With a series of raids in the early hours of this morning, Costa Rica authorities continue their investigation into the controversial trip to Peru, in a private jet by Presidenta Laura chinchilla.
One of the homes in the raid is that of former Costa Rica soccer player, Ronaldo Fonseca, in the posh residential area of Valle del Sol in Santa Ana. Fonseca is alleged to be the contact between Colombian Gabriel Morales and government officials in the loan of the THX Energy plane.
The other house raided is the Morales house, located around the corner to Fonseca.
Authorities say they also raided Fonseca’s office located in Escazú.
The former soccer player has said that his role was as advisor to THX, the company that owns the plane and subsequently confirmed his involvement in 22 other companies.
Morales, who has said publicly he does not own the plane, nor represents THX in any way, confirmed that he met with Francisco Chacon, the former minister of Communications, at a meeting at Casa Presidencial where 12 other unnamed officials were in attendance.
The Colombian is alleged to have links to Colombia’s drug cartel led y Luis Caros Ramirez, know as “Chupeta”, detained by the DEA in Brazil.
Authorities did not release the results of the raids, if anyone was arrested or if documents were confiscated.
Six of the eight beaches are located in Guanacaste, like the Samara Bay pictured above
Of the ten best beaches located in Central America, eight are located in Costa Rica, according to “Travellers Choice 20013”, a ranking by the renowend TripAdvisor.
The best beach in the isthmus is, without a doubt, Manuel Antonio, located in the national park of the same name, in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific.
The beach is south of the town of Quepos, in the province of Puntarenas.
Second among the ten best beaches in Central America is Samara, also on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, in the province of Guanacaste, while the third favourite by TripAdvisor is West Bay Beach, West Bay, Honduras.
In fourth place is Costa Rica’s Nosara Beach (Playa Guiones), in the province of Guanacaste.
Fifth goes to Playa Santa Teresa, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, in the province of Guanacaste.
Sixth is Playa Avellanes, Tamarindo, Costa Rica, in the province of Guanacaste.
Seventh is Playa Conchcal, Playa Conchal, Costa Rica, in the province of Guanacaste.
Eight is Playa Hermosa, Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica, in the province of Guanacaste.
In ninth spot is Puerto Viejo Beach, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica located on the Caribbean coast in the province of Limón.
And in tenth place is Playa Blanca, Livingston, Guatemala.
Apparently tourists prefer the Pacific beaches and more particular the northern Pacific beaches of Guanacaste.
One of the protesters who sparked riots in front of the Legislative Assembly on May 1 was sentenced to two years and 11 months, found guilty on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, threat to the public and possession of explosive material.
The Tribunal de Flagrancia del Segundo Circuito Judicial (the Flagrancy Court of the Second Judicial Circuit) handed the sentence to a young man with the last name Boza Obando.
The director of the Fuerza Publica (police), Juan José Andrade, said the decision sets a precedent because it means such incidents will not go unpunished.
On May 1, police detained 12 people for causing the disturbances during the May 1 protests. Police also confiscated a number of weapons and a homemade bomb, actions that have not been part of Costa Rica’s culture of protests.
The sentenced was commuted, meaning the young man will not be spending time in prison, but does not nullify the conviction and is conditional that he not participate in violence protests and not carry explosives.
Starting in July, thanks to a pilot program, hundreds of Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) users will be able to evaluate the performance and benefits of the 4G cellular network.
Teófilo de la Torre, president of the state telecom, made the announcment on Thursday, saying that a number of ICE selected customers will enjoy the network that will be launched in full service before the end of the year
De la Torre said that users will be chosen according to things: their constant use of mobile internet and availability to provide ICE feedback on the service.
Once the evaluation program is over, ICE technicians will be making the necessary technical adjustments before the commercial launch of the service.
In telecommunications, 4G is the fourth generation of mobile phone mobile communication technology standards. It is a successor of the third generation (3G) standards.
A 4G system provides mobile ultra-broadband Internet access, for example to laptops with USB wireless modems, to smartphones, and to other mobile devices. Conceivable applications include amended mobile web access, IP telephony, gaming services, high-definition mobile TV, video conferencing, 3D television and Cloud Computing.
Is a 4G phone (like the iPhone 4) a4G?
It’s becoming increasingly common to hear phone makers and mobile phone service providers hype their networks or phones as 4G (or sometimes 4G LTE). But what does that really mean? The iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are sometimes referred to as the iPhone 4G, but does that mean that the iPhone 4 is a 4G phone?
The short answer is no. Cellular phones like the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S are not 4G phones. At least they’re not when by saying “4G” you mean the 4G or 4G LTE cellular network standard (the successor to the 3G standard used by the iPhone 4 & 4S) that most phone companies are referring when they say 4G. To understand the confusion, though, requires understanding what people mean when they say something is 4G. The confusion happens because there are two different meanings for the term 4G.
Curiouser and curiouser. President Laura Chinchilla must feel like Alice in Wonderland. Every time the name Gabriel Morales pops up, the affair of her trip to Peru gets more bizarre.
The convoluted story got even more twisted Tuesday when the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo reported that Morales, the alleged owner of the private jet that whisked the President to Peru, (see previous articles: ) was used by the U.S. anti-drug agency DEA to obtain information.
Even more unlikely is that the paper claims Morales was given a free hand to use Costa Rica as a refuge in payment for the data on drug cartels in Colombia, his native country. Specifically, the DEA wanted data on money laundering, the paper implies.
Just how this was done, since Costa Rica is a sovereign nation, was not explained. Presumably this country would have had to willingly participate somehow. But Chinchilla told El Tiempo that she had no knowledge of such a pact.
Tuesday, speaking about the trip in a press conference, Chinchilla said the whole affair had caused her “profound pain.” The obscure, questionable background of Morales had affected her image personally, the President said, but not that of the presidency as an institution.
As her own party leadership backed away from the President, she herself put some space between herself and responsibility for the embarrassing loan of the aircraft. “You can’t expect the president of a republic to administer her own agenda,” she said, “Others are responsible and they have to answer for it.”
And they have — two of her inner circle resigned and her deputy security minister has been replaced as responsible for her security. One of them, former Communications Minister Francisco Chacon, still maintains that everything connected with the plane appeared squeaky clean.
<pAnalysis: If the now-unsubstantiated report in El Tiemposhould turn out to be true, it raises further questions in an affair full of them. How could the DEA, which works closely with local anti-narcotics police, so overstep its bounds as to offer refuge to anyone in a foreign country?
Could DEA have possibly gained the approval of the Foreign Ministry or other local authority? Or did someone in the Presidential Offices or the Security Ministry smooth the way for Morales?
And the opposition in the Legislative Assembly will undoubtedly make political hay with a Watergate-type question: What did the President know and when did she know it?
If the answers are “nothing” and “too late,” it will make her seem like an innocent bystander in her own Administration and that could become a damaging political issue in the 2014 election campaign.
Meanwhile, Chinchilla flew to Cali, Colombia, Wednesday. She took a commercial flight.
Olive Ridley turtles coming ashore to lay eggs. Adults weight about 100 lbs (45 kg), while hatchlings weigh less than 1 ounce (28 g).
Besides being beautiful, Costa Rica’s beaches are the nesting sites of four endangered sea turtle species, which return each year to lay their eggs. But there is trouble in paradise for these reptiles, namely, from egg thieves.
Since 1996, it’s been illegal to remove turtle eggs from beaches in Costa Rica, said Beth Adubato, a New York Institute of Technology criminologist interested in crimes against wildlife. However, that hasn’t stopped egg thieves — egg poaching is up 30 percent since the law was put in place, she told LiveScience.
Adubato recently completed a study on egg poaching in the Osa Peninsula, a little-inhabited area with seemingly pristine beaches on the country’s southern Pacific Coast. Many of the culprits are Panamanians, who cross the border and take eggs by the truckload, she said. The eggs are thought to act as aphrodisiacs, and can be bought in bars in Panama, said Adubato, who presented the results of her work at a conference on wildlife crime and poaching at Rutgers University in Newark, N.J., last week.
“We see the trucks coming, we see the eggs being taken away, but we don’t know how to stop it,” she said.
There is no evidence to suggest that turtle eggs act as aphrodisiacs, and it’s unclear how that belief originated. In fact, the turtle eggs are potentially unsafe for human consumption —in some cases they have been shown to have unsafe levels of heavy metals, Adubato said.
Adubato is collaborating with groups on the Osa Peninsula to help educate locals to not steal sea turtle eggs, and to find other ways to benefit from them. In other areas, Costa Ricans have acted as guides, taking tourists to witness sea turtles laying eggs, Adubato said. The primary problem is that though there are laws to prevent poaching, they aren’t enforced in this area as they are in certain wildlife reserves.
Adubato said she’s worried for the future, because some locals view eggs as an important source of income, and don’t realize that the egg poaching is a serious problem, since the turtles come to lay eggs in large numbers, she said. However, only a tiny fraction of the eggs laid survive to adulthood, and turtle populations cannot rebound quickly since the animals take years to become mature and reproduce, she added.
The four endangered species that lay their eggs on these beaches are leatherback, hawksbill, Olive Ridley and green sea turtles. Adubato’s study found that on some beaches in the peninsula, up to half of the nests had their eggs stolen from them
Productos Agropecuarios VISA exports pineapples to Europe and the US
Fresh Plaza – Although Productos Agropecruarios VISA also grows rambutan, yucca and yam, the firm’s main product for export are pineapples. These are produced at the firm’s own plantations, allowing it to control the entire production process.
“We own around 42 hectares for rambutan and another 5 hectares for yucca and yam,” said Joselyn Villalobos Salas, “but we have 500 hectares for pineapples.” The firm owns plantations and a production plant in northern Costa Rica, allowing them to grow, harvest and pack their entire production. From July to September they produce rambutan for both the domestic and the export markets, but they are able to supply pineapples all year round.
“80% of our exports are shipped to Europe and the other 20% to the United States,” said Villalobos. “Our main markets in Europe are the Netherlands, Spain, England, Italy, France and Germany.” He also said that Russia is an interesting market during Christmas, but only for a certain variety of ornamental pineapple.
The Rambutan is known in Costa Rica as the “ mamón chino (“Chinese Sucker”)
In the long term, the firm wishes to increase its production capacity and open a processing plant for the dehydration and canning of pineapples. The only problem is that a large investment is needed for this. Villalobos said that although the financial situation is not ideal, such investments are necessary.
“If we compare the current market with that four years ago, it is no longer as profitable; however, taking good advantage of the opportunities that arise and with a better handling of production costs, among other aspects, it is possible to increase production volumes while maintaining the quality,” said Villalobos. “Production costs must drop, which is exactly what we have done, allowing us to continue being successful.”
MLSSOCCER – The Canadian national team’s first training session in advance of its May 28 friendly against Costa Rica in Edmonton comes today (Friday), and when Colin Miller’s squad takes to the field, it will a barebones affair.
Players are slowly trickling into Alberta’s provincial capital over the next few days, and there won’t be much time for Miller – in his third stint as interim boss – to work on the game plan they’ll use against the Ticos.
“The numbers are small to start with,” Miller admitted in a conference call on Thursday. “We’ve probably got eight outfield players for the first session tomorrow, with three goalkeepers. Some guys just finished the season in Europe, so we’re hoping that fitness won’t be a problem.”
The full 18-player squad likely won’t be complete until Tosaint Ricketts arrives from his club team in Norway on Monday, but it’s something that’s become part everyday life for Canadian players.
National team members have always had to travel long distances to get together. But with the bulk of the squad looking to impress and perhaps get into the picture for this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, travel concerns and early makeshift practice sessions won’t distract them from a tremendous opportunity.
“I’m told that their attitude is good,” Miller said of what he’s heard from the squad. “Their enthusiasm for the game is good. It’s a terrific opportunity for some of these players.”
Much as it was in January when he was in charge of a very young squad, Miller will have to balance the pressures an international friendly against a team much higher in the rankings with helping to develop the next generation of Canadian talent.
In two games under Miller in January, Canada were easily outclassed 4-0 by Denmark before putting together a much-improved performance against the United States, playing their southern neighbors to a scoreless draw.
With a similar scenario on his hands for next week’s game, Miller plans a similar approach in guiding this squad.
“They’re enthusiastic, they’re willing to learn and I’ll continue to develop players at any level,” Miller said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a senior guy or it’s a younger guy. I’ll continue in teaching mode and hopefully the guys will buy in.”
The Atlantic hurricane season is around the corner, starting on June 1. According to Costa Rica’s weather institute, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), at least four hurricanes will affect the country.
United States, Mexico and the Caribbean islands are the places that historically have been most affected by cyclones.
But according to experts, these atmospheric phenomena may also affect Costa Rica.
Although the phenomena WILL NOT directly hit the country, it can cause problems in the Pacific coast and the Central Valley.
More than 30 tropical storms are expected for the 2013 season.
Fernando Ferraro, the Ministro de Justicia, is stepping down to assume the post of Secretary General of the Conference of Ministers of Justice of Ibero-American Countries (COMJIB), based in Madrid, Spain.
According to Ferraro, Presidenta Laura Chinchilla put his name on the list and on Wednesday was notified of his election.
Ferrado said last night that he is not leaving his post until a replacement has been named, someone who, he said, will not lower the guard in the fight against the prison crisis in the country.
Former legislator and former Partido Liberacion Nacional (PLN) party presidential candidate, José Miguel Corrales is back and with a new party and ready to take down the “PLN power”.
His new party is the Patria Neuva.
The aim of Corrales is form a grand coalition of opposition parties to face the ruling party.
In his opinion, Corrales says the only option for change is to dethrone the PLN power. He acknoledges that the task is difficult, but not impossible, if there is will.
In the past, the Patria Nueva has held meetings to form a coalition with the Frente Amplio and the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC). However, the pact is in hold as the PAC renews its party structure now that Ottón Solís is not their front man.
Corrales ran for president in 1998 losing to Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría (PUSC).
For the 2002 election, Corrales lost the PLN nomination to Rolando Araya Monge (brother Johnny Araya and current PLN party candidate for 2014). The 2002 elections was won by Abel Pacheco of the PUSC.
Corrales was a strong opponent to the Óscar Arias Sánchez nomination for the 2006 elections. He was also a strong opponent to the Free Trade Agreement with the United States. He served as legislator on several occasions, 1974-1978, 1986-1990 and 2002-2006.
Pura vida is a simple phrase that means “pure life.” It is a greeting heard as frequently as “hello” — on every street corner, restaurant and even home in Costa Rica. At the beginning of my travels to La Fortuna de San Carlos in the La Ajuela province, I smiled fondly in response to the phrase from the people who spoke it. But, by the end of my weeklong trip, I internalized these words and understood them deeply.
The ride from San Jose is scenic, with hills of majestic green stretching as far as the eye can see. Cattle roam freely on roadsides, and it is clear that there is no real barrier between humans and animals, and no hierarchy either. After about a three hour drive, which entailed a sloth sighting, a local plate full of chicharron, beans and rum, we arrived at our hotel in La Fortuna.
I chose Nayara Hotel & Spa Gardens because of its great reputation and proximity to the outdoor activities that many who come to Costa Rica search for: ziplining, horseback riding, hiking, canyoning, white water rafting and, of course, the hot springs. Nayara did not disappoint on any level. From the hospitality of its staff, pristine grounds and diverse dining options, to its breathtaking views of the Arenal volcano and endless rainforest, Nayara is a nature lover’s paradise.
You have not ziplined until you have ziplined in Costa Rica. Never have I felt more fear and exhilaration as I whizzed across the rainforest, 650 feet high in the air. A stunning view of Lake Arenal sat in the distance, seemingly as limitless as the trees below. It is these kinds of experiences that remind you that life is bigger than your cubicle and student loans.
A trip to the Arenal Hanging Bridges is also a wonderful way to be suspended on a walkway in the heart of the rainforest. Thanks to conservation efforts, the rainforests in Costa Rica are protected and well-preserved. They are also a great reminder that human beings are not the only living things on this earth trying to sustain a life. During our tour, we spotted wild boars with their babies, birds searching for food, poisonous frogs, rainbow colored reptiles, and a few very persistent mosquitoes.
After a full day of hiking and ziplining, it was time to unwind. Back at Nayara a hot stone massage and milk bath at the resort’s spa melted my muscles and the tension that city living often causes. The sound of cicadas, birds and who knows what else filled my ears, and in this moment, I found absolute peace.
The next day entailed a visit to Tabacon Thermal Springs. The springs comprise 97 percent rain water, three percent magma and 100 percent sheer paradise. You can easily spend a full day in one of the 16 pools, surrounded by lush gardens and the sound of streaming water. To avoid crowds, arrive before noon.
The only thing better than a relaxing day at the hot springs is good food, of course, and we experienced a plethora of that during our stay. Nayara’s sushi bar and Nostalgia wine bar are not to be missed. Our wine pairing included some of the freshest ceviche and vegetables I’ve had outside of the states. In the town of La Fortuna, Anch’io Ristorante is a nice spot to stop by if you are craving an American food fix of pizza. And then there’s Novilitto’s Steakhouse. This was a highlight meal I will not soon forget. A simple roadside restaurant, Novillito’s tender steak was grilled right in front of us, served with fried yucca, rice and beans. The portions are generous and the prices, more than fair. Add to this the hospitality and laid back feel of Tico culture, and it is an ideal restaurant for anyone visiting the area.
During my six days in La Fortuna, I was in awe of the Arenal volcano, of nature and its constant ability to renew itself and grow. I was awakened by the sounds of monkeys, birds, lizards and beautiful rolling thunder. After experiencing a small glimpse into Costa Rican culture and the richness of its people, pura vida came to take on a new meaning for me. Pura vida means to live life with a deep appreciation for everything around you, despite your circumstances. It is the recognition that everything is full of life — from a small frog, to a young kid on the street selling jewelry, and that everything is worthy of deep respect. This reverence for life is a feeling that I plan to practice each day. Costa Rica, I will be back.
For two days, on Friday May 31 and Saturday June 1, volunteers will take to the streets of Costa Rica in collection of funds to continue the TECHO program for temporary housing programs for people in extreme poverty.
The “Un rojo por un techo” also offers training programs for the poor.
TECHO is an organization operating in Latin America and the Caribbean, seeking to overcome poverty of thousands of people living in slums, though joint action of its residents and volunteers.
TEHCO says it is convinced that poverty is a condition surmountable and therefore can be ended. For the organization it is a problem of many dimensions that go beyond the economic and is also manifested in the violation of fundamental rights and human dignity, in the inability to meet basic needs in limiting freedom, lack of opportunities and exclusion within the spaces of participation and decision making in civil, social, cultural and political.
Although we see the volunteers in the streets collecting donations from time to time, the work of TECHO is all year round commitment.
Do you part, donate a ROJO on the street or visit the TECHO website or their Facebook page.
Costa Rica’s President Laura Chinchilla (in red) arrives in Cali to attend the VII Cumbre Alianza del Pacifico May 22, 2013. REUTERS/Jaime Saldarriaga
In Cali, Colombia for the Pacific Alliance summit, Presidenta Laura Chinchilla sign the bilateral free trade agreement with Colombia. The signing also means Costa Rica is now elegibel for membership to the trade bloc with Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Peru.
Presidenta Chinchilla arrived in Colombia on Wednesday ahead of the Pacific Alliance summit to meet with Colombian President Manuel santos to ink the deal that has been in the works for almost two years.
Costa Rica’s President Laura Chinchilla speaks after her arrival in Cali to attend the VII Cumbre Alianza del Pacifico May 22, 2013. REUTERS/Jaime Saldarriaga
“We’re laying the foundation for an even better relationship between our countries”, Chinchilla said in a brief speech at the signing ceremony. “We share a vision that is increasingly solidifying in the region, which is the understanding that free trade is the motor of growth.”
In the trade deal 70% of the negotiated tariff items will be eliminated immediately, while the balance of tariffs will be phased in over the next three to fifteen years.
“The Pacific Alliance is the most important integration process that Latin America has undertaken in years”, said President Santos.
The summit brings together representings the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean and creates a trade bloc representing more than 200 million people.
Costa Rica, for the time being, is attending an observer. Presidenta Chinchilla has been lobbying the member countries, the only stumbling block to membership was the trade dealw with Colombia. Costa Rica already has in place trade deals with Mexico, Peru and Chile.
One importat note, in keeping with her promise last week after the “chorizo plane” scandal, the Presidenta flew a commercial airliner to Colombia, will get a “ride” to Ecuador on Chile’s presidential plane and fly back to Costa Rica commercially.
Who wouldn’t want to live in one of the world’s most colourful cities? The color of a city and the creativity of its people can easily turn a dull town into a place with vibrant beauty. If you ever wonder what makes a city beautiful, the answer can lie within its architecture, landscape, or people – But can also be something simpler, like color. A colourful city is a happy city.
Just imagine your own city only more cheerful and colourful.
The travel advisory for Costa Rica has many Canadians fuming, questioning with an Eh? the Ottawa’s decision to warn visitors after the murder of Brad Deering at his home in Escazú. The advisory warns visitors to be extra vigilant in the Central American country that’s generally been considered a safe destination.
Deering, a 42-year-old Vancouver “investor” who was living in an upscale suburb of the capital San José, was shot last Thursday in what was initially believed to be a home invasion by men dressed as security guards.
His body was found naked and handcuffed in a neighbour’s yard and police believe he was killed trying to escape.
However, sources close to QCostarica.com say Deering, who had been living in Costa Rica for the last eight years, may have been targeted by an investor after a deal went sour.
Private eye Doug Smith, speaking to the Canadian news media, confirms what many know of what likely happened to Deering, he pissed off the wrong people and paid the debt with his life.
Deerinng is believed to be involved in deals involving online sales of pharmaceuticals and gold futures. Some say he was scamming his investors with phony deals.
Whatever the case, Deering did not hide his good forture, flaunting his wealth, which may have attracted theives or angered gilted investors.
The official police investigation by Costa Rican authorities is that of a home invasion gone bad.
“I tend to believe that this was planned out in advance, this was directed right straight at Brad, for one reason or another,” private eye Doug Smith told CTV News, citing information he received from Deering’s associates. “There seems to be a plethora of reasons floating around.”
Whatever the reason, the Department of Foreign Affairs upgraded its travel advisory for Costa Rica in the wake of Deering’s murder, urging travellers to “exercise a high degree of caution and be vigilant at all times due to increasing levels of violent crime.”
The Ministry of Health reports that the British American Tobacco Caribbean & Central América is the first tobacco company to be fined by for not respecting the new anti tobacco law that went into effect last year.
The company will have to pay a fine equivalent to ten base salaries, which will be used for prevention programs and control of diseases associated with smoking, as provided by law.
The fine is a result of a complaint filed by PASE legislator Rita Chavez with respect to the promotion, “Dunhill takes you to London to live a unique experience”.
The promotion violated Article 16 of the anti-tabaco law, which prohibits the use of any form of advertising, promotion or sponsorship of tobacco.
Casa Presidencial confirmed that Presidenta Laura Chinchilla will be travelling on commercial flights for her trip to Colombia and Ecuador, although no specific details of the airline and flights times were given.
Chinchilla will be in the city of Cali today and tomorrow, to attend the Pacific Alliance summit. From there she will then travel to Ecuador to attend the inauguration of Rafael Correa’s second term.
Not wanting to repeat the same mistake of her trip to Peru, the Presidenta said that for her trip from Colombia to Ecuador, Chinchilla will probably get a “ride” from Chile’s president, Sebastián Piñera.
Presidenta Chinchilla said that she received offers “rides” to Quito from three different presidents, but most likely she will ride with Piñera. Chile is a full member of the Pacific Alliance and Costa Rica wants in, so this would be a great lobby opportunity, same she did with while in Peru following a personal trip that unleashed the “plane scandal”.
Commercial flights to and from South America (from Costa Rica) are available through TACA AVIANCA and COPA.
After flying in a private jet, anything less is like flying coach.
In the first few days of the start of the San José – Cartago commuter train service there have been already two accidents, the latest and most serious in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
In that accident, the train collided with a dump truck in the area of the UACA stop. The INCOFER reports the train was headed to the old metropolis (cartago) when the accident occurred. The train was empty at the time, the driver of the truck suffered minor injuries.
Railway authorities and the Policia de Transito were able to clear a path for the train so as not to affect morning service.
This is the second collission in less than 24 hours.
Tuesday afternoon the Cartago train derailed some 200 metres of the Tres Rios station, in La Union. The derailment caused affected service for at least three hours.
Costa Rica’s Presidenta Laura Chinchilla is readying to travel to Colombia today to attend the Pacifc Alliance summit being held in Cali.
At the summit, Chinchilla will request the inclusion of Costa Rica in the trade bloc that is comprised of Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Chile, representing more than 200 million people, the equivalent population of Brazil and two thirds of the United States and generate a gross domestic product equal to 35% of all Latin America.
To become a member, Costa Rica needs free trade agreements with the member countries.
On her arrival in Colombia, Chinchilla will meet with Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos, to sign a bilateral trade agreement between Costa Rica and Colombia. Costa Rica already has trade treaties with the other Pacific Alliance countries.
Other countries have their eyes on the Pacific Alliance accrording to the Colombia’s Foreign Ministry.
Attending the two day summit will also be Panama’s president, Ricadro Martinelli; Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper; Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy and Guatemala’s president, Otto Perez.
The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (OVISCORI) and the Red Sismológica (National Seismological Network) are keeping a very close eye on the Turrialba volcano after the colossus began a series of hybrid-type earthquakes early Tuesday morning.
Experts say that more than 160 earthquakes have been recorded in the area of the volcano.
The hybrid earthquakes was the cause of the massive spewing of ash.
The OVSICORI reports that by noon Tuesday there had been a marked reduction in the emission of ash and earthquakes. However, gases continue to emanate from the crater.
Both the OVISCORI and Seismological Network are continuing field inspections and analysis of what is occurring with volcano.
Volcanic hybrid earthquakes that are brittle-failure events
Volcanos generate a variety of pre-eruptive low-frequency seismic signals. Hybrid earthquakes comprise a class of these signals having high-frequency onsets followed by low-frequency ringing.
They are used empirically to predict eruptions, but their ambiguous physical origin limits their diagnostic use. The short-duration, near-field hybrid seismograms associated with the 2004 Mount St. Helens eruption indicate that much of the prolonged signal is due to path rather than resonating fluids.
The Land Cruiser series is the longest running series in Toyota history. Development of the first generation Land Cruiser began in 1951 as Toyota’s version of a Jeep-like vehicle and production started in 1954. The Land Cruiser’s reliability and longevity has led to huge popularity. This photo was taken at the Ministerio de Salud yard in Pavas.
Colombia is set to sign a free trade agreement with Costa Rica, marking another step toward Colombia’s regional free trade policies with other Latin American and Pacific states.
Minister of Commerce for Colombia Sergio Diaz-Granados told local media that “the Costa Rica stage is well-advanced.” Costa Rica is in line to join the four Latin American states (Colombia, Chile, Peru and Mexico) that share Pacific coastlines and a willingness to develop stronger regional economic integration.
A free trade agreement with Costa Rica falls in line with the open market policies that President Juan Manuel Santos’ administration strongly believes make up the path toward development for Colombia. In addition to a free trade agreement with the US that went into effect roughly a year ago, Colombia is in the process of finalizing agreements with the EU and South Korea.
Beyond a series of bilateral trade agreements, Colombia has also joined the Pacific Alliance, an economic alliance that turns the resource-rich country’s focus toward Asia’s emerging economies.
The Pacific Alliance, formed in 2012, set framework for regional economic cooperation. Among the priorities shared by the four member states are capital market integration and free trade agreements. But Colombia Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas hopes the alliance will move beyond issues of trade alone.
“We want the Pacific Alliance to be an alliance… where our capital markets are integrated so our companies can move much more freely in making investments in each of the four countries, ” said Cardenas, after meeting with the group’s finance ministers earlier in the month.
Colombia, Chile, Peru and Mexico are set to remove 90% of tariffs during the May 23rd summit in Cali, reported The Economist.
Trade with other Latin American states makes up roughly 27% of total global trade around the region. That is little compared with 63% in the European Union and 52% in Asia. But the Pacific Alliance could change that. The block’s combined output was just under Brazil’s annual GDP in 2012. And in 2011-2012 the alliance grew at 4.6% compared to Brazil’s 1.8%.
The group relies on the ethic of “open regionalism,” an idea that was popular among Latin American states in the 1990s. In 1991, Mercosur formed with the intention of putting those ideas into practice. Since then, however, most of its members, including Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela, have turned inward, letting protectionist economic policy cut off trade ties with regional neighbors in favor of domestic economy.
When in Cali, the Pacific Alliance will also take a technical look at what Japan’s membership would mean for the group. If the Alliance welcomes Japan as its 5th member, it will not only be taking a step toward opening its markets, but another leap toward Asia-Pacific integration.
Political commentator, film critic and blogger Debbie Schlussel calls President Obama’s hand-picked U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica, Anne Andrews, “Dumbassador”, for enlisting Embassy employees in the ridiculous music video (a parody of PSY’s “Gangnam Style”) to encourage Costa Rican’s and others to get more visas to go to the U.S., as if we have a shortage and need to “advertise” to get more people to seek visas (and engage in visa fraud).
“As if we don’t have enough visa violators in our midst already (40% of all the illegal aliens in the U.S. are visa overstays and other sorts of visa violators). Ladies and gentleman, your tax dollars at work. Watch it and BARF…”, says Schussel on her blog.
“Hmmmm… I wonder why Dumbassador Andrews and her U.S. Embassy staff in San Jose, Costa Rica disabled comments on the YouTube page where they posted this. Could it be that I’m not the only one who thinks this ridiculous waste of time and money is cause for firing them all and just shutting down the embassy?
“Just how much time and money went into making this bad “Saturday Night Live” skit? Also, looks like they rounded up all the Asian employees in the Embassy and said, “You! You! And You! You’re playing PSY and his sidekicks in our dumb video. You’re Chinese? Well, you all look alike to us and the Costa Ricans”, says Schlussel.
Schlussel goes on to explain that Costa Rica has long been an important, strategically-located American ally, which was important, for example, in the fight against the Communist Nicaraguan Sandinistas. But this (video) is just a joke and does no service for America there.
“Costa Ricans – the few that saw this video – are probably thinking: “Hey, more dumb American gringos.” And laughing their asses off at us”, says the blogger.
Schlussel’s columns have been published in the New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, The Jerusalem Post, amongst others. Her film reviews are posted on Andrew Breitbart’s Big Hollywood website. She hosted The Debbie Schlussel Show between 2002 and 2003.
A report by Telenoticias says that the controversial aircraft that caused the political crisis in the government, has been on the radar of authorities since 2011.
The television news says it has documents in its possession that the aircraft with the call letters N93CW, had since 2011 an order to notify authorities of all who boarded the jet, was well as the comings and goings of the aircraft.
This means that suspicions about the airplane and its occupants is not new.
And that is why it is difficult to understand the “surprise” of the presidential security forces and the reaction to alleged ties to drug traffickers and the relationship to Colombian Grabriel Morales.
Sources close to Telenoticias, who would not identify themselves, state that there was a time that Morales had everything to do with the plane, from its maintenance to its operation.
In an interview with Colombia’s RCN News, Morales admits to in 2007 founding the company that owns or leases the plane, but today has not relation with the company, only works as a consultant for it and other multinationals.
Although Morales and former Costa Rican soccer player, Rolando Fonseca and some 29 companies linked to the two, may not have broken the law, the Dirección de Tributación Directa (Costa Rica’s tax man) confirms having initiated an investigation into the tax status of those involved.
With an investment of ¢516 million colones, the old market building located in the heart of San José, will become the new San José municipal police headquarters.
The remodeling, converting it from a farmers market to a police operation building, has begun. The work includes repairing walls, renewal and new installation of electrical and telecommunications system and the building of a second floor.
The work is expected to be completed by September, a month later some 600 officers of the “Policía Municipal” will call the building home.
The area where the building is located is also called Paso de la Vaca, an area known locally as the “red zone”, home to many of the city’s indigents and marginal businesses, like “massage parlours” (whorehouses) where sexual services can be purchased for as little as a few colones.
Paso de la Vaca History
The name “Paso de la Vaca” is commonly misunderstood, even among residents of the city. Most believe the name came to be because this zone was frequently travelled by oxcarts before cars became commonplace in the 1950’s. While that version holds somewhat true (oxcarts were parked further south near the Borbon Market), it has no relation to how the zone’s name really came about.
In the 1950’s, a Nicaraguan family known as the Zambranos came to live on this street. The Zambranos were able shoemakers, and rapidly accumulated a good fortune from their business. But fame comes at a price, and as a running joke, the Zambranos came to be known in San Jose as “los bueyes” (the oxen), because someone had heard that they were less than able when it came to their bedroom duties. The more daring ladies of the time even speculated that, like oxen, the Zambranos were castrated.
At Christmastime, it was a custom to build nativity scenes on the front porch of your house, known as “pasos”. Being a simple and relatively poor city, nativity scenes in San Jose were all but elaborate. The Zambranos, wanting to showcase their bonanza, decided to build a giant nativity scene in front of their house, and they hired the best artisans in the city to carve the most spectacular figures the town had ever seen.
But when faced with the challenge of carving an ox, the artisans were stuck. A giant ox in the scene would only fuel the running joke, and be taken as an offense by the Zambranos. Turning the ox into a bull to symbolize vigor and strength, would require carving “inappropriate” parts so that it wasn’t mistaken for a cow, and would be ungodly in a nativity scene. Finally, the artisans decided that the best compromise was to add a cow instead of an ox, which they did.
The Zambranos were overjoyed with their nativity scene and promptly displayed it. And sure enough, it didn’t take long for people to notice the ox was missing, and a cow was in it’s place. This detail became so widely spoken of, that the nativity scene was popularly referred to as “El Paso de la Vaca” (“The scene with the cow”). The street promptly came to be known as “La calle del Paso de la Vaca”.
When the Zambranos moved to the southern part of San Jose a few decades later, the scene had become so famous that the name stuck. And this area of downtown remains, to this day, El Paso de la Vaca.
Zoo Ave Animal Rescue shelter at La Garita got a new star this week—a cute, voluptuous but nervous appearing young female, less than 10 inches tall. It is an albino squirrel, blindingly white even up to its twitching tail.
Donated by a Desamparados resident, the little creature is literally a one-in-a-million chance, according to Sergio Gonzalez, spokesman for the shelter — a squirrel born without melanin, the pigment cells that determine the color of all mammals.
The little lady is probably lucky to have been brought in from the wild—in nature, she would have stood out as conspicuously as a polar bear at a nudist convention. White fur in the tropics is not wise camouflage.
But not only that, albinos are ultra sensitive to the ultraviolet rays of the sun and their sight is usually too weak to detect a predator before he detects his prey, again, especially in the sun’s glare.
This is totally unlike the fugitives that Zoo Ave usually gets, animals that should never have been taken out of the wild and are either brought in or confiscated by authorities after their owners set them free. They usually are totally out of place in captivity.
Since nature exercised such showmanship with this petite female squirrel, Zoo Ave has decided to do so itself.
“We’re going to launch a contest on Facebook where people can propose a name for her and later vote for the winner,” says Gonzalez.
