A woman surnamed Sanchez Arce was arrested last Tuesday for larceny, taking advantage of the goodness of her employers, telling them there had been a break-in at the house she worked as a maid and the thieves made away with items such as computers, shoes, clothes and electronic items.
Photo from OIJ
However, after the investigation, the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) determined she allegedly participated in the robbery. Judicial agents found many of the items taken from the home of her employer after searching her house in Bajo Los Molinos, in San Rafael de Heredia.
Otto Guevara, in a press release sent on Friday night, claimed to have no connection with the money seized. Jorge Castillo photo
Legislator Otto Guevara Guth and his brother-in-law want his money back, their lawyer, Federico Campos Calderón, on Friday petitioning the Fiscalia (Prosecutor’s Office) for the return of the ¢41 million colones seized last month during a raid on the law offices of Grupo Jurídico Especializado (GJE), in Los Yoses, Montes de Oca.
Guevara and Araya are being investigated for the alleged crimes of legitimization of capital and falsehood in an affidavit. The pair charging that the Attorney General, Emilia Navas Aparicio and trial court judge Fernando Mora Gutierrez overstepped their boundary in searching an office that was not included in the warrant, where judicial agents found a safe with the cash.
The defense lawyer is arguing that the money seized during raid took place on March 23, 2018, was obtained illegally by the judicial agents, it should be returned immediately and is asking the court to vacate the charges against his clients.
Elena Udrea, the Romanian tourism minister sentenced to six years in prison for abuse of power and bribery in her country, has been in Costa Rica since last February 7 and claims to have received political refuge, Romanian media reported.
From Facebook
Costa Rica’sDirección de Migración y Extranjería (immigration service) confirmed this Saturday that Udrea entered on February 7 of this year, without registering any exit. However, the authority did not confirm the Romanian’s immigration status.
Udrea is in the middle of a trial, after the appeal of his sentence before the High Court of Cassation and Justice of Romania.
From Digi24.ro Foto: Inquam Photos/Liviu Florin Albei
On Friday, Udrea’s lawyer told Romanian authorities that Udrea received political refugee status in Costa Rica, although that version was dismissed by the judge. The lawyer also told the five magistrates that Udrea also had a residence in Costa Rica.
According to Digi24, one of the prosecutors of the National Anticorruption Directorate said that Udrea made a request for refuge in Costa Rica in February and that, in March, she had an interview, but that the documents did not point to the fact that he had already obtained permanent status. “The documents issued by the Costa Rican authorities do not reveal that Elena Udrea has been granted political refugee status, she has only requested this status,” said the court statement.
From Costa Rica, Elena Udrea has confirmed to Romanian media that she is in this country. Over the phone, he gave an interview to Antena 3 a month ago.
Udrea is linked by the illegal financing of a boxing gala in 2011, while she was a minister. Udrea claims she has been persecuted for this since 2015, and after a journalistic investigation; was sentenced in first instance in March 2017.
Political refugees in Costa Rica could lose that status if they return to the country from which they seek to escape.
A patient has died and a surgeon remains in intensive care at the San Vicente de Paul hospital in Heredia, after being infected with the Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria.
The healthy 25-year-old woman died on Tuesday, April 10, after giving birth to a girl and suffering complications associated with the bacteria infection.
Hospital authorities reported the woman gave birth on Sunday, became ill on Monday and died Tuesday night after undergoing surgery. The surgeon who participated in the operation pricked his left hand during the procedure.
The director of Epidemiological Surveillance of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS), Xiomara Badilla, confirmed that it is an isolated case, the hospital closed 8 of its 12 operating rooms, scrub delivery rooms and suspended all elective surgeries, as part of the security measures.
Hospital authorities the newborn was not infected.
Streptococcus pyogenes is a species of Gram-positive bacteria. These bacteria are aerotolerant and an extracellular bacterium, made up of non-motile and non-sporing cocci. As expected with a streptococci, it is clinically important in human illness.
A week ago, the Heredia hospital confirmed the contamination of the Neonatology service with the Serratia marcescens bacteria. That outbreak infected four newborns who are stable and the situation was controlled, according to the latest medical report, that assures the events are not related.
The Ministerio de Hacienda (Ministry of Finance) explained on Friday that the proposed 13% Value Added Tax (VAT) on goods on services being processed through Congress that includes taxing online purchases would be applied to Netflix, but not to Amazon.
Online services such as Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, HBO Go, Amazon Prime, etc. would be subjec to the 13% Value Added Tax
Hacienda explained that the tax would not apply to online purchases of tangible products, only to services consumed in Costa Rica by way of apps such as Uber, Spotify, HBO Go, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Airbnb, among others. The latter would apply only to rentals in Costa Rica.
On the other hand, the purchase of tangible products on sites such as Amazon and eBay, clothing brands with online stores and any other purchase that one makes online abroad, would not have the VAT applied, but the consumer must pay tariffs when the products enter Costa Rica.
A father was sentenced to prison for abusing, raping and showing pornography to his three children when they were minors.
On Thursday the Tribunal Penal de Heredia (Heredia Criminal Court) sentenced Carlos Luis Montero Víquez to 372 years in prison. However, he will only serve 50 years, the maximum prison time allowed by Costa Rican legislation.
According to information released by the Ministerio Publico (Prosecutor’s Office), the crimes began in 2002, when the oldest daughter was only 9 years old. From that year until 2013, Montero was found guilty of raping his daughter 15 times, sexually abusing her 12 times and showing her pornography seven times.
Heredia Criminal Court
In 2004, he abused six times and showed pornographic content eight times to another daughter when she was just five years old.
In 2011, he committed three other crimes of dissemination of pornography to the detriment of his third child, who, at that time, was 15 years old.
Montero will be in preventive detention for the next six months during the sentence appeal period.
According to the premise presented by Prosecutor’s Office, the sexual attack and abuse occurred in the family home, located in Barva de Heredia, when the mother of the victims went to work or at night when she was asleep.
In addition, Montero made use of the overcrowding in the house, a situation that forced the five year old minor to sleep in the bed next to him.
“This allowed Montero to take advantage of that closeness to sexually abuse the child,” the prosecutor said.
The situation ceased when the victim’s mother realized what had happened and denounced her partner to the authorities.
The victims today are 19, 22 and 25.
The Criminal Code (Codigo Penal in Spanish) establishes between 12 and 18 years in prison for rape and between 4 and 10 years for sexual abuse. The dissemination of pornography to minors is sanctioned with one to fours years imprisonment.
Gordo Puro, one of the actors in the 2015 Costa Rican film Presos (Imprisoned), is among those arrested as suspects on local drug trafficking in several communities in western Alajuela.
Gordo Puro was among the detained on Thursday in a series of raids by the OIJ, suspected of drug trafficking in Alajuela.
According to the information released by the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ), Marco Aurelio Zamora Barquero, 43, is part of a narco cell run by a soccer player who until four months ago played with the Municipal de Grecia.
Zamora was in jail for almost 15 years for aggravated robbery and drug dealing and completed his sentence in 2013. In a 2014 interview with Viva (La Nacion), he said he did not want to go back to prison and that “delinquir’ (committing a crime) as the “worst business”.
During the filming of “Presos”, in which he acted as himself, Gordo Puro had to return to the La Reforma prison, where several prisoners greeted him and loaded him with messages and slips of paper for his relatives and friends on the outside.
“You mature and you want to protect the family, I do not want to go back, I’m very well behaved; I got this part in the movie and I’m very happy,” Zamora said at the time.
Both Zamora and the soccer player, identified as Alexander Rodríguez Araya, and 11 others were arrested Thursday in Grecia after 14 raids were carried out by the OIJ in Grecia, Atenas, and Sarchí.
According to the authorities, Rodríguez and his brother led the group, while other members of the group were in charge of various functions such as transportation, distribution, and sale of marijuana, cocaine and crack in parks, bars and public activities in different Alajuelan communities.
The OIJ announced on Thursday that Rodriguez left soccer to dedicate himself to lead the organization, after the death of the previous leader, Gerardo Castellón Vásquez, who was shot dead in August of last year in León XIII, in Tibás.
Following the raids, Walter Espinoza, director of the OIJ, said the cell was part of the organization of Erwin Guido Toruño, aka El Gringo, who was killed in December. The director explained that Rodriguez had “the blessing” from El Gringo, after the Castellón murder.
The Rodriguez cell is also linked to kidnapping, a series of shootings and threats in Alajuela.
The OIJ investigation took 12 months following on leads by confidential informants. Espinoza added that although “it is difficult to estimate, it is believed that they earned about ¢3 million per week”.
The prosecutor’s office is seeking six months preventive detention for Zamora, Rodriguez and the other 11 suspects. During the raids, agents confiscated some ¢12 million colones in cash, an AK-7, a revolver, a shotgun, ammo, cellular phones, notebooks for debt collection and an unspecified amount of crack, cocaine, marijuana, and amphetamines.
Legal or not, the tax plan that is in the process in Congress, if approved, would have users of Uber pay the Value Added Tax (VAT) on their trips.
The VAT on Uber trips would be 13%.
According to Priscilla Piedra, the general director of Hacienda (Treasury), the tax will be charged regardless of whether the service provided by Uber is legalized or not.
“The tax is charged regardless of the legality of the service,” said Piedra.
The tax plan promoted by the current government and president-elect Carlos Alvarado was approved in a special legislative commission last Tuesday.
Next week, the bill will go to the plenary (legislative assembly) to receive motions, which will then be discussed in the same commission.
Uber services will be taxes because, according to the tax plan, the VAT applies to all services of mobile applications an internet payment pages, whether for transportation, delivery of food or products or purchases of any other nature.
That is to say, the tax would also apply, for example, to online services such as Netflix and Spotify and all other streaming services, as well as lodging applications such as Airbnb and online purchases made on Amazon, among others.
According to Piedra, in the case of accommodations through apps like Airbnb, the VAT would apply only to accommodations in Costa Rica, not to accommodations abroad.
The Mercedes Benz dealership on Paseo Colon. Photo from Facebook Club Mercedes Benz Costa Rica.
This undated photo is of what was the old Mercedes-Benz dealership in Costa Rica, Auto Mercantil, located on Paseo Colón.
On the site now stands the 12 storey “Edificio Torre Mercedes” built in 1998/1999. The building was the first smart office building in the San Jose area. The Mercedes Benz dealership of Costa Rica was located on the ground floor.
The side of the old Mercedez Benz dealership today
Though the building is called the Scotia Tower since Scotiabank bought most of the office space in the building and the bank’s name and logo dominate, the name Torre Mercedes has stuck, and continues to be called as such.
The Turrialba is an active ‘Stratovolcano’ located on the east side of the Central Valley (10.03°N / -83.77°W), with a complex of three summit craters. New phreatic activity began on January 4, 2010, after signs of unrest beginning in 2006. Its previous eruption was in 1866.
The Turrialba is 3,340 meters (10,958 feet) high and located adjacent to the Irazú volcano, (3.432 meters) both are among Costa Rica’s largest volcanoes. The Turrialba has had at least five large explosive eruptions in last 3500 years. On clear days both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea can be seen from the summit.
The volcano is named after its canton, Turrialba, in Cartago Province. There is no clear consensus on the origin of the name Turrialba, but historians disagree with attempts to attribute the name to the patronym Torrealba (from Aragon in Spain) or from the Latin Turris alba (white tower). The general consensus is that Turrialba derives from the local Indian (Huetar language), but there is no agreement on its actual roots.
Activity highlights:
During the 19th century, the volcano erupted and emitted ash several times (1847, 1853, 1855, 1859, 1866), producing pyroclastic flows. The last major eruption was in 1866
In January 2001, the volcano reported increased activity, displaying strong fumarole activity at the central craters. The volcanic activities have increased since 2005.
On March 31, 2017, the volcano started to show some activity with ash eruptions.
The National Park area opened for visitors was closed from 2009 to 2011.
On January 8, 2010, a phreatic eruption occurred, creating a new opening near the crater on the southwest.
On January 2012 a new opening on the west of the crater was created after a phreatic eruption.
In July 2013 researchers found that tremors around the area increased from about twenty earthquakes a day, to up to thirty per hour.
On October 17, 2014, the number of tremors increased from around 50-100 a day, to 200 a day.
On March 12, 2015, eruptions at around 11:00 and 14:12 sent ashes through all the Central Valley, it is regarded as the most significant activity since 1996. The Juan Suantamaría (San Jose) international and Tobías Bolaños (Pavas) airports were closed due to visibility being less than 100 meters.
An eruption occurred on May 21, 2016. It was characterized by one resident as the largest since 2010. Ash fell as far away as the capital, San Jose, and at least 500 people went to hospitals complaining of breathing problems. Flights into San Jose (SJO) were canceled due to concerns about ash.
On September 19, 2016, an eruption lasting around fifteen minutes was the first event of many through the day that eventually covered the metropolitan area with ash. The events continued through September 20. Airports in the metropolitan area were closed.
Chirripo Mountain is the highest mountain in Costa Rica towering over the landscape at 12, 530 ft. The Mountain is in the Chirripo National Park which covers 125,650 acres and is part of 3 provinces (San Jose, Limon & Cartago). One a clear day, both the Pacific Ocean to the West and the Caribbean Sea to the East can be seen from the Summit. Hiking the mountain is available to both locals and foreigners with reservations.
Climbing Chirripo Mountain…The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!
Most people decide to hike the mountain in 2 days. The first day is a 14 km (8.4 miles) hike to goes from 5500 ft to Over 11,500 ft. Crestones Lodge is located at the 14.5 km mark and within 5 kms of the summit. Most people stop at Crestones for the night and tackle the summit the following day which is an additional 3 hour hike. Many get up at 3 am and hike in the dark to reach the summit for sunrise and the best chance for a clear day. After summiting, most hikers will begin the 5-6 hour trek back to the bottom of the trail and back to civilization.
My group embarked on our hike to the top on December 12th. There was intense rain the night before and a cold front made it one of the coldest days of the year in Costa Rica. The rain and the use of horses to transport gear and food up and down the mountain made for a slow and muddy hike.
Planning the hike started months before with making reservation to the park and then making a deposit to stay at Crestones Lodge at the top of the mountain. The busiest months (Jan-April) reservations are sold out months in advance so its best make reservation with plenty of time to spare. To make reservation to enter the park, you must first go to the SINAC website and request a username and password. You can then go onto the site and request passes for each day you will be within the park. https://serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr/Login/registrarUsuario
Once you have registered you will be able to book your reservation. Most people depart from the town of San Genaro de Rivas when embarking on their hike. Once you have received a confirmation email about your passes into the park, you will be allowed to book your reservations at Crestones Lodge at the top of the mountain at info@chirripo.org. You will need to make a bank deposit into a Costa Rica Bank account within 10 days of making your reservation to reserve your spot at the lodge. If you are a foreigner and are unable to deposit into their CR bank account, they will allow you to make the deposit into the bank account upon your arrival into CR or even allow you to pay at their office at the base of the mountain prior to the hike. You simply have to email them and inform them that you are not in CR and wish to pay upon your arrival.
You must check in to both the Rangers Station (By 4pm) and the Crestone Lodge Office (By 5pm) the day prior to your hike to get your passes and a wristband. Both offices are located in San Gerardo de Rivas so the small mountain town is an ideal place to stay the night before your hike. There are a number of restaurants, hotels and hostels at all price ranges. We chose Hotel El Pelicano (www.hotelelpelicano.net) because it seemed nice, was only a couple of kilometers from the park entrance and had an onsite restaurant. At about $70 a night per room, I felt it was a bargain. Clean and well-maintained rooms, a fire burning in the fire place and friendly staff. Breakfast was about $5 but with only basic choices which was fine with us. There is a pool, jacuzzi and rancho. Because of the cool climate we would have liked to see the pool and jacuzzi heated but they were not.
The trail itself starts 2 km outside of town. We decided to park at Hotel Uran as it was located right next to the Trailhead and seemed to have secure parking. We departed at 8am after having a solid breakfast and stopping at a convenience store for some last-minute bottles of water and snacks for the trip.
We then started hiking and quickly learned that this hike is no joke. Our weekly 2-hour hikes with no backpack at sea level or the 30 minutes on the stairmaster a few times a week at the gym will not prepare you for covering 14 kilometers and going from 5500 ft to over 11000 ft in one day. The trail itself is well marked and easy to follow. It is however steep and when covered in mud like the day we hiked can be very challenging. There is a marker every kilometer which keeps you motivated mentally. There is also a small store at the 7km mark that has picnic tables bathrooms, a water station and light snacks and beverages. This is a great place to stop and have lunch. The vegetation and climate reminded me a lot of British Columbia…lush, green, damp and cool. As the day wore on and we got higher and higher, I expected the trail to flatten out and get easier. That never happened. Except for a few small sections of flat parts or only slight inclines, this trail is steep all day. As you get higher and higher, the air becomes thinner and the steep sections become harder and harder as your energy levels plummet from walking all day. There is a sign at approximately the 13 km mark that says you are only 1.5 kms away from Crestone Lodge. You feel so close but this sign is just teasing you because the last 1.5 km is some of the hardest and steepest terrain of the entire hike. I had to pick short goals like a rock or a tree 15 ft away. I would get to that tree and need to stop for 30 seconds and slow my breathing and heart rate. Then pick another goal 15 feet away. After struggling for over 8 hours to get to the basecamp, you finally see the green roof of the Crestone Base Camp and the Summit of Chirripo sitting on the other side of the valley.
Crestones Lodge is very basic. There is a dining area with 3-4 large tables, a small shop with snacks, drinks and essentials like the toothbrush you forgot. There is also a small kitchen that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The kitchen has a huge rice cooker so all the means revolve around rice. The food isn’t great but after hiking for 8 hours, you will eat just about anything they put in front of you. There are 13 shared rooms with 2 bunch beds…so 4 people per room and a total capacity of 52 hikers. The bathrooms are shared. The lodge uses solar electricity for power and the lights are shut off at night in the lodge. So, a flashlight or headlamp are advisable. There is also no heat and you are only give a light blanket or sleeping bag so warm clothing is essential not only for your hike but for sleeping.
Most people depart at about 3am from the lodge to reach the Summit for sunrise at about 5:30am. After a short stay at the summit, return to the lodge, eat some breakfast and get ready for the 6 hour descent back to San Gerardo de Rivas. The decent is obviously much easier than the climb up the mountain. For me, the first 5 kilometers flew by and we were within reach of half way point within a couple of hours. The last half of the decent is still much easier than the ascent up but the climb up and 3 hours of descending starts taking its toll. Your legs will be sore and your steps will have to be short and small as there is little power left to slow your body down. Your knees, ankles and calves will hurt and possible get swell up. And if you have a rainy day, the day before like we did, the slick mud and rocks will keep the pace slow. But you can keep moving and you won’t be struggling to keep your breathing and heart rate in check. Finally, after approximately 17 hours of hiking in 2 days, you will be back in town and ready for a snack and a cold beer to celebrate!
Some Tips to get you through the hike…
Pack light! When you are hiking straight up for 8 hours in one day, every once counts! There is an optional porter service where they bring your gear up the mountain for c2000 per Kilo.
Bring the right gear. You will want good hiking shoes, breathable comfortable clothing and warm gear to sleep in. A good backpack and a headlamp are advisable.
Prepare Months in Advance. You will need to book your reservations months in advance. And if youre not a serious hiker, you will want to get yourself physically ready and that wont happen overnight! And remember, you need to check in the afternoon before by 4pm so plan on staying close by the night before your hike
Food and Beverages. I found that most of the heavier foods like sandwiches that we packed were barely touched while we were on the hike. We instead were going after quick and easy snacks…like chocolate bars, nuts and cookies. Although water is always king, I opted for some Powerade which can be bought at the 7km watering station and at Crestones Lodge. Anything that gives you quick and easy energy is ideal.
Take your time and enjoy the hike! For most, this hike is a once in a lifetime adventure. Take the time to appreciate the flora and fauna and the spectacular views.
Although Costa Rica Gurus does not offer tours to Chirripo, we are happy to answer any questions you may have about hiking the mountain based on our recent experience. We can be reached at info@costaricagurus.com. Happy Hiking!
Short trips to national paradises is gaining strength among travel agencies as a strategy to attract young people, due to their popularity in social networks.
These are visits to places such as Cerro Pelado and Manuel Antoion, two favorite destinations and Rincon de La Vieja in Guanacaste, Bajos del Toro in Alajuela, and Nauyaca Falls in Puntarenas.
These destinations are day trips designed mainly for young people for the four-kilometer long walks that involve reaching the final destination.
Burger King in Costa Rica hopes to offer more options in its menu, have greater coverage in the country and capture the public attention with innovative campaigns through social networks this year.
“We hope to open in San Pedro in about five or six weeks,” said Mario Jiménez, general manager Burger King. Courtesy Greivin Ramírez / La República
Although the franchise announced its exit from the Costa Rica market in October 2015, it re-entered in May 2016 and currently operates 13 stores in San José and one in Alajuela.
This year the fast food franchise will be opening several locations, including in San Pedro where it opened its first location in the 90s. The changes coming soon are breakfast and open 24 hours on weekends.
In March, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded a monthly variation of 0.59%, mainly explained by the prices of Entertainment and culture sector, and meals outside the home, , the group having a higher effect on the variation of the general index.
From a report by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) of Costa Rica:
During March the goods and services that showed the greatest negative effect were: potatoes, automobiles and tourist packages. On the other hand, tomatoes, gasoline and avocados were among the main items with the greatest positive effect.
In March of the last ten years, the highest year-on-year variation was recorded in 2009 with 12.32%; while in 2016 the only negative year-on-year change was registered (-1.09%)
Purchases made online in Costa Rica would have two types of taxes, if the current text of the Ley de Fortalecimiento de las Finanzas Públicas (tax reform bill), making its way to the legislative process is approved after reaching the full Legislative Assembly on Monday.
Purchases on Amazon, for example, would pay tax at the time of purchase and then at import
German Morales, managing partner of the consulting firm Grant Thornton, explained that under the approved text by the legislative committee, the tax department could charge the tax on services or goods not only at the time they are paid by means of an electronic platform (online purchase), but also at the moment they enter the country.
“This would happen with goods bought on Internet sites such as Amazon, because the VAT (Value Added Tax( would be charged to the service subscription transaction and another tax on import. This would affect about 200,000 taxpayers who make purchases abroad,” Morales said.
In his opinion, the way in which the bill is drafted it opens gaps for interpretations of the Hacienda (Ministry of Finance) that undermines the interests of the taxpayers, as in the case of supplementary pensions, and taxing capital gains, for example, without clarifying exemptions.
Differentiated rates The bill would have a tax rate of 13%, similar to the current general sales tax. However, under the VAT rules, the tax is applied to services that currently do not pay tax, such as gym membership fees, security services, doctors, lawyers and private schools, among others.
The proposed tax reform has 2 differentiated rates. For example, the higher rater (13%) would apply to gym memberships, while a lower rate – 4% – would apply to private health services and private education.
But not to be too concerned just yet. The proposed tax reform bill still has a ways to go. According to Alan Saborío, managing partner of the consulting firm Deloitte, given the complexity of the process the bill must go through, there is the possibility that a substitute text is presented to the Legislative Assembly.
“The foreseeable thing is that there is still a third substitute text on the one presented int the plenary. In this legislature, it would go pass first debate. Then it would go to the Constitutional Court and then the final approval would be up to to the new legislators,” explained Saborio.
On May 1, the current group of legislators will be replaced with the 57 elected last February 4.
A new bill has been presented to grant resources at a preferential rate to coffee producers, aimed particularly at the smaller ones.
According to the bill, which received a positive ruling in committee and now must go to the full Legislative Assembly, the fund will be financed by a contribution of 5% from the liquid surplus of the Instituto del Café de Costa Rica (Icafé) -Coffee Institute of Costa Rica, the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG) – the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Fideicomiso de Ayuda a los Productores de Café Afectados por la Roya and the Plan de Renovación de Cafetales (Trust Fund for Coffee Producers Affected by Rust and the Coffee Plantation Renewal Plan).
The legislative project establishes that the loans will be granted at a preferential interest rate, although this has not yet been defined in the plan.
In relation to the proposed law, Edgar Rojas, deputy executive director of the Icafé, explained to Nacion.com that ” … the plan will have the integral benefit of giving sustainability to national coffee …On the one hand, access to financing for coffee producers, under a new scheme of guarantee and counterguarantees which will facilitate a greater accessibility to resources in order to renew their crops, with tolerant varieties to coffee plagues and diseases without putting at risk their assets.”
Rojas added that ” … it will be the framework for the creation of a social responsibility fund that will strengthen the coverage of the insurance model for the coffee harvesting labor force. “
In response to actions taken by the Maduro government, Panama will suspend cargo and passenger transport activities of Venezuelan airlines operating in the country for three months.
Venezuela forces Copa Airlines to suspend flights… Airline says it will refund passengers
Immediately after the retaliation measures that the Varela administration intends to implement were made public, the Venezuelan government announced it will suspend economic relations with more companies in Panama and freeze their accounts, although they did not specify who those companies will be.
The suspension of the activity of Venezuelan airlines in Panama will come into effect from April 25.
From a statement issued by the Presidency of Panama:
The Government of the Republic of Panama today approved retaliation measures against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, supported by the retaliation law and by virtue of the principle of reciprocity that governs international relations.
Therefore, the Cabinet Council ordered the suspension, for a period of ninety (90) days extendable, of all activities of air transport, passengers and cargo of Venezuelan airlines operating in Panama: Aeropostal Alas De Venezuela, S.A., Avior Airlines, Consorcio Venezolano De Industrias Aeronáuticas Y Servicios Aéreos, S.A. (Conviasa), Línea Aérea De Servicio Ejecutivo, Regional, Laser, Rutas Aéreas De Venezuela, S.A. (Ravsa), Santa Barbara Airlines, Turpial Airlines, C.A.
Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly (ANC) has approved a resolution demonstrating solidarity with Brazil’s former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the Brazilian people.
Brazil’s former President Lula (R) and Venezuela’s former President Chavez during a ceremony in Salvador City in 2013. | Photo: Cubadebate
Constituent Assembly President Delcy Rodriguez said: “The aggression against the former Brazilian leader is a continental movement directed by the intelligence services of the United States to criminalize social movements against the expansion of the North American empire,” Prensa Latina reports.
“The aggression against the former Brazilian leader is a continental movement directed by the intelligence services of the United States,” the National Assembly said.
The head of the Workers’ Commission in the ANC, Francisco Torrealba, said: “Working through the continental right-wing United States does not only attack the constitutionality of Venezuela.”
The ANC leaders agreed that Lula is being attacked judicially because he represents the progressive option in the Brazilian elections, and his imprisonment is designed to prevent him securing victory at the polls.
During an ordinary session of the ANC, members decided to deliver the resolution to Lula in order to reiterate to Brazilians that Venezuela accompanies them in their struggle for defense of the Constitution and their right to self-determination.
The Brazilian Workers’ Party founder was imprisoned this past weekend after Brazil’s Supreme Court denied his first habeas corpus plea to remain free while he exhausts his appeals.
Lula was convicted last year on corruption charges in connection with the Operation Car Wash investigation, although he and his lawyers insist he is innocent.
According to the CNA, the Health Ministry allegedly cooperated with Astropharma to overcharge for medical materials. | Photo: Reuters
Honduras’ Health Ministry is sinking deeper into a corruption scandal, with the National Anti-Corruption Council (CNA) introducing fresh allegations to an ongoing investigation.
According to the CNA, the Health Ministry allegedly cooperated with Astropharma to overcharge for medical materials. | Photo: Reuters
Presented to the Public Ministry on Thursday, investigators say new evidence and testimonies support the theory of fiscal fraud which has robbed the state of some 56 million lempiras (US$2,376,675) between 2009 and 2014.
According to the CNA, the Health Ministry allegedly cooperated with mercantile pharmaceutical company Astropharma to overcharge for medical materials and equipment used in hospitals around the country.
The investigators have verified the existence of a number of files which prove orders were made from a national level in 17 different departments.
Large purchase orders made during the course of a day were conducted by the ‘corrupt network,’ flying under the radar of the maximum limit allotted to contractors, the CNA said on Twitter.
“It is an irrefutable fact that the mercantile society had a contract for 600 million lempiras (US$25,500,400),” said CNA attorney Odir Fernández.
CNA Director Gabriela Castellanos arrived in Tegucigalpa Thursday morning, accompanied by Fernández, to present their findings to the Special Prosecutor’s Unit against Corruption and Impunity (Ufecic).
“The National Anti-Corruption Council imputes the alleged criminal offenses of fraud, violation of the duties of the officials and illicit association to a total of 329 people who worked in a public function, others who are currently employees of the Secretariat of Health and other government institutions that also participated,” Castellanos said.
“Fragmentation and overcharging were put into play which cost the state of Honduras 56 million lempiras; this investigation has been conducted over a period of time, enough for the CNA… to determine the fault of responsibility of the 329 officials and former officials, as well as representatives of the mercantile society Astropharma,” Fernandez said.
According to the CNA complaint, those connected to the incident committed crimes of fraud and illicit association. Astropharma’s company lawyer, Jaime Banegas, said the firm will be conducting its own analysis of drug prices to ensure no illicit over-evaluations were made.
The Health Ministry has yet to comment publicly on the allegations.
With an investment of US$2.8 million dollars, the Hard Rock Café will open its doors in Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua Wednesday, April 18.
The Hard Rock Café Managua will be located in the Galerias de Santo Domingo. The Nicaragua opening followings franchise operations in Panama and Costa Rica (San Jose and Playas del Coco).
General manager Juan Carlos Marsicovetere explained the Managua location will generate 110 jobs, 90% staffed by Nicaraguans.
“Nicaragua is a country that is growing a lot and it is super safe, companies like Hard Rock Café are turning to see the light of this country that is growing so much, has many resources to grow,” said Marsicovetere.
In typical style of Hard Rock Cafe decor, clients can enjoy an iconic collection that adorns the walls of the store, which includes Lenny Kravitz leather pants, blue short sleeve shirt by Elvis Presley, black widow suit by Lita Ford, Mick Jagger shirt, John Lennon manuscript, Bob Dylan guitar, Shakira dress, Marilyn Manson black coat and Slipknot mask suit.
“We want to offer different experiences to Nicaraguans. Our kitchen offers a lot of quality, with first class ingredients, ” said Rodolfo Contreras, marketing director for the franchise.
“The Colombian economy is at a turning point, recovering from a combination of external and domestic shocks since 2014 that lowered growth and increased inflation and the external deficit,” says the concluding statement from the IMF mission following their visit.
There are more than 20 4G projects underway in Colombia, in line with the IMF’s recommendation of improving the country’s infrastructure. Photo: @ANI_Colombia
Predicting a growth of 2.7% for 2018, the team are reporting that inflation should continue to fall, and investment and exports will lead the economy. The IMF sends teams to make annual visits to all 189 member countries, where they meet with government, central bank officials and many other stakeholders.
“Investment in the oil sector continues to be critical for medium-term growth in Colombia,” says the statement, which also highlights the need to diversify. Following the 2014-2015 crash in oil prices that hit the Colombian economy hard, the non-oil sector is essential for sustained growth.
Three areas will be crucial. Firstly, infrastructure: pointing out that poor infrastructure and inefficient transport puts the country at a disadvantage, the IMF team stress that, “completing the 4G projects without delay is essential.” This ambitious government strategy involves improving over 8,000 km of roads throughout the country, in addition to construction at airports, ports and rails.
Moreover, informality continues to be a major issue. While there have been improvements in recent years, close to 50% of urban workers and 60% of rural workers remain informal. What the report does not say is that since these workers are operating outside the system, they are not subject to employment law, nor does the minimum wage apply to them. It is a problem that affects many countries in Latin America and is difficult to solve due to informal labour being so entrenched in society – and because of the complexity and cost of pushing small businesses into regulated tax environments that provide social security for their workers.
Finally, reducing the barriers to international trade – particularly minimising export costs and improving logistics in ports – will be key if exports are to play a part in the recovery. Aside from oil, flowers, coffee and bananas are being exported to countries like the United States, Panama and the Netherlands. Last year the country saw a gain in exports of manufactured goods.
Achieving these reforms would help the country achieve growth that is higher than 3%, as well as creating high-quality jobs.
In addition, the experts say, “There may be some space to further cut the policy rate as inflation converges on target, and as the external adjustment continues.”
One area for improvement in terms of monetary policy is communication. The report comments that last year several unexpected monetary policy decisions were made. “Going forward, the central bank should craft communications that are consistent over time and better spell out the Board’s views on the evolution of policy trade-offs.”
On the plus side, they also report that banks have adjusted well to the economic downturn and that the “regulatory supervisory policy agenda is focused on the right issues.”
Overall, while there are challenges ahead, a more favourable global market and improved oil market, combined with tighter fiscal policies, puts Colombia in a good place for 2018.
The inclusion of a tax on plastic containers and another on ultra-processed food, proposed by legislator Edgardo Araya of the Frente Amplio (FA), heats up the discussion of the tax reform.
The motions were rejected by the Commission that studies the tax reform; however, the legislator will seek to raise the issue again, this time in the full legislature.
The Cámara de la Industria de Alimentos (Cacia) – the Food Industry Chamber – considers that the taxes proposal would mean an increase of 8% in the basic basket ( canasta básica in Spanish) and would impact the pockets of consumers.
“The (tax) proposals are based on slogans against private companies, present in other bills that are known in other legislative committees,” said José Manuel Hernando, president of Cacia.
The Frente Amplio considered that there is ignorance of the motions on the part of Cacia, since they accuse him of wanting to tax processed foods when in fact he only talks about ultra processed foods, according to the specifications of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Essentially, a processed food is just anything that’s been deliberately altered in some way before you eat it, “ultra-processed” foods tend to be mass produced packaged goods, such as sodas, packaged sweet and savory snacks, and frozen meals. They generally include a large number of additives such as preservatives, sweeteners, sensory enhancers, colorants, flavors and processing aids, but little or no whole food.
Canned or dehydrated soups, soups and “instant” packaged noodles, margarines, breakfast cereals, cake mixes, potato chips, soft drinks, juices and cookies, among others, are considered highly processed foods.
“Do not come to me and say that the poorest people eat ice creams, chocolates or ‘Picaritas’ (sic). We are not looking to hit the pocket of these people,” snapped Araya.
Cacia also raised the voice against the motion to a ¢10 and ¢7 colones tax on some packaging of alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and bottled water, for all those companies that are not registered as SMEs before the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC).
Dairy products and medicines would be excluded, and recycling would be encouraged with the exemption of the tax.
Packaged beverages will have an approximate increase of 40% in the tax they currently pay according to Hernando.
On April 6, 2018 The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Manuel A. González Sanz, inaugurated the Embassy of Costa Rica in the Republic of Kenya in Africa and whose resident Ambassador is Marta Eugenia Juárez Ruiz.
In the view of Chancellor Gonzalez, “the opening of the first permanent embassy in the African continent is an important country effort that is in line with a policy of advancing Costa Rica in new geopolitical spaces. To that end, we have seen the Middle East opening an embassy in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Asia Pacific, Indonesia and Australia. Today we can say that Costa Rican foreign diplomacy and action have a global presence.”
In the first nine months of 2017, Costa Rica exported US$784 million worth of fresh and dried bananas, 7% more than in the same period in 2016.
Figures from the Information System on the fresh or dried banana market in Central America compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData:
Between January and September of the years 2016 and 2017 the export volume of bananas registered an increase of 9%, rising from 1.7 million tons in 2016 to 1.9 million tons in 2017.
In the periods in question, the export value also registered a positive variation, growing from $736 million in 2016 to $784 million in 2017.
From January to September of 2016 and 2017, the value of Costa Rican sales abroad grew steadily reaching an annual average of 13%.
Between January 2012 and September 2017, the average price of a kilo of banana exports has remained relatively stable, ranging between $0.35 / Kg and $0.43 / Kg.
In the first nine months of 2017, 43% of the export value went to the USA, 10% to Belgium, 9% to the United Kingdom and 6% to Italy.
As one of the world’s most popular and well-known classifieds ads website, Craigslist attracts millions of people worldwide. A wide range of services that Craigslist offers include jobs and housing, among others.
Image from Exportcr.com
Many countries have their own local Craigslist websites while major cities in the U.S. and Europe, also have localized classifieds ads sites.
If you live in San Jose, Costa Rica and you’re seeking to find a job, buy or sell items online or contact with other people across the globe, Craigslist may be the right solution for you.
In this article, we’ll explore top five best ways to using Craigslist in Costa Rica.
Know How to Avoid Scams
While Craiglist is a great way to find jobs and buy or sell items, users are often vulnerable to scams.
You should always know how to protect yourself from potential scammers and learn how to avoid them. There are many scammers out there and they are constantly finding new ways to trick unsuspecting customers.
Being cautious is your best guard against scams, but here are some basic tips to avoiding scammers:
You should trust only local buyers and sellers.
Do not send funds to distant buyers, it’s one of the most common mistakes made by people on Craigslist.
Under no circumstances should you send any personal information, especially card numbers or your PayPal.
Watch Out for Suspicious Ads When Buying
When buying items on Craigslist, you need to be careful and pay attention to details in order to avoid getting scammed and losing money.
Never trust ads with poor or vague descriptions, spelling, and grammar errors, as well as generic images.
You should always know what you’re buying and be wary of potential scams.
Tip: Be sure to communicate with the seller and ask more information about the item you want to buy.
Do Your Research Before Selling
Before selling items on Craigslist, we recommend you do a basic research to collect information such as the price range for the product you’re planning to sell.
In the end, you should take into consideration your product quality and how it weighs against the same products that other people are selling before you determine the price.
Always Meet In Public
There’s always a risk involved when you’re meeting face-to-face at an exchange. It doesn’t necessarily mean you will get robbed or attacked, but it’s best you take precautions before arranging a meeting.
Make sure you meet in public and take someone with you and also ask for the buyer’s contact information.
And most importantly, when buying inspect the item on spot to be sure you’re getting exactly what both you and the seller agreed on.
Keep Yourself Updated With Local News
Using Craigslist in Costa Rica can be a great way to find affordable housing in San Jose or finding a rent a car company while on a vacation.
Craigslist Costa Rica also boasts a large community forum where you can also keep track of the local news and events or get in touch with other users.
Costa Rica maintains its strong brand presence in the global tourism market, largely due to its wealth of ecological and cultural offerings
The leading platform for hotel reservations in the cloud, SiteMinder, revealed during its participation in the WTM Latin America 2018 in São Paulo, Brazil, the growth and opportunities that Costa Rica has in terms of hotel reservations.
Costa Rica maintains its strong brand presence in the global tourism market.
In the last five years alone, online reservations have grown by 46%, and by 2022 it is estimated that they will reach a total value of ¢65.7 billion colones.
According to Siteminder, Costa Rica maintains its strong brand presence in the global tourism market, largely due to its wealth of ecological and cultural offerings, in addition to its well-developed tourism infrastructure. As a result, Costa Rica is a vacation destination that attracts a wide variety of travelers. Tourism also benefits from the country’s secure and stable reputation.
SiteMinder considers 2018 will be a real chance of success for the country due to four important reasons.
Air connections boost the growth of tourism. So far this year, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) reports the generation of more than 96,000 additional seats available, thanks to the arrival of new flights and the increase in flight frequencies, by different airlines that operate in the country. In 2017, tourist arrivals reached a historic record due to the growing popularity of low-cost airlines such as Volaris and Veca. In addition, other airlines such as Air France, KLM that provide connections to Europe, added more flights in response to the growing demand. Air Costa Rica, the national airline, also began operating in February 2017 with charter flights.
Convention tourism is growing strongly. With the recent inauguration of the National Convention Center, business tourism in the country will be further enhanced. Indeed, the Costa Rican Tourism Board plans to attract US$1.3 billion in five years through 950 congresses and conventions under the “Ambassador Program”, which includes the participation of leaders in different sectors of the country. Their job will be to attract tourists to the country to participate in seminars and conventions, with the United States and Latin America being the main target markets.
Improvements in the airports to allow a better transit. The prospects for Costa Rica during the period contemplated are promising, both the Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) and the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia have been working on expansions and improvements during 2017. Investments for new boarding gates, a taxiway, a carousel for luggage, lobby expansion, VIP lounges, stores and offices, a new X-ray system, new audio and video systems for passenger information and an improved wireless network for Internet access will be all installed.
Tourists connect via web to find accommodation. The Internet has done away with traditional accommodation, and every time online booking services are more complete and secure. In 2017, visitors from Costa Rica searched for accommodation options online and often opted for Airbnb* or other short-term rentals. For Airbnb, Costa Rica is the most important market in Central America, with 8% of all visitors using the platform.
In Costa Rica, 48% of tourists are international and 52% are national travelers.
In Costa Rica, 48% of tourists are international and 52% are national travelers.
The international markets are (in order of importance): the United States, Nicaragua, Canada, Panama, Mexico, El Salvador, Spain, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, among others.
Costa Rica is full of sports. From the most traditional such as basketball and baseball, to some that went from being a simple pastime to competing in other latitudes. There are also other activities that aspire to be recognized in a short time.
Not bad for a footballing country that in a few years saw how dozens of activities met the three premises required by the ICODER to become a sport: to have a federation, a clear standard with defined parameters and direct competetition.
Today, the Costa Rican Institute of Sports and Recreation (ICODER) registers 57 sports, among them are:
The American singer Demi Lovato has postponed her tour of Latin America and canceled her Costa Rica date that was going to be on May 1, at the Coca-Cola amphitheater of Parque Viva.
Lovato broke the news with a tweet, saying that she was “absolutely heartbroken” to make the announcement and “devastated” by the loss of the canceled shows.
The rescheduling of her South American tour dates due to “production issues,” just five days before that leg of the tour was originally set to begin in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
I’m absolutely heartbroken that I have to make this announcement today… due to production issues we have to move the South America #tellmeyoulovemetour dates ???? Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Panama I’m devastated we had to remove those shows. https://t.co/rXn1V4RprDpic.twitter.com/j56IKtJdhv
Eight dates on Lovato’s Tell Me You Love Me World Tour in Mexico, Chile, Brazil and Argentina were rescheduled for this September and November, while her shows in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Panama were removed from the tour schedule entirely.
The Tell Me You Love Me World Tour is in support of Lovato’s sixth studio album of the same name.
Offering poor women the option of caring for their children while they go out to work or study was the spirit of the Red de Cuido (childcare network) program created by the administration of Laura Chinchilla (2010-2014).
Image for illustrative purposes
The program by Costa Rica’s first and only woman president was to meet the needs of thousands of women. However, the reality today is that many women who send their children to the daycare centers do not study or work, rather are stay at home mothers.
This is clear from the data provided by the Mixto de Ayuda Social (IMAS), the governing body of the program and the Centros de Educación y Nutrición y de Centros Infantiles de Atención Integral (CEN-Cinái) – the children’s center for education and nutrition and comprehensive care.
According to the IMAS, of the 17,572 families that receive subsidies for the Red de Cuido, in 23.6% (4,156) of them, the mothers do not work or study. This occurs despite that there are 1,893 families on the waiting list.
The target population of the Red Nacional de Cuido and Desarrollo Infantil (Redcudi) is children from 0 to 6 years old (although it is exceptionally extended to 12 years of age), from families in poverty and extreme poverty (levels 1 and 2).
Former President Laura Chichilla Miranda (blue dress) duringthe CECUDI of the Manuel de Jesús Jiménez Urbanization, in Cartago, ribbon cutting ceremony.
The IMAS invested an average of ¢29.2 billion colones in the program in 2017. As of October 2017, there were 1,127 alternative care options.
It is not known how much was invested in the CEN-Cinái and the PANI, the child welfare agency.
Asked why the Red de Cuido cares for children whose mothers are at home, Emilio Arias, executive president of the IMAS, said that the women who do not work or study represent a “minimum percentage” of the beneficiaries.
He explained that objectives of the Red de Cuido is being met. “There are three objectives of the Red de Cuido: the right of children to have a place of care and food, that parents can study and work and the commitment to the integral development of the child,” Arias told La Nacion.
Who is privileged, a mother who applies for the benefit who is working or studying or a mother who does not study or work and is at home?
Neither, says Arias.
According to Emilio Arias, by law, the IMAS has a “limitation” that the people served by the Red de Cuido must be on the poverty line or extreme poverty, but many families, when they are working, are outside the poverty range and do not qualify for the benefit.
“I agree that we must have reforms to the law to ensure that the care network not only meets the needs of children living in poverty but that mothers who are not in extreme poverty have a place to leave their children,” Arias said.
Today, April 11, is a national holiday in Costa Rica: Juan Santamaría Day.
The holiday commemorates the death of Juan Santamaria (August 29, 1831 – April 12, 1856), a drummer in the Costa Rican army, officially recognized as the national hero of the country.
Santamaría was born in the city of Alajuela. in 1869, when U.S. filibuster William Walker overthrew the government of Nicaragua and attempted to conquer the other nations in Central America, including Costa Rica, in order to form a private slave-holding empire, Costa Rican president Juan Rafael Mora Porras called upon the general population to take up arms and march north to Nicaragua to fight against the foreign invader.
Santamaría, a poor laborer and the illegitimate son of a single mother joined the army as a drummer boy. The troops nicknamed him “el erizo” (“the Porcupine”) on account of his spiked hair.
According to the traditional account, on April 11, Salvadoran General José María Cañas suggested that one of the soldiers advance towards the hostel with a torch and set it on fire.
Some soldiers tried and failed, but finally, Santamaría volunteered on the condition that, in the event of his death, someone would look after his mother. He then advanced and was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Before expiring he succeeded, however, in setting fire to the hostel, thus contributing decisively to the Costa Rican victory at Rivas.
This account is apparently supported by a petition for a state pension filed in November 1857 by Santamaría’s mother, as well as by government documents showing that the pension was granted. Various historians, however, have questioned whether the account is accurate and if Santamaria died or not during that battle or another one. At any rate, towards the end of the 19th century, Costa Rican intellectuals and politicians seized on the war against Walker and on the figure of Juan Santamaría for nationalist purposes.
In case you were wondering, that is what Juan Santamaria Day is all about. A day when Costa Ricans have the day off, government offices and banks are closed.
Costa Rica 1 Scotland 0 in 1990 in Genoa. Juan Cayasso scores on 49 minutes
Costa Rica’s World Cup history will always be marked by Juan Cayasso’s goal in Italy 1990. At 56 the former Costa Rican soccer (futbol in Spanish) player now dreams of seeing his country’s Selección (national team) accomplish a similar feat in Russia.
Juan Cayasso, World Cup Italy 1990
On June 11, 1990, all of Costa Rica stood still, as they watched the national team’s World Cup debut. It was Cayasso who scored the winning goal in the game against Scotland.
“It was something incredible, very exciting, which stirred a whole set of feelings that are hard to describe and has represented many blessings over the years, like receiving the whole country’s affection,” Cayasso told EFE.
The game was played in Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, the goal came at 48 minutes into regulation.
The goal marked “a before and after in my life and I have enjoyed it to the fullest extent possible. To talk about the goal in Italy 1990 is to talk of a great blessing,” Cayosso said.
Costa Rica 1 Scotland 0 in 1990 in Genoa. Juan Cayasso scores on 48 minutes
Costa Rica in 1990 accomplished the unthinkable: it qualified to the second round having beaten Scotland. In 2014, in Brazil they once again made history, reaching the quarter finals after beating Uruguay, Italy and Greece (on penalties), and tying against England, while finally losing to the Dutch (on penalties).
“Things have changed since Italy 1990. We have played well in several Worlds Cups and it will be hard to surpass our historic Brazil 2014 quarter finals qualification, since we are no longer perceived as a humble and inexperienced team,” Cayasso said.
Cayasso, as many in Costa Rica feel, the 2018 World Cup will be “very difficult, but have hope, qualify to the second round, and even reach the seminfinal” for Costa Rica.
The national team faces Brazil, Switzerland and Serbia in Group E.
