The U.S. State Department is joining the political fray in Honduras this week after a decision by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to send a team of senior officials to seek a swifter settlement to end Honduras' four-month-old stalemate.

The team will consist of Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Tom Shannon, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Craig Kelly and White House Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Dan Restrepo, who will travel to Tegucigalpa on an unspecified day "later this week."

"The Secretary yesterday (Monday) decided that the time was right to send this senior delegation down to get more directly involved in the process," said State Department spokesman Ian Kelly during a news conference Tuesday. "They will urge both sides to show flexibility and redouble their efforts to bring the crisis to an end," he said.

The administration of President Barack Obama had said earlier that it was letting the Organization of American States (OAS) – and, before that, Costa Rican President Oscar Arias – work to broker a deal between ousted President Manuel Zelaya and the de facto government of Roberto Micheletti.

"We continue to support the OAS involvement in this. But the Secretary (Clinton) thought it was time for Assistant Secretary Shannon and NSC Senior Director Restrepo, as well as Craig Kelly, to get involved in this," the spokesman said.

The visit will follow repeated remarks from both sides that negotiations have failed.

Kelly said there's still reason to be optimistic that a deal will come from the talks, but both sides should feel a “sense of urgency” as the Nov. 29 elections approach.

The U.S. and European Union have both said they would not recognize the elections unless a deal is brokered between Zelaya and the interim government before then.

Negotiators in the Honduran crisis say they have reached agreements on every issue except Zelaya's return to power. Both sides have made a flurry of proposals and counter-proposals to settle the issue, but each was resoundingly rejected.

Zelaya has said he will give up his earlier campaign to hold a public referendum on amending the constitution, which brought government charges against him and ultimately led to his exile. Critics say Zelaya wanted to use a constitutional assembly to abolish presidential term limits and remain in power, which he denies. 

Zelaya was removed from the presidential palace by the military and forced into exile in Costa Rica on June 28. On Sept. 21 he snuck back into the capital city of Tegucigalpa, where he continues to take refuge in the Brazilian Embassy.

–Tico Times

The Honduran crisis is delaying trade agreement negotiations between Central America and the European Union (EU), as diplomats wait to see how the political situation there plays out.

Honduras' participation in brokering an EU-Central American Association Agreement has faltered since the June 28 coup that sent its president, Manuel Zelaya, into exile. After sneaking back into Honduras last month, Zelaya and the provisional government have had another pressing agreement to negotiate – one that would end the crisis, including possible presidential elections in November (see separate story).

EU representatives, who visited Costa Rica this week, said they are close to reaching a trade and cooperation agreement with the region, but they will wait until after November before seeking to seal the pact.

“We have to see what will happen in November … and if (Honduras) can get out of this situation,” said Emine Bozkurt, president of the EU delegation that arrived Sunday and has spent the week in meetings with legislators, President Oscar Arias and Foreign Ministry officials. “We were really close in June (before the coup).”

While some members of the delegation expressed reluctance at pinning the fate of a three-year regional negotiation process on developments in a single country, most agreed that a month-long delay isn't unreasonable.

Officials in Europe told the Costa Rican diplomats that the EU's priority is to arrive at a solution in Honduras, which could then open the way for continued negotiations.

“Political interests shouldn't get away with coup d'etats,” Bozkurt said, echoing her colleagues this week. “It's important that we find a solution for Honduras.”

Formal talks for a trade agreement began in October of 2007 and were expected to conclude this year. But internal disputes in Central America have pushed diplomats into additional rounds of negotiations.

The delegation will continue its tour with a visit to Panama next.

See the Oct. 30 print or digital edition of The Tico Times for more on this story.

A one-day hearing for the controversial open-pit gold mine project in Las Crucitas near the Nicaraguan border is scheduled for Nov. 12 in Costa Rica's Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV), court press officials confirmed Tuesday.

Supreme Court justices will hear from Industrias Infinito S.A, a subsidiary of the Canadian company that proposed the mine, and from those who oppose the project.

Judges will analyze legal aspects of the government permits that have been issued for the mine's construction and operation.

In 2005, the National Technical Secretariat of the Environment Ministry (SETENA) issued an environmental viability permit allowing the company to clear 126 hectares of trees in order to build the mine and accompanying facilities. That area was reduced to 50 hectares in February of 2008.  

Opposing parties argued whether cutting down the trees violated article 50 of the Costa Rican constitution, which ensures a “healthy and ecologically balanced environment ” for the nation's citizens. The Supreme Courted halted all activity at the mine in Las Crucitas on Oct. 20, 2008.

The project, partially constructed, has been in limbo ever since.

Officials said a decision regarding the legal and constitutional viability of the mine is the next step after the hearing. Judges do not have a deadline to reach their decision.

The Costa Rican under-20 soccer team captivated the country earlier this month with their surprising run to the semifinals of the U-20 World Cup in Egypt. Now it's the under-17 team's turn to try to match their success.

The Costa Rican teens will play their second match of the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria Wednesday against Turkey at 12 p.m. (Costa Rica time).

In the first game of the competition Sunday, the young Ticos played to a 1-1 draw with New Zealand. Costa Rica fell behind after allowing an early goal in the 19th minute, though in the 35th minute, two New Zealand defenders collided and the ball slipped free to Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell, who slotted in a left footed shot to tie the score.

In the second half, Costa Rica had the better of the opportunities, outshooting New Zealand 21-9. In the end, both teams were satisfied with the result.

“I think that every first game in a World Cup is a good game,” said Juan Diego Quesada, the Costa Rican coach. “Without thinking of winning or losing all the players are very anxious. I think we did a good job. We had a good game, we could have won the game but we are satisfied with the tie."

Facing Costa Rica Wednesday, Turkey won their opening game 1-0 over Burkina Faso.

Gringo-Tico on the squad

For the first time in the history of a Costa Rican national soccer team, a U.S.-born player is a member of the team. Nicholas Alers, who was raised in the Washington, D.C. area, moved to Costa Rican two years ago and, because of his father's dual citizenship, qualified to play for the team. Alers is a central defender and did not see any playing time in the opening game for Costa Rica.