See report CIA Feared Kennedy Would Be Assassinated in Costa Rica
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CIA Feared Kennedy Would Be Assassinated in Costa Rica
On November 22, 1963, the world fell silent for the assassination of U.S. president John F. Kennedy, Dallas.
However, a declassified Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) document reveals that the U.S. agency had suspicions of a plan to assassinate Kennedy during his visit to Costa Rica. The fear was that Kennedy would assassinated by some fanatical individual or small group while the U.S. President was in Costa Rica.
The document refers to “an unconfirmed report by Castro terrorists to assassinate President Kennedy in Costa Rica is under investigation by Costa Rican and US security agencies. There may be attempts against Presidents Somoza of Nicaragua or Ydigoras of Guatemala in Costa Rica, and it is possible that President Kennedy might be endangered in such disorders”.
The Costa Rica trip followed the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Kennedy visited the country between March 18 and 20, 1963.
Playing host to Kennedy was Costa Rican President Francisco Orlich. Like in Dallas 8 months later, Kennedy in Costa Rica rode in an open vehicle from the airport to downtown San José, and walked with the people outside the Gran Hotel.
John F. Kennedy’s viisit to Costa Rica in 1963
Photos sources: Google, Wikipedia, La Nacion, Rosettasister
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Torres The Most Contaminated River in San José
Large amounts of garbage and sewage discharged into the river Torres make it the most polluted San Jose. The Torres river runs across San José’s north side, crossing densely populated communities like downtown San José, Tibás, La Sabana and Pava.
On the south side, the Tiribí and Maria Aguilar rivers, though not as contaminated, are experiencing growth in contamination levels.
This according to report by the Laboratorio de Análisis Ambiental de la Universidad Nacional (UNA) – Laboratory of Environmental Analysis (UNA) National University and the Municipalidad de San José (Municipality of San José), revealing that 100% of the rivers in the canton of San José have pollutions levels from moderate to severe.
The report explains that pollution levels have risen in the last three years.
Increased pollution was also found in creeks and streams, especially the waters that pass by illegal settlements.
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International Court Orders Nicaragua Out of Disputed Territory With Costa Rica
The International Court of Justice in The Hague (ICJ) in its Friday morning ruling, ordered the government of Nicaragua to leave the disputed territory with Costa Rica and put a stop to the dredging of the San Juan river.
The Court order is clear the Nicaragua must remove any person, private or public (such as the military) from the area.
The Court decision is in response to the government of Costa Rica’s request to expand the precautionary measures issued in 2011.
With the decision, the International Court sided with Costa Rica.
Costa Rica filed a motion with the ICJ after the discovery of two canals allegedly constructed by the government of Daniel Ortega, in the area of dispute known as Isla Calero/Isla Portillos.
The Nicaraguan action was contrary to the 2011 ICJ measures requested by Costa Rica after the alleged Nicaraguan invasion of Costa Rican territory.
In the reading of the decision, Chief Justice, Peter Tomka, pointed out that the satellite photographs provided evidence of the two canals and a military presence by Nicaragua.
Nicaragua maintains that the disputed territory belongs to it and denies having built canals as Costa Rica claims, saying that they may be a result of heavy rain in the area.
Costa Rica’s minister of Communicatins, Carlos Roverssi, welcomed the International Court ruling and called it a victory for Costa Rica’s diplomacy and foreign policy.
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Increase in Violent Crime Worries Costa Ricans
A United Nations survey shows that Ticos (Costa Ricans) are worried about street crime despite having a country that is the safest in the region, reported The Tico Times on line edition. The local murder rate had declined by 15% last year, but rose again in 2013.
Last year, the country was one of only four in Latin America that had a decline in violence–the others were Colombia, Guatemala and El Salvador. But this year, the rate of murders is averaging one every 24 hours, noted the newspaper.
Some 300 homicides were recorded between Jan. 1 and October this year, according to investigative agency OIJ records. “Latin America is the most unequal and insecure region in the world, despite showing economic growth and social improvement,” read the report.
Crime and violence cost the country $915 million — 2.5% of its gross domestic product in 2010, the paper reported. By contrast, Honduras which still maintains its position as the most violent country in the world outside a combat area such as Syria or Afghanistan, suffers 10.5% of its GDP as a cost of violent crime.
This reflects not only costs for health care and law enforcement but penalties in low foreign investment. For example, so overwhelmed are Costa Rican police that they employ 500 private guards per 100,000 persons. This is still lower than the 800 per 100,00 of Guatemala, Honduras, Panama or Brazil.
One in five Costa Ricans said that organized crime and drug related violence is a major threat to public security and one-third said this had caused them to cut back on their entertainment activities.
The Tico Times on line news organization also reported that non-violent crimes such as burglaries are a grave problem that does not spare even public figures. Citizen Action Party (PAC) lawmaker candidate Epsy Campbell recently lost about $10,000 in stolen goods from her home.
While the popular lawmaker was vacationing in the Caribbean, thieves made off with TV sets, computers, phones, jewelry and Campbell’s passport. Campbell and her family had just moved to Heredia, reported the paper, after her home in Coronado, north of San Jose, had been burglarized three years ago,
The petite legislator who served a term in 2002-06 in the Legislative Assembly also had the ill luck to have been mugged while serving her first term. Other prominent crime victims this year were Education Minister Leonardo Garnier and Libertarian lawmaker Patricia Perez.
Article by iNews.co.cr
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Costa Rica: Pulperias Remain Despite Increase in Supermarkets and Convenience Stores
Despite the increase that has occurred in the last two years in the number of supermarkets, Costa Ricans switch between the large stores and the pulperias (small corner grocery stores) , without preference of one over the other, making it possible for both alternatives to continue in the market.
In Costa Rica, there are an estimated 18.000 pulperias throughout the country. There are two types of pulperia: the counter and the window. In the first, the counter acts as a barrier between the storekeeper and the customer. In the window, the grocer hands over the purchases through a glass window or bars, mostly for security reasons.
A study by GS1, released this week, shows that 67.58% of the consumers surveyed prefer supermarkets for large purchases, on average every 15 days, while 53% shop weekly at pulperias for smaller purchases.
The greater variety of products has allowed pulperias the meet head on with the supermarket and new chains of convenience stores. Changes in esthetics and the addition of fresh produce are added values that allows the pulperia to stay in competition.
90% of the consumers said they always find what the need at the supermarket, a figure that grew 10 percentage points over 2011.
Buying fresh fruit, vegetables and meats at the supermarket is by 77%, while 23% said the prefer to buy vegetables at the “feria” (farmer’s market) and 35% to buy meat at the butcher store.
When it comes to impulse purchases, 44% said they purchase products not on their shopping list, a downward trend from 51% in 2011. Of those consumers who made impulse purchases, 53% said they did so because the products were on sale.
The survey concludes showing that 89% felt that the most important added value of a supermarket was the ability to pay their utility bills. Another added value was the bakery and cafe services.
The survey was conducted in September an took in the responses of 232 persons leaving a store after making a purchase.
Source: El Financiero
The origin of the Pulperia
The pulperia is widespread throughout Central America and the Southern countries, dating back to the 16th century, providing everything that was indispensable for everuday life: food, beverages, candles (candles or candles), coal, medicines, textiles and others.
It was also a social centre of the lower and middle classes. Pulperias were a living expression of the local culture.
Although in some countries in South America, the term pulperia is not common any longer, in Central America, the term is current and puplerias are in the thousands. In Costa Rica, there are an estimated 18.000 Pulperias, in Nicaragua 120.000 and in Guatemala 150.000. In Colombia there are an estimated 400.000 Pulperias, Mexico counts with 650.000 and Brazil has 800.000.
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City Mall Alajuela Will Be The Biggest in Costa Rica And Central America
The Honduran group Corporacion Lady Lee (Lady Lee Corporation) on Thursday broke ground in what will be the biggest mall in Costa Rica and the region.
The company says it will build the mall in one phase to accommodate 300 stores over 200.000 square metres and more than 2.600 free parking spaces.
Construction is expected to take 20 months, with an expected opening date of November 2015.
The construction phase of the project will generate about 2.500 jobs.
Rachid Malouff, president of Corporación Lady Lee, said that when the mall is operational it will generate some 3.000 permanent jobs.
“Thanks to the 300 businesses who have said yes, the project is now a reality”, said Malouff.
The mall, to be built on 5 hectares of land, is located near the Mall Internacional, on the radial de Alajuela (the road directly north of the international airport that leads to Alajuela centre. Located on the radial, in addition to the mall Internacional, is Pricesmart, a hotel and the Alajuela hospital.
City Mall anchors are Carrion, Aliss, Universal and Cinemark with a 10 screen cinema complex. Among the retailers who have committed are MNG, Chili’s, Pizza Hut and Gap.
Among the foreign retailers entering the Costa Rican market for the first time are Top Sider, Bede, Shasa and OVS, a new Italian clothing brand.
Lady Lee History
In the beginning of the seventies, at the heart of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Lady Lee opened its doors as a small store that sold women’s clothing. Its founders, the Maalouf Brothers, tenacious and innovating men, turned the little store into one of the most prestigious stores in the country.
During its two first decades, Lady Lee expanded its market by selling fabrics and home articles, becoming a department store and selling products of the highest quality.
In the nineties; The Maalouf brothers accepted the challenge of incursioning into new markets such as the Food Division, acquiring Wendy’s and Applebee’s International Franchises; and the beginning of the Real Estate Division with the opening of Megaplaza, the first Shopping center in San Pedro Sula. This diversification allowed the founders to create Lady Lee Corporation, an organization with national presence through multiple business initiatives such as the opening of the best Mall’s in the region: San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa’s City Mall.
Lady Lee Corporation is currently divided into 3 main divisions:
- Food Division: Grouped by Wendy’s and Applebee’s Restaurants.
- Retail/Whole Sale Division: Grouped by Lady Lee, Lady Lee Express, LG Shop and TECNO stores.
- Real-Estate Division: City Mall, Megaplaza, Metroplaza, Plaza Criolla among others, all in Honduras
Source: with files from El Financiero
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Poverty Remains Stagnant in Costa Rica
The percentage of poor households in Costa Rica has remained at 20% for the past 10 years, according to new data from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) – National Institute of Statistics and Census.
Today, the INEC presented the Encuesta Nacional de Hogares 2013 (National Household Survey 2013), in which it identifies about 285.467 households living in poverty. This represents 20.7% of the population, an indicator that remains virtually unchanged from last year’s 20.6%.
The survey shows that 6.4% of the households live in extreme poverty, a figure similar to that of 2012, at 6.3%.
INEC manager, Floribel Méndez, explained that, in her opinion, the biggest factor is still the educational level of Costa Ricans. She said that while the labour market becomes more demanding, the educational level of the population is not enough to access that market.
The survey also shows that households living in poverty have a dependency ratio of 2.21, which means that for more than two persons are dependent on every person in the household who is part of the labour force.
The survey took in the responses of 13.355 households visited throughout the country during the month of July.
The poverty line used for this year’s measure was ¢100.943 colones (US$203) per person in urban areas and ¢77.401 (US$156) in rural areas. The line is the cost to cover basic needs and households with incomes less than that are classified as poor.
The survey also indicates that among the characteristics of poor households are: larger families, with more children and elderly, have more difficulty accessing the labour force and a higher percentage of female-headed households.
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Presidencial Snafu: Maduro. Murillo. Close Enough!
Presidenta Laura Chinchilla was caught in a big snafu this morning in Heredia, when she referred to Costa Rica’s new national hero, Nicolás Aguilar Murillo as Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela.
The Presidenta confused the names during a homage ceremony in the Barva de Heredia park.
See the video.
In the following video the Presidenta apologizes her snafu. She explained that she is constantly dealing with an avalanche of information from international sources and Venezuela is often topic of discussion.
Nicolas Aguilar Murillo (born in Barva, Costa Rica, September 10, 1834 and died in April 1898) was a farmer and Costa Rican military. Aguilar is noted for its participation in the 1856-1857 National Campaign against filibuster William Walker.
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Sewage Spill Affects Casa Presidencial
An overflow of sewage from the bathrooms of the Presidential Offices in Zapote crippled work at the offices of President Laura Chinchilla this week with its effects predicted to linger until Friday. The same fate overtook Juan Santamaria International Airport Sunday, resulting in suspension of international traffic.
Public access to the building was closed off and the press, which customarily is invited to a press conference following Tuesday’s cabinet meetings, was forced to gather in the garden. The press office was the principal focus of the damage which will undoubtedly yield a flood of unprintable political humor about the quality of information generated by the Administration.
Besides the main press office, the overflow disabled two storerooms and the auditorium where press conferences are normally held. Damage to the pipe was caused by workers digging a hole in which to put a generator for emergencies.
The newspaper La Nacion reported that at least one hapless official was driven out of his workplace for 10 minutes every hour by the pestiferous odor, while he inhaled a room deodifier.
The mishap interrupted a scheduled press conference by President Chinchilla on the new agreement she signed with the Japanese cooperation agency for a $561 million credit to expand geothermal generation of electricity at Miravalles Volcano in Guanacaste province.
A representative of the agency (JICA) signed an agreement of understanding last December and Tuesday Japanese representative Yoshikazu Tachihara and President Chinchilla signed the actual agreement Tuesday.
The agreement is looked upon as an important step in Costa Rica’s cure of a chronic energy deficiency and its ability to attain zero carbon balance by 2021.
Article by iNews.co.cr
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“Narco” Bridge
The bridge over the Zapata cañal in Seis Amigos, can easily be called the “narco” bridge since the structure that was completed in July and inaugurated in September, serves only to access the Reventazon river, five houses and the farm where authorities discovered the “narco” helipads and canals to the Caribbean coast.
The bridge that spans 15 metres (45 feet) was financed with funds of the Comisión Nacional de Emergencias (CNE) – national emergency commission – through a public tender in 2012.
In the two days of September 20 and 21, the government inaugurated four bridges in the province of Limón, including the Seis Amigos. Taking part in the inauguration ceremony were Costa Rica’s vice-president, Alfio Piva; CNE president, Vanessa Rosales; and Siquirres municipal councillor, Krysbell Rios; among other public officials.
Related: Siquirres Municipal Councilor Legal Representative Of “Narco Farm”
As we learned earlier this week, the 600 acre farm property usd by the Narco, is owned by Inversiones A y B Peraza Rios del Caribe, that according to the Registro Nacional (national propert registry), is owned by Gevanny Peraza Castillo and his wife, Krysell Ríos.
Public record indicates that the building of the bridge was at the request of Ríos on behalf of the municipal council.
Source: La Nacion
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Liberia Company Offers Free Tests for Arsenic Levels in Water
By: Wilberth Villalobos Castrillo, Vozdeguanacaste – Due to the health alert in parts of Guanacaste related to the presence of arsenic in water, the private company Agua Solutions has decided to offer free tests to detect arsenic levels until December 15th.The initiative began this July and so far they have received samples from about 50 private residences, farms and ASADAS. In addition, since 2011 they have performed tests in conjunction with the National Laboratory of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA – Acueductos y Alcantarillados).
Azucena Urbina, the chemist responsible for analyses at the National Water Laboratory of AyA, said Agua Solutions is one of the companies that usually perform tests on water quality and is backed by the AyA.
Jim Ryan, owner of Agua Solutions, explained that the main problem in the field of water quality is the lack of information available to users. “Our first step is to create awareness among the population,” he said. The company provides information to people about arsenic and preventive and protective measures.
Ryan said his desire is to involve as many people as possible, especially those living in remote rural communities, schools or indigenous areas.
Water samples can be taken everywhere from the tap in a house to a spring or well. They should be taken in a clean plastic container or bottle of at least 600 milliliters and identified with some personal information.
Then the sample should be left in the Liberia office of Agua Solutions, located 400 meters south of the central park. The results are sent within a week by email.
“I hope we get a positive reaction from private well owners and those who want to know the quality of water they drink… analyzing the water is the only way to know,” concluded Ryan.
Last June, the Constitutional Court ordered that AyA should determine the causes of pollution within six months, though they’re still unknown, and provide drinking water in the affected areas.
Drinking water contaminated with arsenic has been linked to numerous cases of renal failure in the counties of Cañas and Bagaces; however Dr. Roy Wong, who is investigating these cases for the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS – Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social) assured the Voice of Guanacaste that this cannot be confirmed yet.
For more information on these tests, contact Water Solutions at 2665-6161 or visit www.aguasolutions.com.
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Colombia’s President Santos Stands For Re-election in 2014
(QCOLOMBIA) -Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said on Wednesday he will seek a second term in next May’s election, a widely expected decision that could offer him another four years to pursue a peace process he initiated with Marxist FARC rebels.
“I am running because I am convinced we have advanced sufficiently and finally it is possible to reach that future of prosperity and peace that all Colombians deserve,” Santos, 62, said in a televised address to the nation.
“I am doing it because when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel you don’t turn back.”
Santos, a Harvard-educated journalist and son of one of the nation’s most influential families, will take on opposition candidate Oscar Ivan Zuluaga in a campaign likely to focus on how peace with the rebels would transform Colombian society after five decades of war.
Polls make Santos a clear favorite to win, though probably in a second round of voting.
Neither candidate would be likely to upset investors as both are former finance ministers and seen as market friendly. Economic growth has slowed in the last year on the back of weak overseas demand for local industrial goods. But output is expected to pick up in the coming months and provide a boost to Santos.
Still, Zuluaga, a one-time senator and provincial mayor, charges that FARC negotiations have damaged the $360 billion economy. He accuses Santos of offering the rebels too many concessions and pushing talks so as to enter the history books.
Zuluaga is an ally of former President Alvaro Uribe, a fierce critic of Santos since they fell out in 2010.
Santos began negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) a year ago.
PROGRESS IN TALKS
Many Colombians are worried about the potential radicalizing effect on their traditionally conservative politics should FARC leaders be allowed to run for seats in Congress and other public office.
Zuluaga and his mentor Uribe are infuriated that the FARC may be offered soft jail terms – or none at all – for crimes against humanity if peace is reached.
“He’s handled many things badly. I’m not in favor of the peace process – we shouldn’t negotiate with the FARC, they are terrorists,” said Diego Fajardo, 44, a cafe owner who said he would not vote for Santos.
While most expected Santos to run again, he waited until the last moment to reveal his plans, taking advantage of recent progress made at the negotiating with the FARC. He had until November 25 to make his decision.
In Havana, government mediators are working through a five-point agenda with some three dozen rebel leaders, seeking to put a stop to bloodshed that has left more than 200,00 people dead since it began in 1964.
Earlier this month the two sides reached agreement on one of the toughest items on the agenda: FARC political participation. While details of the accord have not yet been revealed, the rebels are expected to be allowed to hold some sort of public office and possibly gain access to congress.
While Colombians are desperate for peace, they were beginning to tire of the slow pace of talks and FARC leaders making political statements from the podium while stepping up attacks on military and civilian targets.
“I’ll vote for Santos to give him the opportunity to finish what he has started with the peace process. That’s the most important thing,” said Monica Sanchez, 47, as she served corn bread in a Bogota store. “We cannot continue with this war.”
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Gruesome Shark-Finning Tactic Lets Costa Rican Fishermen Exploit Legal Loophole
(HUFFINGTON POST) Exporting shark fins is a lucrative business in Costa Rica, where it appears fishermen are exploiting a legal loophole to get as many of them as they can — no matter the environmental cost.
Earlier this month, the Costa Rican National Coast Guard notified Interpol that some fishermen have been employing a gruesome technique of mutilating sharks to circumvent national legislation that states the animal’s fins must be “naturally attached” to its body when it’s brought onto land.
Grisly images provided by Interpol show butchered sharks with only a band of skin to keep the fins attached to the spine. The rest of the body is thrown out at sea, enabling fishermen to transport many more fins.
“This is surely against the spirit of the law,” Sonja Fordham, president of Sharks Advocates International, told The Huffington Post over the phone. “It’s really very disappointing and upsetting.”
The law dictating that fins be “naturally attached” to sharks when they’re landed has been enacted in about 50 countries worldwide, according to a 2012 report by the Pew Environment Group.
Conservationists believe this law is one of the better ways to end the brutal and wasteful fishing practice of shark finning, which involves the slicing off of a shark’s fins before the dying animal is discarded at sea. Fordham called the ban a “widely recognized best practice.”
Costa Rican authorities say that by alerting Interpol to the gory butchering tactic they’ve uncovered, they hope to warn other nations of the law’s loophole.
“Improved communications and increased sharing of information between countries provide law enforcement with an added advantage and facilitate the identification of criminals and new criminal techniques. Costa Rica’s use of Interpol’s system of notices is a perfect example of this,” David Higgins, head of Interpol’s Environmental Security unit, said in praise of the country’s announcement, per a written statement.
For now, this butchering practice appears to be limited to Costa Rica, said Max Bello, senior advisor for the Global Shark Conservation initiative of Pew Charitable Trusts, in a conversation with The Huffington Post.
“Costa Rica is a major exporter of shark fins,” Bello told HuffPost. “The fishermen are particularly creative, I think. They’re always trying to find new ways to get around the law.”
According to digital news outlet Quartz, Costa Rica has been a major shark fin exporter for years. In 2011 alone, approximately 350,000 to 400,000 sharks were reportedly killed for their fins in Costa Rican waters.
Last year, as pressure from environmentalists mounted, the Costa Rican government announced a blanket ban on shark finning. Though the practice had been outlawed in the country since 2001, the transportation and importation of fins from other countries had till then been legal.
“Costa Rica may set an example to the world when it comes to environmental protection, but it must be noted that we had a significant lag when it comes to protecting the oceans,” President Laura Chinchilla said at the signing of the recent law, per Reuters.
While killing the animals for food is still allowed under the ban, all sharks that are brought onto Costa Rican land — including those imported from other countries — need to have their fins “naturally attached.”
Unfortunately, as this new Interpol report shows, none of these regulations has ended the practice of finning.
Some environmentalists say the existing law should be adjusted to close all loopholes.
“Fishermen are often innovative,” Fordham told The Huffington Post. “Costa Rican law has evolved before on this issue, and regulations need to be be tweaked so that this [practice] is completely illegal.”
But others say these sorts of regulations may not be enough anymore.
“The laws right now are clearly not working. We need to step up on the legislation,” Bello said. “The fishermen will keep trying to find something new.”
The only real solution, according to Bello, is to ban the exportation of shark fins from Costa Rica completely.
“It might not be easy. There’s a big fishery and many fishermen, but we need to agree on one thing: The fin market is unsustainable for the shark population,” he said. “Costa Rica has an incredible reputation when it comes to sustainability and eco-tourism, but they are losing credibility with these kinds of issues.”
Stopping the sale of all shark fins and other shark products, including the animal’s meat and cartilage, is the shark conservationists’ goal.
“Banning finning alone is not sufficient to save sharks,” said Fordham. “They are generally a vulnerable species, and they are very vulnerable to overfishing. More than finning bans, we need strict protections for threatened species, quotas, etc. All of this is still lacking.”
Bello concurred.
“We all agree on shark finning, but we need to start talking broader. Shark overfishing is absolutely out of control all around the world. Populations of most species have already been depleted heavily, and we’re depleting sharks to the point of non-recovery if we keep going this way,” he said. “We are not taking account of what we’re doing to sharks, and that’s very, very scary.”
In a report released earlier this year, researchers said that approximately 100 million sharks are killed annually.
To get a sense of just how staggering that number is visit the websites of Shark Advocates International and the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Global Shark Conservation initiative to find out more about shark conservation and how you can help this vulnerable animal.
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Property Theft on the Rise in Guatemala
Gangs using violence and fraud are driving an exponential increase in the theft of properties in Guatemala, demonstrating a level of sophistication that goes far beyond street gangs seizing homes and businesses with threats and intimidation.
Guatemala has recorded 1,400 cases of property theft so far in 2013, 400 more than last year’s total, reported Siglo 21.
Criminals use various strategies to illegally take possession of properties, including falsified signatures, invalid contracts, unauthorized notarizations and fake identity cards, reported Emisoras Unidas.
According to the head of the country’s General Property Registry, Anabella de Leon, they also use violence, with four organized crime groups believed to be behind 114 murders linked to property theft. According to De Leon, the most common victims are citizens living in other countries, the elderly, and people who own property in dangerous areas.
So far this year, nine individuals have been arrested with false paperwork while inside illegally obtained properties.
Two years ago, Guatemala’s government established the General Property Registry which provides owners with greater safeguards, including a biometric immobilization service, to prevent property theft. However, according to De Leon, only 5,000 of the country’s registered five million properties have taken up the service, leaving the vast majority less protected.
Appropriating property is a common strategy for criminals across the region, especially among street gangs, which force people from their homes then use the buildings for everything from lookout points to stash houses. In Colombia, it has even become common for gangs to act as what Colombian conflict analyst Fernando Quijano calls a “criminal estate agency” — selling or renting the properties, often to friends, family and allies.
However, the Guatemala property theft described by De Leon takes this a step further by making these thefts appear legal through fraud and falsification of ownership documents.
While De Leon did not mention the issue, given the levels of corruption in state institutions, which help criminals with everything from obtaining false passports to legalizing stolen cars, it seems likely that these criminals would also seek out corrupt contacts to help them in this endeavor.
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“Slutwalk” Friday To Demand Apology From Presidential Candidate
Called “Marcha de las Putas” (Slutwalk), a group of feminists will take to the streets on Friday to demand former legislator and Partido Accesibilidad Sin Exclusión (PASE) presidential candidate, Óscar López, to repudiate his statements on sexual abuse of women.
During an interview on Radio Monumental on Monday (18th), López said there is fine line between rape and consensual sex.
Margarita Salas, one of the spokesperson for the Slutwalk, said that the López statement justifies the action of rapists and minimizes the problem of violence and sexual abuse of women.
This is the second Slutwalk being held in Costa Rica. The first was on August 14, 2011, under the slogan “Ni recatadas ni invisbles” (Neither demure nor invisible), when dozens of women came out to protest the statements of former San José Bishop, Francisco Ulloa, who said women should dress “modestly”.
Salas added that the Slutwalk is not only for feminists, but for anyone who shares the indignation of the statement by the presidential candidate.
The Slutwalk will leave the Parque Central (Central Park), at 8pm. The direction and final destination will not be revealed just yet, since the objective is to seek out and confront López to demand and apology.
The group also want the PASE party to publicly repudiate their the statements of their candidate and to commit to take concrete action to eradicate “machismo” within the party.
SlutWalk is a transnational movement of protest marches which began on April 3, 2011, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with subsequent rallies occurring globally. Participants protest against explaining or excusing rape by referring to any aspect of a woman’s appearance, and call for an end to rape culture.
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[BLOG] Costa Rican Educational System Rests in Peace
Saying good bye is not easy. I have never been through such a harsh situation and I don’t even want to know what it feels like. But I have been to funerals and I have seen the mourning, sorrow and pain people go through. I have also been in deathbeds and I have seen sorrow and tears as well. Sometimes people prefer death over suffering. No way am I trying to convince you that death is better than suffering; my point is that both are terrible.
In this violent world we live, not only people die but also animals and things. Back on time, not too long ago, Hollywood symbolically buried the VHS and last year they did the same with the DVD. There were many reasons such as: people didn’t like them anymore, they were not useful, they didn’t fulfill our necessities, and new brand appliances emerged. Hollywood didn’t prettify them but buried them and created a whole new idea.
Costa Rican educational system has already accomplished the purpose it was created for. It has been in a comma for so long. It is living on artificial live. If we just unplug it from the life-giver-machine, it will pass away. It is true that we have the highest rate of literacy; it doesn’t mean, however, that the curriculum we have is appropriate. It is inadaptable to the different kinds of populations we have in Costa Rica.
While hearing a German engineer the other day, giving a seminar entitled “From the idea to the project”, I could realize the problem we have been facing for so many years. Going from an idea to a final product requires an elaborate process which, at the same time, entails constant monitoring. When the product does not satisfy the audience’s necessities, a total check out is needed; not to the final output, but to the whole process to find out the exact place where the weakspot is located.
Being that said and once detected the problem, sometimes a complete restructuration is a must. A try to keep alive something that was not well-elaborated since the very beginning, is a waste of time. Are we resisting the imminent death of something that has been proved not to produce the desired output? Time has already said it.
I don’t like cemeteries and probably nobody does. When you go there you see people sad and reflecting sometimes. You can also see a lot of white tombs with different inscriptions. I have a crazy dream, however: Going to the cemetery one day and find a big tomb with an inscription entitled “Costa Rican Educational System Rests in Peace”.
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About 800 U.S. Expats in Costa Rica Could Have Their SS Benefits Interrupted
PRESS RELEASE, US EMBASSY, SAN JOSE – The Social Security Administration (SSA) regularly contacts beneficiaries with addresses on their SSA record that shows they reside outside the United States to verify their current status.
This year, questionnaires were sent to beneficiaries receiving their own benefits whose social security number ended in 50-99 or to beneficiaries who have representative payees (person receiving benefits on behalf of a minor or disabled person). Selected beneficiaries receive the form with an envelope to the SSA facility in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
In October, SSA mailed a follow-up notice to beneficiaries who did not respond to the original questionnaire sent in July 2013. If you received the questionnaire, please return it to the address on the envelope SSA provided.
SSA will suspend the benefits if they do not receive a completed and signed Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (form SSA-7162 or SSA-7161) by December 30, 2013. If your benefits are interrupted for failure to return the questionnaire, it could take 45-days or longer to resume your payments.
Beneficiaries with questions or concerns regarding the questionnaire should contact SJRegion@ssa.gov. When you e-mail, please include your full name, last four digits of the social security number receive benefits on, and two telephone numbers where we can reach you.
Official press release from the U.S. Embassy San José, in Costa Rica
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Countdown Begins to Honduran Elections
The countdown has begun for the eight candidates who will be on the Nov. 24 presidential ballot, who must cease campaigning at midnight on Tuesday. Some 27,000 candidates for 3,000 offices held election rallies over the weekend before the campaigning deadline.
Political parties in this Central American nation will only be able to promote their programs through the news media, without mentioning the offices for which they are postulated or asking for votes.
Those who violate the five-day ban on campaigning will be fined, said the president of the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE), David Matamoros, who added that elections were expected to take place peacefully.
Nearly 5.3 million Honduran citizens are preparing to vote, in an exercise to define the future of this country, where 70 percent of its population of eight million lives in poverty.
Nine political parties will take part in the elections, with an alliance between the the Broad Political Electoral Front in Resistance (FAPER) and Unificacion Democratica (Democratic Unification).
The wife of former Honduran president Manuel Zelaya, who was overthrown in June 2009, and National Party (PN) candidate Juan Orlando Hernandez were leading in the polls.
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[BLOG] Don’t Fall Into This…
A full page ad in this morning’s print publication caught my eye, Kolbi is offering its users prizes of cellular phones, tablets and gift cards by only sending a text message.
They make it clear, in bold lettering and red background, that the message costs ¢100 colones.
Hey, what the heck? For few colones I get two changes a week until the middle of December for a chance at a new cell phone or tablet for the holidays.
BUT, what they don’t tell you is this.
Once you send your message you get a confirmation reply. Easy enough. Intriguing is the next message, asking me to double my chances by answering the simple question, did Celine Dion sing the theme song in Titanic?
What the heck, I know this and will only cost me another ¢100 colones.
CORRECT. You now have more chances to win, answer yes or no if….
This is where I stopped. I saw this thing playing out to costing me thousands of colones. Or maybe not. I took the initial bait, but didn’t fall in…if you did or know someone who did and you/they are ready to admit it, let us know how far along this game goes.
For now, I will keep to my changes of winning for only ¢200 colones on my next phone bill.
PS. the entire promotion is in Spanish, so for all of you don’t handle the language, you are saved.
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New Paving Technology Being Tested On San José Roads
The Municipalidad de San José is offering up a solution to poor road conditions in the country, testing a new technology on the side road of the Torre Mercedes, Calle 24, on Paseo Colón.
The process is called “whitetopping”, the covering of an existing asphalt pavement with a layer of Portland cement concrete.
Whitetopping is divided into types depending on the thickness of the concrete layer and whether the layer is bonded to the asphalt substrate.
According to a search on the web, the process of Whitetopping is beneficial when fast placement is critical, use to replace damage or worn-out asphalt in low-speed urban road ways and residential roads. The curing time is less than 24 hours, and many ultra-thin whitetopping projects can reopen traffic within 1-2 days.
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Costa Rica Man Faces Prison For Consensual Sex With Minor
A 44 year old Costa Rican man is facing up to six years in jail for having “consensual” sex with a minor (13 to 16 years of age), this after his bid to marry the young girl was denied by a judge. The marriage would have avoided him prison.
Judge Maureen Solís, of the Desamaparados Family Court, said she was stunned on receiving a marriage request of a young girl to the man identified by his last name, Fallas.
The request was apparently endorsed by the parents of the child, who managed to file the paperwork within hours after their little girl gave birth to a child. So the record shows. The DiaroExtra says it has a copy of the court request, but reserved the right to publish the name of the minor and the parents.
As stated in the court document, the young girl had been in a “relationship” with the man since she was 13. He was 40 at the time.
In this relationship, the minor traded her childhood with playing housewife. Gone were the books and goals, and her like took a 180 degree turn in February when her belly began to grow to accommodate the baby forming inside.
Authorities presume the baby is the son of the 44 year old man and for that reason the judge denied the marriage request and ordered an investigation by the child welfare agency, the Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI), not ruling that other girls, relatives of the minor, may be going through the same situation.
Basing her decision on articles of law protecting minors, the judge also ordered, for the protection of the child, she be banned from staying with her parents.
The minor and her 11 day old baby are in the custody of the PANI.
Judge Solís pointed out that it was the parents who filed the paperwork for the marriage and appeared in court. As such the judge ordered a police investigation against them, given that their fully supported the relationship and the marriage.
Source: DiarioExtra
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Retailers Must Be Clear On Black Friday Promotions
“Black Friday” this year is on November 29. However, many businesses have already begun their special pricing, some have been offering Black Friday promotions all month long, and some are even carrying it to the middle of December.
For those who don’t live on this continent or in today’s world, Black Friday is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, often regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. In recent years, most major retailers have opened extremely early and offered promotional sales to kick off the holiday shopping season, similar to Boxing Day sales in many Commonwealth Nations.
Black Friday is not a holiday.
More recently, Black Friday has been exported to nations outside the United States and Canada. Costa Rica is one of those countries embracing the North American cultural trend.
In 2012, after disappointing results of the previous year, the success of Black Friday allowed retailers in Costa Rica to more than doubled their sales in comparison to the previous year.
But there were problems. Consumers did not understand the nature of the sale and retailers not quick to explain the restrictions and conditions unless pressed.
This year, to avoid the problems of last year, that included riots in some stores (like the Walmart store in San Sebastian), the Oficina de Defensa y Apoyo al Consumidor del Ministerio de Economía y Comercio (MEIC) – Office of Consumer Advocacy and Support for the Ministry of Economy and Trade – is warning retailers with respect to the Black Friday promotions.
Cinthya Zapata, spokesperson for the government consumer protection agency, said one of the first issues is that retailers must be forthcoming in the quantity of items available at the special price.
“Consumers cannot be misled into thinking there is plenty of stock when in fact there is only one or two items available at the discounted price”, says Zapata.
“Retailers must be clear if there is a limited supply and spell which stores actually have the items in stock. It is not enough to advertise, say a rice cooker for ¢5.000 colones and then have only one at that price”, explains Zapata.
The phrase “while stocks last” and “restrictions apply” is not valid, according to Zapata. Retailers must spell out the conditions of the sale in their advertising, in the stores and at the time of the sale.
Zapata said her office will be doing inspections to ensure that retailers comply and to aovid problems with consumers. The agency also will be manning its 800 line to receive complaints.
To get the best out of this Black Friday, experts recommend to “walk and compare“, review the different offers fully before committing and to make a list of things that are really needed, and not to be led by impulse buying.
Using a “cost-benefit” analysis to purchases, especially it comes to purchases on credit. Buying on credit may make it affordable today, but in the end the cost of the item can be two or three times the original price if the credit is not paid off in full in one payment.
With respect to plastic (credit or debit cards), in Costa Rica retailers cannot have one price for cash and another for plastic. Retailers often will discount a price by 5-7% – the cost of the card processing fee – if the consumers pays with cash. A larger discount may even be offered for cash payments without a receipt. Zapata reminds us that in Costa Rica it is illegal to discriminate between cash and card purchases, that is the price of the item must be the same no matter what method of payment is used.
Also, all retail purchases with a receipt come with a 30 business day guarantee, even if the retailer says it is a final sale and no guarantee is offered.
The receipt is the key, for retailers must spell out the 30 day guarantee on the receipt. So, if no receipt is available (as in a cash sale) the consumer is out of luck. Keep the receipt.
Happy shopping!
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Toll Collector Survives After Tractor Trailer Demolishes Toll Booth
We can add toll booth collector to the list of dangerous jobs in Costa Rica.
By sheer luck, a toll booth collector at the San Rafael de Alajuela station on the Ruta 27 lived to tell her story when a tractor trailer lost control and slammed into the booth.
This is not the first incident involving a vehicle striking a toll booth in the last several months.
It was 11:30pm Tuesday night when a minivan and the big rig were about to enter the “Quick Pass” lane, the minivan in front, when apparently the driver realized he didn’t have a Quick Pass device…well his action caused the driver of the truck behind him to swerve, losing control and completely demolishing the toll booth.
Fortunately, the collector who was not identified, saw what was about to happen and was able to escape in time.
Other than freyed nerves and some bumps and bruises, everyone was able to walk out alive. This time.
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Not Even Police or Politicians Immune To Crime in Costa Rica
Former legislator and almost contender for the presidency in Costa Rica, Epsy Campbell, is the latest high-profile victim of crime in Costa Rica.
According to the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), thieves broke into her house and made off with some ¢5 million colones (US$10.000) in possessions, that included televisions, computers, cellular phones, jewelery and Epsy’s passport.
Epsy moved to San Isidro de Heredia, north of San José, three years ago after her home in Coronado was also burglarized. During her 2002-2006 term as legislator, Epsy was the victim of a mugging.
In 2006, Epsy was Otton’s Solis’ vice presidential nomination in the 2006 presidential campaign that saw the Partido Accion Cuidadana (PAC) come very close of winning the election. For 2014, Epsy ran for the PAC party nomination, coming third behind winner Luis Guillermo Solis and Juan Carlos Mendoza.
Epsy joins a growing list of crime victims in Costa Rica.
In another high profile crime, in Puntarenas this past weekend a mini van of the Fuerza Pública was broken into while parked in the Paseo de los Turistas.
The mini van was clearly marked as a police vehicle. The officials – including the Country’s top cop, Juan José Andrade (director of the Fuerza Pública) – were taking part in the “Carrera del Médico”, organized by the College of Physicians and as such were not carrying their weapons and badges, as thieves made off with personal belongings, including wallets and cellular phones. See La Nacion report: Tachan buseta en la que jefe de Policía Juan José Andrade
The question comes to mind, if the politicians and chief of police isn’t safe from crime in the country, what of us?
See the Blog post It’s INCREDIBLE! Don’t Know What To Think Anymore
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Only One Third Of Costa Rica Workers With Rights
The laws are there in Costa Rica, but the will is weak, the State of the Nation study indicates, when it comes to workers’ rights. The study found that only 38.8% of workers here get the rights guaranteed by law while the rest — some 107,000 of them — lack at least one or all social guarantees.
For these workers, recognition of pay for extra hours, vacations, sick days, Christmas bonuses, Social Security pension contributions and workers’ workplace accident insurance just doesn’t exist. Foreign workers, youth and handicapped workers are most at risk.
“There are employers who play on one’s necessity (for work) and say they are doing me a favor. Instead one has to resign yourself that they’re not going to pay overtime and Social Security,” Nicaraguan worker Berta Jarquin, 51, told the newspaper La Nacion.
All of the irresponsible employers are in the private sector — the government agencies are scrupulous about paying all benefits the law requires. There are numerous ways in which employers can avoid prosecution for cheating their employees if they find themselves sued — bankruptcy, changing the business documents to make it seem the company has been sold or inventing an excuse.
The slowness of the courts make it tough for a workers to get his rights — a court complaint is followed inevitably by firing and a worker and his family can starve waiting resolution, especially if he has trouble finding a job in this 10% unemployment environment.
Jarquin’s bitter experience in her first job in a Costa Rican home is an apt example chosen by the newspaper. “When one works in a home, and they give you a room to sleep in, you have to keep your mouth shut or they’ll kick you out. You can be a victim of injustice, but hunger will win.”
Nor is the lack of benefits the only thing that Jarquin had to put up with. There was mistreatment, discrimination, deficient pay and the silence she was forced to maintain in the face of a work schedule of 16 or 18 hours straight without extra pay.
Then, there is the case of Roy who could not be identified by the paper. “I haven’t resigned yet so I can’t (speak publicly.) Since September my employers haven’t deposited my salary nor those of other employees. When we ask, they say they’ll solve their problem soon but it’s just talk so far.”
Jarquin eventually did leave the home where she was so miserable and now sells catalogue items. “The situation of sales is more unstable, but that depends on you. At least I’m calmer to know that no one is taking advantage of my need,” she told La Nacion.
But when La Nacion confronted Labor Minister Olman Segura and asked him how to cure this problem, he basically dodged the question. He said that he had only 100 inspectors for 1,200,000 workers, but also denied that hiring more inspectors was an answer. He instead vaguely noted that this is a societal problem and said that “a consciousness” must be created among employers.
But he offered no solution to the problem nor seemed to have hope in passing laws with more teeth in them to force compliance.
Conclusion: It seems that Segura has given up the fight for workers before he started. He obviously just intends to put in his time before May when a new Administration takes over and edges him out of his post. We will hope that a future Labor Minister will get off his plush seat and do something.
Article by iNews.co.cr
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Competition in The Cell Phone Market
Blogger, El Infierno en Costa Rica (Hell in Costa Rica), posted on his Facebook page this photo and the caption, “…things have to be pretty bad for Movistar to set up a truck and signs in front of the ICE office and cell tower to sell their services”.
The photo was taken in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí
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Costa Rica’s life expectancy is among the highest in the world.
Costa Rica’s life expectancy is among the highest in the world. Ticos (Costa Ricans) live an average of 77 years. Once, and if they reach 80 years of age, they have the highest life expectancy in the world.
Photo by Christopher Howard, via Facebook
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A Family Reunited: A Former Expat in Costa Rica Search For His Family in The Phillipines
The CBC’s Andrew Lee tells the story of our dear friend Martin (Mario, as he was known to us all in Costa Rica) desperate search for his family in the Philippines after the country was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan
Mario, a former New Yorker and Florida, lived in Costa Rica for many years before heading for Thailand and the Phillipines.
Martin’s story starts 45 seconds into the 3 minute report.
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New Anti-Rape Underwear to Help Women During Sex Attacks
Critics aren’t convinced a line of anti-rape clothes will really work, but the designers insist the garments can make women feel safer and prevent sex attacks. They recently raised more than $50,000 on the crowdfunding site, Indiegogo.
(AFTERBIZLIFE) New rape-resistant underwear, yoga pants and shorts promise to keep women safe and unwanted sex predators at bay.
The garments work by creating a barrier that even the most determined rapists can’t break, rip or cut, “so that women and girls can have more power to control the outcome of a sexual assault,” according to AR Wear’s Indiegogo campaign, launched to raise funds to produce the line.
But will they really work?
The Telegraph blasted the idea of anti-rape wear as “wrong on so many levels,” and The Washington Post questioned if it’s anti-feminist. Commenters voiced doubts that a pair of sturdy underwear will be much help in the event of an attack, but the designers swear the garments work.
Known only as Ruth and Yuval (they declined to release their last names), the Nyack, N.Y., women said they designed the products to be worn in potentially dangerous situations — while clubbing, out on a first date, running alone at night or traveling abroad, for example.
They told the Daily News in an email the idea sparked years ago, after Yuval saw a news story about a woman who was raped with people nearby. If something could have slowed the attack — like stubborn undergarments, for example — it might have given bystanders enough time to take notice and help.
Yuval teamed up with Ruth, who was nearly raped twice, to bring her idea to life. Ruth recalled being attacked in her late 20s, and how quickly the man ripped down her jeans and underwear “in one fluid motion.”
“She started screaming and something caused her attacker to run off,” the designers wrote. “The memory of how he had pulled down her clothing so quickly made her believe that AR Wear could be effective at preventing some rapes by causing delay.”
Neither woman would provide any personal information except their first name, due to “the sensitive nature and stage of development of the product.”
Ruth and Yuval cite studies that prove resisting rape increases a woman’s chance of escape, and say their anti-rape shorts, underwear and pants do just that.
Cut-resistant straps and webbing create an “innovative skeletal structure” that the wearer locks at the waistband, so they can’t be pulled down or pushed aside.
But the designers insist the garments are comfortable and easy to get off — wearers can release the hold by turning a tiny lock to a designated clock position.
Despite criticism, there’s clearly interest.
Ruth and Yuval have raised more than $54,000 on Indiegogo — enough to start producing their line. They expect the pieces to sell between $50 and $60 online and are experimenting with plus-size and men’s lines.
Photos: Indiegogo.com
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U.S. Embassy San José Owes Costa Rica’s SocialDevelopment Fund ¢2.5 Billion Colones
The United States Embassy in San José is on list of the largest debtors of the Social Development Fund and Family Allowances – Fondo de Desarrollo Social y Asignaciones Familiares (FODESAF).
Other embassies also owe the fund, but what is striking is that the U.S. Embassy owes some ¢2.5 billion colones, according to report today by Telenoticias.
So, why is it the Embassy is not paying? When asked, the Embassy press office, in a written reply to Telenoticias said:
“Governments do not tax other governments. Under articles 31 and 34 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969, diplomatic missions are exempt from fees or taxes of a host country. This applies to the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, as well as the Costa Rica Embassy in Washington.”
The written reply makes it clear the Embassy is not in agreement with the alleged obligation to the FODESAF.
According to the FODESAF, the other delinquent embassies include: France owing ¢5 million; Uruguay with ¢2.2 million; Venezuela with ¢1.9 million; Argentina with ¢1.2 million; Panama owing ¢800.000; Mexico also owes ¢800.000; Honduras with ¢600.000 and China with ¢360.000.
Thousands of Costa Rican employers who try to skip out on payment faced judicial collections, but in the case of embassies, diplomatic immunity prevents the judicial process.
Following is a reprint of Article 34 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, as published by Ediplomat.com:
Article 34
A diplomatic agent shall be exempt from all dues and taxes, personal or real, national, regional or municipal, except:
- indirect taxes of a kind which are normally incorporated in the price of goods or services;
- dues and taxes on private immovable property situated in the territory of the receiving State, unless he holds it on behalf of the sending State for the purposes of the mission;
- estate, succession or inheritance duties levied by the receiving State, subject to the provisions of paragraph 4 of Article 39;
- dues and taxes on private income having its source in the receiving State and capital taxes on investments made in commercial undertakings in the receiving State;
- charges levied for specific services rendered;
- registration, court or record fees, mortgage dues and stamp duty, with respect to immovable property, subject to the provisions of Article 23.
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