornings Near the Celeste River
If you are planning to go on a vacation trip to Costa Rica, it is with no doubt that Celeste River should be your top most destination. The light blue color of the water is a very different sight. Also, to get there is an exciting trip. Even though you won’t get a chance to swim there but the sight will leave you mesmerized.
Get Closer to Nature
If you wish to get a step closer to nature then Manuel National Park is the destination. This destination provides a combination of wildlife and beach with adventure sports. Well, if you are here do not forget to dine out here for an unforgettable experience.
The Other Places
Don’t forget to consider Monteverde Cloud Forest, Guanacaste Beaches and San Jose on your list. Which one of these are you planning to make a visit to first?
It’s not every day that a floating library docks at your harbor opening the doors to knowledge, culture and a world of Christian literature. Logos Hope operated by OM Ships International (OMSI) is the largest floating library that floats from port to port giving a chance to the visitors to purchase quality books for reasonable prices.
The Logos Hope is now making people in Costa Rica excited as it’s said to dock at Puntarenas on October 25. We are sure you would be as excited about it as knowing about the all time biggest casino winners.
On its website, the organization claims to transforms lives by delivering knowledge, hope and help to people around the world. OMSI is the pioneer organization to have developed such an approach where ships are used to transport humanitarian aid resources, personnel and literature. OMSI depends on contributions and gifts which they use to help the people in ports they visit.
More About the Logos Hope
The Logos Hope is popular with people around the world for the work it does by delivering Christian literature and educational books to different ports across the world. You might consider yourself lucky just if you get a chance to see the library with your own eyes. It’s simply the biggest out there and one that you are sure to love.
The innovative approach of delivering knowledge by sea is funded by different people around the world who believe in the cause. The floating library has been doing rounds of the globe from 1970 and has traveled across 151 nations. Over 43 million people from all walks of life- celebrities, politicians, prime ministers, presidents to poor and homeless people have visited the library and got access to huge treasure of books.
The Logos Hope was put in service in 2009 and is the fourth ship to host the library of books. During its service, it has traveled to 73 ports in places such as South East Asia, Sri Lanka, India, the Middle East, West Africa, the Caribbean and Europe. Around 400 people coming from 60 different nationalities work on the board and make the initiative possible.
Can You Book Your Trip on it?
The ship will sail in October to Costa Rica where it will be stationed till November 12, 2018. The bookworms in the region will surely be delighted to get such a vast library which contains over 5,000 books.
Apart from having a library that helps spread knowledge, the personnel of the ship help out the local community through various ways. They provide aid and help to the people in need and show them hope and help to spread the message of Christianity bringing hope to everyone. Group prayers are also held as a part of the initiative and play a big role acting as a foundation for everything they do, according to the organization.
It has been able to gather interest and intrigue people everywhere it has dropped its anchor.
(AFP) Nicaraguan human rights groups expressed renewed concern Tuesday over a rising death toll from months of protests against the government of President Daniel Ortega.
Anti-government protesters clash with riot police and members of the Sandinista youth, in Masaya, Nicaragua on June 21, 2018. / AFP Photo / Marvin Recinos
The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (CENIDH) has reported at least 212 people dead, but told AFP on Tuesday it was investigating possible new deaths in recent days.
Another group, the Nicaraguan Association for Human Rights (ANPDH) published a report Tuesday putting the death toll at 285, saying it had identified 262 of the dead by name. It said 156 people were missing.
It said the majority of the victims were young people killed by gunfire, with wounds to the head or chest, in the capital and department of Managua and in the city of Masaya.
Fear caused by pro-government gangs of hooded, heavily-armed, men in civilian clothes had caused virtual curfews in several cities, including the capital.
“The repression has increased” since “these paramilitary groups began to operate, repressing, torturing, killing and violating human rights,” the head of the ANPDH Alvaro Leiva told AFP.
Nicaragua’s army has faced growing demand from Ortega’s critics in recent days to dismantle and disarm the paramilitaries.
The government and opposition which is demanding Ortega’s resignation, resumed talks on Monday aimed at ending two months of unrest.
The protests began in April as demonstrations against now-scrapped social security reforms, but a heavy-handed police reaction transformed them into demands for justice for those killed, and for the exit of Ortega and his wife Vice President Rosario Murillo.
Costa Rica's player react after conceding during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group E football match between Brazil and Costa Rica at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS
It’s official, Costa Rica’s national team is the only in the World Cup 2018 in Russia not to score a goal. Of the 32 teams participating in the world event, the Ticos, after two games, have yet to put one past a goalie.
Bad enough being eliminated early, worse to come home with even scoring a goal. In the photo, Costa Rica’s player react after conceding during the Russia 2018 World Cup match with Brazil and Costa Rica at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on June 22, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS
Costa Rica had been in the small club of teams that had not scored in the World Cup 2018, that included Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Peru. However, on Monday, Morocco managed to score against Spain, twice, while Saudi Arabia beat Egypt 2-1. On Tuesday, Peru scored their coveted goal against Australia.
That leaves only the La Sele in that awkward position of not scoring. Hopefully, they can change tomorrow, their the last chance in the World Cup 2018 before going home, as they face Switzerland in their third and final World Cup 2018 showing.
It’s bad enough to have been eliminated, losing their first two games, after the expected going past their high of the World Cup 2014. Worse if they come home without even one goal. Pura Vida, mae!
Don’t like your elected president, legislator, town mayor or any other elected official, boot them out. That is the proposal by independent legislator Erick Rodríguez, who along with former presidential candidate José Miguel Corrales and journalist Armando Acuña.
Independent legislator Erick Rodríguez
The trio met with the Ministro de la Presidencia (Chief of Staff) Rodolfo Piza with the aim of promoting the initiative that proposes the revocation of the mandate of a publicly elected official, including the president.
The proposal, if adopted, would require a change in the Constitution and Electoral Code so that, for just cause and by means of plebiscites, citizens could decide if they want their elected representatives removed.
“In principle, citizens could decide on these elected positions, after two years of officials in office. It is a proposal subject to changes, but the important thing is that we begin to raise awareness of the need to address this issue in the face of Costa Rica’s bicentennial,” said the legislator.
The Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SUTEL) reveals that each person in Costa Rica has two cell phone lines. Based on the “Estadístico del sector de telecomunicaciones” for 2017, the regulator indicated that for every 100 people in the country there are 170 cellular lines. With respect to landlines, the number is 17 lines for every 100 people.
The report indicated that the mobile data traffic (cellular Internet) grew by 10% and that of the fixed Internet by 60% in the last year, while the cellular voice calls decreased by 11% and text messages (SMS) fell by 37%.
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) revealed that Costa Rica has one of the highest rates of cell phone coverage in the world. In Latin America, Costa Rica ranks third in mobile internet coverage (97), fourth in fixed internet (15) and fifth in fixed telephony (15).
A decade after the opening of the telecom market in Costa Rica, the sector has become the main economic driver, says the Sutel, the government regulator.
The investment in towers, fiber optics networks and other installations has in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The sector has also created thousands of new jobs.
According to the Sutel “Estadisticas del Sector de Telecomunicaciones” 2017 report, there were 143 companies at the close of 2017 authorized to provide mobile and fixed telephony as well as internet access in the country.
The Sutel says its report, “the mobile phone market in Costa Rica is very different (today) from the year 2008 when, in that year, the commercial offer was limited to a single operator”.
The penetration of mobile internet went from13% in 2010 to 97% in 2018, reveals the report.
Prior to the opening of the market, the state telecom, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), was that single operator in the country.
Costa Rica’s tourism industry is expected to get a boost this year with the recent opening of the National Convention Center in San Jose and the construction of four hotels that should be completed in the next couple of years.
From The W Hotel Costa Rica website
San Jose and Guanacaste are the focus of the growth, with the potential for 900 new jobs this year alone.
The Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one the chains that recently announced projects in Costa Rica, one each under the DoubleTree brand, the other a Hampton by Hilton.
Melia hotels is expected to vacation resorts in Puntarenas. The Xandari chain recently announced its intention to invest US$20 million in the acquisition of two hotels. Planet Hollywood, in Papagayo, will be inaugurated before the end of the year. Marriott recently announced two hotels, the W Costa Rica in Playa Conchal, Guanacaste and the AC Hotels in Avenida Escazu, San Jose.
Apart from marches and union demonstrations, Monday dawned with long lines of Nicaraguan citizens in the vicinity of the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME) – Costa Rica immigration service – in La Uruca.
The lines this Monday morning was for more than 500 meters (5 blocks). Immigration is giving out only 200 appointments a day or 1,000 a week.
Between 6:00 am and 6:30 am the line stretched for more than 500 meters (five blocks) and was visible from the Autopista General Cañas
The men, women, and children are Nicaraguan citizens who seek refuge in Costa Rica due to the socio-political crisis that their home country has been experiencing for over 2 months.
According to estimates by the Ministry of Public Security (MSP), 80% of Nicaraguans applying for refuge have lived in Costa Rica for years. The other 20% are Nicaraguans fleeing the violence and repression in their country.
“They are taking advantage of the situation (in Nicaragua) to get legalized (in Costa Ric),” said Michael Soto, Minister of the MSP.
Last Monday alone some 1,500 Nicaraguans arrived at the immigration offices, forcing officials to implement a plan to handle 200 requests a day or 1,000 per week.
For them, there is no cold, rain, heat or hunger to stop them, because they have a clear objective.
Some 4,000 have so far lined up to request refuge in Costa Rica
“You have to sleep here (in line) to achieve something. I arrived Sunday morning and I am here until they help me because in Nicaragua things are very difficult.
“I came alone for what is happening (the conflicts). I left my three children with my mother and I cannot sleep because I have not found work, I do not know what to do, without work and without papers, it is very difficult”, explained Margarita Madrigal, one of the foreigners who maintains the hope of obtaining refuge.
The Acting Director of Migration, Daguer Hernández, said that not all the Nicaraguans who arrive are candidates for refuge because there are many who have lived in Costa Rica in an irregular manner (illegally) for years.
However, Hernandez clarified, that even those who do not meet the requirements to obtain refuge are cared for and, as their case progresses, they are told the reasons why they cannot continue with the request.
“We are going to talk to the people who come to ask for refuge, we do not have formal requests at the border, which would be normal in a crisis, so the people who are going to immigration are people who are already living in Costa Rica and who think that this condition of refuge allows them to regularize their immigration status,” explained the Acting Director.
Hernandez also clarified that the refuge does not make any person entitled to money nor does it give access to the health services of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS).
Minister Soto added that police are safeguarding the many foreigners camping the night to be first in line in the morning.
This Monday morning there was also a Cruz Roja (Red Cross) unit, while officers of the Policía de Migración (immigration police) ensured order along the long line.
For them, there is no cold, rain, heat or hunger to stop them from their objective
The Refuge Process
Despite the thousands, the last count is at least 4,000 Nicaraguans, looking for refuge in Costa Rica, the approval margin, in general, is approximately 6%.
After the long wait in line and obtaining the appointment, people interested in obtaining refuge fill out a form and, from that information, immigration officials review the international databases and the migratory movements to know if they have an open file.
If they qualify, after completing the first phase of the process, they get a second interview and it is with the Comisión de Visas de Refugio (Refugee Visa Commission) – created by the Ley de Migración (Immigration Law) – that determines whether or not refugee status is granted.
“A person who has well-founded fears of being persecuted by nationality, race, religion, gender, belonging to a social group or political opinions fits within that legal definition of refuge, without that condition they should not do request process,” said Hernández.
Aracely Arámbula Jacques, the Mexican actress, model, singer, television personality and entrepreneur, known professionally as Aracely Arámbula is being heavily criticized for a photograph on her Instagram, along with the Guatemalan singer Ricardo Arjona and although they look great, the waist of the Mexican beauty attracted attention, since many consider that she abused Photoshop.
This is the photo posted on her Instagram account, where Aracely has some 2.4 Million followers.
In her personal life, from 2005 to 2009, Arambula dated Luis Miguel. They had two sons Miguel (born January 1, 2007) and Daniel (born December 18, 2008).
Customers of the state telecom Grupo ICE report having received emails for the raffle of cellular phones and tablets, in exchange for filling out an online survey. The state agency assured it is nothing more than a scam.
ICE asks its users not to fall victim.
ICE confirmed that the emails with the ICE and Kolbi logos are being used by scammers to obtain financial and personal data to commit fraud. Neither the raffle nor survey is from ICE.
In addition, ICE asks users to call 800-Denuncia (800-33686243) or write to 800-DENUNCIE@ice.go.cr for any questions or concerns.
The mood of protesters outside the Constitutional Court or Sala IV building in downtown San Jose heated up for a few minutes when a security officer guarded the entrance with a high caliber weapon.
This caused the anger of the majority, a situation that forced the woman to re-enter the building.
The employees of the Municipality of San José were those who were outside the Sala IV with ANEP flags, when the situation occurred minutes before 10 am.
Once the security officer went inside, the strikers calmed down and moved to other points to meet up with other strikers.
The photo was published by Teletica from Pegando Porte y La Vara.
The honeymoon is over as President Carlos Alvarado faces his first general strike, less than two months in office, led by country’s largest and strongest unions trade unions, the Asociación Nacional de Educadores (ANDE) – National Association of Educators and the Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos (ANEP) – National Association of Public Employees.
The teacher’s union was joined by other public employee unions, including the Asociación Sindical de Empleados industriales de las comunicaciones y la energía (Asdeice) – Trade Union Association of Industrial Employees of Communications and Energy – that groups a number of Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) workers.
The trade unions claim to strike because of lack of dialogue, alleging that the Governmnet has not wanted to sit down and review their observations on the tax reform. The movement focuses its annoyance on the bill for the Strengthening of Public Finances, which is promoted by the Ministry of Finance.
The Government affirms that the unions do not detail their proposals.
When Juan Fernando Lara of the La Ncion, this morning by telephone, asked Gilberto Cascante, leader of the Bloque Unitario Sindical y Social (Bussco), declined to detail the specific objections of the trade union movement to the initiative or its specific suggestions for changes.
“We’ve presented specific proposals and they have not wanted to sit down and review them,” Cascante responded.
Outside the legislative buidling in downtown San Jose
However, the press office of the Ministerio de Trabajo (Ministry of Labor) confirmed there have been three meetings with several union leaders (including Cascante himself). The meetings took place on May 25, June 8 and June 22.
Also consulted by telephone was Albino Vargas, general secretary of the ANEP, who also declined to specify proposals or reasons for the strike action.
On Sunday, Rodolfo Piza, Minister of the Presidency, argued that the strike was completely unjustified. “President Alvarado has and will always have total openness to dialogue with all sectors to listen carefully to citizens’ concerns. The movement is unjustified, does not support dialogue and affects the rights of people,” said Piza on national television.
No one in school
The strike began in several parts of the country, including the usual, in front of the ICE main offices in La Sabana, with the objective of marching to the Legislative Assembly.
According to reports by the Policia de Transito, traffic was most affected in Lima de Cartago, Paseo Colon, Avenida Segunda, the areas of the Calderon Guardia Hospital and the Autopista Genera Cañas, in the area of the Mexico Hospital.
By and large, schools and colleges were empty today, some hospital services affected.
In October 2016, the Costa Rican Legislature adopted a new law which prohibits child marriages, meanwhile, in the U.S. only two states ban marriages under the age of 18.
(OPINION) OK, this one threw for a loop. On the pages of QCostarica there are numerous stories of child marriages, unions between adults and children. Some of the comments and emails received on these stories center on how could this happen? How could Costa Rica, as a civilized society, continue to allow it?
In October 2016, the Costa Rican Legislature adopted a new law which prohibits child marriages, meanwhile, in the U.S. only two states ban marriages under the age of 18.
The majority of the comments were from Americans (citizens of the United States, to be clear) from up north and even some from those living in Pura Vida.
They were right, I had to agree. Although I understand the background, the history, I could not understand how it still applied to today’s society.
According to Girlnotbrides.org, UNICEF 2017 says 21% of girls in Costa Rica are married before the age of 18; even more startling is that 7% were married by the age of 15.
In October 2016, the Costa Rican Legislature (Congress) adopted a new law on “improper relations” (Ley de Relaciones Impropias), which prohibits civil marriages when a person under the age of 18 is involved. Previously, minors could marry with parental permission. The law came into force in January 2017.
On July 16, 2017, I published the report “Time to Get Serious about Child Marriage in Latin America” based on the UNICEF report, which included 11 countries Latin America – Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay – where between 20 and 30 percent of girls marry before age 18.
From the Girls Not Brides website, in developing nations, one in seven girls is forced into marriage before her 15th birthday. Some of these child brides are as young as eight years old, marrying men upwards of 20 years their senior. Child marriage is not isolated – it’s in the millions.
In passing the law, it remains striking that among all 50 states in the United States, New Jersey is only the second state to pass such a law. Delaware passed a similar law just last month.
“No child should be forced or coerced into marriage,” Governor Phil Murphy said in a tweet after signing the legislation, pledging that his state “will be a national leader in protecting the welfare of children.”
No child should be forced or coerced into marriage.
Today, I signed legislation making New Jersey the second state in the nation to ban child marriage.
While all states provide that the age for marriage should be 18 or older, the remaining 48 states offer glaring backdoors that allow children to marry under certain circumstances before entering adulthood.
Iimage from Veobook: Adultos Casándose Con Niñas: La Brutal Realidad Del Matrimonio Infantil En Estados Unidos
Common excuses for child marriages include either parental or judicial consent or in some cases both.
Considering the exceptions, 19 states do not have a minimum age for marriage, seven states allow marriages for children as young as 14 and 15, meaning that a 15-year-old child can be legally wed in over half of the states, earlier than they can bear arms and drive at 16, or consume alcohol at 21.
According to estimations by activist group Unchained at Last which advocates against child marriages, approximately 248,000 children were married in the United States between 2000 and 2010, and more than three-quarters of these unions involved minor girls marrying adult men.
So, the next time I get an email or comment (even a phone call once) on child marriage practices in Costa Rica by American readers, I will tell them to get their act together at home first before condemning Costa Rica who is actually moving forward faster on this global issue than what is happening in their state (unless they are from NJ or DE).
I will refer them to articles such as: Let’s End Child Marriage in the U.S., and The Movement To End Child Marriage in the U.S., that explains the laws in (now) 48 U.S. states that allow marriage; the shocking statistics of nearly a quarter-million children wed in the U.S. from 2000 to 2010; and the devastating consequences of child marriage and the catastrophic, lifelong impacts on girls’ lives.
And I would ask, before accepting their comments on Costa Rica’s problem with child marriage, if they are part of the movement to end child marriage in the U.S.?
The more than two-month-old protests in Nicaragua have had a strong impact on the region’s trade that moves 90% by land. Many carriers are still trapped in Nicaragua without being able to reach their destinations, which is why the Costa government Rica accelerated the reactivation of the ferry with El Salvador.
The crisis in Nicaragua that began on April 18 has meant losses for commerce in the region, according to the business sector and transporters that have been requesting the intervention of the governments to find “urgent solutions” before they feel the direct effects of the cut in the transport of merchandise in the other Central American countries.
On the part of the Costa Rican government, the Minister of Public Works and Transport (MOPT), Rodolfo Méndez, assured that the actions to reactivate the ferry to El Salvador are being carried out.
In this sense, the director of the Costa Rican Instituto Costarricense de Puertos del Pacífico (Incop), Juan Ramón Rivera, said that the launch of the ferry is a matter of days.
Puerto de Caldera (Caldera Pot) on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.
The Cámara Costarricense de Navieras (Costa Rican Chamber of Shipping) has reported that the effects of the crisis in Nicaragua include both the exit and entry of raw material products.
In El Salvador, Carlos López Burrundia, representative of Naviera del Odiel, a company founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, said the ferry La Paz Star, an alternative route to the Interamerican highway between El Salvador and Costa Rica, will begin operations by the end of this week.
“This type of operation generates a significant reduction in transportation costs for exporting and importing companies in the Mesoamerican region,” the shipping executive told Elsalvador.com.
The ferry La Paz Star, at 150 meters long has a capacity of up to 85 rigs (tractor motors and trailers) or 400 light vehicles. It can also carry up to 400 people.
“For the moment it will start only with merchandise transport,” said López.
Lopez said that 12 Salvadoran companies have already confirmed their participation, and in Costa Rica, there are 9 confirmed companies.
“The goal at the end of the year is to make a daily trip to Costa Rica, on both routes, using 2 vessels and also to start daily trips to Puerto Corinto in Nicaragua,” added Lopez.
The fare will include costs of wharfage, food and lodging for the driver; and insurance for the truck and its cargo, which will reduce insurance costs for the ferry company.
Rates will range from US$300 to US$800, depending on the size of the cargo.
“For the transporters, the Ferry will be an advantage because it will significantly reduce their depreciation costs, and may double their trips per week; because on the ferry, they will be back in 3 days in their country of origin. So it can not be seen as a competition to land transport but a strategic partner,” said Lopez.
In 2015, a new cargo ferry between Costa Rica’s Puerto Caldera and El Salvador’s Puerto La Union was announced by then vice-minister of Transport Sebastián Urbina. By July 2016, the ferry remained anchored in red tape.
In July 2017, the Spanish company to operate the ferry decided to pull the plug on the project after it could not reach an agreement with the Autoridad Portuaria del Puerto Caldera, the private Pacific port company, mainly due to failure to obtain rate approval from the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep) on loading and unloading of cargo.
The Venezuelan regime has finally spoken about the crisis in Nicaragua that has been ongoing for two months. Through a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Maduro administration condemned the violence that has left more than 200 dead, but, as expected, placed the blame squarely on the Nicaraguan opposition forces.
Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro is trying to deflect blame for Nicaraguan government violence from his ideological soulmate Daniel Ortega (PanAm Post).
According to the Maduro dictatorship, it is in fact the Nicaraguan opposition that has been unleashing violence in the Central American country with the supposed purpose of “seizing power by undemocratic means”; this is despite the fact that all the evidence incriminates the government of Daniel Ortega for the excessive repression.
The letter, in which Maduro’s administration allegedly regrets “deeply and painfully the loss of human lives” is not only shameless and offensive to Nicaraguan society that struggles every day to achieve justice and democracy and sees its young people risk their lives for merely exercising their right to freedom of expression, but also for the Venezuelan people and for the rest of the international community that has witnessed the crimes perpetrated by the two socialist dictatorships.
In its brazen and shameless statement the Maduro regime “recalled” that in 2017 “the Venezuelan people were also subjected to the same type of crimes” that are now being committed in Nicaragua, and called for “peace and reconciliation”, arguing that this would only be achieved through dialogue and not by “the use of excessive and irrational violence.”
It should be noted that during the period of anti-government protests in Venezuela there was also a massacre in which more than a hundred people were killed, and although at least four dialogues were attempted between the Maduro dictatorship and representatives of the opposition, the dialogue did not prove to be fruitful in the least.
So far, the only one who has favored meeting at the negotiation table has been the illegitimate president of Venezuela, because he managed to placate the protests by promising democratic advances that never materialized.
In the June 17 statement, Venezuela also accused the international community of “encouraging” through its statements “the conflict” that Nicaragua is currently enduring.
The truth is that the statement should not be surprising, since the Maduro regime has a consistent policy of sidelining the truth. One example of this is the recent statements by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza about Venezuela’s relations with other countries.
According to the diplomat, the petrostate “never had enjoyed as many positive international relations as it has today”; blatantly ignoring the obvious fact that little by little the international community has moved away from the dictatorship and has isolated the nation.
More than 90% of North and South American countries have turned their backs on the regime, and the few countries that still insist on supporting it are traditional allies that follow the same socialist and authoritarian political system.
Currently, Maduro’s support could be rather detrimental to Ortega, since having him as a friend is further evidence that his actions are aligned with those of Venezuela, and the similarities between both governments are already beginning to unleash international reactions and pressure.
Though they failed to qualify for the 16 round, Costa Rica’s national team is looking to leave the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia with a victory. Losing 1-0 to Serbia and 2-0 to Brazil in the first two games, Costa Rica, eliminated from the World Cup, faces Switzerland on Wednesday.
The training session on Sunday for their upcoming challenge was attended by all players in Pavlovsk, in the outskirts of St. Petersburg. Despite the elimination, reports say the players were in a good mood during practice.
Switzerland tied 1-1 with Brazil in their opening and beat Serbia 2-1 on Friday. Brazil and Switzerland are tied for the first position in Group E with four points each, one point ahead of third-placed Serbia, while Costa Rica is at the bottom with zero points.
Inside the delivery room dressed in green, Ana and Jose, the biological parents, anxiously awaited the birth of their daughter, Milagro. But it was Ana’s mother or Milagro’s grandmother actually giving birth.
Foto: Mayela López / La Nacion
Once Milagro was born, by caesarian section, the doctor placed the newborn in the arms of Ana, who finally saw her dream of becoming a mother even though four years ago her uterus had been removed to save her from invasive cancer.
Milagro was born on Friday, July 7, 2017.
Carmen, her maternal grandmother, gave birth to her in a private hospital, in San José.
Almost nine months before delivery, this 55-year-old woman was implanted with an embryo formed with her daughter’s egg and her son-in-law’s sperm. The embryo transfer was performed on October 26, 2016.
To do this procedure, the doctors had to stop the advance of Carmen’s menopause. With medical treatments, they prepared her body for the risks – due to age – of a second pregnancy that resulted in the birth of her only daughter, Ana, almost three decades earlier.
“From the first day I am totally clear that I am Milagro’s grandmother, she is my granddaughter and I love her double. For me, I was just a kangaroo,” Carmen said a week ago.
For Ana, this is a dream come true.
Foto: Mayela López / La Nacion
“In my head I used to tell myself: this (the cancer) will be taken away from me, I will be cured and I will have a baby.” That was my thinking, “the young mother, now 30 years old, recalled at home, while giving her baby the bottle.
Almost a year old now, Jose and Ana are living their dream with Milagro.
A story full of challenges
All the names here – Ana, José, Milagro and Carmen – are fictitious names of a real story that began on June 22, 2013, when the young couple contracted marriage with the illusion of having a child and dream of forming a home.
Their identities are protected as well as that of the maternal grandfather at the request of the family.
They fear possible attacks by people who fail to understand and respect the reasons why a woman already in menopause lends her uterus to her daughter with cancer to fulfill her aspiration to become a mother.
Foto: Mayela López / La Nacion
Above all, they want to protect their little Milagro (Miracle in English) from the public eye.
Angela Avalos of La Nacion, in her report, said the family agreed to tell their story because they want other couples in a similar situation not to feel as lonely as they felt at the beginning of this process.
According to the doctors who handled the case, it is very rare to find stories in the world where the grandmother lends her womb so that one of her children can be a father or mother.
The obstetrician-gynecologist Claudio Regueyra Edelman, who supported this couple as a sub-specialist in Reproductive Medicine, acknowledged that this is the only case of surrogacy in which he intervened “because he was sure there was no problem”, despite the legal vacuum in Costa Rica for the management of these matters.
The in vitro fertilization was performed in 2016, in a Mexican medical center. The embryo transfer was also made in Mexico, but the girl was born in a private hospital in Costa Rica.
Although by then the practice of in vitro fertilization had been reinitiated in Costa Rica, the private centers able to carry it out were in the process of approval by the Ministry of Health.
The history of this family allows, at the same time, to open the debate on the subrogated belly or motherhood by substitution.
In Costa Rica there is no regulation to govern procedures for procreation. Nor is there any that prohibits them. For this reason, Milagro was initially registered in the Civil Registry with the surnames of her maternal grandparents.
Her first steps as a Costa Rican citizen identified her as the daughter of her grandmother and sister of her biological mother.
Her parents and grandparents had to spend almost a year in unsuccessful consultations with four lawyers, until they found a specialist in Family Law who, finally, managed to get Ana and José to register the girl with their last names in the Civil Registry.
That registration could only be made when a Family Court approved the application to adopt their own daughter.
Three years to make the decision
After Ana had her uterus removed stop the cancer, the couple had to face an inescapable reality.
Foto: Mayela López / La Nacion
“We could no longer be parents in a natural way, it was hard for me to understand, I was only 26 years old … I had to mature by force, it was very strange for me to be told: ‘Hey, well, let’s get pregnant with your mother-in-law!’.vImagine that, in the mind of a young man who has been fortunate in his life and had never had a problem of this type. That they told me this was something I had to assimilate,” José acknowledged.
While Ana was still fighting for her life and exams were being carried out to verify that the cancer had not returned, the subject of motherhood was not touched again.
“It was a couple of years where there were situations that separated us from that discussion, some things happened, among them, my dad got sick with leukemia and he died, and after his death we went back to the subject of the children,” José said while Ana dressed Milagro in pajamas.
The doctor had already warned them that the possibility of the surrogate mother had an age limit, with the advance of Carmen’s menopause with the passage of time.
It was in February 2016 when everyone sat down to discuss the matter again.
“Doña Carmen just said ‘I’ll do it! Do not worry about me’,” recalled José.
“I had nothing to think about … On the recommendation of Dr. Loáiciga, we went to Dr. Regueyra and it was when I told him, “If I’m fine, let’s do it. I was four years in menopause but I’ve always been very healthy,” Carmen said, who practices tennis and yoga several times a week for a long time.
Thirty years ago, Carmen said, her first pregnancy was normal. No complications and without altering her routine as a businesswoman and her daily practice of physical exercise.
What, then, could be the difference now? “None!” she responded without giving more importance to being 30 years older and to be entering a period in the life of the woman in which she stops menstruating and the ability to have children is lost.
“For me, everything was like a tic, toc, ticking of the clock, I had planned to have children at 30 or 35 years old, but this was now or not given the time limit of the mother-in-law,” said José.
Despite the legal challenges, such as the legal void in Costa Rica with respect to surrogates;the challenges with the civil registry that would deny the registration of the birth to the natural parents; and the reservations of the other family members, in particular the religious beliefs of Jose’s mother, a devout Catholic woman who sought the advice of her priest, a young and open-minded priest who told her, “If God wants this to happen, it will happen”, Milagro was born on July 7, 2017.
However, on April 4, 2018, nine months after leaving the womb of her grandmother, this little girl lived a new birth: the Family Court approved the adoption that allowed the Civil Registry to change Milagro’s last names to that of her parents.
Three men traveling on two motorcycles down a gravel road were shot dead with an AK-47 assault rifle, this Sunday at dawn, near a banana plantation in San Carlos de Pacuarito de Siquirres, Limón.
Photo Reiner Montero / La Nacion
The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) said it was investigating it as a settling of accounts.
“The neighbors hear a shootout at about 2:30 a.m. and alert the authorities when the officers of the Fuerza Publica (National Police) Force arrive at the site locate the bodies 200 meters from each other,” said the OIJ.
The victims were identified as Jeison Humberto Omier Collins, 27; Anthony Alexánder Aburto Fernández, 21, and Greivin José Rodríguez Potoy, 31.
Near one of the bodies, investigators found a 38-caliber revolver near Omier, as well as a mariconera (small bag) with cocaine, crack and ¢234,000 colones in cash.
Five men and a woman were injured on Friday in this Tibas barbershop.Photo Photo Jeffrey Zamora / La Nacion
A surprise police action “operativo” in San Jose barbershops this Sunday morning resulted in the seizure of drugs and an investigation into 204 people, one of which was arrested for irregular migratory status, five for drug sales, theft and attempted homicide.
Five men and a woman were injured on Friday in this Tibas barbershop.Photo Photo Jeffrey Zamora / La Nacion
The drugs found on the premises included marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine and crack.
Additionally, three barbershops were closed in Santa Ana for operating without health and municipal permits; two more were closed in downtown San Jose and one in Hatillo 1, for the same reasons.
Marlon Cubillo, regional head of the Fuerza Publica (National Police) in San Jose, said the objective was to guarantee security in these premises and prevent any criminal situation.
The police visit to barbershops follows the shooting at the Tico Barber Shop in Tibas last Friday, where six people were injured. Police are still on the trail of those responsible.
Earlier this year, Byron Martín Guillén Montero, 22, died after being shot at a hairdresser salon in Saan Blas de El Carmen, in Cartago. Authorities say two people arrived and started firing at people inside.
Earlier this month the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) captured a 24-year-old Colombian in San Carlos. He used a barbershop to sell drugs.
The recent rash of criminal acts in barbershops motivated the police action this weekend. Authorities could soon replicate similar operations in other regions of the country, based on complaints received by their confidential line.
