April 2, 2008

Free Tibet: Costa Rican residents marched peacefully late Monday to protest against China's clampdown in Tibet. The activists tried to reach the Chinese Embassy but police blocked the main street. China stepped up rhetoric yesterday branding the Dalai Lama a “wolf in monk's robes” and his followers “scum of Buddhism,” and alleged they were planning suicide attacks, The Associated Press reported.

Ronald Reyes | Tico Times

At the request of Costa Rica, the Colombian government issued a press release yesterday stating that up to now no information linking any Costa Ricans to Colombian guerrillas has been gleaned from computers seized in the March 1 raid on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Ecuadorean territory.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias read the press release in a hastily convened press conference yesterday afternoon.

“The files found until now in the computers of alias ‘Raúl Reyes' do not permit affirmation that Costa Rica politicians or (other Costa Ricans) have direct ties to the FARC. Lists have not been found nor is there mention of any political leader in that country,” said the communiqué.

Arias said he asked Colombian President Alvaro Uribe for confirmation of no Tico ties to the FARC to squelch “ill-intentioned” rumors that the government was covering up something with the departure Sunday of former Public Security Minister Fernando Berrocal.

Berrocal stepped down after making statements that information linking “political sectors” to the FARC had been found in the computer. On Monday, Minister of the Presidency Rodrigo Arias said there was no foundation for those statements.

Arias expressed impatience with rumors swirling that there's more to the Berrocal flap than meets the eye.

The Colombian communiqué did say that a personal date book seized from high ranking FARC leader Rodrigo Granda, captured in 2005, revealed that the drug-trafficking guerrilla group had established a nucleus of support “directly linked” to Colombian nationals residing in the Costa Rica.

Authorities have deported a Jacó Beach bar manager and U.S. citizen for the second time in three years.

Bryan Mitchell Morgan, 46, the manager of the notorious hooker hangout, the Beetle Bar, was deported from Costa Rica Saturday after authorities allegedly discovered he was using a fake cédula – or national ID card.

Immigration Police Chief Francisco Castaing said the U.S. citizen was first deported on Oct. 23, 2006, after overstaying his visa.

The chief said Morgan re-entered the country using false documents via Peñas Blancas on the Nicaraguan border.

Instead of prosecuting Morgan on misdemeanor charges of using false documents, authorities decided to deport him.

“It's just a misdemeanor,” Castaing said. “And it makes more sense for us to deport him than prosecute him because while he's awaiting trial, he can marry a Tico and get legal protection from deportation. That loophole is as big as the border.”

Legendary Costa Rican soccer player Paulo Wanchope was appointed yesterday as the new manager of his former club CS Herediano, a day after the team sacked previous coach Javier Delgado.

The decision to fire Delgado was made despite the club's standing at No. 2 in Group A of the “Verano 2008” tournament. According to a report in the daily La Nación, CS Herediano President Aquil Ali “guaranteed” that Delgado's job was safe the day before he was fired.

“Basically, Javier left following an agreement by the CS Herediano board, based on the last two defeats against Cartaginés and UCR, both of which are at the bottom of the league,” said Noren Alfaro, a spokeswoman for the club.

“Paulo is very familiar with the club and knows the team well,” she added.

Alfaro insisted that the team was unconcerned about Wanchope's lack of experience as a coach.

“Everyone deserves an opportunity,” she told The Tico Times of t he 31-year-old former striker, who played in two World Cups and scored 45 goals in 76 appearances for his country.

“We trust his experience and are confident that he can pass it on to the players.”

In a recent interview with The Tico Times, Wanchope admitted he was looking to move into coaching.

“I have a project for a soccer school and along with that I am looking to get my coaching qualifications,” he said.

However, the opportunity has come earlier than expected.

Wanchope is also involved in the commission that is overseeing the construction of the new national stadium in La Sabana.

Furthermore, Wanchope's brother, also named Javier, looks set to be confirmed as his assistant coach.

“He could well be,” said Alfaro, adding that the decision would be made last night (after completing this report).

Having started his career at CS Herediano, Paulo made his name in England with Derby County, West Ham United and Manchester City. He left England in 2004 and, increasingly hampered by knee injuries, played in Spain, Japan, Argentina and the United States before returning to finish his career with CS Herediano in 2007.

He played his last game for “La Sele” (the Costa Rican national team) against Sweden on Jan. 13, before bowing out completely the following week after playing for his club side against Brujas FC.

Some 70 people chanted Buddhist mantras in western San José Monday night to protest China's recent crackdown on Tibetan rioters.

The clashes have alarmed practicing Buddhists and Tibet sympathizers in Costa Rica. Gloriana Brenes, head of a Tibetan Buddhist center in la Guácima, northwest of San José, organized the march to call on Chinese authorities to renew dialogue with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Brenes had planned to march to the Chinese Embassy, but the Ministry of Public Security closed the streets for “security” reasons, said spokesman Jesús Ureña. Holding candles and Tibetan flags, the protesters stood at the police blockades for nearly two hours and chanted, over and over, “ Om mani padme hum” – the most common Tibetan Buddhist mantra.

China flooded Tibet with security forces in mid-March to quell unruly Tibetan rioters. Tibetan exile groups said about 140 people died in ensuing clashes, while Chinese authorities put the number at about 22, according to press reports.

Costa Rica has joined the United States and other European countries in calling for dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama, who wants greater autonomy but not secession from China.

Brenes said President Oscar Arias, who won the Nobel Peace Prize two years before the Dalai Lama did, has not spoken strongly enough against human rights violations in Tibet.

“He has been tied because of his relations with the Chinese government,” she said. “We are not really keeping our word of being a peaceful country and respecting nature and human rights.”

Interpol arrested 54-year-old Canadian Carlo Antonio Testore Friday when he arrived at Costa Rica's San José airport.

Wanted on an arrest warrant for fraud from the Western District Court of North Carolina, the Canadian is in custody awaiting the results of an extradition request filed by the United States.

Interpol spokesman Emilio León said Testore is charged with money laundering.

A North Carolina court deputy, who declined to be identified because she is not authorized to speak with the media, said the case is being handled by U.S. Attorney Peter Lowenberg out of Washington D.C.

“The warrant is on account of this sweepstakes thing where they call people and tell them they've won and get them to give up their personal account information,” the deputy said.

Lowenberg could not be reached for comment.

Cantaloupe growers will see their production fall by 35% this year, according to an estimation from the Phytosanitary Program of Costa Rica's Ministry of Agriculture.

The drop is due to adverse weather conditions including rain and cold temperatures that have caused the ground-growing fruit to spoil or stain, said Eliécer Araya, president of the National Chamber of Cantaloupe Producers and Exporters.

Last year, Costa Rica exported $82.47 million worth of cantaloupe, down from $84.79 million exported in 2006. The labor-intensive industry has been plagued recently by worker shortages that have also hurt production.