So far this year there have been 253 victims of homicides and among them are foreigners who lived in the country with the greatest luxuries that some can only imagine.
However, no one knows how they obtained the riches so quickly to afford such a high standard of living, much less explained when police investigations indicate that they practically lived in extreme poverty in their native country.
“We have investigated people in their country of origin who live in marginal areas, very poor, but in Costa Rica, they are with a very important economic growth surrounded by luxuries,” said Álvaro González, head of the Homicide section of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ).
The police chief assures that in some of the investigations into the deaths of foreigners they found that the facts do not necessarily point to local disputes, but, rather the killings are on orders issued from other countries.
Authorities have verified that on the same day that the murders occur in the country, there are also other killings linked to the events in Costa Rica.
“There are conflicts arriving out of the country or to disagreements with some merchandise that did not arrive. We have seen repercussions in the countries of origin. For example, homicides occurring in both countries simultaneously,” González explained.
The official added that when profiling the victims they have detected that “foreigners take advantage of legal loopholes and weaknesses in the legislation that prevents action”.
Gonzalez explained that the authorities typically end up identifying these foreigners in the country when they commit unlawful acts or when they end up murdered.
“These homicides are more complicated because little is known of the victims,” he said.
The official added that in interviews with neighbors there is always a common denominator: nobody knows anything about them.
That is not to say that all foreigners who go from ‘rags to riches’ in Costa Rica are criminals, or linked to criminal organizations from outside the country.
However, one of the most recent cases in example of that described by the OIJ chief is that of a group of Mexican nationals living in a posh Escazu community and linked to the export of cocaine in the tires of trucks.
In 2007, the Public Transportation Council (CTP) of the Ministry of Transport determined that there was a deficit of 858 bus drivers, through an investigation carried out in the San José area. Eleven years later they consider that the situation has become more critical.
Image for illustrative purposes
“Today this has worsened and our concern is to provide an efficient, dignified and safe service to users. As well for drivers with workdays and conditions so they can perform their duties in accordance with occupational health standards and labor laws established in the country,” said Silvia Bolaños, Executive Director of the National Transportation Chamber (Canatrans).
Both the Canatrans and the Ministry of Labor (MTSS) have carried out different programs, such as facilitating training and education for obtaining a license, job fairs, and expediting the granting of permits to foreign workers, however, these have not had an impact to reduce the shortage.
.The face of President Carlos Alvarado, Bryan Ruiz, and first lady Claudia Dobles, says it all.
On Monday, during a visit by the Costa Rican national team to Casa Presidencial, the jersey of the National Team given to the first lady was blank.
While the jersey given to the president had “Alvarado”, the first lady’s had nothing. It was blank. No name. No number. Blank.
The faux pas by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol (Costa Rican soccer federation), was quickly noted on the social media, criticizing the Fedefutbol for such clumsiness and “invisibilizing her identity”, in particular in sports where many women have left and continue to leave their mark.
The Fedefutbol has not commented.
Taking advantage of the bad judgment by the Fedefutbol, Saba, the brand of feminine napkins, did what the Fedefutbol never did, was present the first lady a jersey with the name on it. This was announced by the brand, who in their Facebook page published a photo of the jersey with “C. Dobles”.
Chile’s Supreme Court has ruled 4-1 that transgender citizens can change their name and sex on state registries without needing a sex-change operation to prove their gender identity.
The ruling said that Chile is part of several international human rights accords, including the American Convention of Human Rights and the International Pact of Civil and Political Rights, which obligates the state to “guarantee the human rights of all without discrimination based on race, color, sex, language, religion, political opinions… or any other social condition.”
With these agreements as precedents, the judges ruled that “transgender people, they must always be treated with full respect and guarantees to their human rights enshrined in the various international instruments.”
The ruling, released Wednesday, reads that “any change of name must respect the reality that serves the (person’s) parameters.”
The court concluded that “gender identity… is the essential axis of a person’s self-acknowledgment within society,” updating the existing law that requires a person to go through a lengthy and expensive sex-change operation or hormone treatment.
The move follows several other Latin American countries that now no longer require transgender people to go through surgery or hormone therapy in order to register their new gender with the state.
Since 2015, Colombian citizens have been able to legally change their gender without going through gender-reassignment surgery or getting permission from their doctor. Uruguayans have been able to do the same since 2009.
In 2012, Argentina legislators ruled that not only can citizens re-register their gender without surgery, but medical professionals are obliged to do the surgery for free.
A patrol car suffered damage to its rear windshield on Wednesday afternoon in the sector of La Aurora de Alajuelita.
“Citizens met the police with stones and (gun)shots,” the Ministry of Public Security reported.
The incident occurred in the middle of a national security mega-operation that the authorities carried out that day. In addition, the Red Cross sent a unit to the site, but remained in the vicinity waiting for the scene to be secured by police before entering the area characterized as conflictive.
Nearly 400 women each year in Costa Rica must leave their homes to seek refuge in shelters of the Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres (Inamu) – National Institute of Women – in the face of “imminent danger of death” due to domestic violence.
This is one of the figures that emerges from the third report of the Sistema Unificado de Medición Estadística de la Violencia de Género en Costa Rica (Unified System of Statistical Measurement of Gender Violence in Costa Rica), which brings together information from authorities such as the Inamu, the Ombudsman’s Office, the Judiciary, the 911 Emergency System, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice, the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), and the Ministry of Security.
In addition, the women’s delegations, which corresponds to the other service that Inamu provides to the victims of various forms of violence, attended 43,550 consultations in the five years analyzed.
These actions correspond mostly to requests for legal advice, psychological care, and social work.
For the president of Inamu, Patricia Mora, having this data will allow the women’s center to work more effectively in the eradication of gender violence in Costa Rica.
“You cannot implement successful policies if you do not know closely and with hard numbers what is happening in the country,” said Mora.
According to Mora, statistics also allow identifying which types of violence that occur most.
“The blow that a woman endures is the symptom of a greater evil (…) We will try to root out the evil that today embarrasses us as Costa Ricans,” she added.
Mora explained that, by declaring violence against women as a national emergency, they will be able to focus on the human and economic resources in the detection and eradication of this evil.
In her opinion, prevention should not only be about making the judicialization of cases more efficient but about empowering women so that they do not continue to endure beatings because they depend on their aggressors economically.
For his part, the president of the Supreme Court, Carlos Chinchilla Sandí, said it is necessary to modify the criminal process to prevent women who suffer aggressions from being revictimized.
“What must be is to take a single statement from the victim and not expose her again and again to the same punishment (…) the protection has to be broader and they must be protected in the criminal process itself,” he said.
In his opinion, moreover, there should not be a distinction between ‘extended femicide’ and ‘femicide’ punished by the Law on the Penalization of Violence against Women (Ley de Penalización de Violencia contra las Mujeres).
The latter only includes victims who live or are married to their aggressor under this crime, while in the extended includes those who are murdered for being a woman, but it is penalized as a regular homicide under the Penal Code.
“We do not want them to be statistics, but to be living women who contribute to our society,” added the Supreme Court chief justice.
Femicide on the rise.
So far this year, 10 women have lost their lives at the hands of their partners, ex-partners or because of their gender.
According to the data of the report presented this Tuesday, there were 119 cases between 2012 and 2016 (inclusive) and 26 in 2107.
In as much, data of the Ministry of Health on notifications of intrafamilial violence revealed that the rate of incidence in women represents the double of men.
For example, for 2016, for every 10,000 reported cases, 39 were women and 15 men. In addition, the majority of cases in which the victims are men correspond to older adults.
In relation to the type of violence reported, physical and psychological abuse represent the highest rate of 20% and 25% of the total cases; Around 14% of cases are for sexual abuse.
In addition, 1,224 cases of sexual harassment were registered in the period covered by the report.
Having left firearms within reach of his children is one of the facts by which a man identified as Giclis Noguera Henríquez will serve nine years in prison. The individual, aged 35, was sentenced by the San Ramón Criminal Court on Tuesday night as responsible for the crime of non-compliance with parental rights, as well as possession of drugs for distribution and threats to public officials.
In accordance with article 188 of the Penal Code, whoever fails or abuses the rights granted by the exercise of parental authority or guardianship will be punished with imprisonment of six months to two years.
According to the San Ramon Public Prosecutor’s Office, during a 2017 raid carried out in the house of Noguera, agents confiscated drug and firearms that were in a place easily accessible to minors.
Keylor Navas is a household name now. In Costa Rica, everyone knows who Keylor is. In fact, most in Latin America and now Europe know who Keylor is. The famous name, Keylor, will be heard even more with the increase of newborns named Keylor in Costa Rica and Spain.
In Costa Rica, the popularity of the name Keylor began after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. And is still common among those born this month. In Spain, the situation is similar, only that the trend started in 2017.
According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) in Spain, futbol (soccer) fever has inspired parents to name their newborns Keylor and Neymar. In 2017, Spain’s INE reports 600 babies were registered with the name Keylor. Surprising because Keylor was not a popular name in Spain.
In Costa Rica, the Registro Civil reports 24 babies were names Keylor from 2014 to present. The numbers increase if Keylor is used as a second or middle name, a total of 366 registrations, and one Keylor Josué Navas.
In total 391 babies were registered with the name Keylor, either as a first or second name in Costa Rica between 2014 and 2018.
It may not seem a lot compared to Spain’s numbers, but important to note the population difference of the two: the population of Spain is 45.56 million (2016) and Costa Rica, 4.857 million (2016).
Carlos Chinchilla, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica
As a sign of commitment to the eradication of violence against in Costa Rica, Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos ChinchillaChinchilla publicly gave out his telephone number (84241313) to attendees during an activity organized by the National Institute for Women (Inamu).
Carlos Chinchilla, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica attending the Inamu event Wednesday morning
“If you call me, I probably will not answer, but by a WhatsApp,” the magistrate joked. “What I want to tell you is that you have the support of the Judicial Branch and my support at all times and if it is also to support you directly with the declaration of emergency, count on my presence there,” Chinchilla said during Wednesday morning’s activity.
Carlos Chinchilla was one of the guests present at the Inamu presentation of the report on violence against women.
“It’s a great sign. That the president of one of the Supreme Powers of the Republic has verbalized the commitment that Don Carlos Chinchilla made today, should indicate to us that indeed in this country we are acquiring a serious commitment, ” Patricia Mora, head of the Inamu said.
Keylor Navas was part of the Costa Rican national team’s practice on Wednesday, their first ‘full strength’ practice before the 2018 World Cup in Russia that starts on June 14.
But before taking the field in Russia, La Sele will be playing friendlies with Northern Ireland on Sunday, at the National Stadium, in San Jose and England, at the Ellen Road stadium, in Leeds on June 7, and then Belgium, at the Koning Boudewijnstadion (King Baudouin Stadium) in Brussels on June 11.
Costa Rica will play its first World Cup 2018 game on June 17 against Serbia.
For 2018, Oscar Ramirez will be leading the ticos world soccer play, where the “Costa Pobre” by some, the same calling in Brazil 2014, could go even further in this their 5th World Cup appearance in the history of the team.
Costa Rica is the only national team in Central America to have played in four FIFA World Cup editions.
“It’s very important to have the complete team because we can hone the details together. It’s extra motivation to have Keylor for everything that he’s been doing. He’s a leader, a player we all listen to,” David Guzman told reporters.
Part of the training leading up to the games next month, the national team will spend time watching video of the teams they will face at the World Cup in Group E: Brazil, Serbia, and Switzerland.
In a historic decision, Chile’s House of Representatives voted this Wednesday to ban the usage of plastic bags in all types of shops across the entire territory, making it the only country to prohibit them in the American continent.
The measure was well received in the Senate, so it was sent back to the Lower House, where it was passed this afternoon. It will enter into force in a year’s time in the case of retailers, but in two years in the case of small businesses. This bill excludes garbage bags.
Nevertheless, it was president Michelle Bachelet who announced a related bill in 2017, during the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which was praised both domestically and abroad.
“We are going to present a bill that will ban the usage of plastic bags in coastal cities within the next 12 months”, Bachelet said in New York City, in September.
Said project was also passed, but it was meant to affect around 100 sea-side cities. President Sebastián Piñera’s second administration transformed it into a national-scale objective.
The environment was a crucial topic for the former head of State. Disagreements on the matter led to a cabinet crisis that produced the resignation of her Ministers of Economy and Finance, as well as that of the undersecretary of the latter organism.
Today’s resolution was heavily cheered by many political actors, specifically from Chile Vamos, the current coalition in power.
Piñera himself took to Twitter to say that “we have taken a fundamental step to take better care of Chile and the planet. Today we are more prepared to leave a better planet to our children, grandchildren and the generations to come”.
The Minister of the Environment, Marcela Cubillos, also shared on Twitter her thoughts. “Leaving Congress. Thanks for supporting this first step to combat plastic pollution”, she wrote.
????AHORA: Con 134 votos la Cámara aprueba y despacha a ley el proyecto que prohíbe la entrega de bolsas plásticas de comercio en todo el territorio nacional. #chaobolsasplasticas
— CámaraDiputadosChile (@CamaraDiputados) May 30, 2018
The website, chaobolsasplasticas.cl, has been launched to educate Chileans about the new law.
According to data provided by the Association of Plastic Manufacturers (Asiplas in Spanish), it takes a minute to produce one plastic bag, which has, on average, a fifteen-to-thirty-minute lifespan. Nonetheless, each bag takes approximately 400 years to degrade.
Asiplas also said that Chile uses more than 3.4 billon plastic bags a year, which translates to almost 200 bags per person annually.
Some states and cities of the US and Canada have similar measures in place, but those initiatives have not become national policies yet. Costa Rica, on the other hand, intends to ban single-use plastics by 2021.
Today is Mother’s Day in Nicaragua. While many mothers across the country live the day with the presence of their children, almost 90 will be crying. Like Demesia Aburto, who on Tuesday, cried over the body of her son in a celestial coffin, decorated with freshly cut white flowers.
The aunt and mother of Gerardo Aburto mourn his death in the protests on Monday at the UNI, in which the deceased was not involved.
She tightened her gray hair, grasped her hands in the fabric of her black skirt and exclaimed to the sky: “My God, help me to endure this pain so barbaric that it is killing me, because I alone cannot”.
Cela Urbina is another mother who, since April 21, there has not been a day she doesn’t cry over the death of her son in Ticauntepe.
According to the report by Amnesty International on Tuesday, “Shoot to kill: Nicaragua’s strategy to repress protest” there are at least 85 other mothers crying for their children killed by, in the words of Nicaraguan activist Bianca Jagger, “President Daniel Ortega’s dirty war against his own people”.
Mother’s Day 2018 is a different day, changed by the events that began on April 18.
The El Nuevo Diario reports that through all the sadness, there is also the thirst for justice for that is the march held on Tuesday afternoon in Managua so-called: Mobilization in homage to the Mothers of April.
Joining the march will be Cela Urbina; Amanda de Gahona, from Bluefields, who lost her son, a journalist shot dead while making his report; Jessica Patricia, from Rivas, and Lizeth Dávila, from Managua. They are all part of the Mothers of April Movement.
Aburto, 61, told END that she could not say goodbye to her son, Gerardo Aburto, 27 years old, when he left early to sell shirts in Managua. The Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería (UNI) had barricaded themselves in protest against the Government and when they passed through the area, Gerardo found death. He wasn’t protesting.
“The police killed him, when they came to disperse the kids there they beat him as they wanted, they left him in his underpants and they shot him to kill, he took two shots,” says Demesia with difficulty, crushed by the crying in the small room of her house with a dirt floor and walls of wood boards, with her eyes fixed on her son’s face.
From the editor: From the Q, a Happy Mother’s day to all the Nicaraguan mothers in Costa Rica. For those have lost a loved one, our heart goes out to you.
Now that the right-wing Ivan Duque will face the center-left Gustavo Petro in the second round of the Colombian presidential elections, the Alternative Democratic Pole (PDA) party announced it will take a new stance on Wednesday after its candidate Sergio Fajardo didn’t get enough votes in the first round.
A woman sells newspapers that show candidates Gustavo Petro and Ivan Duque go to the second round of presidential election, in Bogota, Colombia May 28, 2018. | Photo: Reuters
Fajardo was the official candidate of the PDA despite many of its party members openly supporting Petro during the campaign, but the party conditions its members with a strict voting policy, forcing them to vote only for their own candidates. Doing otherwise could result in “double militancy,” penalized under the party’s code. In April, a dissident group within the PDA asked the committee to allow them to vote for any candidate they choose to support as many of them sympathized with Petro, who used to be a prominent member of their party.
The faction, led by senators Ivan Cepeda, Alexander Lopez, Jesus Alberto Castilla, Senen Niño, representative Alirio Uribe, along with 100 other members, asked the head of the party to allow them to decide between Petro and Fajardo, but they were denied the request by Senator Jorge Enrique Robledo, the party’s most acknowledged leader.
But now that Fajardo is out of the race, the party needs to take a new stance and decide if they will promote a blank vote, abstention, let their members free to decide on anything they want or to fully support Petro against Democratic Center’s Ivan Duque, who represents the continuation of hardline former President Alvaro Uribe.
However, not everyone within the PDA supports the idea of embracing Petro’s candidacy against Uribe’s candidate, like Senator Jorge Robledo who fiercely opposes him and considers the possibility of the blank protest vote as a viable option.
“The decision won’t take long, we’re waiting for the regional leaders to arrive and there will be an official position this week,” saidPDA’s Senator Ivan Cepeda regarding the meeting called by the party’s National Executive Committee.
According to Caracol Radio, 19 out of the 25 members of the Executive Committee are in favor of supporting Petro and its Human Colombia Movement.
Uribe’s candidate Ivan Duque and progressive Gustavo Petro made it to the second round of presidential elections to take place on June 17, after none of the candidates got the mandatory 50 percent plus one votes needed to become win the presidency in the first round.
Amnesty International issued a report Tuesday detailing the Nicaraguan government’s deadly response to recent protests that almost 90 people, many of them students, protesting in anti-government demonstrations since April.
In “Shoot to Kill: Nicaragua’s Strategy to Repress Protest,” the human rights group documents the use of police force, alleged extrajudicial killings by armed, pro-government groups, and the repression and condemnation of news media since April 18, when violence against protesters began.
The report accuses Nicaraguan authorities of using paramilitary groups dubbed “Sandinista mobs” to quash anti-government protesters. “These pro-government armed groups were apparently used by the government to generate disorder, make threats and carry out attacks, including some that may have proved fatal.”
“The Nicaraguan authorities have turned on their own people in a vicious, sustained and frequently lethal assault on their rights to life, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The government of President Ortega has then shamelessly tried to cover up these atrocities, violating the victims’ rights to truth, justice and reparation”
Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International
AI noted that attacks were often committed by “private individuals in the presence of or in coordination with the security forces.” The human rights organization said authorities failed to pursue perpetrators “after the crimes were committed.”
“The Nicaraguan authorities have turned on their own people in a vicious, sustained and frequently lethal assault on their rights to life, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International. “The government of President Ortega has then shamelessly tried to cover up these atrocities, violating the victims’ rights to truth, justice, and reparation.”
At least 87 people have been killed and hundreds more wounded since protests erupted.
But the unrest has now gone beyond frustration over the government forced through pension and social security reforms (and then repealed them days later), with protesters calling for President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo, to step down.
Protesters also want Constitutional changes, mainly with respect to election rules made by Ortega to allow him a third consecutive term and many more after that.
Amnesty International’s report documents a system of repression that went further than attacking protesters by denying medical care in public hospitals, obstructing investigations of deaths and vilifying protesters in media by blaming them for the violence.
One protester who was denied medical care was 15-year-old Álvaro Conrado, who was shot in the neck while handing out water in Managua on April 20. The teen’s relatives told Amnesty International that he was denied medical attention at the government-run Cruz Azul Hospital before he was taken to a private hospital and died of his injuries. Conrado’s parents said he was buried without a forensic examination, that police prevented them from filing a complaint with a human rights center and unknown people destroyed his uncle’s food stall.
The human rights group recommended the Nicaraguan government guarantee free expression and stop using excessive police force against protesters. It also recommends the public prosecutor’s office and other law enforcement agencies initiate impartial and thorough investigations into the deaths and carry out due process.
On May 21, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) called on the Ortega government to an immediate end to repression in Nicaragua and to allow investigations into the protest violence.
Ortega, a former Sandinista guerrilla fighter, has been president for the last 11 years, although he also ruled the country from 1979 to 1990, following his participation in the overthrowing of the Somoza dictatorship.
Ortega’s strategy to keep his autocratic hold on power in the country includes his style and brand of rhetoric while cosing up to the powerful private industry and trade with the United States.
Demonstrators have voiced frustrations over corruption by Ortega and Murillo, limited options to change the country’s politics in elections, and the president’s control over Congress, the courts, the military and the electoral authority.
The National Dialogue mediated by the Catholic Church aimed at calming the violence have stalled. On Sunday, the Episcopal Conference called for all sides to revive the dialogue.
Protests took another deadly turn on Monday, when pro-government groups and anti-government protesters clashed, leaving one person dead and three other people injured.
Electoral solution. Many see the only way for Ortega and Nicaragua is fresh elections. The division is strong that anyone who thinks a soltuion other than an electoral one is seriously wrong.
But the government has so far refused this option.
Four people have been killed and damages to the infrastructure in Cuba, as a result of flooding from rainfall which accompanied Tropical Storm Alberto. Bridges were washed away and roads damaged leaving about 60,000 people without electricity and causing several communities to be isolated.
Interior Minister Julio Cesar Gandarilla confirmed the death toll at a meeting with officials headed by President Miguel Diaz-Canel. “We have four people dead so far, two in the province of Ciego de Avila, one in Sancti Spiritus and another in Villa Clara due to reckless behavior,” the Interior Minister said, on Tuesday.
More than 51,000 Cubans have been evacuated in the area.
#Cienfuegos Hace pocas horas se derrumbó uno de los almacenes de ITH en esta ciudad. No se reportan daños humanos. Las #Lluvias continúan intensamente en la provincia. pic.twitter.com/gqQFEAgDsI
“We must work together and come out of this stronger,” said the president. “Our experience tells us that with climate change these situations are going to occur frequently, therefore we must be prepared and be able to respond to each one of them.”
Diaz-Canel also announced that focus is being placed on re-establishing essential services such as electricity and transportation. Over 43,000 people remain without electricity in several provinces.
According to state-run media, tens of thousands of people are facing evacuation due to the effects of the storm, which dumped more than 10 centimeters of rain on the country over a 24-hour period.
Bridges were washed away and roads damaged, by the force of the water, leaving about 60,000 people without electricity and causing several communities to be isolated. Some 1,384 homes have been affected, with 174 totally collapsed, according to the Diaz-Canel-cheered meeting.
An oil spill – which is now under control – was caused by heavy flooding at one of the nation’s main oil refineries in Cienfuegos. It has been controlled by local authorities. There has also been substantial damage in the agricultural sector, with crops such as rice, beans, tobacco and bananas particularly affected.
Last year, Hurricane Irma lashed Cuba for three days and killed at least 10 people as well as left US$ 13 billion worth of destruction in its path.
Alberto – which made landfall in the United States on Tuesday – is the first named storm of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, that officially starts on June 1.
Camote or sweet potato is one of the oldest vegetables known to man and they are native to Central and South America. They are large, starchy and sweet-tasting. The Ipomoea batatas are a root vegetable native to the tropical regions in the Americas.
Although the soft, orange sweet potato is often called a “yam” in parts of North America, the camote is botanically very distinct from a genuine yam. Camotes are not related in any way to yams or regular white potatoes, they belong to a different food family.
Although the camote is not closely related botanically to the common potato, they have a shared etymology. The first Europeans to taste camotes were members of Christopher Columbus’s expedition in 1492.
In Argentina, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic the sweet potato is called batata. In Mexico, Peru, Chile, Costa Rica and the rest of Central America it is known as camote.
The origin and domestication of sweet potato was formerly thought to be in either Central or South America. In Central America, domesticated sweet potatoes were present at least 5,000 years ago.
There are approximately 400 varieties of camotes, with many different skin colors and shapes. Camotes are grown in the U.S. whereas yams are rarely grown in the U.S. as most are grown in Africa and are much larger and are more dry and starchy than camote. So the chances of you buying a yam in the U.S. is rare even though they may say yams on the grocery store shelf. But here in Costa Rica you can always purchase camotes year round at any supermarket, ie Masxemonos, Pali, Automercado, Megasuper and vegetable fairs or “ferias” as they are known.
Health Benefits
Besides simple starches, raw camores are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and beta-carotene (a provitamin A carotenoid), while having moderate contents of other micronutrients, including vitamin B5, vitamin B6 and manganese. Camotes are by far superior in nutrients than either yams or the regular white potatoes.
Nutrients found in the camote: Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, Biotin, Choline, Folate, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Vitamin K.
I peel the camote and then cut them to desire for cooking, ie large or thin string cut (french fry) or sometimes in medallions. After cutting I let them soak in water for 30 to 60 minutes, which brings out all their great flavor and maximizes their nutritional value. I then deep fry or pan fry as I would regular potatoes.
That is my choice of the camote.
There are many ways to cook up camotes, including steaming, boiling and baking. Here is a Google search link for a guide to cooking camote.
Tried the caramelized recipe once, didn’t quite work out for me.
The University of Costa Rica (UCR) recently published a study entitled “Central America Torn,” which documented, through a survey, the reality of poor communities in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Roughly half of these young people between the ages of 14 and 24, are not enrolled in school. Of that total, 56% are females, while 44% are males.
More than half responded that they want to leave the country, with higher figures registered among Salvadorans (76%) and Hondurans (60%), according to AFP.
Having to deal with high levels of poverty, they often dream of migrating to another country to get away from the violence, gangs, lack of opportunity, as well as inadequate health care and education.
Two testimonies stand out among those who were surveyed.
Marvin Alexander Orellano, who lives in Popotlan colony, an impoverished, periphery neighborhood in San Salvador (El Salvador), said “living here is like someone putting a limit on you.” The 19-year-old said that people who live in the community are subjected to a “de facto limit” on their freedom of movement due to the presence of gangs.
“The biggest frustration is social discrimination, either because of how one dresses or because of the economy. If we are going to look for a job, they do not give us a job because we are from Valle Verde or Popotlan,” which are characterized as “conflict zones.”
Meanwhile, Alexandra (a fictitious name) is a 20-year old woman who lives on a small ranch in the southwest of Tegucigalpa, along with her husband and young child.
“Here we live in fear that something might happen to us,” she said, speaking with her face covered with a ski mask so as not to be identified. “I would like there to be a change with violence and healthcare, because the smallest children suffer, my child got sick with a virus and there is no health center nearby.”
The last installment in the Star Wars saga, The Last Jedi, hit Costa Rican theaters on December 15 of last year, grossing over $620 million worldwide. In contrast, 2015’s Force Awakens set an all-time record earning $529 million in its opening weekend, according to Deadline.
It went on to gross over $1.1 billion internationally and is the highest grossing Star Wars installment of all time, with record IMAX viewings in Costa Rica.
That film was full of hidden facts that only truly dedicated Star Wars fans would see. The Last Jedi has its fair share too.
Here on Q Costa Rica we are big fans of the film, especially how it dealt with themes of power and corruption. Let’s have a look now at 7 interesting facts about the film that you may have missed.
Golden Dice
You may have missed it in A New Hope, but the dice that Luke gives Lea in The Last Jedi in the rebellion bunker are actually a memento from the Millennium Falcon and a nod to Han Solo. Forbes recounts that the golden dice were hanging in the cockpit of the Falcon in the original film. In another nod to Han Solo, Luke Skywalker repeats Solo’s line after fighting Kylo Ren, when he says “see you around, kid” in his best Harrison Ford voice.
The Canto Bight Casino
With new fantastic locales for each film, the casino in Last Jedi is the most expensive and largest set built for a Star Wars film. It took 16 weeks to build and was split across two stages at Pinewood Studios, with the exterior built at Longcross and the medieval city of Dubrovnik standing in for the planet Canto Bight.
Rian Johnson Film Inspirations
Writer/director Rian Johnson loves old films and they were part of his inspiration for developing The Last Jedi’s story. The three classic films were: The 1949 WWII air-force drama 12 O’clock High, Hitchcock’s 1955 classic romantic thriller To Catch a Thief and the 1964 samurai action drama Three Outlaw Samurai.
Porgs
The adorable creatures that everyone wanted to take home were designed by creative supervisor Neal Scanlan. He was tasked with making 130 creatures. The Porgs are a mix of a puffin, an owl and a baby seal.
Luke’s X-Wing
Everyone saw Luke’s ship at the bottom of the small inlet along the island of Ahch-To. Yet only eagle-eyed fans would have noticed that the X-wing’s s-foil makes a perfect door to Luke’s hermitage abode atop the island.
Gareth Edwards Cameo
Rogue One director Gareth Edwards gets a cameo as a resistance soldier on Crait. He is the soldier looking on in confusion as his fellow soldier licks the white stuff on the ground and declares it “salty.” Edwards originally gave Last Jedi director Johnson a cameo as an Imperial Technician in his movie, so Johnson returned the favor, according to Vanity Fair.
Luke’s Hand
If you look closely when Luke takes the lightsaber offered by Rey when they meet, his robotic hand clearly shows damage he took from a laser blast while fighting on Jabba’s barge above the Sarlac pit in Return of the Jedi. That’s continuity for you.
The Star Wars universe has reached fans throughout the world. Here in Costa Rica we have Star Fest, a celebration of everything Star War that began in 2014. The Tico Times reports that the celebration brings together fans from all over Costa Rica for a four-day festival. It is a chance for fans to share and celebrate the passion for Star Wars, meet some of the notable characters and experience the iconic music played live. Included in the concert is The Mos Eisely Cantina bar theme. The bar is so deeply entrenched in Star Wars lore, and so established in pop culture that PartyPoker list it in their top fictional pubs to play poker in. It has become so famous that no Star Wars event would be complete without honoring the bar and its famous John Williams theme.
Costa Rican Star Wars can further explore the galaxy far far away by watching Solo: A Star Wars Story, which is out now.
As if history was being repeated, but in this case in Englan, the Costa Rican national team again called “poor Costa Rica” in the group in which they will play in the World Cup 2018.
Four years ago the Uruguayan media said of the Ticos “Costa Pobre” for being in the so-called group of death, and on May 25 the English media, The Essential Daily Briefing, used the same words.
The publication made an analysis of the groups of the World Cup in Russia. When describing Group E – Brazil, Switzerland, Serbia and Costa Rica, “Serbia are a better side than they’ve been for a while, but Brazil and Switzerland should find this group relatively straightforward. Poor Costa Rica.”
Before heading to Russia, the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol (Fedefútbol) – Costa Rica soccer federation, is holding its big party, a game between the Ticos and Northern Ireland on Sunday, at the national stadium in La Sabana.
At first, it appeared the friendly game would be played in less than a full stadium. But, in the last couple of days “futbol” fever struck and ticket sales picked up fast.
“We are Ticos and leave everything to the last minute.” – Margarita Echeverría, Secretary of the Fedefútbol
The Fedefútbol reports 22,200 tickets have been sold so far, with only 6.300 tickets left for the public. The stadium capacity is 35,000. Tickets start at ¢10,000 colones.
According to Margarita Echeverría, Secretary of the Fedefútbol, ticket sales have picked up greatly in the last few days because “we are Ticos and leave everything to the last minute”.
Soccer fever upped a notch on Tuesday with the arrival of Keylor Navas to the country.
Gameday: Sunday, June 3
Game Time: 11:00 a.m. (Costa Rica time)
Venue: Estadio Nacional, La Sabana
Visitors: Northern Ireland
The Ticos will be heading to Russia next week, in their fourth visit to the World Cup. In Brazil 2014, Costa Rica had their highest finish yet, reaching the Quarter Finals.
Multiplaza Escazu on Tuesday afternoon suffered damage to a part of the ceiling and flooded corridors due to the heavy rains.
According to the Escazu municipal police, they received reports from the mall’s security that some roof panels had come loose.
Some in the social media described it as the mall with “waterfalls”.
This is not the first time this type of accident happens at the mall.
Roberto Carballo, Grupo Roble’s operations manager, described the incident in a press release as an “inconvenience in the ceiling”, the situation was under control and repairs would be done Tuesday nignt.
Following the clean up of the landslide that chocked off completely passage through the Cerro de la Muerte on the Ruta 2 on Monday and subsequent re-opening Tuesday morning, a series of landslides shut it down the Interamericana Sur Tuesday afternoon, this time at kilometers 133, 128 and 118.
The Interamerican Sur on Tuesday. Photo from Conavi
The heavy rains of Tuesday in the Zona Sur affected the Interamericana Sur, forcing its closure until further notice.
Crews of the Consejo Nacionalidad de Vialidad (Conavi) are working to clear the road, but it will really depend on the weather.
If you are traveling to the southern zone (Zona Sur) from the Central Valley, best use the Costanera Sur.
Costa Rica’s immigration service, the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería Costa Rica (DGNE), has joined the mega police operation coordinated by the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública (MSP) across the country, with the aim of reducing the recent crime wave through preventive actions.
On Friday, Maay 25, 34 officers of the immigration police joined the officers of the Fuerza Publica (National Police) in police controls in the areas of Paso Canoas, Los Chiles, San Carlos, Sabalito, Pérez Zeledón, Limón, Puntarenas, Liberia, Peñas Blancas and the Daniel Oduber Airport. Likewise, it was present in the central cantons of San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago.
The immigration officials participated in roadblocks, inspections of commercial premises, nightclubs, bars, and patrols in conjunction with officials of the Fuerza Publica.
The results included the verification of migratory documents of 266 people, of which 2 were detained for “irregular migratory status” in the country and 60 were given notice to appear at the immigration office, while one person was referred to the PANI, the child welfare agency.
Miguel Rodríguez, representing Costa Rica, came in sixth place in the 10th edition of the Mister Gay World event that took place from May 21 to May 27, 2018, in Knysna, South Africa.
Miguel Rodríguez
Rodríguez won the first place in social networks and 26-year-old Australian reality TV chef and cookbook author, Jordan Bruno, was crowned as the Mr. Gay World 2018, beating out 20 other competitors from around the world and will now serve as a global ambassador for LGBTQ people throughout the next year. Second place went to Ricky Devine-White, a 36-year-old New Zealand personal trainer. Third place went to Samarpan Maiti, a 29-year-old Indian researcher of brain cancers.
A “chonete”
According to the Costa Rican organizers, one of the great activities they carried out was an auction of the president of the gay world, whose funds were raised for charity. The Tico candidate carried a chonete and a scarf embroidered with the name of Costa Rica. One of the auctioneers asked him to auction his bowtie, for a price of $500.
Rodriguez is from Alajuela, 29 years old and a student of Business Administration.
Before the Mr. Gay World 2018 grand finale even began, each competitor was judged on how well they executed a campaign for the benefit of the LGBTQ community and how well they used social platforms to promote that work. Additionally, each man was judged on a video message sharing their work and their vision for a more accepting world.
Photo from Facebook
At the grand finale, the men went through a gauntlet of tasks meant to test their personal, physical and emotional prowess, including a sports challenge and a written test to judge their knowledge of worldwide LGBTQ history. There was also a photo shoot and several runway challenges as each delegate models formal wear, swimwear and a cultural costume exhibiting their home country’s unique garb.
Next year’s Mr. Gay World 2019 competition will be held in Hong Kong.
President Carlos Alvarado sends a motivational message to the players of the Selección Nacional (National Team) or La Sele prior to their visiting the Presidential House.
In the short video, under two minutes, the President recalled the success in Brazil and how a whole country rallied around soccer.
“Although we are a small country we feel giants because we are in democracy, in environment, in peace and also in fútbol (soccer)”
For this World Cup 2018 in Russia that begins on June 12, the Ticos are expecting to go beyond their experience in Brazil when they reached the quarterfinals.
“Though last time it may have a been a surprise, this time everyone nows who Costa Rica is and that is why we are going to give it everything. We’re going to show the world what Pura Vida is and leave the World Cup through the big door,” in the words of the Presi.
Carlos Alvarado received the team led by coach Óscar Ramírez at noon on Tuesday. The team will be heading to Europe, in Costa Rica also referred to as “the old continent” in search of a new globalist dream.
L'mprenditore genovese di 36 anni, Salvatore Ponzo, ucciso l'altro ieri a San Josè (Costa Rica) nella zona di Los Yoses, Monte Local, poco lontano dall'ambasciata italiana in un'immagine presa dal sito della 'Tierra Nuestra Latina', azienda creata per esportare ananas e altre prodotti ortofrutticoli in Europa. +++ ATTENZIONE LA FOTO NON PUO? ESSERE PUBBLICATA O RIPRODOTTA SENZA L?AUTORIZZAZIONE DELLA FONTE DI ORIGINE CUI SI RINVIA +++ ++ HO - NO SALES, EDITORIAL USE ONLY ++
The mother of the Ecuadorian girl wounded in the shooting that took place in Los Yoses last Wednesday, where Italian businessman Salvatore Ponzo died, said that it is possible that the motive for the crime is linked to aa commercial strife.
Lopez Toaquiza’s mother, from her home in the historic center of Genoa, spoke to the Italian news agency ANSA.
The 26-year-old Ecuadorian, fiancée of Ponzo was injured in the ambush in which the Italian businessman was killed.
“My daughter, fortunately, is well,” says the young woman’s mother, “she only suffered a fracture, falling. I still could not talk to her because she’s without a phone, she lost him in the ambush and then someone stole it. The news of my daughter comes to me by way of the embassy”.
Both Ponzo and Lopez met in Genoa, where they usually lived and traveled to Costa Rica to attend to Ponzo’s business, Tierra Nuestra Latina, a company based in Pital de San Carlos, that shipped pineapple and other fruits to Europe, established between 2014 and 2015 by Ponzo and other partners.
Salvatore Ponzo. Photo from Ansa
Ponzo, 36, was killed by at least 6 shots fired at point-blank range by two gunmen traveling on a motorcycle near the Italian embassy in San Jose. The deceased, born in Catania, Sicily spent most of his life in Sampierdarena, one of the most popular neighborhoods of Genoa, in the Liguria region, in northern Italy.
Meanwhile, López remains hospitalized in the Calderón Guardia.
“My daughter and Salvatore were together for years. They had met in Genoa. Salvatore was a good guy, an honest worker. His company was dedicated to the export of pineapples to all of Europe. ”
“It seems that the more they grew, the more problems they had with companies of the same type in that place. Maybe that’s why they killed him. Three years ago, when he had just arrived in Costa Rica, he refused to connect with companies of an entrepreneur who grows and exports pineapple. Maybe that’s why they killed him. There is no other reasons for such a brutal murder.,” the woman was quoted by ANSA as saying. “Salvatore and my daughter were talking about getting married and moving permanently to Costa Rica. Now I’m only interested in getting my daughter back home.”
Toaquiza’s mother said her daughter is under police custody while in the hospital and is looking to get her daughter back home with her in Italy. “In the next few days I will try to convince diplomacy (embassy) to put my daughter on a plane to get her back to Genoa, if she does not, I will go to her,” the woman told Ansa.
According to a report by Ansa, the Prosecutor’s Office in Rome (Procura di Roma) opened a parallel investigation in the murder of Ponzo and began to coordinate with the Costa Rican authorities through the embassy in San José.
Questioned is the project to block cellular signal in prisons.
Questioned is the project to block cellular signal in prisons.
Last week the Legislative Assembly approved the bill to block cellular signals from inside the country’s prisons. The block aims to eliminate prisoners using a cell phone to commit crimes on the outside, including financial scams and extortion.
27 different properties were raided,netting the arrest of 29 people
The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), in a massive police operation this Tuesday morning, focused on taking a criminal organization dedicated mainly to vehicle theft, carried out raids in 27 different locations – 19 in Alajuela and 8 in San Jose – netting the capture of 29 people.
The massive police operation began before daybreak Tuesday morning
The raids were carried out in the province of Alajuela barrio known as El Infiernillo (the little hell) and Concasa in San Rafael; In San Jose, in Purral de Goicoechea and La Carpio, in La Uruca.
OIJ spokesperson Marisel Rodriguez told the press some of the detained are also suspects in attempted murders and theft of cargo containers and that authorities are still looking for three more people tied to the same criminal organization.
27 different properties were raided, netting the arrest of 29 people
The OIJ explained that the gang was involved in the theft of all types of vehicles. Some of the hefts were either on a “made to order” basis, others using the “bajonazo” (theft at gunpoint) method.
The investigation into the gang’s activity began in 2016.
This is the horrifying moment a jaguar eats a leatherback turtle for supper in the middle of a beach in Costa Rica.
In the clip, posted on Facebook, the big cat can be seen chewing on the head of the motionless sea creature on the Costa Rican coast.
The animal can be seen biting at the flesh of the stricken creature and flicking its tail as it devours the turtle. It is not clear whether the 2m-long jaguar killed the turtle itself or found it already dead.
Manuel Campbell, from Costa Rica, shot the footage in the country’s Tortuguero National Park – which has become famous for its resurgent jaguar population over the last few years.
According to scientists, the northern Caribbean slope region has seen a huge rise in jaguar numbers because it is one of the world’s most important nesting beaches for endangered turtles.
Around 15,000 to 20,000 of endangered sea creatures crawl ashore here each year for a nesting season that lasts from May to October.
Leatherback turtles can grow up to 2.2m in length and weigh up to 700kg – but their slow speed on land and need to nest on the beach makes them vulnerable to attacks from land-based predators.
The leatherbacks are only hunted by larger sharks and killer whales in the sea, meaning some can live for up to 50 years. But on land, by contrast, they make easy targets for fast-moving jaguars.
As their name suggests, the gentle creatures have soft leathery skin – rather than hard shells like some turtles.
The name Tortuguero roughly translates as ‘turtle area’ – although it could also be interpreted as ‘turtle catcher’.
Tortuguero park rangers say 10 years ago they never saw a jaguar on their beach.
Now though, researchers say they’ve identified 16 jaguars in the park, and estimate that the big cats kill about 1 percent of the turtles nesting there each year.
Stephanny Arroyo, 31, who studies wildlife conservation at the National University of Costa Rica, said: ‘I was certain that Tortuguero was special for something,’
‘The behavior [of the jaguars] is unique and the quantity of individuals in such a small area is also unique.’
‘For example. to see two males walking together or three males walking together is something that has never been seen before, or a male and a female walking together is something that wasn’t known.’
The bounty of turtle meat for half the year means jaguars might not feel the need to compete for food, according to Arroyo.
With hunting made easy, the beasts are becoming less territorial and turtle attacks are becoming more and more common.
It is unclear where the recent spring of jaguars has come from – but for the region’s new inhabitants the turtles are easy prey and are contributing to an ever greater boom in the population of the big cats.
We’re not mathematicians, but we’re pretty sure the following theorem holds true: There is an inverse relationship between how badly you need a vacation and how comfortably you can afford one.
That is, the more you need a vacation, the less likely you are to be in the financial position to pull one together. That’s what it feels like in our experience, anyway. Call it the algebra of exhaustion.
But what if there’s a tricky workaround? What if you could take that sorely needed week away and come home to a livable bank account?
We reached out to a handful of travel experts to see if this is achievable—and it turns out, it just may be.
Here’s what we learned, all boiled down into 10 thrifty tips that’ll save you hard-earned cash on your next getaway:
1. Remember the Rule of Tuesdays.
Tuesday is an important day of the week in the world of air travel. If you can travel on a Tuesday or even Wednesday, you’ll probably get the cheapest flight of the week. Generally, people do their traveling on Thursday, Friday, or over the weekend. Demand drives prices up, so you’re more likely to find a cheap flight during off-peak times—usually a Tuesday or Wednesday.
At least, that’s what we’ve always heard. But is it really true? Yes. While there’s no magic day to purchase the best deals, the cheapest days to travel are Tuesday, followed by Wednesday, and then Saturday.
Airlines use algorithms to determine prices, and these are constantly being updated based off of sales and availability. “There is also an old myth about ordering 57 days prior to travel. Both of these suggestions are not true,” says travel writer and vice president of travel company Pruvo, Doron Nadivi.
“Last year I booked a flight from Costa Rica to New Zealand…, returning from Bangkok to Costa Rica [11] months prior to travel. I put an alarm to check 57 days before departure and the exact same flight number, same route, same website cost four times more.”
The real trick when purchasing a flight is to follow through when the price is good. If you see a great deal, get it, now. Chances are it’ll be gone in a few hours.
2. Hit the shoulder season.
What’s the shoulder season, you ask? In travel-industry jargon, the year is divided into three seasons: peak season (roughly mid-June through August), shoulder season (April through mid-June and September through October), and off-season (November through March).
Some people have flexible enough jobs and lifestyles to pick when to take their vacations, but many others have less choice. “Shoulder season” combines the advantages of both peak- and off-season travel. In shoulder season, you’ll enjoy decent weather, long-enough daylight, fewer crowds, and a local tourist industry still ready to please and entertain.
3. Be a little impulsive.
There are pros and cons to this tried-and-true technique for a quick escape from the day-to-day grind. But asking for a “cheap ticket to anywhere” doesn’t work like it used to.
Once upon a time, you could walk up to a ticket counter and get a cheap, last-second deal for an undersold flight. It was great if you didn’t much care where you were going. But those days are over.
Today, most flights are overbooked, and last-minute flying can actually be more expensive, not less. Still, the days of the 11th-hour deal aren’t over entirely. It’s just that you have to use technology to take advantage now.
Pricing on Monday night or Tuesday morning is usually at its best. Take advantage of it.
To improve your odds of scoring a deal, try to visit less popular cities. Clear your browser cache, those cookies will rat you out to the airlines, telling them you are looking.
4. Ditch the hotel.
Hotels are great, but with a new generation of travelers hotels have taken a hit. Just like Uber and Lyft are changing the world of ground transportation, Airbnb and VRBO are laying siege on the hotel industry.
Through these and similar services, you can find great deals on short-term house rentals instead of booking a bunch of hotel rooms for larger travel parties. There are also smaller sites in most every major city that will have a listing of units that are available for travelers to rent. Do your research and you’ll find the options are practically endless—and very affordable.
5. Get off the plane.
If you have some wiggle room for your travel plans, let the gate attendant know. That way you can be put on the short list if they need volunteers. If you’re flying on United or Delta, you can bid on how much money it’d take for you to give up your seat.
In the moment, there’s often the panic-induced sense that all you want to do is reach your destination, but if you psych yourself up to sit around the airport for a couple of hours to make some serious miles or money, then you’ll be good to go.
6. Brown bag it.
We know a granola bar isn’t the same as that breakfast burrito you could buy at the airport, but it could save you a good chunk of change. Airport food tends to be more expensive than the already-pricey food at professional sporting events and theme parks, so if you have some time to spare, make yourself a meal and bring it.
Some food is okay to pass through security. If you don’t have time to make something yourself, you can still pass over the expensive airport-specific restaurants. Buying your fast food outside the airport can save you plenty.
7. Hydrate on the cheap.
Everyone knows you can’t bring liquids through security, including water. But you can bring an empty water bottle and fill it at a water fountain or fill station.
It’s crucial to drink up on the plane; people tend to get really dehydrated when they travel because of the recycled air, the altitude, and the fact you don’t really drink a lot of liquids while you’re in flight (no one likes asking people to get up so they can use the restroom).
This will keep you hydrated and save you from buying a $4 bottle of water.
8. Find new ways to get around.
Asking a friend to pick you up from the airport is almost as bad as asking them to help you move. Nobody wants to do it, but most people don’t feel like they can say no. However, in most major cities, there is public transportation that can take you to and from the airport.
If you don’t have easy access to public transportation, you can try to take an Uber or Lyft, which will often save you some money compared with a taxi, which may overcharge via a large airport tax. Be aware, though, that in some cities, Uber and Lyft cannot pick up passengers from the airport.
Do some research on your destination’s transportation before you go. Both the Google Maps app and the Citymapper app can provide you with information and schedules for trains, busses, and more.
Alternatively, you can always take the opportunity to explore the city on foot and walk to your final destination.
9. Take a cue from extreme couponers.
There are coupons for literally everything. If you know you’re going to be in a new city, take advantage of the ones that are for first-time customers only. Apps like Groupon and LivingSocial have deals for activities and food that could cut your costs in half.
Another way to go about saving money on food is searching hashtags on Instagram for specific locations. If you find food pics that look appetizing, get in touch with the restaurant and see if they have any special deals or happy hours.
10. Book directly.
Airlines often offer more flexibility and cheaper fees than third-party sellers. A lot of websites will scour the internet for the best deals—which is great if you’re short on time or organizational skills—but then you usually get stuck with few options and little flexibility, since you’re booking through a third party.
The best thing to do is use a search site like Skyscanner or Google Flights to find the cheapest flight, then head over to that airline’s website and book directly through them. When you book direct, you’ll get cheaper flights, and usually more flexibility and options for your trip.
These tips won’t just save you money on vacation. They might bring down the cost of a trip just enough that you can safely afford it in the first place. Follow our experts’ advice, and you could balance the equation that allows for a truly restorative—and much-deserved— adventure.
Authorities of the Ministry of Public Security found a shipment of cocaine, apparently abandoned, at a point near the border with Nicaragua.
Policía Control de Drogas (PCD) – Drug Control Police- officers said that in total the illegal drugs weighed in at 197 kilos, in 4 bags of 40 kg each and a fifth with only 37 kg.
The Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE), with coordination with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Costa Rica and the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), will now allow doctors in Costa Rica to register deaths online. The process can be done from aa public or private hospital, at home or any place with an internet connection.
The new digital system will significantly reduce the time of registration of deaths, especially when they occur in remote places, and will be of help to families as they go through the difficult times.
Once the doctor verifies and attests to a death, he or she can register the death digitally and immediately in the database of the Civil Registry. These professionals, legally incorporated into their professional association, will be the only ones authorized to carry out this procedure.
The TSE registers on average about 2,100 deaths per month.
The police chief assures that in some of the investigations into the deaths of foreigners they found that the facts do not necessarily point to local disputes, but, rather the killings are on orders issued from other countries.
