The heads of the Finance Ministry and Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) announced Tuesday that the economy is showing signs of recovery in the midst of the economic crisis.

Francisco de Paula Gutiérrez, executive president of the Central Bank, explained several reasons for economic optimism, including an anticipated 2.5 percent increase in the global gross domestic product (GDP) in the month of July, an expected increase in slumping tourism and a shrinking deficit.

The announcement came at the “State of the Economy Review,” organized by the Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM).

“We are in a much better place than we were 18 months ago,” Gutiérrez said. “The recovery from the crisis is not over, though the final six months of this year should show much improvement from the first half.”

Gutiérrez compared GDP figures from June and July and explained that, after the global GDP fell 1.4 percent in June, production and consumption levels worldwide were projected to improve in the month of July, and that the global GDP will have grown an anticipated 2.5 percent for the month. The GDP in Costa Rica fell 4.9 percent in the first six months of 2009.

Gutiérrez also commented on slumping tourism and hotel revenues, and explained that as the global economy improves, so will revenue in the tourism sector.

Guillermo Zúñiga, the Costa Rican finance minister, reinforced the feeling of economic optimism, explaining that a rise in production and manufacturing will bolster the economy through increased investment and the creation of more jobs. Zúñiga alluded to the port of Limón, which has received an $80 million investment in infrastructure and development, and mentioned hopes for further infrastructure investments in upcoming months.

Zúñiga also stated that the nation's balance of payments is in a healthy position and that an accumulated $710 million dollars in reserves has provided breathing room in case of need.

Honduras continues to clamp down on the media one month after a coup shook the nation, international free press and freedom of speech organizations reported Tuesday.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) issued a statement condemning alleged censorship of media that have been critical of the de facto government of Roberto Micheletti.

“Respect for fundamental liberties, that of information among them, have been clearly trampled over during the past month,” the global free press watchdog said in the statement. “The suspensions or closures of audiovisual media, both local and international, give proof to the existence of a clear desire among the coup leaders to hide what is happening.”

Private radio network Radio Globo, RSF said, has taken particular heat allegedly for criticizing Micheletti, including “frequent interruptions” of its news broadcasting. On July 25, military personnel attempted to raid the station but were thwarted by a mob of protesters, according to the statement.

This followed an alleged crackdown on international media groups, particularly with the July 12 police detainment and expulsion of 11 journalists from Venezuelan media representatives Telesur and VTV. RSF reported that CNN Español and Cubavisión Internacional have also faced interruptions of their broadcasting since the June 28 ouster of President Manuel Zelaya.

“The situation for journalists in Honduras has deteriorated significantly,” Agnès Callamard, executive director of the U.K.-based human rights organization Article 19, told reporters Tuesday in Mexico City after visiting the Central American country over the weekend, according to the newswire EFE.

For Article 19, which defends and promotes freedom of expression and information worldwide, Honduran media have become starkly “polarized” amid the political standoff. The group considers only two national outlets – El Tiempo and Canal 11 – have maintained balanced reporting.

Rights groups agree the situation could worsen.

As RSF acknowledged, censorship hasn't left media groups – which already appeared to lean largely in support of Zelaya's return to power – with a favorable impression of Honduras ' de facto government.

In another blow to the Micheletti administration, the U.S. State Department announced Tuesday it has revoked the diplomatic visas of four Honduran officials, which the U.S. government did not name as of Tuesday afternoon. The Associated Press cited a top Honduran foreign diplomat saying that Supreme Court Justice Tomás Arita – who signed the order for Zelaya's arrest – and Congressional President José Alfredo Saavedro are among those whose visas were revoked.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Russia is strengthening ties with Nicaragua after Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin paid a visit to Managua, his third in the last year.

On Tuesday, Sechin signed agreements with the Nicaraguan government, including a deal for visa-free travel between the countries and accords to build up bilateral trade in the fishing and energy sectors, the Russian official told reporters Tuesday.

Sechin said a team is studying off-shore and land locations in Nicaragua to identify areas to start crude oil exploration.

For Nicaragua, waiving visa requirements is a major step toward promoting tourism, said Vice President Jaime Morales.

President Daniel Ortega also boasted the closer relationship with Moscow, which grew cozier after Nicaragua became the only country to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which broke away last year from Georgia (NT, Sept. 12, 2008).

“We're happy about this new era with Russia,” he said. “We've already seen the first results for our people with 130 buses donated by the country.”

The Russian deputy premier's visit to Managua followed a trip to Venezuela, where he closed deals on oil and military cooperation.

While Costa Rica might be making advancements in the health and welfare of its citizens, there are some areas in which the country is dragging its feet or even losing ground.

Namely, the mortality rate among pregnant women has jumped in the last decade at the same time that the number of HIV cases has doubled.

“These are significant numbers,” said Hilda Picado, executive director of the Costa Rican Demographic Association, offering a series of recommendations to reverse the trends.

According to Picado, 18 out of 100,000 women died in 1995 during childbirth, whereas 30 in every 100,000 die today. Picado said cardiological problems played into 24 percent of those deaths. Also, today some 2,300 women have been diagnosed with HIV, compared to 1,400 in 2003.

Picado also mentioned Costa Rica has seen a slight decrease in the number of teen pregnancies, from 93 per 1,000 in 1995 to 71 per 1,000 in 2008, but she added that this is also an area where Costa Rica needs to improve.

Picado presented the statistics at the 15th anniversary of the Cairo Action Program, an agreement signed in 1994 by 179 countries intending to improve and develop the health and education of people around the world, with a special focus on women and children.

Of the 15 proposals proposed at the original conference, Costa Rica adopted five items on which to focus further effort.

Warren Ortega, representing the Planning Ministry, said those five items include the improvement of statistics gathering, equality of the population in general, protection of the rights of women and children in relation to violence, implementation of measures to stem the spread of HIV-AIDS and the creation of jobs in underdeveloped areas of the country.

The ministry is numbering among the country's accomplishments increased population surveys – including those with a special focus on gender issues, the implementation of a law to prevent violence against women, and the introduction of a National Employment Program, which benefited 3,300 Costa Ricans in 2008.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias visited Liberia, the capital of the northwestern province of Guanacaste, on Tuesday with pardon papers and inauguration scissors in hand.

Arias freed six male inmates from the Liberia Penal Center and a woman from Buen Pastor Penal Center based on good behavior.

The crimes of the former prisoners were all different, but Casa Presidencial spokeswoman Lisbeth Barboza said none had committed “serious offenses,” and all are “prepared to live a free, adult life.”

“They have all shown that they can maintain a job, support their families and are ready to re-enter society,” Barboza said.

While in the northwestern province, Arias visited Cañas to inaugurate a new 4,800-square-meter storage facility for the National Emergency Commission (CNE), which was donated by the United States.

The facility will hold supplies that the CNE will need to effectively tend disasters outside the Central Valley, according to a government statement.