Despite the surprise announcement Friday night of the consensus between the government and the Civil Alliance, this Saturday morning, in the barrio Carlos Marx, in Managua, an armed attack allegedly committed by police and armed civilians left at least seven people dead, including three children, when they set fire to a three-story property, according to preliminary information.
“They killed my family, my mother, my children …”, said a woman, not identified so far, in a communication referring to the people burned in the three-story property.
Nearby houses suffered damages.
In addition, neighbors say that when they went out to help to put out the flames, they were shot at.
Residents close to the fire said that at the time of the fire, people were still inside and preliminarily 4 people were reported dead. The victims could be as high as seven.
Armed civilians also destroyed a funeral home that is on the La Virgen roundabout, one block east, near the burned three-story property.
Videos released today show dozens of civilians, accompanied by police, crossing the streets, with high-caliber weapons, such as AK 47, as well as pistols.
Residents reported hearing long bursts of bullets, while mechanical shovels toppled barricades nearby.
In a surprise announcement, Nicaragua’s influential Catholic bishops late Friday said the Daniel Ortega government, as demanded by the Alianza Cívica por la Justicia y la Democracia (Civic Alliance), agreed to invite “immediately” the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the United Nations High Commissioner and the European Union to investigate the deaths that have occurred since April 19.
The bishops also said the government and civil delegates had agreed to create a “verification” commission and invite independent international bodies to probe the violence that has left at least 170 people dead.
The signed agreements contemplate urging the presence of the IACHR and urge it to announce to the members of the International Investigation Group for Nicaragua that they must work “in loco” to assist in the investigation of all deaths and acts of violence, the identification of those responsible and a plan of integral attention to the victims for an “effective justice”.
In addition, it was agreed to the official installation of the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts for Nicaragua (GIEI) and the follow-up mechanism (Meseni) to support civil society, “to continue monitoring and processing the precautionary measures and cases postulated in the Inter-American system.”
The Civic Alliance, the Government and the Bishops of the Episcopal Conference called for the cessation of all types of violence and threats, wherever they may come from, Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes said when he read the communiqué.
On the removal of the ‘tranques’ or barricades which have been erected throughout the country, a key government demand, Juan Sebastián Chamorro, of the Civic Alliance, affirmed that these “will not be removed as long as there are no guarantees of compliance with agreements on the part of the government.”
The dialogue and its process to move toward “democratization” is expected to continue Saturday, the bishops said at the conference. The Civic Alliance added the talks on democratization are “fundamental.”
The call by the bishops for early elections has yet to be addressed by Ortega.
An investigation by the US Treasury Department concluded that Venezuela’s strongman, Diosdado Cabello, laundered money in Costa Rica through the Alunasa company, located in Juanilama de Esparza, Puntarenas.
Diosdado Cabello (left) with Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro
The events date back to December 2016, says a statement issued on May 18, which said Cabello’s brother, Jose David Cabello, the head of the tax department, and Cabello’s wife, Marleny Josefina Contreras were also sanctioned.
According to the investigation, Cabello, a close ally of Nicolás Maduro and Vice President of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), ordered the Venezuelan Army to designate employees at the Aluminios Nacionales SA (Alunasa) factory to supervise the money laundering operation, which was carried out under the direction of the ex-governor of the State of Bolívar, Francisco José Rangel Gómez.
The Treasury Department maintains the state-owned Venezuelan aluminum company (Venalum) used boats to move minerals and launder money through Panama to the Alunasa headquarters in Costa Rica.
Alunasa is also owned by the Venezuelan State and operates in Esparza, Puntarenas, under the “zona franca” (free zone) regime.
U.S. authorities concluded that a group of Venezuelan officials have used Venalum and Alunasa to launder money to Costa Rica and Russia.
The statement from the Treasury Department explains that Diosdado Cabello, Francisco Rangel Gómez and their associates worked together to illegally access the exploitation of iron ore, which they extracted and exported through the Ferrominera del Orinoco (FdO), a subsidiary of the company. Venezuelan state conglomerate, Corporación Venezolana de Guyana, which also owns Alunasa.
Although Ferrominera del Orinoco was a legal company, Cabello and its partners had leaders within the company that facilitated the illegal extraction of iron and its export, according to the U.S. Treasury.
Investigan presunto lavado de dinero de del Capo Diosdado Cabello en Costa Rica: Congelan cuentas de Alunasa https://t.co/AaXmEr1pQj
For these and other acts, Cabello was recently sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for corruption, drug trafficking, and mineral smuggling, thus allowing authorities to freeze his American bank accounts and seize all his property. “A total of US$800 million has been seized and proven to belong to Diosdado Cabello,” according to a Tuesday report from Miami journalist Óscar Haza on Tuesday, June 12. Haza said on his Miami radio show, citing sources within the Trump administration reported on his radio program, “That could cover about two months of Venezuela’s debt service payments.”
On Monday, June 11, the Esparza Municipal Council learned of a letter sent by the president of Alunasa, General Noel Rafael Martinez Rivero, which recognizes that the company suffers from a closure of accounts, blockades and other sanctions that, in his opinion “will result in Alunasa closing its doors”.
“By external elements, unrelated to the normal performance of our activities, we have been targeted by the United States Government that point to the use of the company for the flow of capital outside the lawful trade,” says the letter of the Venezuelan general.
Alunasa located in Esparza, Puntarenas.
The document was received by Karol Jiménez, municipal president, from an Alunasa official, she told La Nación.
Two months ago, in April of this year, Alunasa requested from the Ministry of Labor authorization to suspend work contracts for 230 of its 267 employees, alleging shortage of raw material. The request was for the company to not be responsible for obligations to employees such as severance pay.
The Venezuelan company is dedicated, in Costa Rica, to manufacturing products, such as aluminum sheets, from aluminum imported from Venezuela, for export outside the country.
According to the employees, the firm faces a sharp fall in production since the end of 2017, because since last December it receives raw material “by drops”. As a result, many workers were laid off.
As the Ministry of Labor rejected the request and forced the firm to pay its obligations to employees. The company has not done so, as stated in a letter by the general alleged, read in the Esparza Council minutes, was addressed to President Carlos Alvarado.
Since Chavez took over the reins of Venezuela, the company has been involved in the controversy.
In 2007, during the Oscar Arias government (2006-2010), the 400 employees that the company had at that time also feared that the then president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez (now deceased), would close the company in retaliation for statements of Arias about his government.
Alunasa was a state company created in 1976 that was privatized in 1990. In 2000, the Corporación Venezolana de Guayana (CVG) acquired 100% of the shares and, in 2015, became part of the National Aluminum Corporation of Venezuela.
Natalia Rodríguez, host of Sábado Feliz (on Teletica) finally arrived in Russia on Wednesday and instantly became a sensation, wreaking havoc with her beauty.
From Instagram
On Thursday, before the opening of the World Cup, “Naty” met with a group of Peruvian reporters from the newspaper Trome, who interviewed her and ended up baptizing her as the “novia del Mundial”.
Subsequently, during the Russia and Saudi Arabia game, the Tica was shown on the Fifa Fan Fest “pantallota” (big screen).
Costa Rica returns to the world stage on Sunday, opening their 2018 World Cup campaign against Serbia on Sunday, looking for another strong run after pulling off the unthinkable to reach the quarter-finals in 2014 in Brazil.
In the photo, Valeria Zuluaga shows the comfort with which she will be enjoying the game early Sunday morning at the Costa Rica Beer Factory. Photo Melissa Fernández, La Teja
Game time: Sunday at 6:00 a.m.
The Costa Rica Beer Factory, in Barrio Escalante, in San Jose, is offering its patrons 10 mattresses and a 76′ screen (and three smaller ones) to watch the game in a bed. The owners said they will be preparing the place early Sunday morning for people to enjoy the game with all the comfort, even in pajamas if they so choose. Of course, the traditional gallo pinto will also be served, but no liquor. The bar says it still has openings for the June 22 game against Brazil.
Costa Rica’s player to watch is Keylor Navas in goal. Possible line-up: Giancarlo Gonzalez, Oscar Duarte, Johnny Acosta, Cristian Gamboa, Bryan Oviedo, David Guzman, Celso Borges, Bryan Ruiz (captain), Christian Bolanos and Marco Ureña.
Here are best from Costa Rica’s official photo shoot (from Fifa.com)
“I do feel really proud of the fact that I’m the first Costa Rican-born coach to lead our team at a World Cup. I’m really happy, but it is a huge responsibility”, said Costa Rica head coach Oscar Ramirez.
The Ticos are hoping to improve on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The first game will be a key one and they know it.
On the Serbia side, speaking ahead of the clash on Sunday, goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic, who has urged his team to be patient and not go out “all guns blazing” against Costa Rica, told Fifa.com: “The match against Costa Rica is not ‘do or die’, we have three matches, all of them 90 minutes and Costa Rica is a strong opponent. We have to be smart and not go in all guns blazing. The most important thing is not to lose.”
Samara Arena is the setting for the Costa Rica and Serbia game. The stadium capacity is 45,000.
Rico’s TICO BULL –The Ruta 39, better known as the Circunvalación is one of the main traffic arteries of San Jose. It starts at La Uruca, moves south towards Pavas on the west, then through the Hatillos, Alajuelita and Desamparados, the moving north to include Zapote and San Pedor on the east side of San Jose to end at Goicoechea. This intersection branches towards Calle Blancos to the west and Guadalupe to the east.
Conceived at the beginning to be a complete ring road that avoids entering the center of the capital by the INVU and Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) in the 1950s, 20 years would pass without any work being carried out.
The MOPT hired a US consulting firm, whose report finally suggested that it was no longer feasible to build the road in the originally planned location. This report suggested that the ring be more distant from the central San Jose, towards less populated areas. Finally, the 4-lane road began to be built in 1979.
Even though it (the road know today) initially fulfilled its mission, it has shown over the years that, due to population growth and indiscriminate possession of vehicles, it is not enough as a route to avoid the congestion or “presas” as it is called in Costa Rica.
The north section, between La Uruca and Calle Blancos which was a part of the original plan and never carried out, is now a vital link to help reduce the congestion that is a daily occurrence.
But it has been a long process and one that may someday see an end. But don’t it expect this nightmare to end anytime soon.
In the early 2000s the MOPT purchased the land to complete the road, but it had not proceeded with the eviction. In 2013, the Laura Chinchilla Miranda administration announced that expropriations were finally going to be carried out.
The blue line is the missing section to complete the Circunvalacion or Ruta 39, the 5.4 km that is 40 years plus in the making.
In June 2014, the government of Luis Guillermo Solis received the approval from the Comptroller General (Contraloría) to the construction contract for the northern arc. The Consortium Estrella H. Solis (no relation to the president) was awarded the contract by the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad, a division of the MOPT.
Today, in June 2018, the new government of Carlos Alvarado informs us there is a 92% advance on the expropriations. In numbers, that there still are 8 of the 100 expropriations to be settled before the project can move forward.
From Presidencia.go.cr
Blamed for the delay is the law that governed expropriations at that time. The law was amended to speed up the process, but.
“We have to re-believe in our ability to do public works. This is a project that has had a considerable advance, even so, we need the collaboration of the courts to move swiftly on the expropriations,” said president Alvarado this past week after a review and field inspection of the ancillary work, roads that will eventually connect to the northern arc.
However, the prez did not give any commitment as to timing.
What we can take solace in, maybe, is that the current Minister of the MOPT, Rodolfo Mendez, was the minister of the MOPT on October 19, 1978, when construction of the Circunvalación began.
No one knows better the project that Mendez. He was there 40 years ago. He is there today.
“It fills me with satisfaction that we are about to conclude this important work (…) which will bring about a change in urban mobility in the Metropolitan Area,” said Minister Méndez.
The built portion of the Circunvalacion has a daily traffic of almost 100,000 vehicles.
In 1978, when construction began on the Circunvalacion, Costa Rica’s population was 2.217 million. The current population of Costa Rica is 4,951,032 as of Saturday, June 16, 2018, based on the latest United Nations estimates, of which 82.9% of the population is urban (4,106,600 people). In 1980, the urban population was 42.4% (1,012,137 people). Figures from Worldometers.info.
Do the math.
Forty years later we have basically the same roads, including the planned and unbuilt top end of the Circunvalacion.
The crisis that Nicaraguans are living since April 18 and that has claimed over 165 lives since has resulted in an increase in the number of applications for refuge in Costa Rica by Nicaraguans fleeing the atrocities by the government of Daniel Ortega.
The lines at the immigration offices in La Uruca, San Jose, on Thursday
On Thursday, Costa Rica’s immigration service (Dirección de Migración y Extranjería) reported from than 500 applicants at its main offices in La Uruca, in San Jose. By Friday afternoon the number had grown to 936.
Many told the television cameras and reporters, they fled their country.
The number on Thursday was more than the 488 applications made during the first days of June. In May there were 88 applications, 24 in April.
The violence that broke out in Nicaragua – and to which President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice-president Rosario Murillo are accused of – led to the ‘pinoleros’ requests for refuge in Costa Rica to surpass those of Venezuelans, who led the list until May.
Reports from the Peñas Blancas border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua say there is an increase in flow south (into Costa Rica), while very few are heading north (into Nicaragua.
* Pinolero(s) is a colloquial term for a Nicaraguan. Other colloquial references include Nica(s), Nicoya(s). Each of these terms are gender-neutral.
The absence of ducks on their property alerted their owners to the presence of an unexpected visitor, a 2 meter long crocodile. Although it seems incredible, the reptile was in a property located in Santa Ana.
Experts from the Refugio Herpetológico de Costa Rica (Herpetological Refuge) located in Santa Ana, on the old road to Escazu, had their hands full to capture the crocodile.
It is suspected that the animal arrived there from a neighboring property, where there was another lagoon but had dried it.
This case serves to remind once again that wild animals are not pets and should be kept in their environment.
The croc’s, who is yet to be named, new home will be the Santa Ana refuge, where visitors can get up and close to the animal. Releasing it in the wild can mean a danger for the animal and people.
Starting Friday, October 5, Spirit Airlines will be providing non-stop service between Orlando (MCO) and San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO). For the first month, to November 7, the airline will offer four weekly flights, after that the service will be daily.
“We congratulate Spirit Airlines for this important announcement that without a doubt will bring really competitive offers and will further strengthen the destiny to the United States,” said Maria Amalia Revelo, Minister of Tourism.
“The U.S. market continues to be the main generator of tourists to the country, with almost 1.3 million visitors… With this new route, the air operations of this important market will be strengthened and new opportunities will be opened up at really competitive prices,” said Revelo.
The addition of Costa Rica is part of Spirit Airlines adding 14 new destinations to its flight service out of Orlando International Airport including daily flights to Puerto Rico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Dominican Republic, and Colombia and less frequent flights to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A check on fares, subject to government approval, for October 5 non-stop from Orlando to San Jose, US$81.86 and return fare on October 12, US$113.56, for a total fare of US$195.42.
Same dates, but flight originating from San Jose US$114.41 and return from Orlando, US$67.71, for a total fare of US$182.12.
Spirit Airlines is recognized for offering competitive rates at low cost up to 30% than other airlines and stands out for the efficiency in the use of fuel. They develop an operation of more than 500 daily flights to 67 destinations in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Reunión de Ex presidentes de la República de Costa Rica con el Presidente Carlos Alvarado Quesada. Casa Presidencial Costa Rica, 14 Junio 2018. Fotos Julieth Méndez
On Thursday seven former presidents attended the call that the president Carlos Alvarado made to them to examine the main challenges of the country and the contributions that must be made to the present and future welfare of the Costa Ricans.
Meeting of former Presidents with President Carlos Alvarado Quesada.Presidential House Costa Rica, June 14, 2018. from Left to right: Rafael Angel Calderon, Laura Chinchilla, (current chief of staff Rodolfo Piza and president Carlos Alvarado), Luis Guillermo Solis, Able Pacheco, Jose María Figueres and Oscar Arias. Photos Julieth Méndez
Oscar Arias Sanchez (1986-1990 and 2006-2010), Rafael Angel Calderon Fournier (1990-1994), Jose María Figueres Olsen (1994-1998), Abel Pacheco de la Espriella (2002-2006), Laura Chinchilla Miranda (2010-2014) and Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera (2014-2018). Former president Miguel Angel Rodriguez Echeverría (1998-2002) participated via Skype.
President Carlos Alvarado Quesada acknowledged the valuable contribution that the former presidents have given to the country and highlighted in particular “their willingness to work around the issues that unite us to get Costa Rica ahead”.
They also insisted on the importance of resolving the fiscal issue (tax reforms) and the approval of Bill 20580, stimulating growth and promoting integral development in Costa Rica.
The meeting, that took place at Casa Presidencial (Presidential House) in Zapote, resulted in the signing of a historic declaration in which all are committed to developing joint solutions.
This is the statement:
1. The national roadmap must be a joint construction. Over and above partisan differences, we must privilege constructive dialogue to develop joint solutions that respond to the important challenges we face and generate opportunities for all.
2. The fiscal situation the country is experiencing is really worrying. It requires the commitment and effort of each Costa Rican to clean up public finances, through the adoption of measures to reduce spending, tackle tax evasion and smuggling and ensure results towards the future with a constitutional rule, achieve better collection and stimulate economic growth.
3. The discussion and approval of Bill 20580, on Strengthening Public Finances, is fundamental once the legislative agreements have been reached. Strengthening and fiscal consolidation do not allow postponement and must be carried out in such a way that, at the same time, the final text that is put to the vote of the Legislative Plenary preserves the necessary resources for social programs and ensures the economic stability of the country.
4. It is essential to stimulate growth in parallel. Promoting higher levels of public and private investment in infrastructure, better public education, advancing in the Digital Government, the efficiency of the State and the growth of employment throughout the national territory are fundamental actions to achieve a more equitable country, with opportunities for all . Facing problems and advancing education is irreplaceable to overcome inequities and make a leap in our development.
5. We must promote an integral development. In accordance with our historical vocation and facing the Bicentennial, we must ensure that the balance sheets that have guaranteed the integral development of our nation are maintained, through universal and focused social policies that reduce poverty, inequality and informality in employment, a renewed commitment to environmental sustainability and the recovery of the safety of our citizens.
6. Confront international challenges together. Guarantee our sovereignty, maintain the prestige of Costa Rica in the concert of nations and the struggles for peace, disarmament, democracy, the environment and human rights.
The dream of 300 Ticos (Costa Ricans) to travel to the World Cup in Russia is uncertain this morning when yesterday, the Destinos TV travel agency cancelled their all-inclusive trip at the last minute.
The agency alleges a “deception” by the company they contracted the airplane.
At a press conference Wednesday night, Jose Cortes, general manager of Destinos TV, said they are doing everything possible to put the passengers on commercial flights, to get them to Russia in time for the national team’s first game, on Sunday, against Serbia.
According to Cortes, the company (which he did not name) hired to fly his customers would be using a state-of-the-art Boeing 777 with a direct flight from San Jose to Moscow. But about nine days ago he began receiving reports that they would not fulfill the contract. “The contracted company, by means of a WhatsApp message, notified me that the flight for reasons of permits with Russia would cancel.”
Jose Cortes, general manager of Destinos TV during a press conference on Wednesday
In the last three days Cortes chose to rent another airplane. “We got an 340 from the Estelar company and managed to obtain the permits of Russia and Civil Aviation of Costa Rica,” said Cortes. “Today (Wednesday) the owner of the plane tells me that he has no crew with the rest time stipulated by the laws and that the plane can not operate on June 14”.
Cortes, said he is considering suing the company. But that doesn’t solve the problems faced by the hundreds of fans who paid up for the trip, some a once in a lifetime event.
Cortes added that the situation is complicated given that he paid an advance of US$1 million dollars to the original company.
“Destinos TV would be losing about US$2 million, since we have to put passengers on commercial flights,” said Cortes if he doesn’t get back the advance.
Another problem for some of the passengers is their need (or lack) of a visa to fly through the United States. Cortes said direct flights to Europe from San Jose on airlines such as Iberia, British Airways, and others are full for the coming days. The general manager added they are looking into other airlines such as Avianca and Copa to bypass the U.S. for those customers.
Hernán Meléndez Durán
Hernán Meléndez Durán is one the customers who paid ¢5,975,340 colones (US$10,700 dollars) plus US$1.500 to fly on the 777. Meléndez was very vocal in his complaints to the company. Another of the affected is the mayor of San Jose, Johnny Araya, who now like the others, awaits a solution by Destinos TV.
In front of the television cameras and reporters, Cortes took responsibility for the situation and was passionate to do his best to get his clients to Russia, if not for the first game, to the next, even it costs him.
“From this I will leave very physically broken in my personal health, as well as economically, but with the peace of mind to offer them (the clients) an alternative, perhaps not the best but the one that is within our reach. The responsibility is 100% mine to make the decision of to operate with another company, with this decision I have risked all our clients and the stability of more than 100 employees who depend on our company. Sorry, I was wrong but we are going to move forward,” said Cortes.
The Destinos TV general manager explained how the company he hired pitched him the deal, their clients, confirmed by Cortes, had included the Costa Rica national team, the Brazil soccer federation and the Peru national team and other major companies that move thousands of passengers in Mexico and Argentina.
Are you looking for an interesting and different place to have lunch? Are you in search of a menu filled with unusual and hard to find Costa Rican dishes? If so, have you considered la Fonda (The Inn) at the Museum of Popular Culture (Museo de Cultura Popular)? Look no further—this is the place for you!
The Museum is located in Santa Lucía de Barva, off the road between Heredia Center and Barva. Sundays are family days at the museum and currently there is an ongoing event celebrating Costa Rican cooking—traditional and innovative cuisine.
The museum is housed on the grounds of an estate that belonged to the family of a former president—Alfredo Gonzáles Flores. The gardens are lovely and attract some good birds. We were fortunate enough to watch a Blue-crested Motmot while we had lunch. Apart from the food, it’s a peaceful and pretty place to visit.
I had lunch there recently with three friends, one of whom is a Tica chef—a great source of information on the dishes we tried and discussed. My chef friend ordered olla de carne—pot of meat—and it was a culinary expedition in a bowl. In addition to a generous portion of meat and very flavorful broth, it had big chunks of at least squash, carrot, taro, chayote squash, potato, corn, and plantain (ayote, zanahoria, ñampí, chayote, papa, elote, and plátano). Part of the fun of ordering olla de carne is exploring the ingredients—they vary widely.
If there were a Costa Rican national dish, it would be olla de carne.
This dish traces its origins back to a Jewish dish called adafina and the traditional Spanish olla podrida. Olla podrida is often saddled with the unappetizing mistranslation of rotten pot. In fact, the term means powerful pot or strong pot in old Spanish. Don Quijote was not so demented as to fail to appreciate of this dish.
I ordered gallito de picadillo de arracache con chicasquil—shredded arracacha (yes, that’s the English translation) served on a corn tortilla. The arracacha was fortified with chicasquil, a tree leaf (Cnidoscolus acontifolius) often compared to spinach in terms of nutrition. In fact, there is a chicasquil tree in the garden of the museum. Arracacha is a traditional root from Peru brought to Costa Rica by the Spanish.
My neighbor ordered an almuercito de campesino, a peasant’s lunch. It consisted of rice, beans, plantain, and an egg omelet—all wrapped in a banana leaf for portability.
The chef’s daughter enjoyed a tamal de cerdo—pork tamale—and shared her mother’s ample olla de carne.
There were many other interesting dishes offered and the menu is not static—it is evolving. I cannot state with certainty what will be offered on any given Sunday, but I can promise you a fascinating excursion into Costa Rican cooking.
The Museum opened in 1994 as an extension of the National Autonomous University (Universidad Nacional Autónoma—UNA). Its mission is to strengthen the university’s bond with Costa Rican society and contribute to the betterment of the quality of life in Costa Rica. The museum hosts a number of permanent and temporary exhibits focusing on traditional Costa Rican life.
The title of the Sunday food event is Tradición e Innovación en Nuestra Cocina—Tradition and Innovation in our Cooking. It runs from 9 AM to 5 PM, but some dishes (e.g. olla da carne) aren’t ready until late morning or noon.
A fan of Costa Rican national team goalkeeper Keylor Navas waves a sign and jersey during the squad's practice session on June 13, 2018, for the FIFA World Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia. EPA-EFE/Juan Herrero
(EFE) ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who plays for Real Madrid, is a fan favorite at the World Cup, drawing hundreds of people to his team’s first practice on Wednesday at the Olimpiyets, a small soccer complex in the town of Pavlovsk, located south of St. Petersburg.
A fan of Costa Rican national team goalkeeper Keylor Navas waves a sign and jersey during the team’s practice session on June 13, 2018, for the FIFA World Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia. EPA-EFE/Juan Herrero
Fans applauded when the 31-year-old Navas and his teammates took the field for warm-ups, calmed down and then got excited again when their soccer hero went into action, making some impressive stops.
“He’s my favorite player, I also want to be a goalkeeper,” a 9-year-old boy who stood out in his fervor for Navas told EFE.
Costa Rican national team goalkeeper Keylor Navas signs autographs for fans during the team’s practice session on June 13, 2018, for the FIFA World Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia. EPA-EFE/Juan Herrero
Fans chanted the Real Madrid and Costa Rican national team star’s name and waved homemade signs in Spanish that said “¡Bienvenido a Rusia!” (Welcome to Russia!) and ¡Querido Keylor Navas! ¡Por favor dame un autógrafo!” (We Love You Keylor Navas. Please give me an autograph!).
Navas signed autographs for his and one fan got the jersey the Real Madrid goalkeeper used in practice.
Francisco Calvo #15 of Costa Rica in the first half during the FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifier at Red Bull Arena on September 1, 2017 in Harrison, New Jersey.
(AP) Francisco Calvo has every right to brag. As a professional, Calvo makes his living playing in the United States for Minnesota United in Major League Soccer. He’s one of the bright young stars that migrated from Central America to join the ranks of MLS.
Costa Rica v United States – FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifier. Francisco Calvo #15 of Costa Rica in the first half during the FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifier at Red Bull Arena on September 1, 2017 in Harrison, New Jersey.
And he’s Costa Rican , which for this World Cup has provided him a position of power over his American teammates in the MLS, even if it’s just in jest.
“I’m kidding with some of the guys. I’m making fun of them because the USA is not in the World Cup,” Calvo said. “But they always like to support when I go to the national team.”
Four years ago, Costa Rica was the surprise of the World Cup, making a memorable and impressive run to the quarterfinals before falling to the Netherlands in a penalty shootout loss. The effort allowed the Ticos to quickly forget the disappointment of not qualifying for the 2010 tournament and, more importantly, changed the perception for what the Costa Rica team should be going forward.
Just qualifying in no longer enough for the Ticos. And with another deep run in this tournament, Costa Rica — a country of about 5 million — could establish itself as arguably the second-best federation in CONCACAF with the United States sitting out.
As Calvo noted, “Futbol is everything in Costa Rica.” Except now there are expectations unlike anything that have come before in the nation’s four previous World Cup appearances.
“When the national team wins the country is happy. When we lose the country is not happy,” Calvo said. “You cannot imagine what it was like after Brazil when the guys come back from the World Cup.”
Ah yes. Four years ago when Costa Rica announced itself as more than just the “other” country from CONCACAF aside from the U.S. and Mexico. The Costa Ricans topped one of the toughest groups in Brazil, beating Uruguay and Italy before a draw with England after already ensuring advancement. They beat Greece on penalties in the Round of 16 and nearly earned a spot in the semis, seeing their dream run fall short in penalties after a scoreless quarterfinal against the Dutch.
Still, they were one of the feel-good stories of the tournament.
“We have gained more expectations from other countries, other countries know Costa Rica now,” defender Kendall Waston said. “Before they say ‘Costa Rica, where’s that?’ Now they know.”
And there lies the issue for the Costa Ricans. They aren’t surprises anymore, both at home and abroad. They are expected to succeed. Winning one game at the World Cup is no longer acceptable. Getting out of the group stage is the expectation.
“We know the responsibility that we have after what we achieved in Brazil,” striker Marco Urena said through an interpreter. “It’s going to be a big test for us, but we have a group with a lot of World Cup experience and that will help us. I have no doubt that Costa Rica will have a great tournament.”
Costa Rica is in another tough group in Russia, with Serbia, Switzerland and Brazil. The team opens the tournament on Sunday against Serbia in Samara.
Costa Rica is one of the more veteran teams in the tournament with more than half of its roster filled with players returning from that 2014 run, including goalkeeper Keylor Navas, the team’s anchor who plays for Real Madrid.
“We have an advantage because we have so many experienced players … that will play in their second World Cup,” Urena said. “We already know what it’s like.”
But it’s also a team that’s heavy on newcomers from MLS clubs. Six Ticos currently play in MLS, including Urena (LAFC), Calvo (Minnesota), Watson (Vancouver Whitecaps), David Guzman (Portland Timbers), and Ronald Matarrita and Rodney Wallace (NYCFC). Costa Rica coach Oscar Ramirez made a point of visiting each player with their club team ahead of the World Cup.
While the MLS tries to shed its retirement league reputation, the Costa Ricans are an example of the U.S.-based league’s recent influx of young players from Central and South America. Panama’s World Cup team also has six MLS players.
Guzman said he believes the move to MLS boosted his bid for a spot on the national team for the World Cup.
Now all that’s left is to make the most of it.
“Right now we’re just really focusing on our preparation and trying to stay fit mentally and physically,” Guzman said through a translator. “We have a really tough group so we’re trying to just go out there and try to make it to the next round. Playing in the World Cup is the best feeling there is and every player dreams of playing in it.”
The leader of the Anti-canal Campesino Movement (Movimiento Campesino Anticanal), Medardo Mairena, told La Prensa that he has received information from the U.S. Embassy in Managua, Nicaragua, that president Daniel Ortega has agreed to hold early elections, but not resign his position.
President Daniel Ortega
Mairena sent an audio message to the campesinos who are in the barrios across the country, in which he tells them that Ortega accepted the early elections during a meeting she had with Caleb McCarry, an American official, sent by the Republican senator from Tennessee and president of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Bob Corker.
Mairena claims to have been informed in a private meeting with U.S. ambassador, Laura Dogu, and a member of the US Senate, whom she did not identify.
Mairena is part of the Civic Alliance for Justice and Democracy, which participated in the national dialogue, which was suspended on May 31.
In an audio message, that circulated in the social networks and whose authenticity was confirmed by him, Mairena asked the residents who are in the tranques (barricades) to resist, that the end of Ortega is near.
“We have to resist because the dictator is weaker every day. I want to inform you that yesterday we had a meeting with the American Ambassador, there was also someone from the Senate of the States who suggested that they had a meeting with Ortega. Ortega is proposing to advance the elections when we are asking for his resignation. So that means we have him crazy with the barricades, we have him cornered with the pressure that there is, although they also always continue to kill us,” said Mairena.
After 57 days of protests against the Ortega government, the demands of the population is for Ortega and his wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo, to resign and then call for elections.
Nicaraguan police say organized groups are responsible for acts of terrorism which have been destabilizing the country and disrupting “public order and peace” of the nation
Mairena maintains that they do not trust Ortega and therefore are asking for his resignation.
“We have proposed early elections, but with the condition that the dictator Daniel Ortega resign first and then have early elections; that is our position and we are not going to back off. If the elections are to be called in six months, how many people will have to die? We reiterate: we want him out,” said Mairena.
More than 140 people have been reported killed as a result of the repression.
In the La Prensa article by Emiliano Chamorro Mendieta and Lucía Navas, Ortega and Murillo are referred to as ‘designated by the electoral power’.
Ortega without a response
On Tuesday, day 6, following the meeting with the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua, Ortega has yet to respond to the request of the bishops for the restoration of the national dialogue and a move towards the democratization of the country. On Thursday Ortega told the bishops he needed two days to mull things over.
Tuesday afternoon in her speech to the official press, Murillo again fell silent about whether there will be a response to the bishops, but said that to restore peace they are working on finding a reasonable, fair and negotiated solution.
“Let us work together for reconciliation so that we can dialogue together with reason to look for the proposals that will do Nicaragua good,” said Murillo.
Costa Rica’s President Carlos Alvarado on Tuesday in a speech before the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington emphasized the crisis in neighboring Nicaragua and lobbied for the defense of the democracies in the region.
Costa Rica president Carlos Alvarado at the OAS on Tuesday. Photo EFE
Alvarado, who is on his first trip abroad since taking office, insisted before the 34 OAS member states that the situation in Nicaragua is getting “ever worse,” and he urged Managua to abide by the recommendations of the International Commission on Human Rights to put an end to the violence.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), in its visit to Nicaragua three weeks ago, verified violence and urged the government of Daniel Ortega to “halt the repression of the protests”.
In addition, the IAHCR asked Nicaraguan authorities to “investigate and sanction” the use of force by “paramilitaries” and to dismantle the said groups, as well as to seek “a peaceful, constitutional and democratic solution to the current political crisis affecting the country.”
Alvarado said that the Nicaraguan crisis is a source of “daily consternation and concern” for Costa Ricans.
The president emphasized “the historical, economic and family ties” uniting Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Costa Rica’s telecommunications regulator, the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (Sutel), has announced the launch of an online registration service for prepaid mobile numbers.
The platform will enable users to exercise their rights as owners of the number, such as when applying for number portability, recovering it in the event of device loss and taking better advantage of operator offers.
Almost 8 in 10 Costa Rican mobile telephony subscribers currently correspond to the prepay segment, according to Sutel.
“If the President arrives at mass, I will not give him communion,” are the words of Catholic priest Sixto Varela, who over the weekend questioned President Carlos Alvarado after the latter participated in the solemn celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The parish priest of San Joaquin de Flores (Heredia) assures that many people have been struck by the fact that Alvarado goes to mass, receives communion and then has contrary positions “to which a Catholic should have.”
“If I am in favor of abortion, of euthanasia – I do not say that he has expressed that – but it seems that is his leaning … Then – please – abstain from communion. The matter is so strong that if, for example, one day he arrives at mass in Saint Joaquin, I will not give him communion, because there are documents from the Church that tell us that a politician who is in favor of abortion should be denied communion,” said Varela.
On June 8, as a faithful and without a formal invitation, President Carlos Alvarado Quesada joined the celebrations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The president was accompanied by the first lady Claudia Dobles, Legislator Víctor Morales and the minister of the Presidency Rodolfo Piza and his, Annie Loría.
At the end of the Eucharist, Monsignor, José Rafael Quirós consecrated the Republic of Costa Rica to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
However, Varela expressed in his personal Facebook account that it was nothing more than a “political show of these disguised atheists. Sorry, Sir, sorry. If this Sir is Catholic, let him act as a Catholic. Enough of using the Church to reassure the masses,” said the priest.
The priest explained that he does not understand why Alvarado attends these activities and has his picture taken but in his speech of May 8 (Inauguration Day) he never mentioned God once. Varela points out that he (the President) did not mention the Virgin of the Angels either, although she played a clear role in the second round of elections.
“The President seems embarrassed to mention God. Nowhere does God appear (in his words). This is the strange thing. It is a concern of many people, who asks this gentleman what he is. ”
“The president – on the one hand – seems Catholic and on the other, he does the opposite. He’s playing. He is showing us a hypocritical image of looking to the Church in some places and in another, he does not want anything to do with it,” explained Varela.
The priest said that the people have the right to know the beliefs of their rulers and used the example of Edgar Mora, the Minister of Education.
“The Minister openly said that he is not a believer, so we already know. It is fair that the people know who their rulers are and their beliefs,” he said.
For its part, the Episcopal Conference rebuked the priest, explaining that it invited the President as is customary to the ceremonial act on Sunday. José Rafael Quirós, archbishop of San José, said he “deeply regrets” Varela’s interpretation of Sunday’s event.
At Casa Presidencial (Government House), the Presidency admitted on Tuesday, through the Minister of Communication, Juan Carlos Mendoza, that the criticism of the priest Sixto Varela against President Carlos Alvarado “caught the attention” of the government.
“The faith of the people is a very delicate field”, Mendoza said at a press conference after the weekly meeting of ministers.
The national anthem of Nicaragua, “Nicaragua, Nicaragüita”, rang out and a minute of silence was observed in honor of the deceased in the area of the Nicaragua embassy, in Barrio California, in San Jose.
This was the final destination of the group of protesters against the Daniel Ortega government who walked from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) in San Pedro.
“¡Y que se rinda su madre!”, “¡De que se van, se van!”
The walk started at 10:00 a.m. on the parapet of the UCR and ended at the Embassy, where they also asked the ambassador in Costa Rica to give a message to President Ortega.
“We want to tell the Nicaraguan ambassador to tell Daniel Ortega and La Chayo (Ortega’s wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo) that they have to leave,” said political scientist Constantino Urcuyo, who participated in the activity.
Professors and internal groups of the UCR organized the event, which was attended by Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans. In the solidarity and peaceful march, a cease-fire was ordered for the violence that since April 18 has left some 139 dead according to the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights.
Alejandra Guitierrez, one of the protesters, explained that her presence also represents a feeling of mourning shared with Nicaraguan mothers who have lost their children during the protests. The university students have been one of the main targets of repression since the people took to the streets in opposition to the reforms imposed by Ortega on Social Security.
In a recent report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH), “serious violations of human rights in Nicaragua have been evident since the crisis intensified.”
The internal crisis in Nicaragua also starting to affect the region.
Barricades located in the main cities of Nicaragua are impeding transportation. More than 6,000 trucks, with merchandise, are stuck in the country unable to get to and from borders.
On the Facebook page of Nicaragua’s 100% Noticias, a video of the San Jose march was posted, the commentator emphasizing how “in Costa Rica there is freedom to protest without repression, be it foreigners or nationals and how the police protect the protesters’.
The bridge over the Virilla river connecting Lindora and Belen will again be closed nightly, from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. The closures began on Monday night and will continue until Sunday, June 17.
The closure is to complete to allow heavy machinery on the current bridge, to finish the work that on the bridge that is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
Plan out your travel accordingly using Waze or Google Maps for the best alternative.
The US government keeps Costa Rica and its steel and aluminum exporters in suspense. The Trump administration has yet to answer the requests made by way of the US Embassy in San Jose that the new tariffs products made of steel and aluminum, respectively, not be applied to Costa Rica exporters.
The formal request was made by the Solis administration in mid-March. The Ministry of Foreign Trade confirmed that these tariffs are already in force for Costa Ricans. Trump signed the imposition of these new taxes on the 8th of March.
“The previous administration made a formal high-level proposal to explain in detail to the United States the technical reasons that support Costa Rica’s exclusion from the application of these additional tariffs. Currently, we are waiting for a formal response from the United States regarding these efforts,” said (interim) Minister of Foreign Trade, Duayner Salas.
Arnaldo Arita and Jorge Cabrera, correspondents for the Reuters international news agency in Nicaragua, denounced the robbery and the aggressions suffered by hooded men and protected by the Policía Nacional (National Police), while covering the attack on the protesters who remained on the barricades on Monday in the Managua neighborhood, El Edén.
Arnoldo Arita, Reuters news correspoindent in Managua
Both reporters were robbed of their cameras, chargers, cell phones, computers, photographic lenses, backpacks, money and personal documents.
The reporters arrived at El Edén bridge sector, while the police, accompanied by hooded and armed individuals, dismantled the barricades located in the sector and fired on civilians.
“When I arrived at the place, one of the policemen beckoned to the hooded men and they let six hooded and armed men approach me, who to me were plainclothes police officers. I told them I was with the international press, but they did not care. They robbed me in sight of the uniformed officers,” Arnaldo Arita explained to El Nuevo Diario.
According to the reporter, when he asked an officer what he could do to recover his devices, the office replied: “Retreat, it can get worse for you.”
“It is a censorship, vandalism handled by the police because the same ones who robbed me went to the police,” Arita said.
The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) has condemned the “continued repression” against the freedoms of expression and assembly in Nicaragua in recent days, in particular, the physical attacks on journalists.
Roberto Rock, president of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, said that “attacking the press is attacking freedom of expression and restricting the right of Nicaraguans to be informed.”
All this while the country waits for President Ortega to reply to the Episcopal Conference demands made last Thursday. Ortega told the Bishops he would need two days to consider their proposal. It’s now day 5 and no word from Ortega.
In May, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) registered a negative monthly variation of 0.11%, mainly explained by the prices of the Transport sector, and Food and non-alcoholic beverages.
From a report by the National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica (INEC):
Of the 315 goods and services that make up the “basic consumer basket” (canasta basica in Spanish), 42% decreased in price, 45% increased in price and 13% did not change.
During May the goods and services that showed the greatest negative effect were: tomatos, internet services and tour packages. On the other hand, gasoline, automobiles and urban buses were among the main items with the greatest positive effect.
When analyzing the percentage changes in the prices of the twelve groups that make up the index, seven groups showed decreases in their prices.
In May of the last ten years, the highest year-on-year variation was in 2009 with 9.52%; while in 2016 the only negative year-on-year change was registered (-0.43%).
Despite losing their last two consecutive friendlies, 4-1 against Belgium on Monday and last Thursaday, 2-0 to England (winning against Northern Ireland 3-0 on June3) , Costa Rica’s national team are expected to run to the last 8 in real World Cup 2018 play with their first game on Sunday against Serbia.
Costa Rica’s Oscar Duarte goes up against Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku during a friendly soccer match between Belgium and Costa Rica at the King Baudouin stadium in Brussels, Monday, June 11, 2018.
This time will be La Seleccion’s fifth appearance at a World Cup. Their last, four years ago in Brazil, Costa Rica reached the quarterfinals. They also played in 1990 and 2002 editions of the World Cup.
Under the direction of former midfielder Oscar Ramirez, the 2018 team is keeping the same base of players from the 2014 World Cup, even those that did not enjoy regular playing time in Europe. Ramirez’s main challenge will be finding a way to fit new players into this core group, especially in the attack.
Keylor Navas is Costa Rica’s and the world’s, best-known player (goalie) and has the leadership qualities to match. His strong performance in Brazil secured a move in 2014 to Real Madrid, where he has been a regular starter despite criticism from fans.
Navas has won three Champions League titles with the Spanish club since he joined. Giancarlo Gonzalez and Bryan Oviedo are undisputed starters. Kendall Waston, who scored the qualifying goal in a last-gasp draw against Honduras in Central American qualifying, is likely to also be included in the starting lineup. Other options include veteran Oscar Duarte and versatile defender Francisco Calvo.
Bryan Ruiz, now 32 but one of the team’s best players in 2014, is the captain and main attacking threat. Celso Gamboa, Cristian Bolaños, Joel Campbell, David Ramirez, Marco Ureña and Ariel Rodriguez complete the La Sele’s attack force.
Costa Rica’s biggest group game is against Brazil on June 22. The team will also face Switzerland on June 27.
Dozens of Nicaraguans who live in Costa Rica took to the streets of downtown San Jose on Sunday to demonstrate peacefully against the government of Daniel Ortega.
With slogans and chants, Nicaraguans marched down Avenida 2, from the Parque Central to the Plaza de la Democracia.
The protests in Nicaragua that began on April 18 were against reforms promoted by the government, mainly increases to pension contributions and reduced benefits.
Despite the government’s quick withdrawal of the reforms, it could be said it was the straw that broke the camel’s back, unleashing an anti-government sentiment and calling for Ortega and his wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo, to step down.
From Diario Extra
Catholic Church led mediation and sponsored National Dialogue was to offer the government and people of Nicaragua a solution to the crisis. The talks failed. A meeting by the Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua and President Ortega was held last Thursday, in the hopes of reviving the talks.
Ortega said he needed to two days before he would give a response.
Nicaraguans are still waiting.
In the meantime, the violent protests in that country escalated over the weekend. The death toll as of this morning is 139 and more than a thousand injured since the clashed began almost two months ago
Unlike the situation in Nicaragua, the march in San Jose on Sunday was uneventful.
06/06/2018,_Casa Presidencial_Consejo de Gobierno extraordinario_Banco Popular_Foto Julieth Méndez_
Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado, his environment minister, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez and the Minister of Public Security, Michael Soto, have an ambitious goal for what will be the President’s first international tour.
Photo Julieth Méndez, Casa Presidencial
Rounding out the Costa Rica delegation in Washington will be Adriana Murillo, Foreign Policy Director of the Foreign Ministry; and Román Macaya, Costa Rica’s ambassador to Washington.
Alvarado and Rodriguez will be in Washington D.C. on June 12 and 13, to ask the Pew Foundation, National Geographic and Conservation International to donate a cool million to Costa Rica to undertake sustainable fishing projects.
According to Rodríguez, the money would be used to promote transformations in fishing activities in coastal areas, specifically in tuna fishing.
Rodriguez explained that in the country this product is fished by an international fleet that has licenses for it for 60 years. He said that although these companies collect around US$60 million per year, they pay less than US$1 million to the country. He added that there are suspicions that 50% of the tuna is caught illegally.
The minister said the US$1 million donation would be the first part of other financial cooperation plans that they want to reach with these three international organizations.
But fisheries is not the only item on the President’s agenda.
Soto, for his part, will be taking part in high-level meetings with officials of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In a statement, Casa Presidencial (Government House) said that the tour will be “austere”, without specifying the cost it will have. “This working visit aims to consolidate the cooperation of that country (the US), multilateral organizations and NGOs on priority issues for our administration as citizen security, combating organized crime and the de-carbonization of our economy,” said the statement.”
The Executive Branch describes the trip as “key”, as the first of the Alvarado Quesada administration to the United States.
The delegation will return to the country on the morning of June 14. That day, in the afternoon, Alvarado plans to meet with the former presidents of Costa Rica.
Officers of the Air Surveillance Service (Servicio de Vigilancia Aérea) managed, this Sunday, together with the Red Cross (Cruz Roja), to save the life of a Cabécar indigenous who had been bitten by a poisonous snake. The man, identified as Pedro Ramírez Soto, 27, had a wound in his left heel.
According to a statement from the Fuerza Publica (National Police), pilot Roberto Cortés and co-pilot Róger Hernández, as well as Cruz Roja paramedic Jeffrey Peraza, left at 10 a.m. the San Jose airport and after landing in Guayabal de Alto Telire, Talamanca, Limón, the officials had to walk almost half an hour in the mountains to reach the ‘rancho’ where the patient was.
The young man was taken to the airport in Limón, where they landed at 12:15 p.m. then by ambulance to the Tony Facio Hospital where the man is recovering.
There are 22 species of venomous snakes in Costa Rica. The most dangerous by far is the fer-de-lance (Bothrops asper), known as a terciopelo in Spanish. Here is a link to Javi the Frog’s Travel Blog Top 10 Deadliest Animals in Costa Rica and the Instituto Cloromiro Picado Instituto Clodomiro Picado’s venomous snakes in Costa Rica.
If you got a message on WhatsApp telling you that McDonald’s is giving away combos, the info is false. The fake news was revealed on McDonad Costa Rica’s official Facebook page.
The post told clients that it is best not to open the WhatsApp link, fill out forms and much less share the message.
“All our promotions are published in our official social networks, McDonald’s App or website with the proper bases, legal conditions and expiration of each promotion,” reads the statement.
Remember that these types of messages seek to pass on viruses or steal valuable information from your cell phone.
Heading off on a winter escape just got a bit easier for Vancouverites, with the news that Sunwing will be offering a weekly non-stop direct flight service from Vancouver to Liberia (LIR) in Costa Rica’s North Pacific this coming winter.
Riu Guanacaste
The non-stop direct flights commence on Sunday, December 23rd, 2018 and Sundays to March 31st, 2019. The flight service is anticipated to be operated on the airline’s new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Once it commences, Sunwing will be the only carrier offering this route direct from Vancouver.
Sunwing Tour Operations president, Andrew Dawson, said “We’re very pleased to be introducing Costa Rica for the coming winter. As well as being renowned for its eco tours and adventures, this popular destination also stands out for the quality of its accommodation. With this new service, our Vancouver customers will be able to choose between two of our consistently most popular top-rated resorts, Riu Palace Costa Rica and Riu Guanacaste, or be among the first guests to experience the new Planet Hollywood Costa Rica, opening this fall. As an added benefit, we will be operating the flight service on our new Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes. The improved fuel efficiency of the MAX will also enable us to offer an increased number of direct flight services from our Western airports.”
Sunwing offers several all-inclusive packages departing December 23, 2018, starting at CA$2,755 per person at the Riu Guanacaste. Other Guanacaste properties include Riu Palace, Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica, Occidental Papagayo and Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica, The Westin Golf Resort and Spa Playa Concha, Occidental Tamarindo, Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica (La Cruz), Hotel Villas Playa Samara and the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Central Pacific, in Puntarenas.
All vacation packages include return flights on Sunwing Airlines, room, meals, drinks, Wi-Fi and beachfront.
This is not an advertisement for SunWing. The Q has not received any promotion or remuneration for this post.
A military policeman patrols the Kelson favela during an operation
Citizens in Latin America and the Caribbean, for the ninth consecutive year, have told Gallup, a United States based polling agency, that they feel less safe when compared to citizens in other parts of the world. The research, which was published in the Gallup’s 2018 Global Law, and Order report, also underscored the challenges the region faces regarding creating safer communities.
A military policeman patrols the Kelson favela during an operation
The survey revealed that Latin America and the Caribbean occupied five of the 10 top places where residents feel least safe.
The survey revealed that Latin America and the Caribbean occupied five of the 10 top places where residents feel least safe.
Seu Jornal reported that Brazil, for the first time in its history, reached a homicide rate of more than 30 murders for every 100,000 residents. The South American country yielded another milestone in 2016, with more than 61,600 homicides that year and 71 percent of the victims being people of African or Indigenous descent.
Mexico and the Dominican Republic were also reported as being among the world’s least secure countries, according to InSight Crime. The study also showed no nation in the region was among the 50 safest countries in the world.
A key point in the study highlighted that a mere 42 percent of respondents in Latin American and the Caribbean trust their local police forces.
Nevertheless, compared to last year’s ranking, a sense of general safety improved in some countries. For example, El Salvador’s score of 67 was touted as a “marked improvement” with researchers pointing to the Central American country’s declining murder rate as a “slow improvement.”
Roughly 1,000 adults from more than 140 countries were surveyed to compile the Gallup report, according to InSight Crime.
Thousands in Guatemala are protesting and demanding President Jimmy Morales resign after what they see as his government’s incompetent management of the tragic volcano eruption that took more than 100 lives.
Protesters say President Jimmy Morales had lied about emergency funds while the disaster agency failed to evacuate despite warnings.
Students led a march of thousands of people carrying torches and shouting slogans against President Morales, whose popularity is plummeting due to several scandals and accusations of corruption, and demanded justice and aid for the victims and everyone affected by the eruption.
“We don’t have a president. Jimmy, the people are too big for you!” people were shouting as they marched to the presidential palace with their torches. “A headless and incapable government buries the people with impunity!”
— PrensaComunitaria (@PrensaComunitar) June 10, 2018
“Thousands of Guatemalans arrived at the #HistoricCenter to demand the resignation of the president and vice president. They also demanded the resignation of representatives.”
“In this darkness,” a protester would yell on a megaphone before the crowd answers “we will be the light!” In Antigua, people lit candles in honor of the missing people so the government “doesn’t forget them,” Sofia Letona, a member of the “Antigua to the Rescue” group that formed spontaneously after the eruption, told EFE.
“We decided to place these candles for each one of the missing people, even though they are not found. It’s a symbolic act for our brothers and sisters to remain in our memories,” said Letona. So far, the official number of missing people is at 197, but some claim it should be much higher.
“If in 2014 there were 8,500 inhabitants, how could the number of missing people be [just] 197 people… the president should resign because he doesn’t have the capacity to face an emergency. Guatemala is too much for him,” said Hector Gramano, a law student taking part in one of the demonstrations, told EFE.
Authorities have recovered at least 110 bodies and counted 197 missing people, 54 injured and more than 1.7 million affected in the Sacatepequez, Chimaltenango and Escuintla departments.
Natural disasters, such as a volcano eruption or an earthquake, cannot be prevented but appropriate protocols and security measures can be taken to save lives, the critics of the Morales government argue.
Eufemia Garcia, 48, who lost 50 members of her family during the eruption of the Fuego volcano, embraces a rescue worker while searching for her family in San Miguel Los Lotes, Escuintla, June 9, 2018. Photo | Reuters
Guatemala’s volcanology institute reported volcano activity since the early morning on Sunday and recommended the National Coordinator for the Mitigation of Disasters (Conred) evacuate the population in danger several times before the eruption, but the requests fell on deaf ears.
Just after the volcano erupted and security and rescue forces were mobilizing to aid in the situation, President Morales announced they wouldn’t use “a single penny” for the emergency.
“I’m ashamed of saying this again, but according to our budget law, we can’t have a single penny. The budget law doesn’t allow the state to spend a penny on emergencies,” said Morales during a press conference at the Conred headquarters Monday.
But analysts and public servants know this isn’t true since the president can declare a “State of Public Calamity” according to article 101 of that very same law, which would allow the government to use public money for the emergency.
The state of calamity was declared in Sacatepequez, Escuintla and Chimaltenango a day after the eruption.
The search and rescue duties are currently suspended due to bad weather conditions and the continuous lava flow that still threatens surrounding areas. The search, however, is now only for bodies and the Conred is considering declaring the area a “cemetery.”
