September 27, 2007

Signing for the Sí Side: About 400 members of cooperatives yesterday signed a giant banner expressing their support for the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA).

Talking Turtles: Environmentalists from the National Sea Turtle Conservation Network yesterday marched in San José from the Environment and Energy Ministry (MINAE) to Casa Presidencial, calling for President Oscar Arias to expropriate land from developers in the northwestern Las Baulas National Marine Park, where leatherback turtles come to nest. Here, a giant leatherback marches alongside the network's Miguel Gómez.

Ronald Reyes | Tico Times

Central America Sells Itself to France As a Tourism Destination

Law to Give Teachers More Job Stability

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net

Costa Rican teachers got their wish of a fuller schedule they say will provide more job security yesterday when the government signed into effect a law that ups the maximum number of weekly classes they can teach from 32 to 40.

Teachers, who are paid per class, had argued they have trouble supporting themselves with just 32 classes, and most had supplemented their salaries with up to 12 temporary positions, or plazas interinas.

The new law, which was passed by the Legislative Assembly in August (TT, Aug. 31), was signed into effect yesterday by President Oscar Arias and Public Education Minister Leonardo Garnier, according to a statement from Casa Presidencial.

Garnier applauded the law, remarking that the old system had “always caused anxiety and instability among teachers.”

Upping their schedule to 40 hours is “an effort to give them stability and tranquility. It's a pleasure to sign this modification into law,” Garnier said.

Group of Priests Speaks out Against CAFTA

A group of 94 Catholic priests yesterday denounced the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA), which they say would be a “radical reform to the state.”

An eight-page document signed by priests from around the country concludes that the “no” vote should prevail in a nationwide referendum on this controversial trade pact to be held Oct. 7.

The group made this pronouncement despite San José Archbishop Hugo Barrantes ordering church leaders to remain neutral about the pact.

In the document, the priests spell out their concerns about CAFTA, including the way they say it was negotiated behind Costa Ricans' backs and the “imposition of a neo-liberal state with its concomitant extension of division and social injustice.”

Those who work in the agricultural and industrial sectors will be the “great losers” if CAFTA is passed because of the “triangulation and diversion of trade to other Central American countries,” the statement says.

Barrantes reacted to this action by maintaining his stance that religious leaders should not choose sides on this nationwide debate.

“What I've taught the church is that we are above, not for or against” CAFTA, he said.

-Tico Times

U.S. Donates to Public
Security Ministry, Police Get Raises

The U.S. Department of State yesterday approved a $31,727 donation to the Public Security Ministry to use in fighting the trafficking, production and consumption of drugs, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry.

These funds will be distributed among the Drug Control Police, Costa Rican Coast Guard and National Police.

Police will also be getting a boost from a donation of money and goods seized in drug busts that were confiscated by the Costa Rican Drug Institute (ICD).

The law obliges the institute to donate 60% of goods and money seized from drug trafficking to programs to prevent drug trafficking and consumption, explained ICD vice-president José Torres. Another 30% of these goods are donated to programs carried out by the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) and Prosecutor's Office, while the remaining 10% goes toward insurance and maintenance on seized goods, which include cars, boats and airplanes.

National Police also got an ¢8,000 ($15.50) monthly raise yesterday, and some officers also got additional bonuses, increasing their salaries by about ¢15,000 ($29) per month.

Public Security Minister Fernando Berrocal said he hopes Costa Rican police officers will one day be the best paid in Central America, earning a minimum of $450 per month.

Central America Sells Itself to
France As a Tourism Destination

Deauville, France -- Representatives from Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Panama teamed up in Deauville, France, yesterday to present Central America as a tourism destination at the Top Resa tourism fair.

“Each country has its own identity,” which allows the region to promote itself as a multi-destination vacation option, explained Pilar Cano, president of the Central American Tourism Promotion Agency (CATA). Volcanos, rain forests and colonial cities are among the attractions Europeans can take in on a trip to Central America.

The theme of the Central American tent at the fair, which runs through Friday, is “Central America: So Small, So Big.” TACA airlines and several tour operators were also on hand.

One of the main goals of the fair is to encourage more airlines to fly directly from Europe to Central America.

-ACAN-EFE

Avocado: The Aphrodisiacal Pear

When the conquistadors first gazed upon this pear-shaped fruit, they did not expect to find such an amazing new discovery. A regular in the diet of the Aztecs, Toltecs and Olmecs, Persea americana, the avocado, has been consumed by humans for thousands of years.

Native to Mexico and Central and South America, the Spanish word aguacate comes from the Aztec ahuacuatl, literally meaning “the tree of testicles.” No doubt the name derived from the way the fruit of the tree hangs in pairs, reminding those ancient peoples of the human male anatomy.

Spanish and British shipmen embraced the fruit as a gift sent from the heavens to satiate their longing for the flavor of butter. By the time Cortés entered Tenochtitlán in Mexico, avocado was present in a number of dishes served in the Aztec imperial court, such as the ahuaca-mulli sauce of mashed avocados, onions and fresh cilantro. It is interesting to note that today's humble guacamole was originally a delicacy served in hopes of increasing the male libido.

The conquistadors discovered that avocado seed yields a milky liquid that becomes red when exposed to air. They found that this reddish-brown, or even blackish, indelible liquid could be used as ink; some documents written in this ink are still in existence today. The English living in Jamaica called avocado “alligator pear” for its slightly bumpy skin.

New-World Delicacy: Loaded with “good” fat, avocado is a highly versatile ingredient in tropical cuisine. Pictured here, grilled avocado with curried pejibaye.

Marco González | Tico Times

Throughout the centuries, the popularity of the avocado kept spreading, until the fruit became massively grown in the early 1900s in the southern United States. California postman Rudolf Hass discovered the avocado that bears his name in 1926. His original tree is still growing in La Habra Heights, California. Little did he know that his name would be used for the most popular avocado variety in the world today.

Although the avocado is high in fat, 60% of it is monounsaturated or “good” fat, 20% is polyunsaturated and only 20% is saturated. The edible portion of a nine-ounce Hass avocado yields about one ounce of fat. Nutritionally, the avocado leads all other fruits in beta-carotene content and exceeds even the banana in potassium content.

While other fruits gain sugar as they ripen, the avocado's sugar content decreases as it matures. Avocados are rich in B vitamins, especially niacin, as well as calcium, iron and potassium. In fact, avocados contain more protein, potassium, magnesium, folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, vitamin E and vitamin K per ounce than any other fruit.

Though the avocado is calorie-dense (one half-cup of pureed flesh contains 204 calories), it packs a protein content of 2.4 grams, with 3.1 grams of fiber and only 8 grams of carbohydrates in a half-cup serving. Though it has numerous nutritional benefits, avocados should be eaten in moderation because of their high fat content.

Recently, avocados have been recognized as a good source of two beneficial compounds: beta-sitosterol and glutathione. Beta-sitosterol is a widely prescribed anti-cholesterol compound that interferes with cholesterol absorption, thus promoting lower cholesterol levels. Glutathione is made up of three amino acids, glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine, which function as antioxidants, therefore improving blood circulation.

Gastronomically speaking, the avocado has transcended all borders to be absorbed by numerous types of cuisines, from its original Mexican table magic to new approaches in French, Italian and even Asian cooking. In many restaurants, it is not uncommon to find dishes ranging from pasta with creamy avocado sauces to tempura-battered avocado.

In Costa Rica, the green-skinned variety (known as “ Florida ” avocado) is most common. Some farmers have begun to cultivate “Hass” varieties with decent results, since Ticos do enjoy the taste of Mexican and Californian cuisine. In typical Tico cuisine, the avocado can be found in salads, accompanying casados or ceviches, or in the quintessential avocado dip, guacamole. Similar in style to its Mexican counterpart, Costa Rican guacamole may include chopped tomatoes and is usually not too spicy.

Few fruits can be so versatile in the savory kitchen as the avocado. Don't be afraid of breaking the rules and using avocado in unorthodox ways; your palate will thank you for experimenting with this exquisite tropical delicacy.

Today's recipe: grilled avocado with curried pejibaye (peach palm) ¡Buen provecho!