| ARCHIVE | Published
Friday, September 21, 2018 - First news
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Strike continues
despite
negotiations
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 By A.M. Costa Rica staff Government executives and union leaders met for the second time Thursday to try to reach an agreement to end the strike which was in its 12th day. The meeting was at the Juan XXIII School in Tres Ríos, 11 kilometers from the capital. According to the report of the meeting, the government demands that the unions stop the strike and the blockades on the roads of the country while the union demands that the new tax bill, No. 20.580, be withdrawn from the legislature. The meeting began with each side putting forth its expectations. Gilberto Cascante, union representative, said: “We are today on the second day of negotiations. We do not know what the strategy of this government is.” He continued that the trade union sector is in the best position to solve national problems and has a 39-point program called the “Fair and Solidarity Tax Proposal for Costa Rica.” This proposal, he added, “was made by analysts and specialists in economy. So it seems to us that the union sector is in the best position to sit down and talk and resolve situations in this country. I believe that the people of Costa Rica have already said no to the 20.580 project. We hope we will reach a specific agreement today for withdraw that project." The Labor Minister, Steven Núñez said that the government believes in dialogue to resolve national conflicts and hopes that the preliminary meetings will set up a second phase of discussions “where a negotiation is held that allows us to reach possible agreements and consensus."
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 Labor
Ministry courtesy photo
the government demands that the unions stop the strike and the blockades on the roads. According
to the last report of the
Ministry of Public Security,
the union members have blocked
the following highways:
San José downtown in front of the Legislature, in front of the National University in Heredia, in front of the University of Costa Rica in San Pedro, in Quepos on the bridge of the Paquita River, in Buenos Aires de Puntarenas in the town of Santa Marta, in Ciudad Cortés near the Tomás Casas Hospital, in the center of Ciudad Quesada, on the bridge of the Claro River, on the bridge of the Danta in Orotina and the center of Santa Cruz de Guanacaste. The unions are emphatic in stating that they will continue the strike until the new tax plan is rejected in Legislature. |
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Isla San Lucas
will be new
wildlife refuge
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff Isla San Lucas, located in the Gulf of Nicoya, was once a prison founded by Tomás Miguel Guardia in 1873 and housed some of the worst criminals in Costa Rica. Isla San Lucas is now a wildlife refuge and the National Park organization is rebuilding the rangers’ house there. Once the house is repaired, there will be full-time staff once again, supported by officials from the Ministry of Security, said an announcement. "We are working to improve the conditions of our officials in the wildlife refuge. We are aware of the day-to-day work of our park rangers," said Grettel Vega, director of the National Park System. The work in improving the facilities aims to increase the refuge’s attractiveness to tourists. A press release from the national park organization said that officials hope that the refuge becomes a solid tourist attraction for the center canton of Puntarenas. There will be a series of short-and medium-term projects to ensure the safety of visitors and improve the quality of the experience of domestic and foreign tourists, it added.
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 National
Park System courtesy
photo
Isla San
Lucas was once a prison founded
in 1873
"We are very optimistic with all the projects that are under way to the San Lucas Island National Wildlife Refuge. We believe faithfully that the investment in this protected natural wildlife park will contribute to boosting the economy of the region," Vega said. |
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Human trafficking
continues in Costa Rica
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff
According to a special report of the Judicial Investigation Organization several women were displaced, transported and guarded in vehicles from a bar in Upala to different parts of the national territory for the purpose of being sexually exploited. The report covers the time between March and September of 2017. The report said that the women were housed in a room inside a bar, slept in a single bed and then worked cleaning the bar at 8 a.m. and continued with their work, which included providing sexual services, until midnight or the early hours of the morning. Their clients, men who came to the bar and requested services, paid $23 for in-house sexual service and $34 if they wished to leave the bar with a woman. Investigators of the case found that a criminal group took advantage of the vulnerable condition of their victims who had no work, had obligations in their countries and with their families, and no schooling. Most of the victims were of irregular immigration status in Costa Rica. A Costa Rican criminal court recently sentenced members of the criminal organization to a total of 75 years in prison, the judiciary said. Trafficking in persons is an international crime against humanity and violates the human rights, freedom and dignity of people, the judiciary noted in the report. The United Nations has called it "the slavery of the 21st century." An analysis of people sentenced by the criminal courts carried out by the Statistics Section of the Planning Directorate of the Judiciary showed that judicial processes for human trafficking in Costa Rica have been increasing during the last three years, said the report. The study revealed that in the last three years, the courts of this country sentenced 46 people for this crime, with 2017 being the year with the most sentences handed down, it said. Investigators received 41 complaints of human trafficking in 2018, and 73 operational actions have been carried out, including raids, arrests on public thoroughfares, police intelligence work, surveillance and monitoring, said the judiciary, noting that this has resulted in seven people being placed in preventive detention.
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 A.M. Costa Rica
wire services photo
Human trafficking is one of
the most lucrative
businesses worldwide, said the report. "It is very important to note that these 41 complaints of trafficking in persons are classified as one case for the purpose of irregular adoption, eight for the purpose of labor exploitation, 28 for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, two for the purpose of illegal extraction of organs and two for purposes of begging. Seven victims have been rescued, all of them women," said Fredy Chacón, from the Human Traffic Investigators Unit. Although many experts point out that human trafficking is not a social class issue, what is certain is that populations in a vulnerable state continue to be the main victims of one of the most lucrative businesses worldwide, said the report. "Many of them are indebted, and, within their complicated situation and deception, they believe that there is a debt that they must pay. They owe a lot of money and in the great majority they are not aware that they are being exploited and part of the fear is because there are threats in where the issue of debt is stressed," said Allan Murillo, director of the Victim Protection Unit. The police have three numbers by which citizens can make complaints: the confidential line 800-8000-OIJ, by means of the number in WhatsApp 8-8000-645 and by the emergency number 911. |
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Competition
is open for part of $2 million
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff
People who develop innovative projects may opt for financing with non-reimbursable funds through the Program of Innovation of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The $2 million fund will be shared among people with projects in the areas of education, environment and water, energy, food and agriculture, health, and medical technologies, among others. Interested persons have time until Nov. 1st to submit projects in the competition. The terms and conditions of the projects that may eligible for the fund can be accessed on the website www.micit.go.cr. Any person interested can request an appointment to present the preliminary information and idea of the project, said the ministry. This investment project aims to contribute to the growth of productivity by supporting the innovative activities of the productive sector and the formation of advanced human capital, the ministry said. The Minister of Technology, Luis Adrián Salazar, highlighted the importance of this project. "We have prioritized to this topic, analyzing the program together with key actors to streamline the process of processing applications and direct it so that beneficiaries get support in the areas they need," said Salazar. "We work with emphasis on the empowerment of financing and directing them effectively towards companies." |
 A.M. Costa Rica wire services photo
The $2 million fund will be shared among people with projects Winning projects will also receive support from specialists in the areas of: investment for business innovation for small companies, seminars to promote projects, support in cybersecurity, robotics, artificial intelligence and other technologies and support to internationalize projects. More information about these funds for innovation projects is available from the Ministry of Technology, Telephone 2211-1248 or on the web page www.micit.go.cr.
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| Preamble Film Festival opens |
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Preamble film festival begins today, said the Centro de Cine, this year with the collaboration of the German Embassy and the embassies of the rest of Latin American countries. All functions are free and open to the public. Here are the films and brief summaries: -Today at 5 p.m. the documentary "La Matamoros" by Delfina Vidal (2017) is presented: Marta Matamoros not only raised her voice, but also inspired and organized her classmates for decades to achieve great social changes in the Panama of the 20th century. General public. - Today at 6:30 p.m., "Alanis" by Anahí Berneri (2017) will be shown. The Argentine film tells the life of Alanis, a sex worker, mother of a small child, who must fight to gain a place in society while struggling to survive under the same laws that are supposed to protect it. For audiences 15 years old and older. - Saturday at 3:30 p.m., the program begins with "Carga sellada" by Julia Vargas-Weise (2015): A mysterious burden appears in the Andean plain alerting the population. The government sends an ambitious captain on a secret mission, but the journey becomes a wandering and tragic journey. For audiences 15 years old and older. - Saturday at 6 p.m., the Dominican "Cocote" by Nelson Carlo de Los Santos (2017) will be exhibited: Alberto's father was murdered and his family expects him to avenge him; However this goes against their evangelical customs that clash with the rituals and traditions of their hometown. For audiences 15 years old and older. |
 Film Festival
courtesy
photo
The Film Center is on
Avenida 9 at Calle 11, San José.
Information on the films that will
be part of the festival
are on the website costaricacinefest.go.cr - Sunday at
3:30 p.m., the Guatemalan film
"Passenger" by Jorge Cano (2017)
is shown: In Guatemala, a series
of people deal daily with the
personal and labor difficulties
that are presented to them. In the
midst of their daily life, their
dramas converge in public
transport. For audiences 12 years
old and older.
- Sunday at 6 p.m. "Why are my friends crying?" By Magda González (2017) will be shown: Four friends meet after 20 years without seeing each other. The recounting of their lives imposes on each one future challenges that they are willing to face together. General public. |
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Association of bank employees under investigation |
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff The Deputy Prosecutor's Office of Frauds is making an investigation at the offices of the Solidary Association of Banco Nacional employees at Tibas in San José. A solidary association is an organization created by employees that is financed by all the bank employees. It works similarly to a financial company by giving loans to the members and generating profits. The prosecutor’s information said: “This is an investigation on the alleged crime of fraudulent administration, as a result of the apparent irregular millionaire loans in favor of approximately 14 companies.” These loans were made by the employees association. A search warrant was exercised at 8:30 a.m. and, according to the Office of the Prosecutor, law officers sought to confiscate physical and digital files important for the development of the investigation. According to the judicial report, five men and five women who were members of the board of directors of the association between October 2011 and October 2017 are under suspicion. The surnames of the persons being investigated are: Prado, Ortega, Bermejo, Escalante, Cordero, Murillo, Agüero, Jiménez, Palacino and Ureña, said the prosecutor's report. This is the second law enforcement action in these offices so far this year, the report continued. On May 4, prosecutors also entered the headquarters in Tibás, the Banco Popular branch in Pavas and the National Bank of Costa Rica in San José. |
 This is an investigation on the alleged crime of fraudulent administration, prosecutor's information said. The statement of the prosecutor says that the investigation is in the evidence collection stage, so no more details of the amount of money estimated in these possible frauds is given. At the close of this edition, it had not been indicated if the suspects were going to be sent to the prosecution for investigation. |
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Investigators ask for help to
solve homicide of an U.S. citizen
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By
A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Judicial Investigation Organization is asking citizens for help in their investigation of the murder of a U.S. citizen Barry Martin Lawson, 74. Official records state that the victim was the owner of the Villa Alegre Hotel in Playa Langosta and was originally from Los Angeles, California. He had lived in Costa Rica for 15 years, and was dedicated to managing his hotel. On April 1, 2015, three armed men robbed the hotel and beat him badly. The men stole $32,000, which Martin had kept in a safe box. Martin is reported to have died April 5 in a private hospital in San José, apparently as a result of the blows to the head he received during the beating. Community officials state that Martin was much appreciated in the community because he collaborated with several social aid programs aimed at low-income students. Barry and his wife founded Amigos de la Educación in 2000. |
 Barry Martin
/ A.M. Costa
Rica archive image
The
victim had lived in
Costa Rica for 15
years,
and was dedicated to managing his hotel. Anyone
with information
that can help with
the case, can
confidentially call
800-8000-OIJ or
emergency number
911, said the
judicial police.
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Dear readers: We know this may be
frustrating, but the new dedicated server is
necessary to cover the large number of readers we
have world wide as they read the news
simultaneously. A.M. Costa Rica staff
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U.S. Income
Tax Services 
