(Q24N) – Insightcrime.org -Cream cocaine appears to be the latest novelty used by traffickers to help their drugs avoid detection, adding to a long list that has helped criminal groups stay one step ahead of law enforcement.
Authorities in Chile have uncovered an apparently new modality for trafficking cocaine, after three shampoo bottles containing a creamy form of the drug were seized from a bus passenger in the northern part of the country, BioBioChile reported.
“It’s the first time we’ve detected drugs in this semi-solid state and modified chemically to not generate odor,” Regional Customs Director Ricardo Aceituno explained.
The cocaine hydrochloride weighed a total of 1.75 kilograms, according to the report. The Peruvian national carrying the drugs had been travelling by bus from Lima to the Chilean city of La Serena.
This unusual bust is reflective of an age-old criminal dynamic: As authorities better their drug interdiction capabilities, smuggling groups search for the most cutting-edge techniques to avoid detection of their products.
Rudimentary strategies range from hiding drugs in fish shipments — which helps to cover up the smell — to stuffing them into tamales and sweets. However, more complicated methods see traffickers chemically alter cocaine hydrochloride to be transported in a multitude of creative ways.
Cocaine stuffed tamales. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston stopped a would be smuggler from bringing nearly 7 ounces of cocaine into the country in tamales, Aug. 2014. ABC News
In these cases, the cocaine is reconverted into its powder form through a chemical procedure when the shipment reaches its destination. This can be as simple as exposing the item to heat until the solvent evaporates and only the cocaine is left.
Traffickers’ creativity does not stop at the cocaine’s chemical make-up; they have constantly found new methods of transporting drugs designed to dupe authorities. “Narco-torpedoes,” catapults and drones are just some of the techniques detected, while many more may remain secret.
12/08/16. San José. Banco de Costa Rica. Oficinas Centrales. Servicios que ofrece al público. Cajeros. Fotos Melissa Fernández Silva
Q COSTA RICA – We can’t stress this enough, especially this time of year when the last thing you need is to be scammed and by your local ATM. This even more so for visitors on business or holidays in Costa Rica.
State banks – Banco Nacional, Banco de Costa Rica and Banco Popular have restricted hours at their ATMs, while most private banks have 24/7 access to all their ATMs.
Though banks do their best to make their ATM experiences a safe one, ‘skimming’ – the copying of bank card information – does still happen.
Financial institutions recommend taking extra security measures when using an ATM.
David Hernandez, director of security at the Banco Nacional (BN) recommends that before inserting the card check for foreign objects in the slot and do not use the machine if you detect any “irregular” situation. The security official adds that it should be reported to the bank asap.
Banks in Costa Rica say that a high percentage of ATMs in the country have internal protection mechanisms, monitoring and constant physical inspections.
Mariana Herrera, manage of ATM systems at Scotiabank, commented that in cases of the elderly they are scammed by third parties who offer help to make their transactions.
Other scams include a third-party coming to assistance at an ATM giving problems. The help could be coming from perpetrators who are somehow able to obtain your card information, but need your PIN. This is where you come in.
Throwing away in or around the ATM the receipt is a bad habit. Either keep the copy on you or opt for the no receipt.
If in need of cash, bank officials recommend the use of an ATM located in safe places such as branches or shopping centres.
Important to note that ATMs of state banks – Banco Nacional (BN), Banco Popular and Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) have restricted hours. Meanwhile, most of the ATMs of private banks operate on a 24 hour basis.
At the Nacional and Popular, their ATMs operate from 6:00am to 10:00pm; in the case of the BCR from 5:00am to midnight.
What to do if the ATM eats (retains) your card? If the ATM is located at a branch and during business hours, simply walk into the branch and explain the situation. At other times you will need to call the bank and provide the exact location of the ATM to coordinate its return.
The above also applies to being shortchanged. Always count your cash, best to do it while still at the ATM and away from prying eyes, to ensure you have the correct amount. In case of a discrepancy visit the branch or call the bank asap.
All the above can be eliminated with the new technology being developed. In Costa Rica, BAC Credomatic is the leader in providing its customers new services, such as FULL ATM’s (automated teller machines that take deposits of cash or checks) and its “2móvil”, using your smartphone at the ATM instead of a card. More information on 2movil can be found here (in Spanish).
The old train bridge shown in the picture is no longer in use. There was a temporary bridge built right next to it.
Q COSTA RICA – The construction of a new bridge between Costa Rica and Panama to a step closer to reality with the award of the tender contract.
The announcement of a new bridge was made early last year with an expected completion date of mid 2017, but in a country where projects and their schedules fade in and out of time, the Luis Guillermo Solis administration seems to be making it a priority.
The old train bridge shown in the picture is no longer in use. A temporary (Bailey) bridge was built right next to it. Photo from TripAdvisor.com
To undertake the US$17 million bridge construction, the consortium made up of the Costa Rican firm MECO and the Mexican firms Cal y Mayor y Asociados and Mexpresa were awarded the contract to design and build the bridge over the Sixaola River, on the Caribbean coast.
Construction is scheduled to begin in late February 2017.
The new binational bridge will have one lane in each direction, and will include bicycle paths and pedestrian walkways. It is expected that the new border structure will be in service in the first quarter of 2018.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Public Works (MOPT) in Costa Rica:
Costa Rica and Panama will start to realize the construction of the new binational Sixaola bridge in the first quarter of next year, with the works having been awarded to the Consorcio Binacional de Sixaola, comprised of the companies: Constructora MECO (Costa Rican), Cal y Mayor y Asociados (Mexico) and Mexpresa (Mexico).
The Office of the United Nations for Project Services (UNOPS), in charge of this project, will sign the contract with the consortium selected next week, which will give the green light to start with the designs of the new structure, which is vital for both countries.
What users have to say
“Don’t be intimidated” and “Not pleasant” are some of the comments by users of the bridge on Tripadvisor.com.
Katerine H. wrote of her visit in April 2015, Crossing from Costa Rica into Panama and vice versa is a fascinating experience! The bridge itself doesn’t look as though it’s long for this world but that doesn’t deter anyone in the slightest. Thankfully, there is now another newer bridge for the massive American style trucks that dominate the roads an and out!
“Most interesting border crossing ever!!” wrote Bubbles in his review of November 2013, before the Bailey structure. “It’s a walking bridge/border crossing between Costa Rica and Panama. If you are ever in Peurto Viejo or Bocas Del Toro I recommend visiting the latter!! A very memorable experience!!”
Q TRAVEL – The winter blues sets in shortly after the cheer of the holidays has passed. But you can beat those feelings of hatred for shoveling snow, icy windshields and slippery roads by escaping to the exotic beaches of Central America.
These five Costa Rican beaches, complete with lanky palm trees, jungle backdrops, sugary sands, and laid-back tropical vibes, are guaranteed to make you forget what sub-zero temperatures feel like.
Playa Grande
Just a short walk north of Tamarindo is the sleepy surf town of Playa Grande, home to a handful of hotels, restaurants, and a wave that attracts surfers from around the globe. A more low-key contrast to tourist-heavy Tamarindo, Playa Grande is just the right distance away from the town’s popular night spots and tour companies. You don’t have to be an avid surfer to enjoy the warm ocean breezes, fine sands and welcoming waters of Playa Grande.
Playa Santa Teresa
Travelers seeking a laid-back beach destination, loaded with affordable accommodation options (or high-end boutique hotels if desired), fresh local eats, laid-back surfer vibes and saltwater that permeates every aspect of life in and out of the water, will find paradise at Playa Santa Teresa. This pint-sized town in the Puntarenas Province at the western edge of the Nicoya Peninsula provides a low-key, eco-friendly atmosphere that encourages you to take a surf lesson, practice yoga overlooking the sea, and indulge in the area’s fresh fruits and local seafood.
Playa Manuel Antonio
You’ll walk through jungles lush in tropical plants, rare birds, sloths and monkeys enroute to some of Costa Rica’s most picture-perfect beaches at and around Manuel Antonio National Park. Free and public Manuel Antonio area beaches are easy to access and are ideal for escaping the crowds and noise that beaches with nearby town centers are often plagued by. The tour companies, shops, and restaurants are spread out along a winding main road, giving the area a distinctly less crowded feel, even during the high season.
Dominical
Dominical seems to grow every year, but the beachfront town never loses its charm. The moment you step on the beach’s warm black sands, you’ll want to snap photos of cliffs that appear to cascade into the deep blue Pacific Ocean. Popular among nature enthusiasts (especially bird watchers), surfers and beach bums, Dominical encourages you to trek to the Nauyaca Waterfalls, take a surf lesson at nearby Playa Dominicalito, horseback ride along the coast, snorkel, deep sea fish and take advantage of the area’s natural wonders.
Pavones
Costa Rica’s legendary lush rainforests line the shores of the tiny pueblo of Pavones. Known mostly for its long left point break that attracts adventurous surfers from around the globe, Pavones is one of those beach destinations where your entire day can revolve around the sea. Homestyle eateries serve fresh seafood and local vegetables to hungry, sunburned surfers, while screens play surf footage to get everyone excited for another day of sun and surf in paradise. Located in Costa Rica’s southern Pacific Zone, Pavones is one of the last villages you can visit before entering Panama, which often means less-crowded sands and some of the mellowest vibes in the country.
For environmental dogs, sniffing out doody is their duty. Photo from AP report.
TICO BULL by Rico – The AyA, that is the water and sewer utility in Costa Rica, could take a lesson from the efforts of Fair Haven, N.J. use of pollution-sniffing dogs at the Jersey shore using dogs being No. 1 at sniffing out No. 2.
According to a report released last week by the Clean Ocean Action environmental group, a team of specially trained dogs has pointed out more than 70 spots in three towns near the Navesink River where human waste may be making its way into the waterway. They sniffed out potentially broken or leaking sewer pipes, failed septic systems, and places where waste might be mishandled or improperly disposed.
Fair Haven Mayor Ben Lucarelli told Associated Press (AP) the dogs were invaluable in laying out in just a few days’ time a map for the town to make repairs.
Oh wait a minute, the AyA doesn’t make repairs unless it is absolutely necessary and only after days on end of water leaks. And then, after the repair, they fill the repair hole with the same dirt they dug out, leaving the problem of repairing the road and sidewalk to someone else. Those of you who live here know well what I am talking about.
OK, let’s pretend that the AyA would be even remotely interested in this, they could do as in Fair Haven, get dogs from rescue shelters and train them to detect human waste in the same way that other dogs are trained to sniff out drugs or explosives.
They give an alert either by barking or sitting down when they detect something. As important as what they find is what they don’t find: places where the dogs don’t alert are generally considered to be safe.
The dogs, instead of running around wild, could be put to use to do good in the same communtities where they are deemed to be a nuisance.
And they jobc is not only for pollution-sniffing, they could sniff out potentially broken or leaky pipes. The problems could be used on public and private property.
The plan could actually work. In Costa Rica, there is no shortage of stray dogs or leaky water and sewer pipes. What there is a shortage of will within public institutions to be proactive.
Costa Rica soccer player, Giancarlo Gonzalez, now playing for Palermo lost his license and fined for driving by Italina police over the alcohol limit.
Q COSTA RICA – In the face of complaints by many of Costa Rica’s “excessive traffic rules”, take a page from Costa Rican soccer player Giancarlo González, now playing for Palermo, Sicily who recently got pulled over in Italy for driving over the alcohol limit.
The Italian publication MediaGol reported that while driving his BMW X4 in the middle of the night (2:00am said Rotocalcio), he was pulled over in a routine traffic spotcheck. The breathalyzer test resulted in a 0.55 reading.
In Italy, the limit is 0.50, thus he had be license taken from him and got a ticket for 500 Euros. ($536 US dollars or ¢300,000 colones).
Contrary to the report by Fiorella Masis in La Nacion, who wrote and I quote, “In Costa Rica, Gonzalez would not have had setbacks, as the maximum is 0.75″, Gonzalez, blowing a 0.55 in Costa Rica would have faced a similar fine (¢310,000 colones), but would have not lost his driver’s license. Unless, he was a newbie driver (under three years) or professional (taxi and bus driver, for example).
The drinking and driving law in Costa Rica, article 143 of the Ley de Transito, sets the following limits for Category A fines, the maximum of ¢309.574,47 colones (for 2016): over 0.20 up to 0.50 for professional drivers and drives with less than three years and 0.50 up to 0.75 for all other drivers.
Above those limits, it could mean jail (for sure if someone is injured or killed because of your drunk driving) as it becomes a “criminal offence”, that includes the criminal charges, loss of all points that means a ban on driving and confiscation of the vehicle. Worse on repeat offences.
Many are surprised that it is legal in Costa Rica to drink and drive.The law says you cannot drive drunk. WTF?
Also, while doing research for this article, I also found that when pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving you must submit to a test and can ask for a second test if you don’t like the results of the first. Article 208: “De resultar positiva la prueba efectuada, el interesado podrá requerir al oficial de tránsito la realización de otra prueba que consista en análisis de sangre, orina u otros análogos, según la naturaleza de la prueba originalmente practicada en concordancia con los protocolos establecidos para tales efectos.”
The CCSS or Caja operates public hospitals such as the Alajuela hospital (pictured) and clinics.
The CCSS or Caja operates public hospitals such as the Alajuela hospital (pictured) and clinics.
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – The story begins in 2005, when a man, identified by his last name, Benavides, visited a Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) or “Caja” health centre for an inguinal hernia.
Following the medical exam on October 20, 2005, hospital staff told him he needed an operation and was placed on the waiting list.
He waited. And waited. Time passed.
In 2015, now ten years later and no call from the hospital, he had discomfort with the hernia. At the hospital for treatment, again he was told he would have to wait, that ‘they were working through the waiting list’.
Benavides could not wait anymore, he contacted a lawyer, Mario Zamora and filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court (Sala Constitucional or Sala IV).
In June 2016, the Salva IV ruled in favour of Benavides and ordered the CCSS to perform the surgery and pay ¢2 million colones in damages caused by the ten-year waiting time.
Mario Cajina, head of the legal department of the CCSS, said that on July 20, 2016 the institution filed an appeal to the judgment, that is not yet final, against the amount of the damages which it believes is too high.
According to the CCSS in June of 2016, the waiting list was growing at a rate of 15,000 patients per month, sitting at the time at 153,000 people.
In the ruling, Sala IV considered that any delays in hospitals, clinics and other care units of the Caja could have a negative impact on the life and health prevention of users and that CCSS clinics and hospitals are duty-bound to adopt and implement changes.
“In order to justify poor and precarious patient care, higher-ups can not invoke the problem of waiting lists for surgical interventions and the application of specialized examinations or the lack of financial, human and technical resources, since it is a constitutional imperative that public health services be provided in an efficient, effective, continuous, regular and expeditious manner, ” said the Constitutional Court.
The empty offices of Bet on Sports internet gambling company are seen in the Mall San Pedro after the company's closure in San Jose, Costa Rica, Friday.
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – The latest to face prosecution in the United States in an illegal sports
The empty offices of Bet on Sports internet gambling company in the Mall San Pedro after the company’s closure in San Jose, Costa Rica, back in 2006. Photo Lotterypost.com
betting enterprise involving Costa Rica, is Kenneth Schmitt, accused of committing his crimes in Hawaii and Mississippi, is set for an initial appearance December 20 in U.S. federal court.
The Sun Herald reports the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged Schmitt in a bill of information alleging he transmitted wagering information for 4 1/2 years, from September 2008 through May 2014.
It’s unclear if Schmitt was placing bets, accepting bets, or providing information on access to the sports books.
Before computerized betting came about, agents or others who handled bets were called “bookmakers” or “bookies.” Now, they’re generally referred to as agents.
The conspiracy involved the set-up of illegal web-based sports books and a network of agents and others to oversee different groups of gamblers, according to the charging document. Defendants and gamblers allegedly were given user names and passwords to have regular access to the sports books on sporting events.
[su_note note_color=”#f8f8f6″]The “Costa Rican Catch” is listed as the No. 2 of the “The Biggest Illegal Gambling Rings of All-Time” by Casino.org.
The 2015 NFL season was an incredibly profitable one for four men running a gambling ring in Costa Rica, and later, the authorities. The men were running a gambling ring through sites like WagerABC.com and TheWagerSpot.com and reportedly took $1 billion in wagers during the NFL season.
To launder their massive earnings, the guys bought over 20 houses in Costa Rica. In what a district attorney called the “largest gambling operation ever dismantled by a local prosecutor’s office”, they ended up facing bails as large as $2 million and up to 25 years in prison. [/su_note]
Schmitt, for instance, cashed a check for US$2,370 that was related to the conspiracy on May 21, 2014, the court document says. He and co-conspirators reportedly concealed the existence and nature of the sport books and tried to shield gamblers and others from detection and prosecution.
Costa Rica has 1,518 confirmed cases of the Zika virus (as at November 30, 2016)
Q TRAVEL – The holiday travel season is here and Costa Rica is a very popular destination for many from around the world. Should you be worred about the Zika Virus?
The ZIKA VIRUS IS SCARY because it targets the most vulnerable among us — its sudden, rapid spread across the Americas would not have been recognized by the general public had it not been linked to birth defects like microcephaly in unborn babies.
Because of this horrific side effect to the otherwise fairly mild virus, travelers have good reason to be concerned when they travel. But a lot of the panic has been unnecessary, and often, the true risk of Zika has been overstated. To try and fight panic and inform travelers, we’ve created this resource page to try and break everything down for you.
The Zika Virus in Costa Rica
What is the current situation? The Ministry of Health (Ministerio de Salud) Epidemiological Bulletin No. 40-2016 on Zika, Chikungunya and Dengue (November 30, 2016), there are 1,518 confirmed cases of Zika (534 men / 984 women), the majority of cases (208) in the Punaternas canton (county). Click here for the Salud bulletins.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Costa Rica says mosquitoes that spread Zika usually do not live at elevations above 6,500 feet (2,000 metres) because of environmental conditions. Travelers whose itineraries are limited to areas above this elevation are at minimal risk of getting Zika from a mosquito.
The following map shows areas of Costa Rica above and below 6,500 feet.
The following is a great resource article from the Matador Network. A great read.
What is Zika?
Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that is related to dengue, West Nile, and yellow fever. The virus was first discovered in the Ugandan Zika forest in the late 1940’s, and for about 60 years, it remained in the equatorial regions of Africa in Asia. In 2007, it started spreading across the Pacific Islands, and in April 2015, it had its first outbreak in Brazil. Shortly after this outbreak, public health experts noticed a rise in cases of microcephaly (a birth defect which can results in an underdeveloped brain) among newborns and a rise in cases Guillain–Barré syndrome (an immune disorder) in adults in the areas most affected by Zika. Further research was done, and in 2016, Zika was definitively linked to both of these conditions.
What are the symptoms?
For most people, Zika is not a very severe illness. That is why, in fact, it hadn’t been extensively researched prior to 2016: it was not considered a severe enough illness to merit attention when other much more severe mosquito-borne diseases, like malaria, yellow fever, and dengue, where out in the world.
Only one in five people who get Zika will develop symptoms. Those symptoms aren’t particularly pleasant — they include fever, rash, headaches, joint pain, muscle pain, and red eyes.
Zika’s scariest aspect is that it may be linked to microcephaly in babies. Microcephaly is abnormal brain development that can cause a disproportionately small head in the child, which may, in some circumstances, lead to death. There is also growing evidence of what’s being called Congenital Zika Syndrome, which is a pattern of certain other birth defects in children exposed to Zika in the womb. These birth defects include, according to the CDC:
Severe microcephaly where the skull has partially collapsed
Decreased brain tissue with a specific pattern of brain damage
Damage to the back of the eye
Joints with limited range of motion, such as clubfoot
Too much muscle tone restricting body movement soon after birth
A small percentage of adults who get infected with Zika may develop Guillain-Barré syndrome, or GBS. This is a rare condition where the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing weakness and sometimes paralysis. Most people fully recover from GBS, and few ever die. Usually, it lasts for a few weeks to a few months. The CDC has not discovered a direct link between Zika and GBS, but it does say they are strongly associated.
Who should be worried?
The largest danger is to pregnant women, and as such, if you are pregnant or are trying to become pregnant, then you should avoid going to the countries or areas where Zika outbreaks are currently occurring. Because the virus is mosquito-borne, the level at which it spreads depends heavily on the seasons. So while it will likely spread further north into the United States at some point, it will be likely to naturally spread during the summer months.
The virus is still mostly transmitted through mosquitoes, but it can also be sexually transmitted. If a man were to get Zika and then have unprotected sex with a pregnant woman in a Zika-free country, he could pass it to her and infect the baby.
Should I change my travel plans?
If you are pregnant (or are trying to get pregnant) and are planning on traveling to those countries, the safest option is probably to cancel your plans. If the travel is unavoidable, or if you live in a place where the outbreak is happening, don’t panic: just try to avoid mosquito bites, and remember that Zika may be linked to microcephaly: it is not an inevitability. The CDC is simply advocating caution, certainly not panic.
If you are a woman, are not pregnant, and you get Zika, don’t worry: the virus typically leaves the system after a week, meaning it won’t infect future babies you may have.
If you are a man and are trying to get pregnant with a partner, or if you are a woman who is trying to get pregnant, you can still travel to a country with Zika, but you should take precautions to avoid infection (we’ll discuss those below), and you should put off trying to get pregnant for a period of time. Here’s what the CDC suggests:
If you are a woman:
If exposed to Zika through travel to an area with Zika, or sex with someone who has traveled to an area with Zika, wait 8 weeks after exposure to start trying to get pregnant.
If positively diagnosed with Zika, wait 8 weeks after symptoms start.
If you are a man:
If exposed to Zika through travel to an area with Zika, or sex with someone who has traveled to an area with Zika, wait 6 months after exposure to start trying to get pregnant. This extra time is because Zika can last longer in semen than it can in the rest of the body.
If positively diagnosed with Zika, wait 6 months after exposure to start trying to get pregnant.
If you went to an area with Zika and experience no symptoms for a few weeks after the trip, there’s an okay chance you never contracted Zika. That said, most people who get Zika do not experience symptoms. And as of yet, the only tests for the virus are positive tests — meaning that they can prove that you have it. There are no tests that can prove that you don’t have it. So while you likely don’t, there is no way to prove it.
It’s also worth pointing out that scientists are not yet sure what percentage of infected newborns develop microcephaly — current ranges estimate between 1 and 13 percent of fetuses exposed in the first trimester will develop microcephaly. But we’re not sure yet.
Ultimately, if you’re trying to get pregnant and want to travel to (or possibly live in) an area with Zika, you should talk to your doctor. If you are not trying to get pregnant, travel away — just protect yourself against mosquito bites and practice safe sex or abstinence.
What should travelers do to avoid Zika
Since Zika is mosquito-borne, prevention largely comes down to avoiding mosquito bites. The mosquito that carries Zika is the female Aedes Aegypti, and it is most active during the day. This means that mosquito nets are less effective than they are with diseases like malaria, which are carried by more nocturnally active mosquitoes. This isn’t to say that if you have a mosquito net that you shouldn’t use it: it’s just to say you should take further steps as well. Those steps are:
Wear long sleeve shirts and pants, preferably made of thick material.
Use mosquito repellent that contains deet.
Stay indoors as much as possible.
There is, as yet, no vaccine against Zika. Doctors have developed successful vaccines for similar diseases in the past, but vaccines take a long time to develop. If you do get Zika, there’s also no medicine for treatment. Doctors suggest getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, and taking acetominophen or paracetomol (NOT aspirin) for any aches, pains, or fevers. Most importantly, if you do get it, make sure you still work to prevent further mosquito bites. If you get bitten while infected, the mosquito can then infect others.
A second precaution, if you’ve traveled to Zika-prone countries, is to practice safe sex. Men, this does not fall exclusively on women: It lasts far longer in male semen (up to 6 months) than it does in a woman’s body, and it’s much easier to transmit from male-to-female than it is female-to-male. So this responsibility should fall on men, to a large extent.
An important note
Most travel insurance policies will not cover cancellations for Zika. As such, if you’re worried you’ll need to cancel your trip, you may want to spring for Cancel for Any Reason travel insurance. It’s a bit more expensive, but may be worth it in this case.
For a while, several airlines were offering refunds for travel that had to be canceled because of the virus. The deadlines for these have passed for the most part, but it may be worth checking the airline’s cancellation policies prior to booking.
Where is Zika?
At this point, Zika can be found through a lot of the world. Here’s where you need to be careful.
It’s important to note that the vast majority of the cases shown on this map were cases resulting from travel, not from local transmission. As of November 30, 2016, 185 cases have been transmitted locally in the United States. 184 have been in Florida, and most of these in Southern Florida. The CDC suggests pregnant women do not travel to Miami Beach. Cases in the United States. Via The CDC
Worldwide
Countries with active Zika transmission. Via the CDC.
This is obviously not a very specific map — Alaska, for example, while part of the US, does not have active mosquito transmission. The same is true for many other countries. The CDC suggests pregnant women not travel to any active transmission zones. They have a specific country-by-country guide here.
Resources
Here are some useful sites, if you’d like to know more:
Ultimately, we recommend the following attitude towards Zika: inform yourself, but don’t panic. For the vast majority of people, it is not a reason to stop traveling.
QBLOG – There is no doubt in my mind, that given the dependence on international trade and the ease of travel and transportation, that globalization is here to stay in some form. It is really the natural evolution of social and economic interaction in the world to unfold in the future. However, recent referendums and elections, particularly the Brexit vote in the U.K. and the election of Donald Trump as President-Elect in the U.S., would indicate that populations throughout the world are increasingly dissatisfied with many aspects of the globalization movement, as have been adopted in current models.
Italy and Austria are going to the polls today to vote on other aspects related to this global movement toward nationalism.
The European Union is probably the best example as to why the current globalization model is not working there. People throughout the world are basically looking for the same basic social and economic standards. These standards would include decent and comfortably furnished living accommodations, a vehicle for transportation, an ample supply of food, access to a reasonable and affordable standard of medical care, and a comfortable level of social familiarity leading to a feeling of personal security (respect for Human Rights).
What is not included is the circumstance of open borders such as exists in Europe at the moment, which erodes the feeling of a national identity and a familiar social structure. Brits want to be Brits, according to those national and social standards deemed to be British and established over hundreds of years of national and social evolution. Likewise, the French want to be French, the Germans want to be Germans, and so on, for the same reasons.
The Brexit vote in the U.K. was certainly a testament to this being the case. The U.K. voting to leave the U.K. was a reaction to this perceived loss of nationalism and a familiar social structure, with the current unbridled immigration and open borders policy of the EU and not a rejection of the trade and economic benefits derived from such a Union. This vote, based in many respects on fear of losing a national identity, was largely perpetrated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s policy of allowing large numbers of Middle East refugees into Germany and upsetting the social equilibrium in Europe in general.
I’m sure that many Brits would now like an open borders limited issue “do-over” of the Referendum vote, based on the negative economic consequences to the U.K. Economy and the devaluation of the Pound Sterling by more than twenty percent, which has occurred following the Brexit vote.
Donald Trump’s win in the U.S. is largely based on similar nationalistic feelings and not based so much on a negative feeling toward the trade and economic ties aspects of globalization. Many of the “hard-line” positions taken by the Trump Campaign, particularly on the issue of Immigration, and which contributed greatly to his election as President-Elect, have now been significantly modified since the Election, to something of a less harsh nature.
Not that there should be open borders in the Western Hemisphere as currently exist in the EU, but I believe that this change in stance has occurred because it is recognized that certain aspects of globalization are here to stay, as they contribute to the economic and social well-being of all Mankind and the security of world peace and stability over-all.
The “pendulum has swung” in a dramatic fashion at the moment, toward the global promotion of Nationalism. However, I believe that other economic and social considerations will prevail over-time, to ameliorate the more drastic aspects of this current movement, as has been seen in the change in stance taken by Donald Trump, since his election as U.S. President-Elect..
TICO BULL by Rico – I can remember, as little as a few years ago during Costa Rica’s opening of the telecommunications sector, the state telecom, ICE, doing all its ‘legal’ might to block it.
After that loss, it concentrated on blocking, albeit temporarily, new services. One of them number portability, the ability of the consumer to choose their mobile service provider without changing their number.
For many new to Costa Rica that seems like, so what? But consider that many in Costa Rica have had the same cellular phone number for a long time. In my case more almost two decades, back in 1998, when cellular lines were a commodity, obtaining one was a challenge, getting one in your name was the holy grail.
A few of years ago, in 2013, when ICE lost its battle to stop number portability, many flocked to competing services.They were no longer tied to ICE.
And ICE knew this would hurt them bigly.
At the beginning of number portability ICE retained most of its customers. Number portability was ‘complicated’ and if you owed ICE money, pay up first. Luckily for many, ICE still was antiquated, it tied a debt to a phone number and not the person. That is, you could owe ICE big bucks for one number, not pay it and still continue to have anothe rnumber. This goes back to a time when ICE only allowed a maximum of three numbers to a person, its safety mechanism. With modernization, ICE caught up with the times.
But it couldn’t stop customers fleeing, looking for better deals, more services, whatever.
Many ICE customers who wanted to see what the new services brought picked up a second or third line, but never cancelling ICE. I was/am one of the those.
No way José was I or will ever going to give up my ICE number. My number is known to countless for more than a decade. But even with number portability, what happens if I want to go back to ICE and they don’t want me. The folks at ICE are a vindictive bunch. For years, before the opening of the telecom market and almost impossible for a tourist to obtain cellular service, not like today, I was in the business of cellular rentals and worked closely with ICE – the only provider then.
I remember having to closely guard that relationship, forging allies within the ICE administration, managers at two branches and counter staff, not to get favours, rather to keep my lines going without a hassle. I was clear up front of my business model, they never said OK, but were tolerant. I paid thousands of dollars each month in telephone bills. Never complained. Made the line, sometimes hours on end, to deal with a small problem. I always took the time to say hello to the counter staff that had served me, the manager. Over paid for phones buying ICE-approved devices. Ass kissing? You betcha!
I remember one would be competitor was cut at the knees (figuratively) when they tried to be smart about it. Costa Rica is a small market, everyone knows each other, competition many times have to work together to meet the needs of a customer. This would be competitor tried to buy his way in, allegedly offering bribes, cutting lines, created attention to himself, added non-ICE services to his offer, purchased non-ICE approved phones (cheaper) and so on. Not a good ending.
But I digress.
A report this week by Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (Sutel) – the mobile telephone regulator – confirms ICE worries back then and why they fought so hard for the change, trying to keep a lid on the can beans that they knew well could never be recovered if opened. It did open and the beans have spread.
The report reveals that ICE has lost 435,000 customers since 2013. Meanwhile, Movistar (Spain’s Telefonica) has connected 299,000 and Claro (Mexico’s America Movil) 256,000 new customers in the same time period.
The Sutel numbers reveal that in the last three years, ICE under its Kolbi brand, snatched 82,000 cellular phone lines from its competitors, meanwhile, competitors snatched from ICE 518,000 lines.
In Costa Rica there are, according to the Sutel, a total of 7.5 million cellular telephone lines – in the country, a country with a population of less than 5 million.
Fidel Castro’s death is a chance to “move forward in peace”
TODAY CUBA – Venezuelan opposition alliance Unified Democratic Panel (MUD) stressed in a communiqué that following Fidel Castro’s death, both Cuba and Venezuela “now see the possibility to move forward in peace, restoring the political, economic and social rights their respective governments have denied to them”
Last Sunday, MUD described Fidel Castro’s death as a chance “to move forward in peace” both for Cuba and Venezuela.
“Both peoples now see the possibility to move forward in peace, restoring the political, economic and social rights their respective governments have denied to them,” MUD pointed up in a communiqué.
The communiqué came one day after homages paid to the Cuban leader headed by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who then would decree three days of national mourning, AFP reported.
The Venezuelan late President Hugo Chávez—Maduro’s mentor—viewed Castro as a political “father.”
During his administration (1999-2013), Chávez built up a close alliance between Caracas and Havana, an initiative still followed by the country’s acting president Maduro.
Burying their dead relatives puts families heavily into debt. The cheapest burials cost VEB 180,000, including only the grave and a body bag
TODAY VENEZUELA NEWS – The critical economic situation Venezuelan families are facing has led to dead bodies piling up on the Bello Monte morgue, the main morgue in Caracas, due to lack of funds to foot burial bills. José Gregorio Chávez’s case is one such example. Chávez (18) died last Tuesday in northeast Caracas after Scientific, Penal, and Criminal Investigative Corps (CICPC) personnel shot him during an alleged scientific police operation.
His relatives demand justice. “He was a young man who didn’t mess with anyone. He had just left his mother’s house to go to his aunt’s. He wasn’t in any trouble whatsoever. And they killed him mercilessly,” explained his aunt Mildred Gonzalez and his sister Masiel Medina.
The victim’s father is demanding justice as well. “They killed him mercilessly,” he concurs.
Overpriced death
Five days into Chávez’s death and still his relatives have not been able to raise the money to pay for his burial. “We’re being charged VEB 280,000 [USD 422.13 at the exchange rate of VEB 663.29 per US dollar] for the service. We’ve been raising money, but we’re VEB 60,000 [USD 90] short,” they say.
A cemetery in Guarenas, a town east of Caracas, was charging them VEB 180,000 for a burial service that did not include a coffin. “Just a body bag and the pit,” they say.
Sources at the forensic investigation center said that this is currently the case at the morgue. “Many corpses stay longer than we legally require, which is up to three days in cases where it is necessary to do special tests, or when corpses require to be identified by non-traditional methods, but that is not the usual practice. They now remain in the morgue for two additional weeks because the relatives do not have the means to pay for burial services.”
“It takes so long for the victim’s relatives to collect the corpse, and usually they are handed over a badly decomposed body that no funeral parlor will accept. The relatives can barely afford the trip to the cemetery in the cheapest coffin.”
The Stop HIV organization estimates that 19,000 children have been orphaned by this disease
TODAY VENEZUELA NEWS – The latest official statistics about HIV and AIDS in Venezuela disclosed by the Ministry of Health show how wide this disease has spread across the country.
HIV data from 2015 shows that 63,328 people infected with HIV were receiving antiretroviral treatment (47,969 men and 15,359 women), with an alarming figure of 1,145 patients under 15 years old.
“This shows that prevention policies undertaken by the State are failing,” states an analysis made by the organization Stop HIV aimed at monitoring the HIV epidemic and raising awareness about its prevention.
The president of the organization, Jhonatan Rodríguez, commented that at least 10,620 people over 15 years initiate antiretroviral treatment every year in Venezuela, which means that the spread of the HIV epidemic is growing.
Rodríguez commented that there should not be inaccuracies around HIV numbers, as clear statistics of the epidemics, besides qualitative work, are required to plan effective strategies to fight the disease. If the causes and characteristics of any disease suffered by population are unknown, it is very difficult to establish patterns to reduce its impact.
Other trustworthy sources have disclosed worrisome data about HIV in Venezuela. Estimates show that there could be as many as 300,000 HIV-positive patients in Venezuela, including 220,000 adults (90,000 women over 15 years old; 130,000 men over 15 years) and 2,300 children aged 0-14 years.
The conclusion is that HIV and AIDS constitute a widespread epidemic in Venezuela, with at least 2,100 people dying each year from HIV-related causes, and more than 19,000 minors left orphans.
Although Rodríguez acknowledges that antiretroviral treatments are provided for free in Venezuela, he alerted that about 5% of HIV patients withdraw their treatment, probably due to inconsistent supply of medicines.
TODAY VENEZUELA NEWS – The recent massacre of 12 youths in Venezuela is widely suspected to have been perpetrated by military officials as part of an ongoing offensive against crime, in the latest example of wanton acts of violence committed by the country’s security forces.
At least eight soldiers have been arrested for their alleged participation in what has become known as the “Massacre of Barlovento.” A total of 11 military officials are under investigation and have been separated from the posts, according to El Nuevo Herald.
The “massacre” refers to the abduction in mid-October of 20 youths during a security raid that was part of the anti-crime offensive dubbed “Operation Liberation and Protection of the People” (Operación de Liberación y Protección del Pueblo – OLP). The victims were detained illegally, as the government did not have a warrant out for their arrest, reported RunRun.es.
Eight of the missing were freed days later bearing signs of torture, according to family members who spoke with local media outlets. But on November 25, police officers found the cadavers of the remaining 12 youths in two clandestine graves in the region of Barlovento, located in the northern state of Miranda.
Venezuela’s Human Rights Ombudsman, Tarek William Saab, confirmed on November 29 that none of the youths had a criminal record.
The massacre, which bears all the hallmarks of being carried out by state security forces, once again draws attention to extrajudicial killings committed under the banner of the OLP. The security operation drew criticism almost immediately upon its launch in July 2015, when 17 individuals were killed during a joint police-military raid. The violence has yet to let up, with over 700 extrajudicial killings by government agents between July 2015 and September 2016, according to human rights organization PROVEA.
This institutionalized violence is not just limited to OLP raids, however. Criminologist Fermín Mármol García recently said that preliminary figures suggest Venezuelan security forces will have killed roughly 5,000 people by the end of 2016, a clear indication that the state’s participation in unlawful executions extends far beyond the boundaries of the OLP.
“Concentrating just on the OLP could deflect attention away from the totality of cases of deaths at the hands of security forces,” Keymer Ávila, a professor of criminology at the Central University of Venezuela, told InSight Crime via email. “Not all of the deaths in these contexts are products of the OLP.”
While the arrest of almost a dozen soldiers is a positive development, Venezuela’s poor track record of prosecuting military officials involved in criminal activity does not offer much cause for optimism as the investigation advances.
“Unfortunately, the judicial system does not find itself in its best moment, and its levels of credibility and institutional solidity are very low,” Ávila wrote. “With these types of cases, it has the chance of gaining a little legitimacy…that would do a lot of good for the country, and for the [judicial] system.”
Karen Barrantes decided that her store, Cover 25, would not profit from Black Friday.
Karen Barrantes decided that her store, Cover 25, would not profit from Black Friday.
Q COSTA RICA by Roberto Acuña Ávalos, Vozdeguanacaste – On Friday morning, Nov. 25, news stations broadcast live reports of the destruction left by Hurricane Otto, both in Guanacaste and across the country. After seeing the news, Karen Barrantes decided that her store, Cover 25, would not profit from Black Friday.
For days, the men’s clothing store in Nicoya had been promoting discounts on all its merchandise. But instead of cashing in on the biggest shopping day of the year, Barrantes decided to donate everything to the hurricane’s victims.
“I was deeply affected by all of the news, and I didn’t think it was right to ask people to spend money when we could be donating to the victims,” she said.
The 28-year-old storekeeper donated nearly 110 kilograms of clothing, including two dozen pairs of kids’ shoes, 40 pairs of jeans, 25 pairs of shorts, 40 shirts, 60 T-shirts, 30 pairs of adult shoes and lots of underwear.
Barrantes made the announcement on the store’s Facebook page, and volunteers from the Recaredo Briceño Park picked up the items to deliver them with the Red Cross.
“I was going to use the profits from Black Friday to buy merchandise for December, but I’ve always said, ‘God provides for everyone,’” Barrantes said.
For now, Barrantes hopes her act of generosity will inspire others to come to the aid of the hundreds of victims of Hurricane Otto.
According to the latest Red Cross report on Nov. 27, shelters in Bagaces have assisted 537 people. Ten people were killed in Costa Rica as Otto crossed the country late last week.
Article first appeared at Vozdeguanacaste.com, republished with permission.
In 150 days, all FARC weapons will be in the hands of the United Nations: President Santos, speaking in Bogota on November 30.
TODAY COLOMBIA NEWS- Colombia’s Congress has ratified a revised version of the peace accord with the FARC, a positive sign of political will to move the process forward despite lingering uncertainties concerning the time frame for implementation.*
The amended version of the agreement was approved on November 30, reported Radio Santa Fe. After the first version of the accord was rejected in a public referendum on October 2, the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – FARC) modified the document and signed an amended version on November 24.
In 150 days, all FARC weapons will be in the hands of the United Nations: President Santos
Speaking during a police ceremony on the day of the congressional vote, President Juan Manuel Santos stated, “Tomorrow is D-Day. In five days, FARC members will start moving towards the transitory concentration zones.”
The president’s reference to “D-Day” alluded to the date that marks the beginning of the FARC’s demobilization and disarmament process.
Santos added that “in a month, all FARC members should be in the concentration zones and in six months, the conflict with the FARC will be over.”
However, FARC leader Felix Antonio Muñoz, alias “Pastor Alape,” expressed a different opinion about the date of the D-Day on Caracol Radio. Under his interpretation, the implementation process will only begin once Congress approves the provision of the peace accord granting amnesty for certain crimes related to the long-running conflict.
As InSight Crime has previously explained, the time frame of the process is key to achieving peace and addressing the organized crime issues related to the FARC’s demobilization. Thus, the diverging opinions on the date of D-Day — which may now hinge on when the peace accord’s all-important amnesty law is passed — are worrying. But the speed with which the new deal was finalized and ratified, as well as the FARC leadership’s ongoing support for the process, are a reminder that there still is significant political will to reach a viable peace in the country.
The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) points out that there are several possible time frames for when D-Day might occur.
Under the first scenario, the amnesty law could be submitted to Congress as early as next week, where it could be debated under a so-called “fast track” process that expedites the way in which elements of the peace accord are passed. If this happens, D-Day could be just a few days away. However, the fast-track mechanism has to be approved by the Constitutional Court. And while the court is meant to vote on the issue on December 5, both the date of the final decision and the outcome over the legality of the process are uncertain.
As WOLA notes, the “Constitutional Court may decide that the fast track option is only valid after the accord’s approval by plebiscite,” which would mean the government would need to hold another vote to use the mechanism. Given the time it would likely take to organize the plebiscite, in this situation, D-Day would likely be at least two or three months away.
But it isn’t certain that the accord would pass a second plebiscite. Therefore, the Santos administration may opt to abandon the fast track option and submit the amnesty law to Congress through normal means. In this scenario, the opposition could potentially submit a large number of amendments to the deal, each of which would have to be debated, thus significantly delaying the final implementation. WOLA estimates that D-Day could be six months to a year away if this happens.
Nevertheless, despite uncertainty surrounding the time frame, the ratification of the peace deal by Congress is a positive sign that the process is moving forward after being in a state of limbo since the October plebiscite’s “no” vote.
*Ed. Note: Shortly after this article was published, the Colombian government released a statement saying that the FARC had agreed to consider December 1 as D Day. This statement resolves that uncertainty, though questions still remain about whether the amnesty proposal will recieve fast-track treatment in Congress. The article above appears as it was originally published.
Q24N – A new index measuring the competence of countries’ security forces has its flaws, but nevertheless offers insights into the fundamental issues in government priorities when it comes to combating crime in Latin America.
The first edition of the World Internal Security and Police Index (WISPI) “aims to measure the ability of the security apparatus within a country to respond to internal security challenges, both now and in the future,” according to the policing think tank International Police Science Association (IPSA), which commissioned the project. The think tank calls WISPI the first international index of its kind (pdf).
Of the 127 countries included in the index, Venezuela and Mexico ranked the worst in Latin America, at 119th and 118th respectively. Uruguay ranked best in the region at 35th. (See table below)
South America and the region encompassing Central America and the Caribbean ranked below all other world regions except for South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The WISPI produced its country scores by analyzing four key areas: 1) “capacity,” or the level of security resources; 2) “process,” or the ability to put resources to use effectively; 3) “legitimacy,” which includes public trust in authorities, corruption and just behavior of institutions; 4) “outcomes,” which factors in real and perceived levels of crime and violence.
In both the South America and Central America and the Caribbean regions, the highest scores were for capacity, while the lowest were for process.
16-11-25-region-index2
Compared to the rest of the world, Latin America had among the lowest rating for outcomes. Paraguay ranked as the second-worst country in the world for this security indicator, just above Nigeria.
Mexico was considered the third worst country globally for legitimacy, while Venezuela was the only country not from Sub-Saharan Africa to be among the worst five for process.
The WISPI was developed by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
While initiatives like these are welcome, such indexes can paint a misleading picture of the security situation in a country by simplifying complex, multi-faceted dynamics to a simple score.
This can be seen in how Latin American nations have been rated. Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica rank surprisingly high on the WISPI due to their above average security force capacity, despite local authorities’ evident difficulties in reining in gang-related crime.
In contrast, Paraguay is ranked near rock bottom overall, largely brought down by its low “outcome” index. But while this last score may have been swayed by its relatively high perceptions of insecurity, Paraguay is actually one of the least violent nations in Latin America, making it hard to understand why it was ranked worse than any of its neighbors for this indicator.
Results such as these point to the limitations of using certain measurements to attempt to determine the capacity of a country’s security forces. Factoring in homicides is problematic given the multitude of factors that lead to violent crime — including gang wars and other criminal conflicts that arguably have more to do with a state’s socio-economic policies rather than the aptitude of its security apparatus.
Furthermore, measuring public fear — in this case the “perceptions of safety walking alone at night” — to determine whether “there is some threat to internal security which is not being adequately dealt with by security forces” ignores external variables that are probably just as important. This could include the media overstating threats to citizen safety, or governments inflating criminal threats to justify certain policy decisions.
In sum, bringing together a large number of variables that range from factors that can be controlled by state security bodies — such as troop numbers, prison capacity, and judicial effectiveness — and others that depend much on broader social or political issues in creating a single index is an ambitious but ultimately reductive approach.
Nevertheless, the WISPI does offer useful details on certain aspects of where Latin America’s security apparatus is going wrong.
Perhaps one of the most pressing issues the report touches on is the region’s ineffective and inappropriate use of security forces. The WISPI found that higher numbers of security forces — or capacity — did not necessarily lead to greater internal security.
“Beyond a certain level additional security service capacity does not necessarily lead to better processes, increased legitimacy, or better outcomes,” the index suggests.
Indeed, despite the fact that Central America and the Caribbean had the greatest armed force presence by far at a rate of 559 per 100,000, it was among the lowest-ranking regions.
This gives weight to concerns that the growing militarization of public security in nations across the Americas is an ineffective use of state resources, and in fact risks worsening violence levels.
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned that “underinvestment” in infrastructure is a critical element that inhibits the country’s ability to trade.
An analysis of the degree of market opening by OECD, showed positive and negative results, with the most noteworthy among the favorable being an annual increase of 9% in the volume of exports of goods between 1994 and 2013 and a reduction in tariffs and negotiation of free trade agreements.
Despite this progress, the OECD noted the need to address the serious problem of lack of infrastructure affecting the country. “…Underinvestment in infrastructure is a critical element that inhibits the ability of a country to trade and is a challenge that Costa Rica must address in order to avoid the “middle income trap”. This applies in particular to transport infrastructure, ports and border crossings but also the pattern of energy production in the country.”
The OECD also warned of “… delays in procedures affecting performance and competitiveness of enterprises, including the delivery of environmental permits and construction permits, company registrations and trading licenses.”
Having pictures of her butt taken in Costa Rica is among the travel fails by Jennifer Schlueter
Q TRAVEL – I’d go as far and say that on 80-90% of our trips we experience travel fails: missed flights, harassment, theft, horrible accommodation, running out of money, etc. In the moment of living them, they may bring us down or mess up our plans, but oh, do they make for some of the most memorable stories and great lessons! After all, as travelers, shouldn’t we be grateful for these experiences because travel wouldn’t be as much fun without them?
Bringing only short clothes to Oman.
Let’s just say I was young, dumb, and inconsiderate for other cultures. It was supposed to be over 40°C (>100°F) where we would stay in Muscat, and so 17-year-old me packed accordingly: skirts, shorts, and tank tops. This would be my first time visiting a mosque and nowadays I laugh at the thought that I really wanted to go there with a skirt and a tank top. How rude! My mom knew better, so she forced me to put on her pants and my brother lent me one of his jacket. Can you say I looked ridiculous? Yes! Here’s proof:
Lessons learned: Look up the dress code before going to other countries. Be considerate and respectful towards other cultures because after all, you’re a guest in their country and a representative of your home country. Also, some women there dress in all black, long sleeved clothes there and are out in the sun. This is proof you won’t die from a heat stroke if you wear pants and a jacket or sweater.
Having pictures of my butt taken in Costa Rica.
I was studying Spanish in Costa Rica for two weeks and befriended a girl from Turkey and a guy from Saudi-Arabia. We all went to travel to Puerto Viejo for the weekend and took pictures with our phones obviously. At one point, he asked me to take a picture of him and gave me his phone, where the camera app was already open. In the bottom left, I was able to see the last picture.
It showed: MY BUTT! What the fuck?
Because I was afraid of confrontation back then, shy, I gave him the benefit of a doubt. He had been so nice to my friend and I, I let it slide for the moment and talked to the girl about it. She was as surprised as I was and didn’t believe me. When he was outside of our room, we looked at his phone where we found one more picture of my behind. Then, I finally confronted him. He pretended these pictures were accidents and deleted them. The fact that he didn’t dare to speak to my friend and I after this incident proved otherwise: he was clearly ashamed. One more proof of it: My friend looked through his camera later on and found another ass picture.
Lessons I’ve learned: Guys don’t take “accidental” ass pictures. If you find out, confront them right away. Make sure he deletes the pictures fully and to be completely save, why not destroy his phone? If you can and feel up for it, nowadays I would even suggest to go as far as to report him whether to his mom on Facebook or the police. Who knows what else guys like this do! If you report them, you may scare them so much that you can prevent the harassment and humiliation to happen to other girls!
Missed flight to Rio during the highest season.
I was traveling with three other people. All of us had to catch a flight from Lima, Peru to Rio, Brazil in the evening. Long story short – two of us took too long, we reached the airport to catch the flight just in time, but our luggage wouldn’t have gotten to Rio for 3 more days because they had already closed the storage of the plane; thus, we paid $900 each for another flight to Rio, had to spend the whole night at Lima airport, and missed one day in Rio. Epic fucking fail!
Lesson learned: Even though you’re traveling with people, never ever wait on them if they’re late. That’s their problem, not yours. Unless you got it like that and are able to spend almost a grand on another flight. Be selfish and leave them behind – they’re not going to pay for your new flight. They can figure their ish out and meet you at the next destination.
Having my purse stolen in Madrid.
This was my personal rock bottom of the year 2016. GoPro gone, phone with some pictures gone, money, IDs and banking cards from two countries gone and no chance of finding anything, especially because the police in Madrid didn’t seem to give a fuck, other than just taking my complaint. They didn’t even ask if I had tried the “Find my iphone” app nor did they attempt to locate my phone otherwise.
Lessons learned: I was assured that I have an amazing network of helpful friends and family who supported me through this. I also learned that you shouldn’t think things into existence (I’m a strong believer in the Law of Attraction). This had been the first time I strongly felt that my belongings were going to be stolen. Up until the last ten minutes before leaving the park, I had my purse under my head, but as soon as I didn’t it was gone. Should have backed up my phone data. Read this in this blog entry for more lessons and the whole story.
Packing the wrong shoes for my Trolltunga hike.
My three friends and I were stoked to go on the 12 hour hike to Trolltunga, and wanted to take before and after picture. Here’s the before:
The after never got taken because I had been crying for a good two hours out of enormous pain due to bringing the wrong shoes. The way to the top was fine, but the way down was disastrous. I ended up walking in my (fortunately thick) socks for the last two hours and being supported by my friend. Yikes!
Lesson learned: Always test shoes by bringing them on a hike from which you can easily return to civilization because once you’re still four hours away from roads and people, you may have to call the ambulance in an emergency. Luckily, I had my friends and wasn’t alone! Therefore, don’t go hiking alone. You may get lost or hurt and in that unfortunate case you’ll be so thankful to have someone with you!
Booking a room underneath the roof in Madrid during summer.
How fantastic the Airbnb looked that my friend and I had booked! Super artsy, spacious, comfortable, unlike anything else I had ever seen before. On top of that, it was a great deal. For a reason… When we reached Madrid this summer at the end of July, it was a scorching heat, 35-38°C during the day, 40°C at 9 p.m. (odd?). The room underneath the roof had a tiny window at the top which was only reachable with an old school, tiny, wooden ladder and was equipped with a fan, which did not really do much except for circulate the hot air. I don’t even know if it was legal having us stay in a room like that.
Lesson learned: Check Airbnbs for adequate A/C in the summer, especially in hot countries. Do not book a room underneath the roof during summer, especially in hot countries.
Almost getting kicked out by a Couchsurfer.
Well, this one is pretty weird and funny after all this time… My friend and I had stayed at a couchsurfer’s place. One night, we all went out; I ended up making out with him, she with his friend. Next day, we all went out again; my friend and his friend were having a better time than me and the couchsurfer. I was over him being too drunk every damn night, three nights in a row. The day after that, we all hung out again at a bar when I spot a cute guy and tell my friend. She walked over, talked to him and tells me to come to them. Obviously, the couchsurfer got super pissed and told us we should leave his house first thing in the morning. His friend took all of us back to the couchsurfer’s place, the couchsurfer passed out immediately and we just stayed there. The next day, as soon as he was up, I asked him: “What time do you want us to leave?” He answered: “What are you talking about? You can stay until later” As it had happened the nights before, he got so drunk that he didn’t remember anything. Or he just pretended not to remember.
Lesson learned: Never hook up with your couchsurfer. Even though, I really shouldn’t have done what I did. Or be more respectful about it and told the couchsurfer that I wasn’t really feeling him and why.
Running out of money in the middle of a trip in Paris.
For my trip to London and Paris, I scheduled my money so tightly that when I had to pay 50 Euros for an additional carry-on bag, I was screwed. Unexpected things happened so I had to rely on my friend for money. Furthermore, I let my worries about being broke get the best of me and even jeopardized my friendship with her.
Lessons learned: Always have extra money saved up for emergencies. Don’t let the current state of being broke make you feel less worthy. It will pass and it will be something you regret to have worried about. Do not take your mood out on your friends. They don’t deserve it and they shouldn’t take the credit for your fuck ups!
Not getting enough sleep in Copenhagen.
I knew sleeping in a hostel dorm with 30 beds wasn’t a great idea as soon as I walked in. But I had to because Bergen was expensive and two nights would be doable, I thought. People were shuffling, farting, snorting, and making all kinds of weird bodily noises and letting out bodily odors, some involuntarily perhaps, which resulted in me not really getting any sleep. Waking up at 3.45 a.m. to catch the flight to Copenhagen robbed me of even more sleep and since I can’t sleep on buses or planes, I was pretty much a wreck when my friend and I arrived in Copenhagen where we would spend the whole day. Since neither of us had ever been, we tried to do as much as possible, started off with breakfast and a 2.5 hour walking tour. After that we were grumpy and in endless need of sleep. So what did we end up doing? We found a park and just crashed. Lucky, for us, it was summer. But we must have looked pretty ridiculous – messy hair, bags underneath our eyes and all – just as we had taken the best spot right at the entrance of the park to snooze. Alarm after alarm was turned off until we finally got up all scraggly and droopy-eyed and kept continuing our sightseeing before taking a train to Sweden.
Lessons learned: No more 30 bed hostel dorms. EVER. I’d rather pay $20 a night more. I also want to take more time in a city rather than rushing through it and have a hotel there, so I can at least leave my bags.
Getting lost in Reykjavik in the middle of the night.
I arrived at the Keflavik airport around 11.30 p.m. It was still bright outside. Around midnight or so, the sun went down for a total of 2 minutes, then came back up. I took a bus which was supposed to let me out close to the Airbnb my friend and I had rented. I got off at around 1.30 a.m., fortunately, it was still somewhat bright, but no one was in sight. I tried to look up the address on a screenshot I had taken because my Internet didn’t work. I walked up and down the street but I couldn’t for the life of me find the Airbnb. Then finally, an Icelander walked towards me. “Excuse me, can you help me?” His first answer: “What are you doing here by yourself? You shouldn’t be out here!” Great… After scolding me, he tried finding the apartment as well with the help of Google maps, but also failed. Then, he let me call my friend who, fortunately, was up and described to me where he was. The Icelander even took me there. “Now, you love Iceland, don’t you?,” he said and gave me a hug.
The next day, my friend told me about a Reykjavik city tour he had taken the day before. The guide had explained to them that Iceland owns two helicopters, which they mostly use to rescue Germans who get lost. Gaaah! Go figure!
BONUS: Drinking too much in Prague.
I don’t know if I should consider this one a total fail. I had two freakin’ amazing nights out, but was hungover two days in a row and didn’t go sightseeing; however, I met great people and had a blast!
Lesson learned: If you want to see a city, do not go out drinking until 5 or 6 a.m. unless you’re 20 years old. Then, you might still be able to do it.
In downtown San Jose, police erect watch towers along the pedestrian boulevards. Archive photo
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – The scenario: a woman or man approaches you and says that she has an emergency and needs cash urgently, she hands you a check for ¢50,000 colones to which she is willing to accept from you only ¢40,000. Wow, you just made ¢10,000 colones and you feel good for having helped out someone in a tight situation. Oh, but wait, at the bank you are told the check is no good, maybe no funds or worse, counterfeit.
That is one of the new scams with the arrival of the Aguinaldo, the year-end bonus, explains Nils Ching, deputy director of the Fuerza Publica (police), as thieves invent new ways to bring down their victims.
The other new scam (timo in Spanish) that has been detected, says Ching, is the scammers offering strangers gold bracelets, at very low prices. Those who fall into this scam, learn later to learn that it is bronze.
According to Ching, these thieves generally look for older adults or people who are in a hurry and coming out of an ATM or bank.
The deputy director insists that, especially in times of the Aguinaldo, it is very important to always be accompanied and not show the money that was just taken from the ATM or bank.
Just think for a moment, we’ve all done it, without thinking, walk away from an ATM or walk out of a bank with cash in hand, sometimes even counting or sorting it before placing in the wallet or purse? This an oversight that quickly can place you in the crosshairs of scammers.
Like every beginning of December, when the Aguinaldo hits the streets, the call is being made to for people to be extra careful.
The prevent robberies and assaults, the Fuerza Publica will reinforce its presence, with more than 5,000 police officials on special detail between noon and 10:00pm, the hours which according to Ching, is the peak time for thieves.
In downtown San Jose, police erect watch towers along the pedestrian boulevards. Archive photo
A good practice to avoid becoming a victim while walking the streets is to dress down, leave the jewellery and accessories at home or locked in the car, in the parking lot and carry only the cash you plan to spend for the outing. Carry plastic if at all possible and the phone numbers of the card issuer to immediately report the loss. You would be amazed how quickly thieves can empty your account.
And don’t be walking around with you cell phone in your ear or sticking out of your pocket or purse. Keep the cell phone out of sight, answer calls only in an emergency and then keep the calls short. Don’t make yourself a target.
Important to keep an eye on your surroundings (hard to do is you are on a phone call). And if a deal sounds to good to be true, it is usually isn’t.
Carlos Zuniga, acting head of the Fraud Section of the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) warns of counterfeit ¢20,000 and ¢50,000 colones notes in circulation.
Zuniga, in a press conference, gave details of the recent arrest of a couple in La Carpio for passing counterfeit bills.
“When the person receives a counterfeit note, they destroy it or go to a bank to return it and in some cases, gets re-inserted in the market,” he said.
Both Zuniga and Ching agree that people should file a report when they become a victim of a scam.
Costa Rica does not have many tall buildings, requiring the erection of cell phone towers to provide better mobile services
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – Five years after the mobile telecommunications market opened up in Costa Rica, three municipalities continue to prioritize landscape aesthetics versus the need to install structures to ensure cellular phone coverage.
Moravia and Curridabat (in the province of San Jose) and Esparza (in the province of Puntarenas) are in the midst of two court cases and the filing an appeal with the Supreme Court, summarize the legal objections raised because of the installation of towers for the provision of mobile phone services in Costa Rica.
According to an article by Nacion.com, there is continued controversy still.
The controversies, says the report, have to do with the maximum height of the structures, with the separation between them, with their location (residential, industrial, mixed, etc.) and the size of their surrounding premises.
The information states that without these 10 to 25 metre towers phone and mobile internet companies would not be able to create coverage networks, and that two previous rulings forced the municipalities of San Pedro Montes de Oca and Heredia to allow the towers.
The first of the Court rulings on the subject was in 2011, the Courts declaring cell phone towers structures a public interest.
In their arguments, magistrates privileged the public interest over any other local or communal. If this were not the case, the population would might be limited access to new information and technologies, the Court ruled, with reiterated support by the Attorney General’s office in 2012.
For the telecommunications authority, the Sutel, these court cases are a waste of time and energy, because with the resolutions of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General, the matter should be resolved for the good of the users.
“There are still some degrees of resistance. It is not possible to understand it, that in some places for to have better services, the companies (telecoms) require the towers. In Costa Rica we do not have so many tall buildings. That’s why they (the towers) are needed,” said Wálther Herrera, director of Markets at Sutel.
QBLOGS – In 1977, Costa Rica passed the Maritime Zone Law, which established property ownership rights for beachfront property in Costa Rica. Under the Costa Rica Constitution, the initial fifty meters going inland from the high-tide line on beachfront properties, as established by the Costa Rica National Geographic Institute, has always been reserved for public use and enjoyment. This is an inalienable right of enjoyment, which is unlikely to change in the future.
After the passage of the Maritime Zone Law, properties which had previously received a registered property title in the National Registry with a Survey Plan to the fifty meter line, have retained their fee simple ownership rights following the passage of the Law. However, properties held only in a Right of Possession by their owners, became subject to the Concession property provisions of the Maritime Zone Law.
The Concession provisions provide for leasing of the land from the Government that equates with the first one hundred and fifty meters inland from the fifty meter public zone line previously described. Concessions are only granted in those beachfront areas where the local Municipality has adopted a Municipal Zoning Plan providing for the existence of such Concessions. The Municipality is charged with the administering of such Concessions granted by the Government. The normal Concession lease granted is for a twenty year period and annual payments, similar to Municipal Property Taxes, must be paid to the Municipality, in order to keep the Concession Lease current.
Foreigners, without having had five years of legal Residency status in Costa Rica, may not own a majority interest in a Concession property. In those circumstances, a Trust may be created where a Costa Rican citizen holds a fifty-one percent interest in the Concession property and the foreigner holds a forty-nine percent interest, during the establishment of the five year Residency period of the foreigner.
Following the establishment of five years of Residency, the Concession interest held in Trust, may be transferred to the foreigner in its entirety.
An interesting consideration for foreigners is the Testamentary Disposition of such Concession interests. An inheriting party must also meet the five year Residency Rule, in order to acquire the entire Concession property lease interest following Probate, or alternatively, they would have to establish a Trust holding relationship, as was previously described, until the Residency requirement was met.
Concession property interests present some unique differences from those of titled property interests.
Any party seeking to acquire a Concession property interest would be well advised to seek professional legal assistance from a knowledgeable Real Estate Attorney prior to entering into any contractual arrangements.
Q COSTA RICA – The Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) and The Business Year (TBY) organized a roundtable titled “Costa Rica Sustainable Model & Investment Opportunities.”
The event was hosted in San José with the participation of AmCham Executive Director, Alberto Arguedas; Edward F. Sanchez, General Manager of Citibank; and Humberto Pacheco A., Chairman of Pacheco Coto.
The forum was moderated by Carla Alberti de la Rosa, TBY LATAM Regional Director.
With steady economic growth and political stability, Costa Rica has positioned itself as one of the most valued and sustainable economies not only in the region, but in the world. The roundtable aimed to showcase the country’s emerging opportunities for investment as well as the impact of neighboring markets.
Opening the discussion, Humberto Pacheco addressed the factors that make Costa Rica competitive. “The reality is that abolition of the army in 1948 was the most important element that allowed Costa Rica to focus on education and social development,” he emphasized. Referring to the current business community, he remarked, “It has a strong vision and it’s pushing the country on the right path”.
Edward F. Sanchez spoke about why Citibank as well as many other multinationals have begun settling operations in Costa Rica. “We have the highest level of education in the region, one of the largest per capita middle classes, and are in the right time zone for operating businesses in the financial, manufacturing, agricultural industries.”
He also added that despite its many advantages, Costa Rica has areas that could be improved upon, principally the financial deficit, followed by infrastructure. In this regard.
“The problem Costa Rica has in terms of infrastructure is the timing,” said Alberto Arguedas of AmCham. “Projects take too much time to be finished, which makes them less efficient.” Humberto Pacheco closed this discussion by adding: “Public expenditure is the main issue that Costa Rica is currently having. We cannot approve more taxes, but we have to reduce public expenditures, which is being done slower than it should.”
The impact of the US elections on the Costa Rican economy was another topic touched upon during the roundtable. Pacheco assured listeners that if Costa Rica and Central America “take an intelligent and proactive role, the new US government will not rock the boat.” In this regard, Sanchez concluded with a positive message by saying that Costa Rica does not rely on remittances to fund the government, so the “effect will be minimal.”
Referring to the sustainable model, Arguedas said that Costa Rica owes its leading position to the vision that the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) had many years ago for boosting renewable energies. He also said that “high electricity costs are still an issue that we are all trying to solve to make Costa Rica a more competitive market.” In this regard Pacheco pointed out that “if Costa Rica would use its oil and gas in a regulated way, we could reduce our electricity bills and invest in more green energies such as geothermic and solar.”
Q COSTA RICA NEWS — What motivates young professionals the most to leave one employer for another? And why does talent in one country appear to be happier and more loyal that of its neighbor?
Global employer branding thought leader, Universum, has just completed one of its largest studies to date, and revevals that compared with the Nordics, Latin American countries including Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Peru show great levels of satisfaction at work but their loyalty levels suggest they will be likely to change employer in the next couple of years.
The exception to this is Costa Rica, which not only has a very happy workforce but employees who are likely to stay in their current jobs longer than the rest of their Latin American counterparts.
More than 200,000 young professionals in 57 markets participated in the survey for this research, which was carried out between September 2015 and September 2016.
The top ten is dominated by countries from Western Europe and more specifically the Nordics, with Denmark’s workforce taking this year’s top spot, however in third place tucked between Norway and Sweden, is Costa Rica, this year third with the most happy and loyal workforce.
Austria’s workforce stand at number five followed by the Netherlands, Finland and Belgium in eighth place. In ninth place, Hungary’s workforce represent Eastern Europe’s happiest workforce, followed by the Czech Republic. Germany and Switzerland stand at eleven and twelfth place respectively, followed by Mexico which represents North America’s happiest workforce.
Romania and Bulgaria sit in front of France in sixteenth place followed by APACs highest entrant, Singapore. Spain’s workforce stand in eighteenth place, followed by South America’s happiest workforce Colombia, who are closely trailed by neighbor Brazil in twentieth place.
Why does it matter?
“Employee happiness is crucial for retaining good talent as well as having a motivated workforce that delivers great results and continuously innovates. If the young professionals in a market show low levels of discontent, this is a good sign for the economy as whole. However, it is at these times when it’s harder to obtain the best talent from your competitors.” said Universum Research Project Manager, Daniel Eckert.
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – This week’s report from the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) discusses the challenges that have made it difficult to ship chilled beef and pork to Costa Rica, a market of strong interest for U.S. meat exporters.
The report said Costa Rica recently removed the requirement that shipments of fresh beef and pork from the United States must arrive no more than nine days from the packing date.
No changes have been made to Costa Rica’s requirements for frozen beef and pork, which must arrive within six months of the packing date.
For U.S. beek and pork exporters to Costa Rica, the nine-day maximum for fresh meat was especially problematic, and its removal should benefit exporters serving this market.
In the report, USMEF Technical Services Manager Cheyenne McEndaffer explains the requirement was removed after USMEF worked with industry partners and U.S. trade officials to address this issue and bring it to a successful conclusion. McEndaffer believes this will create more opportunities for high-quality beef and pork in Costa Rica.
The Avenidazo is a part of the San Jose Christmas activities.
COSTA RICA EXTRA – The capital city will kick off the Christmas 2016 season on Friday, December 2 with a series of free holiday events for the entire family. The 2016 Christmas in San Jose kicks off at the newly renovated Plaza de la Cultura, that includes the lighting of the Capital ceremony, an activity organized by the Municipality of San Jose and sponsored by the private telecom, Movistar.
The event will follow with a concert of the Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Among the other activities this month are:
Handicraft Fair in the Parque Central (Central Park) to Sunday Dec. 4
National Tales Festival from Dec. 2 to 4 at the Church de La Soledad
Christmas Parade on Saturday Dec. 3 on Avenida Central (not to be mistaken for the Carneval)
Christmas Festival in the park, Sunday Dec. 4 in the Parque Bolivia
Christmas Ball, in Chinatown on December 8 at 6:00pm
Christmas Holiday Contest, also on Dec. 8 on Avenida Central and surrounding streets
Cultural Festival Aires Navideños, on Dec. 9, 10 & 11 in Okayama Park, San Francisco de Dos Ríos starting at 6:00pm
Philharmonic Orchestra, December 10 at 6:00pm in Chinatown
Christmas Festival on Thursday Dec. 15 at 5:00pm, outside the Correos (Post Office) building
Presentation of the ‘Nativity Scene’ in La Plaza de la Cultura, Dec. 16 at 11:00am
The BIG events are:
Santa can’t miss an appearance in the Festival of Lights, Carnval and TOPE, as pictured here.
Festival of Lights (Festival de la Luz)
Date: Saturday, December 17th
Location: Between Paseo Colón and Avenida Segunda.
Cyclist Andrey Amador will be the marshal of the 21st edition of the Festival de las Luces. This is perhaps the single most beautiful event of the season. The event includes floats, dancers, music and all other kinds of entertainment to dazzle. The event starts off with a spectacular fireworkds display.
Avenidazo
Date: From Monday 19 to Wednesday 21 December
Place: Plaza de la Cultura
An event of simulating snow by throwing confetti. It had been banned for a few years after complaints of confetti hitting eyes. To fully enjoy the event, you need to throw confetti (which can be purchased by vendors) at other people, careful not to hit the face.
Zapote Fair
Date: Christmas day to Sunday January 8
Location: Zapote Fair Grounds
By and large the even is free, that is people can visit the fair grounds, enjoy the scenery that may include some street shows, but, this is a commercial affair. Unlike the other activities designed for the free enjoyment by one and all, the fair is designed for visitor to open their wallets to events like the bull fights, rides, games, bars and street foods
TOPE
Date: Monday, December 26
Location: From the Avenida Segunda to Paseo Colon, starting at noon*
The downtown streets of San Jose will be filled with horses and their riders (and horse doody), people lining the side of the street to watch and consumer beer and other alcohol (even though prohibited). Watch where you step, there is a lot sh*t going on. This event is a cultural staple of most of the summer fairs in the country.
The TOPE is not all about horses
CARNEVAL
Date: Tuesday, December 27 Location: From the Avenida Segunda to Paseo Colon, starting at noon*
Back after a decade of absence, the Carneval (Carnival) is back in San Jose. In the past, the event brought thousands to the downtown core, some camping out a day or two ahead to get a front row seat. In the past, the carnival included parades by cheerleaders, marching bands, comics, exotic costumes, antique cars and all kinds of entertainment.
My photo from the last Carneval back in 2005
Important notes
1. Why they put CARNEVAL after the TOPE still stumps me. Although the crews have in the past done a great job of cleaning up the horse sh*t, the miss a few and then there is the crap (litter) by the people.
2. In the past, the TOPE and CARNEVAL started on the west side, by La Sabana part and moved easterly along Paseo Colon and Avenida Segunda to the Plaza de la Democracia. In the last couple of years, as it will this year, the movement is in the opposite direction, starting on the east side of San Jose and moving west. Really confusing for us in Costa Rica for many years.
3. The Festival de la Luz is a “can’t miss” event, especially if this is your first time in San Jose or Costa Rica. Although it is televised, nothing beats the being on the scene. Two important things, plan out your POV (point-of-view) and arrive early to get a good spot; and two, plan out your escape. If you don’t you will understand my choice of the word escape.
4. The fireworks for the Festival de la Luz are on time. Don’t miss it, it is spectacular. But, it is loud. Last year the majority of the fireworks were fire from La Sabana park. If you have sensitive hearing, choose another location or have something to cover your years, headphones are great. I mean it, they are loud!
5. For most events there are going to be a lot, and I mean, a lot of people. And a great pickings for pickpockets and purse snatching among other petty crimes. Don’t be a victim. Don’t bring valuables. Carry only the cash you plan to spend. For women, wearing anti-groping gear is recommended. This comes from women I know who have had the undesirable experience.
6. Though drinking in public spaces is not permitted, it is tolerated. Having said, don’t.
7. If you are taking public transit to and from any of the events, keep in mind that buses don’t run after a certain time. Plan out your return.
Please use the comments section below or post to our official Facebook page to share your experiences and recommendations for happy and safe holiday season in San Jose.
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – The alleged responsible for the murder of a Dutch couple and a farm handler, in Puntarenas, their bodies discovered after the new year , are part of a group dedicated to robbery with extreme violence.
The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) confirmed that the arrest of four on Wednesday are part of the group and two of them had taken part in the Puntarenas murder. A first suspect arrested days earlier was also involved. In total 11 people were arrested on Wednesday in a hit against this group who mainly ransacked farm homes in the province of Puntarenas.
Walter Espinoza, head of the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ), explained that writing on the wall of the Dutch couple home proved key to identified the alleged killers, matched with writings found during a raid of the home of one of the alleged three killers, identified as Angulo (two brothers) and Bertarioni.
“On one of the walls was a writing that had alluded to what happened in the place. We compared it with writing from a door in a closet where we detained one of the Angulos. We compared them and it was positive,” said Espinoza.
Miguel Abarca, prosecutor, said “the organization was hitting violently rural communities. We have linked these people to 8 aggravated robberies, including one of attempted homicide.”
“They broke in tp middle and upper class homes (…),” Abarca added.
The Dutch couple and their farm foreman were on the afternoon of January 4, 2016 found dead in their house, a private estate in the district of Acapulco in Sardinal de Puntarenas. The couple, Hans Snelders and Sita Dhawtal, had been living in Costa Rica for the last 8 years.
The couple, along with their ranch foreman, were found dead, bound and shot. The bodies were discovered by a worker returning from his year-end holidays. See our report Dutch Couple Killed Called “Kind and Sweet”.
January 16, 2014, a frontal collision between two vehicles left three people dead and one injured. The fact happened in kilometer 15 of the route to Caldera. (Illustrative picture) | ARCHIVO / ALONSO TENORIO
Photo of the January 16, 2014, head-on collision between two vehicles that left three people dead and one injured, at kilometre 15 (Santa Ana) of the Ruta 27. Alonso Tenorio, La Nacion
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – One third of the traffic fatalities are due to the consumption of alcohol, an increase over the last decade when in 2004 the rate was only one quarter.
This according to data released Wednesday by the Instituto sobre Alcoholismo y Farmacodependencia (IAFA) – Institute on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
Jesu Mendez, researcher at the IAFA, participating in a forum on traffic accident fatalities associated with alcohol consumption, said that in 30% of the 248 road deaths recorded last year alcohol was involved. The ratio in 2004 was 26%.
Based on data analysis by the Medicatura Forense (Forensic Medicine or Coroner) and the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC), Méndez found that the majority of these deaths are concentrated in people between the ages of 20 and 49; and in a significant proportion among motorcyclists.
For the director of the IAFA, Luis Sandi, the country needs to address this problem with a social mobilization program similar to that of several years with smoking that result in a drop in tobacco consumption.
Sandi adds that family conflicts and addiction to alcohol cause permanent catastrophes that the population has not given importance, proposing the issue be part of the national agenda, to generate changes in social behaviour.
Graphic from La Nacion of statistics by the IAFA and coroner’s office.
Around the world, 1.2 million people die each year due to traffic accidents. The latest report on the subject by the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2013, estimated that some 50 million people around the world are severely affected because of alcohol consumption.
But alcohol doesn’t only play a role in traffic fatalities, it invades other facets of life in Costa Rica.
According to Mendez, in 86% of the 700 deaths last year examined by the forensics laboratory, the presence of alcohol was reported.
Traffic accidents are the third leading cause of deaths in the country, according to the INEC data released last month. Heart attacks is the leading cause, followed by stomach tumors.
Roy Rojas, project director of the Road Safety Council (Cosevi), explained that the face of death on the roads is male: the majority of the road deaths were unmarried or divorced men between the ages of 20 and 40, and who usually consume alcohol on weekends.
“Alcohol is now a part concerts, in the soccer fields and at the parties of our teenagers,” warned Rojas, who insists we must take measures, such as police spot checks on the roads.
Source: La Nacion
Q COSTA RICA NEWS – An early evening earthquake surprised many in Cartago and felt throughout the Central Valley, and least 27 people had to be evacuated from their homes in San Rafael de Irazú.
The 5.5 quake hit at 6:25pm, with the epicentre located 2 kilometres, at a depth of 5 kilometres, east of Capellades de Alvarado, Cartago, according to the in Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN) – National Seismological Network.
The tremor was felt strongest in Paraíso, Oreamuno, Orosi and Tejar de El Guarco, in Cartago and in San Francisco de Heredia, Tibás, La Guácima in Alajuela, La Unión, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, Coronado, Turrialba, among other placed..
The earthquake was categorized in areas of Cartago as “strong” and “long-lasting”. Strong enough to spill shelves of area supermarkets and rattle the nerves of many residents, as objects tipped over.
The Observatorio Vulcanólogico y Sismológico Nacional (OVSICORI) – National Volcanological and Seismological Observator, reports the quake a 5.5 magnitude. In addition, it reported up to 100 aftershocks, some as high as 4.3, up to 9:30pm, felt mainly in the area between the Irazu and Turrialba volcanoes.
OVSICORI experts explain the area has the potential for earthquakes up to a 6.0 magnitude.
Felipe Martinez, mayor of San Rafael de Irazu, told the media that at least five families were relocated to a community centre in San Martin de Irazú due to damages in some homes and landslides caused by the earthquake.
The Cruz Roja (Red Cross) moved a 21-year-old man in a stable condition at the Turrialba hospital.
City council president, Marianela Barquero, told Ameliarueda.com there were reports of minor injuries and people with nervous breakdowns. “We have several situations with houses with important structural damage, and damage on some roads, as we continue verifying the extent of the damage”, detailed Barquero.
Hungry Venezuelans Flee in Boats to Escape Economic Collapse. Well over 150,000 people have fled Venezuela in the last year alone, the most in more than a decade, scholars say, with the sea route posing special dangers. Photo nytimes.com
TODAY VENEZUELA NEWS – Food and medicine shortages, violent protests, corruption, and skyrocketing inflation are among some of the factors causing Venezuelans to flee the country by any means necessary.
Inflation is projected to jump at least 1,600%, dashing many hopes for economic improvement any time soon.
Many citizens have no other choice but to escape through any means possible, and in some cases are streaming across dangerous sea water to get the Caribbean, in the hopes of getting to neighboring nations like Brazil.
“It was worth the risk,” said Ms. Bello,30, about her turbulent voyage out of Venezuela, add that, like her, people “are going after one thing: food,” she told The New York Times.
Hunger is the theme that is driving people to escape at all costs, including paying smugglers money they don’t have to trail off to Brazil or further places like Bello, the Caribbean on tattered and stuffed boats.
The soundtrack to widespread hunger and countless deaths in Venezuela: President Maduro rambling, playing salsa, for hours every day
Bello said, she was forced off the boat with 16 others because the boat drivers were scared about a run in with authorities. The woman was dragged by her hair in the sea to coastal land because she couldn’t swim.
Like the others who washed up with no food, water and badly hurt, the inner peace and hope for a better life, seemed significantly present and the main reason behind their push out.
The current status of Brazil, which was opened for two days this past July is becoming a respite of hope for the people that are disillusioned and have called the streets of the Summer Olympic holding nation their new home. Showing the world, that sleeping on the streets of a foreign country or participating in low paying jobs is worth the price of escape.
The price to this freedom and the smuggler is less than ideal because it is leaving many people in a debilitating conundrum.
Other members of Bello’s family, are an example. Her uncle was most recently been accused of smuggling migrants and now has to sit in prison. While others are trying to figure out ways to find the money to pay for someone and overcome the uneasiness of saying goodbye to the only homeland they’ve known.
But like Bello, her mother Maria Piñero is determined to leave. Saying, “I’m nervous.”
“I’m leaving with nothing. But I have to do this. Otherwise, “we will just die here hungry” she said in reference to the remaining family and herself.
Original article by Stephanie Parker appeared at Faithwire.com
Fidel Castro smokes a cigar in his office, December 1979, in Havana, Cuba. He was being interviewed by Time Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Henry Grunwald. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images)
TICO BULL by Rico – From Faithwire.com, here’s a Handy List of Atrocities for Everyone Glorifying Fidel Castro Today, compiled from the writing of Humberto Fontova, author, columnist and public speaker on Fidel and Cuba.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Fontova and his family of 5 attempted to leave in 1961, but only 4 of them were successful. He grew up in New Orleans, graduated from the University of New Orleans with a degree in Political Science, and holds a Masters Degree from Tulane University in Latin American Studies. He has authored several books and has appeared on several TV outlets.
Fidel Castro jailed and tortured political prisoners at a higher rate than Stalin during the Great Terror. He murdered more Cubans in his first three years in power than Hitler murdered Germans during his first six.
Fidel Castro shattered — through mass-executions, mass-jailings, mass larceny and exile — virtually every family on the island of Cuba. Many opponents of the Castro regime qualify as the longest-suffering political prisoners in modern history, having suffered prison camps, forced labor and torture chambers for a period three times as long in Fidel Castro’s Gulag as Alexander Solzhenitsyn suffered in Stalin’s Gulag.
Fidel Castro and Che Guevara beat ISIS to the game by over half a century. As early as January 1959 they were filming their murders for the media-shock value.
Fidel Castro also came closest of anyone in history to (wantonly) starting a worldwide nuclear war.
In the above process Fidel Castro converted a highly-civilized nation with a higher standard of living than much of Europe and swamped with immigrants into a slum/sewer ravaged by tropical diseases and with the highest suicide rate in the Western hemisphere.
Over TWENTY TIMES as many people (and counting) have died trying to escape Castro’s Cuba as died trying to escape East Germany. Yet prior to Castroism Cuba received more immigrants per-capita than almost any nation on earth—more than the U.S. did including the Ellis Island years, in fact.
Fidel Castro helped train and fund practically every terror group on earth, from the Weathermen to Puerto Rico’s Macheteros, from Argentina’s Montoneros, to Colombia’s FARC, from the Black Panthers to the IRA and from the PLO to AL Fatah.
Would anyone guess any of the above from reading or listening to the mainstream media recently?
In fact, from their reactions, all that dancing in the streets of Miami’s Little Havana this week-end seems to strike some talking heads as odd, if not downright unseemly.
But prior to the big news this week-end many of those same celebrants could be found with itchy noses and red-rimmed eyes ambling amidst long rows of white crosses in Miami’s Cuban Memorial. It’s a mini-Arlington cemetery of sorts, in honor of Fidel Castro’s murder victims.
The tombs are symbolic, however. Most of the bodies still lie in mass graves dug by bulldozers on the orders of the man whose family President Obama just consoled with an official note of condolence.
Some of those future celebrants were often found kneeling at the Cuban Memorial, others walking slowly, looking for a name. You might remember a similar scene from the opening frames of “Saving Private Ryan.” Many clutched rosaries. Many of the ladies would be pressing their faces into the breast of a young relative who drove them there, a relative who wrapped his arms around her spastically heaving shoulders.
Try as he might not to cry himself, this relative usually found that the sobs wracking his mother, grandmother or aunt were contagious. Yet he was often too young to remember the young face of his martyred father, grandfather, uncle, cousin -or even aunt, mother grandmother– the name they just recognized on the white cross.
“Fusilado” (firing squad execution) it says below the name– one word, but for most visitors to the Cuban Memorial a word loaded with traumatizing flashbacks.
On Christmas Eve 1961, Juana Diaz Figueroa spat in the face of the Castroite executioners who were binding and gagging her. They’d found her guilty of feeding and hiding “bandits.” (Castro and Che’s term for Cuban peasants who took up arms to fight their theft of their land to create Stalinist kolkhozes.) Farm collectivization was no more voluntary in Cuba than in the Ukraine. And Cuba’s kulaks had guns–at first anyway. Then the Kennedy-Khrushchev pact left them defenseless against Soviet tanks, helicopters and flame-throwers. When the blast from Castro’s firing squad demolished Juana Diaz’ face and torso, she was six months pregnant.
Rigoberto Hernandez was 17 when Castro’s prison guards dragged him from his jail cell, jerked his head back to gag him and started dragging him to the stake. Little “Rigo” pleaded his innocence to the very bloody end. But his pleas were garbled and difficult to understand. His struggles while being gagged and bound to the stake were also awkward. The boy had been a janitor in a Havana high school and was mentally retarded. His single mother had pleaded his case with hysterical sobs. She had begged, beseeched and finally proven to his “prosecutors” that it was a case of mistaken identity. Her only son, a boy in such a condition, couldn’t possibly have been “a CIA agent planting bombs.”
“Fuego!” and the firing squad volley riddled Rigo’s little bent body as he moaned and struggled awkwardly against his bounds, blindfold and gag. “We executive from Revolutionary conviction!” sneered the man whose peaceful death in bed President Obama seems to mourn.
Carlos Machado was 15 years old in 1963 when the bullets from the firing squad shattered his body. His twin brother and father collapsed beside Carlos from the same volley. All had resisted Castro’s theft of their humble family farm.
According to the scholars and researchers at the Cuba Archive, the Castro regime’s total death toll–from torture, prison beatings, firing squads, machine gunning of escapees, drownings, etc.–approaches 100,000. Cuba’s population in 1960 was 6.4 million. According to the human rights group Freedom House, 500,000 Cubans (young and old, male and female) have passed through Castro’s prison and forced-labor camps. This puts Fidel Castro political incarceration rate right up there with his hero Stalin’s.
It’s not enough that liberals refuse to acknowledge any justification for these Miami celebrations. No, on top of that here’s the type of thing the celebrants are accustomed to hearing from the media and famous Democrats:
“Viva Fidel! Viva Che!” (Two-time candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination Jesse Jackson, bellowed while arm in arm with Fidel Castro himself in 1984.)
“Fidel Castro is very shy and sensitive, I frankly like him and regard him as a friend.” (Democratic presidential candidate, Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, and “Conscience of the Democratic party,” George Mc Govern.)
“Fidel Castro first and foremost is and always has been a committed egalitarian. He wanted a system that provided the basic needs to all Cuba has superb systems of health care and universal education…We greeted each other as old friends.” (Former President of the United States and official “Elder Statesman” of the Democratic party, Jimmy Carter.)
“Fidel Castro is old-fashioned, courtly–even paternal, a thoroughly fascinating figure!” (NBC’s Andrea Mitchell.)
“Fidel Castro could have been Cuba’s Elvis!” (Dan Rather)
“Castro’s personal magnetism is still powerful, his presence is still commanding. Cuba has very high literacy, and Castro has brought great health care to his country.” (Barbara Walters.)
“Fidel Castro is one helluva guy!” (CNN founder Ted Turner.)
Whatever else you might say about Fidel Castro, nobody ever accused him of misreading the U.S. mainstream media.
“Much more valuable to us than military recruits for our guerrilla army were recruitingAmerican reporters to export our propaganda.” (Fidel Castro’s sidekick Che Guevara, 1959.)
As seen from the quotes above, the propaganda services by much of the mainstream media for the Castro regime continues apace—despite half a century of terror-sponsorship, mass-murder, and mass-torture by the object of their adulation.
Authorities in Chile have uncovered an apparently new modality for trafficking cocaine, after three shampoo bottles containing a creamy form of the drug were seized from a bus passenger in the northern part of the country, BioBioChile reported.
