AMCostaRica©
| ARCHIVE | Published Friday, November 2, 2018 |
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U.S. sanctions Venezuela and Cuba, threatens Nicaragua |
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 By A.M. Costa Rica staff
According to Voice of America, the White House announced new sanctions Thursday against Venezuela and Cuba, and threatened to do the same against Nicaragua, calling the three nations a "troika of tyranny." In a Miami speech, National Security Adviser John Bolton said the United States, "will no longer appease dictators and despots near our shores in this hemisphere.” He likened the leaders of their nations — Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Cuba's Raul Castro, and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega — to the bumbling comedy team The Three Stooges. "These tyrants fancy themselves strongmen, revolutionaries, icons, and luminaries. In reality, they are clownish pitiful figures more akin to Larry, Curly, and Moe," Bolton said. The new sanctions against Venezuela target the country's gold market, banning U.S. citizens and companies from doing any gold-related business with Venezuela. The U.S. has accused Maduro of illegally exporting more than 20 million tons of gold to Turkey to avoid previous U.S. sanctions. Bolton blamed Cuba for boosting the Maduro government in Venezuela, where a failing economy has led to hyperinflation, severe shortages of basic goods, and a total collapse of democracy. He said the U.S. has added another two dozen Cuban entities to the list of those prohibited from doing business with Americans. Bolton also warned Ortega against continuing his violent crackdown on the opposition.
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 A.M.
Costa Rica wire services
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The U.S. has accused Maduro of illegally exporting more than 20 million tons of gold to Turkey to avoid previous U.S. sanctions. "Free, fair, and early elections must be held in Nicaragua and democracy must be restored to the Nicaraguan people. Until then, the Nicaraguan regime, like Venezuela and Cuba, will feel the full weight of America's robust sanctions regime," Bolton said. The U.S. has already slapped sanctions on several senior Nicaraguan officials over the violence and alleged corruption. The most recent Executive Order blocking property of additional persons contributing to the situation in Venezuela may be reach here. |
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Strike caused loss of $ 52.7 million in exports, says Exporters Chamber |
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By A.M. Costa Rica
staff
The Exporters Chamber announced that exports have decreased in relation to the previous year, due to the strike. According to the Chamber, the exports made by the companies in the Free Zones, during the period from January to September, were much lower than those of the same period last year, mainly in leading products for economic growth such as bananas and juices. The Chamber checked exports made in the month of September 2018 and compared them with those in the same month last year. Exports this year show a reduction of 5.5 percent, equivalent to a loss of $52.7 million. Prior to the strike, there had been a growth of 2 to 10 percent compared to last year. According to the Chamber, this decrease is mainly due to the repercussions generated by the national strike such as: prolonged delays in the transfer of merchandise throughout the country, operational delays in the port, and additional expenses when companies struggled to fulfill their commitments to business partners. The Chamber also confirmed that the crisis in Nicaragua continues to affect exporters. Exports that must pass through Nicaraguan territory have dropped 9 percent. Another aspect that has caused losses, is "the slowdown in domestic products that were the most important such as juices and fruit concentrates, with a reduction of $34 million, bananas decreased $25 million, sugar decreased by $24 million," said the Chamber in its report. |
 ANEP courtesy photo Exports this year show
a reduction of 5.5 percent,
equivalent to a loss of $52.7 million. Laura Bonilla, President of the Chamber confirmed that this organization has presented a competitiveness agenda to the government with 84 recommendations on various issues that aim to strengthen exports and encourage increased performance. The Exports Chamber of Costa Rica is a business organization made up of export companies and services to the sector. Since 1981, the year of its foundation, it has worked to promote the competitiveness and development of the Costa Rican export sector. |
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Fourth news page |
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Doing Business Costa Rica seeks to improve business |
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By
A.M. Costa Rica staff
An “Agreement of Collaboration” was signed Thursday, between the Ministry of Economy, the Foreign Trade Promoter and the Municipality of San José. It aims at placing Costa Rica in a better position in the World Bank's “Doing Business,” through simplification of procedures that directly impact a company’s ability to open a business and the granting of construction permits. Victoria Hernández, Minister of Economy emphasizes the importance of working together to strengthen the country's competitiveness and promote an efficient government. He looks to cooperation and innovation between the central government and local governments so that there will be better inter-institutional support and “agile mechanisms for better governance." The joint commitment is expected to provide greater security for citizens when they are dealing with government issues and facilitate administrative action. This will help the country to position itself as an attractive place for national and foreign investment. According to Johnny Araya, Mayor of San José, simpler procedures will help create a friendly environment for business and investment. It will provide a competitive advantage especially in research and the development of new technologies and services. He wants to see San José become “an engine of economic development and sustainable social progress, which generates well-being for its inhabitants and users.” When carrying out evaluations of “Doing Business,” the World Bank uses San José as its reference so the government hopes to improve business relations there. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, this initiative has been carried out in the Brunca Region since 2011, with great success. Currently, the process contemplates the inter-institutional coordination between the municipalities and the Ministry of Health to shorten the time between the request for a commercial license and its issuance.
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 Doing Business courtesy
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Doing Business,” through simplification of procedures that directly impact a company’s ability to open a business. Duayner Salas, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade believes that this cooperation agreement is a sign that the country making necessary procedures easier. "We still have challenges ahead,” said Salas, but progress is being made as is shown by the Ventanilla Unica project. The project is expected to help improve the investment climate, productivity and competitiveness in foreign trade. It will also reduce the time and costs associated with a start-up, improves inter-institution coordination and improves process transparency. According to the Ministry, nine Central Pacific municipalities implemented the unified commercial license process since September and brought the time for licensing down to 10 working days. It is expected that Guanacaste will soon adopt the same process.
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U.S. Tax
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Vehicle value tax decreases, says Finance Ministry |
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Finance Ministry confirms that there are a total of 2,391,602 registered vehicles in Costa Rica, which will pay 7.76 percent less for the vehicle property tax in 2019. According to the Ministry, they expect to collect an estimated $288 million with this tax. To make it easier for people to consult the tax value of a vehicle and the property tax, the Ministry opened a link on the website for inquiries about the amount to pay, at www.hacienda.go.cr , in the section of Auto-Question The interested person must type in the plate number and the system gives the current tax information. In case you do not agree with the amount registered there, you can request a review of the vehicle's tax value on the same website. According to the Ministry, the system includes a list of all vehicles, aircrafts and vessels with their updated fiscal value on October 31st. Carlos Vargas, general director of taxation, explained the reason why the amount payable is lower this year. "For the calculation of tax, the Tax Administration applies a valuation index, based on a formula established in the law within which three factors intervene: legal depreciation of the vehicle, cumulative inflation in the last year and change in tax applied to vehicles, which for 2019 resulted in the reduction of 7.76 percent in the tax to be paid by all vehicles." However, this decrease does not apply to new vehicles. "New cars registered this year, which have no reference value will use another method of calculating the tax," said Vargas In addition, motorcycles, taxis, buses and heavy goods vehicles, which in accordance with Law 7088, pay a fixed amount from its effective date. This same law incorporates an update of the sections on which the tax is paid. For the 2019 period they will be applied as follows: A vehicle worth up to $ 1,860 pays 1.2 percent tax. A vehicle worth up to $ 3,600 pays 1.5 percent tax. |
 A.M.
Costa Rica
wire services
photo
A vehicle worth up to $ 5,500 pays 2.0 percent tax. A vehicle worth $ 6,900 pays 2.5 percent tax. A $ 8,200 vehicle pays 3.0 percent tax. Vehicles with a value greater than $8,200 pay 3.5 percent tax. According to the Ministry, 50 percent of the income resulting from the collection of this tax goes to the National Council of Roads for the maintenance of roads and the other 50 percent is kept in the general fund of the government for attention to the different budgetary programs, such as education, security, housing and public works. The last day to pay without fines is December 31, 2018. Anyone who fails to comply with this obligation may have their license plate removed and pay a fine of 10 percent per month, for each month of arrears, a percentage that will be applied on the amount of the tax collected, plus interest. It is important to clarify that this tax on the value of the vehicle is only part of the total that is charged for the right of circulation (known as marchamo). |
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Art exhibition "Tropical Chaos" starts today |
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By
A.M. Costa Rica staff
The José Figueres Ferrer Cultural and Historical Center in San Ramón will host an exhibition of works by 13 artists from November 3 to December 14. “Tropical Chaos” will include painting, graphic design, muralism, photography, ceramics, illustration and body art. According to Juan Alfaro, spokesperson for the exhibition, "chaos is not a negative place, nor a positive one, it is a stage where we can reflect on the future, where we can see our scars, tie strings of sanity to that puzzle of lost pieces and find consequent links with our culture." According to the artists, this exhibition is a narrative of aspects on which artists are reflecting. They include the “realities of society political systems, living beings, our territory, and various elements. "They assure visitors that their theme "allows a series of imageries, concerns, demands, interests and criticisms that for our generation are significant, to flow", Alfaro said. Hugo Pineda Villegas, director of the Cultural Center believes that it is very important to show, through art, the concerns and needs of young people. "We are pleased that we are once again a showcase for dialogue between works of art and spectators, as well as artists and spectators, to generate discourses that are relevant to a contemporary world, where youth are an important part of the work and development of the countries." Villegas said. |
 A.M. Costa Rica
wire services photo
This exhibition is a narrative of aspects on which artists are reflecting. The artist
collective consists of
Andrea Ruiz, Mónica Bolaños,
Juan José Alfaro, Alejandro
Chaves, Glen Solórzano,
Gregory Alpízar, Isaac
Barrantes, Jason Campos,
Priscilla Berrios, Raquel
Mora and Ricardo Vega.
"Tropical Chaos" opens today at 5 p.m. in the Corina Rodríguez room, located on the second floor of the Cultural Center, in San Ramón. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information about the art exhibition click here. |
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Graduation tests leaked to students |
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff The Ministry of Education has denounced a professor for giving mathematics and social studies exams to students before the test. According to the ministry, the research shows that a teacher who is currently on strike provided the national exams through social media. According to the ministry statement, "The publication (referring to the exam) was made from a Facebook profile of a professor of the Professional Technical College of San Pedro de Barva. That official has worked in that position since 2014 and has been on strike since September 10." Students took the social studies exam on Thursday at 9 a.m., evidently, students were unable to take advantage of the leak due to its timing. The exam was evidently leaked. A representative from the ministry stated that there is not enough evidence to show which students or how many students accessed the teacher’s publication. The institution reported that it will open a disciplinary investigation against the official who made the tests public on Facebook. It also confirmed that the results of that investigation will be the basis for making a formal complaint before the Public Ministry.
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 Education
Ministry courtesy photo
A representative from the ministry stated that there is not enough evidence to show which students or how many students accessed the teacher’s publication. In a press release, the ministry confirmed that there will be no further statements about the matter until there is a judicial investigation and an internal investigation. This is the second case in which there has been advance publication of the national exams. Last Wednesday alleged photographs of the Mathematics and Science exams were published. |
