A.M.
Costa Rica
Your daily English-language news source Monday through Friday |
Published, December 29, 2017
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A.M. Costa Rica's Second News Page |
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Published, December 29,
2017
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Murder becomes a national epidemic | |
By AM Costa Rica staff
On Thursday, Costa Rica reached a
record high rate of 12.1 homicides per 100
thousand people, according to the Judicial
Investigation Organization (OIJ).
When that figure reaches a rate of 10/100,000, the World Health Organization classifies it as an epidemic. The new level was reached when 600 murders were recorded, said the OIJ. Sadly, this is the third consecutive year in which the record has been broken. In 2015 there were 557 murders and last year there were 578, reaching a rate of 11.8/100,000. "This is worrying, it's analysis, it's sitting at the table and looking for strategies, it's not a nice number, these records are sad and do not help the country at all," OIJ deputy director Michael Soto said. According to the police analysis, out of the 600 homicides registered this year, 48% were motivated by vendettas and 25% of the cases are related to drug trafficking issues. OIJ says the rise in crimes results from drug trafficking disputes such as the rebellion of criminal networks and explosions. |
AM Costa Rica
archive photo
Murders
reach a historic record.
“Rebellions” are said to occur where there is conflict within one criminal organization and “explosions” occur when gang members begin to struggle for leadership posts that have become vacant. One disturbing aspect of the crimes in 2017 was the presence of torture and treachery. Of the total victims, 14 were handcuffed, 13 bodies were found wrapped, four were burned and two were decapitated. |
More than a hundred
employers did not comply with Christmas Bonus |
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By AM Costa Rica staff Many employers have not yet
delivered the Christmas bonus to their
workers even though it could be paid as late
as Dec. 20th.
The Ministry of Labor reported that 147 complaints have been received for failure to pay the bonus, and, thanks to its intervention, more than 2,000 people did receive it. The retail sector registered the most complaints, with 46. William Villalobos, National Deputy Director of Inspection, explained that, on average, most employers pay within five days of the ministry’s intervention. In the case of the Central Region, 100 complaints were taken care of and only 15 of the total number of complaints are still pending resolution. |
AM Costa Rica archive photo Non-compliance with the aguinaldo
payment may result in severe fines of the
employer.
Villalobos explained that they will
continue to receive complaints in January.
According to data from the Ministry, the
complaints were received mainly in the Central
Region.
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A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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Food |
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Almost 50 bullfighters injured at the Zapote celebrations | |
By A.M Costa Rica staff The Costa Rican Red Cross has taken
care the total of 49 amateur bullfighters during
the first days of the popular celebrations of
Zapote.
The majority of people were injured due to some type of blow that they received during the traditional bullfights. According to Marco Mora, Red Cross Operative Coordinator in San José, patient care has been carried out normally at the two Red Cross posts at the festivities. "We have attended several improved bullfighters with some traumas, fortunately, none of the cases has been a serious one," said Mora. Each Red Cross post in the fairgrounds has medical personnel, nurses, and first aid assistance. Also during the celebration of the Tope (horse parade) and the Carnival, the Red Cross reported taking care of 66 people, 30 of them required attention during the Tope and 36 at the carnival. |
Municipalidad de San
Jose courtesy photo
The Zapote bullfighting spectacle
features untrained bullfighters teasing the
animals and running into or away from them.
In most of the cases, attendees required
assistance with respiratory problems and high or
low blood pressure issues.
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Ruta 27 highway to implement reversed lanes every Sunday of January |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
As
of
the January first and the
following four Sundays, the San
José - Caldera highway will
implement reversed lanes to
improve the traffic flow.
On January 1, all available lanes will go towards San José, between Pozón and Ciudad Colón, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. For the following Sundays (January 7, 14, 21 and 28) the schedule will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. For reversibility operations, closures will start one hour before the effective time and end one hour later. Thus, January 1, the closure in the San José-Caldera direction will begin at 1:00 p.m. and end at 8:00 p.m. For the four following Sundays of the month of January, the closing will begin at 1:00 p.m. and end at 7 p.m. The maximum speed allowed will be 60 km/h, and drivers are called upon to respect this regulation which will be made clear with temporary vertical marking. |
AM Costa Rica wire
services photo
The measure seeks
to improve the flow of drivers coming back from
vacations.
Drivers who are going on a trip were asked to consider this schedule when planning their trip in one direction or another. To know the status of the route or request assistance users can call the Control Center at 2588-4040. |
218-8/25/17
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San José Carnival left drugs, brawls and one shooting | |
By A.M. Costa Rica staff The celebration of the San José carnival led
to the seizure of 350 doses of drugs among the
attendees, mainly marijuana, cocaine and crack.
Fifteen people received written warnings by the police, although not all of them were arrested. This was explained by the regional director of the Public Force in San José, Erick Calderón. When the carnival ended there was a shooting near the National Gymnasium. A man was shot in the chest and was taken to the San Juan de Dios Hospital. According to Calderón, the reason for the attack remains unknown and the perpetrator is at large. |
Fiestas de
San Jose photo
The annual San José got out of control for
some people.
The number of arrests during the San
José Carnival decreased when compared to 2016,
when 48 people were arrested for drug consumption
during the closing concert.
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Want to read more? Check out these books listed below! | |
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A.M. Costa Rica Sixth News Page |
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Food |
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Legal agreement on prisoner transfers signed with Cuba |
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff On
Thursday
in Havana, Cuba and Costa Rica established a
legal assistance agreement which provides that someone
sentenced in one country can be returned to their
country of residence, where the penalties imposed would
be enforced.
The agreement was signed by the Minister of Justice of Cuba, María Esther Reus, and the Costa Rican ambassador, Erick Román, according to the Cuban News Agency. The Cuban minister explained that the legal assistance agreement, "further strengthens" the diplomatic relations between the nations and considered it a, "clear example" of the "consolidation of the solid relationships developed between the two countries.” In addition, he stressed the importance of the agreement because it allows faster social reintegration of individuals, once the penalty is over. Reus said this type of agreement, "promotes the establishment of others that may come in the future.” The Costa Rican ambassador said that the signing of an agreement of this nature has an evident humanitarian character. |
Cubanet courtesy photo
The prisoners
would be able to serve their time in their country
of origin.
"Completing their sentences in their
country of origin guarantees the prisoners the
benefit of closeness to their family and the support
of the latter," said Román.
Cuba has similar agreements with some 36 countries, including almost all of Latin America and some Europeans, according to ACN. |
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the dream!
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A.M.
Costa Rica Seventh News Page Business |
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Country improves its ranking on competitiveness |
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By A.M. Costa Rica staff
The
country has reached the position 47
among 137 countries evaluated in the
Global Competitiveness Report 2017-2018,
prepared by the Latin American Center
for Competitiveness and Sustainable
Development (CLACDS) and the Central
American Institute of Business
Administration (INCAE).
The country achieved its highest score recorded in the twelve reports since 2006, in addition to registering the greatest progress in a single measurement, with seven positions. In the Latin America area, it is ranked as the second most competitive economy, behind Chile. In order to create the Global Competitiveness Index, INCAE and CLACDS evaluate the relevant factors for the competitiveness of a country, measured in 114 variables and grouped into twelve relevant pillars, some of them are the legal and administrative framework that allows generation of wealth, infrastructure and macroeconomic stability. At a regional level, Costa Rica leads in health and primary education, business sophistication and innovation in higher education and training, and in the goods and labor market, which shows its competitive potential in the area. |
AM
Costa Rica archive photo
The
competitiveness of the country
could be improved in the field of
technical education, the report
says.
Its main flaws at a Latin American level are the market size and macroeconomic stability, and to a lesser degree, technological education and infrastructure. |
Announcement: American Legion
Post CR10 will have its regular meeting
on Wednesday, the third of January at the Casa de España
at 11:00 hours. We will have a well know lawyer, Roger
Peterson, to speak on wills and inheritance laws of Costa
Rica. The public is invited to attend and hear this very
important subject discussed.
Ken Johnson, Vice Commander
Email: kstacey90@hotmail.com |
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