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Due
to the conflict, the officials
from the Security Ministry
forced the protesters out of
the Presidential House area. /
Presidential House courtesy photo
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Protesters
threw stones and explosive
device at Presidential House
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Representatives of some groups of
fishermen from the provinces of Guanacaste*
and Puntarenas*,
marched to the Presidential House
located in Zapote* on
Tuesday, to deliver a list of
petitions to President Carlos
Alvarado.
The representatives are protesting
the new Value Added Tax (VAT) that
would make the purchase of fishing
supplies more expensive and also
the price of cost of their
product. They also are against a
subsidy of approximately $250 per
month that they will receive until
August when the fishing ban in the
Gulf of Nicoya becomes effective.
However, faced with the apparent
refusal of the president to attend
them in person, the protesters
forced the protection fences
towards the main entrance gates to
the Presidential House, and they
threw stones, bottles and even a
device with dynamite.
In response, President Alvarado
said that "the dialog channels
have always been open since the
beginning of my administration.
Working groups have been created
with the Minister of Agriculture
as well as the president of
Infopesca and the Minister of the
Presidency." He added that the
fisherman must use the ministries
for dialogue and reach mutual
agreements.
Regarding the situation of
insecurity during the conflict
between the demonstrators and the
police, the president said that
"those actions endanger the
security of the people inside the
Presidential House, the employees
and even the protesters
themselves."
Due to the conflict, the officials
from the Security Ministry forced
the protesters out of the
Presidential House area.
"We are a country of peace and
dialogue, we cannot give dialogue
with violence or pressure," said
President Alvarado.
According to the government,
before the situation escalated
into violence, the Vice-Ministry
of the Presidency and the
Vice-Ministry of Agriculture
offered to meet with the
representatives, but the
protesters refused to speak with
anyone other than President
Alvarado.
It is expected that, in the next
hours, the groups representing the
fishermen will make a public
statement about the conflict at
the Presidential House.
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Should the president
meet with the fishermen instead of
delegating others to meet with
them? We would like to know
your thoughts on this story.
Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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