QCOSTARICA | Where’s the reasoning? Do the taxis have such a monopoly on transportation in the country and so much to influence government policy? Even if a company offers to pony up 300 local jobs and millions of dollars in investments?
On Monday, Uber announced the creation, in Costa Rica, of an “Excellence Centre” for Latin America, with an investment of US$3.5 million dollars and 300 jobs by the end of the year
On Wednesday, President Luis Guillermo Solis, said the Uber call centre is legal, but, it cannot take calls from domestic (Uber) users, it should be limited to the rest of Latin America.
In addition, Solis said that investigations will be conducted by the respective (government) institutions to ensure Uber is property registered with each in order to operate and ensure that calls from Costa Ricans are not taken. The Solis administration still considers operations like Uber an illegal service.
The call center will be located with a free trade zone (Zona Franca in Spanish) and the government would verify the functions performed, explained the Chief of Staff (ministro de la Presidencia), Sergio Alfaro.
President Solis said that any governmental action to be taken against the company will first consider the social and economic impact it may have on the 300 jobs to be created.
