QCOSTARICA – The Rescate Nacional (National Rescue) group led by Célimo Guido will formally join the multisectoral dialogue promoted by President Carlos Alvarado.
The announcement was made known Thursday by Guido himself, Eduardo Cruickshank, president of the Legislative Assembly and Marcelo Prieto, President Alvarado’s Chief of Staff.
In making the announcement, Guido promised not to call for new blockades. However, the movement does not renounce protests that could be called in the coming days.
Finding solutions to the deficit, the burden of the debt and unemployment are the objectives of the multisectoral dialogue formed after the failure of the first dialogue table.
“What took place today was a conversation in order to seek dialogue with the president. Since October 16, the National Rescue Movement concluded the stage of citizen meetings (blockades), it has been overcome, but the movement has not renounced and will not renounce the legitimate social protest that should be made,” said Guido.
Along with Guido, the other leaders of the National Rescue participating in the Thursday’s meeting was Xinia López, José Francisco Villalobos, José Oviedo, Manuel Porras and Eduardo Peñaranda.
Guido and the Rescate Nacional were behind the blockades that gripped the country from September 30 to the middle of October. Many confrontations between the protesters and police turned violent, including an attempted storming of Casa Presidencial, Molotov cocktail bombs thrown at police, including a patrol vehicle with two offices inside, trucks and machinery were set on fire. Illegal tolls were also charged to drivers to let them pass from one point to another.
In addition, according to former legislator and former presidential candidate, José Miguel Corrales, before resigning from the movement he created together with Guido, drug trafficking had penetrated the “citizen meeting points”.
Guido, Corrales, as well as six other leaders of Rescate Nacional, have been charged by the Specialized Unit of the Attorney General’s Office, for the crimes of public instigation and obstruction of roads.
All were investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office and although a criminal judge rejected precautionary measures requested against Guido, Xinia López and José Francisco Villalobos, on November 17 a new hearing will be held to review the issue in the San José Criminal Court.
