Protesting in the streets, even bein rude and vulgar to fellow citizens, has paid for motorcyclists, with the government agreeing to reduce the 2013 Marchamo for two wheeled vehicles by as much as 33%. To recover the some of the reduction, all other vehicle owners will be paying an additional ¢2.500.
In effect, owners of vehicles other than motorcycles will subsidize the reduction given to the motorcyclists, who had taken to the streets during the past weeks, causing traffic chaos in many areas, including obscene and vulgar gestures in front of the television cameras.
The government of Laura Chinchilla had said it would not negotiate with “hooligans”. However, in a surprise move, it did sit down in the last couple of days to hammer out an accord.
In respect to the 2013 Marchamo, the Ministerio de Hacienda (Revenue ministry) announced a 10% reduction in the “fiscal” value of small number of vehicles – no exact number has been provided – that in effect reduces the overall cost of the marchamo.
For those – some 151.000 (as of Thursday) – who already paid, tough noogies! The minister, Edgar Ayales, was clear to the press that there will be no refund. Period.