Foreigners looking to gain residency through a falsified marriage could face up to six years in prison under a new law signed by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias on Wednesday.

The law looks to put an end to a practice by which foreigners pay a Costa Rican to act as a spouse in order to gain legal residency in the country. According to top officials during a news conference Wednesday, the loophole results in unwanted foreign residents in the country (such as criminals).

Jannina del Vecchio, public security minister, said the current system results in the exploitation of poor people through “ ridiculous payments ” for legal status, while also threatening the security of Costa Rican residents.

"It's not rare for these (foreigners) commit illicit acts and undertake activities that counter our values and traditions," she said.

Evita Arguedas, a lawmaker who backs the legislation, added, "It's common knowledge that many foreigners caught in criminal activity have legal resident status in their favor – thanks to falsified marriages."

Not only will the foreigner be at fault for a fake marriage, but other people involved could face similar penalties, including prison terms. Notaries that certify false marriages will lose their authority for a period of six months to three years.

The law has been lingering in the Legislative Assembly for two and a half years, but is now expected to go into effect in two weeks. It comes on the heels of immigration reforms that require more substantial proof of marriage before residency can be granted.

Los Angeles, California-bred thrash metal rock stars Metallica will bring their 1980's brand performance to Costa Rica next year. 

New Central and South American tour dates released on the bands W eb site on Tuesday chart a stop in San José, Costa Rica on Sunday March 7, 2010. The band will play in Ricardo Saprissa stadium in Tibás as part of their World Magnetic Tour 2009/2010.   

T ickets for their Costa Rica show will go on sale to the g eneral public on Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. via the Web at www.specialticket.net or by phone at (506) 2206-7770.  

Metal-lovers can also purchase tickets in person at Bansbach music stores, authorized Servimás stores and La Barbería.    

Members of the Metclub, Metallica's fan club, can purchase tickets beginning Nov. 13 through the same mediums.

Seat prices start at 15,000 colones ($26.72). VIP tickets, the most expensive, can be purchased for 55,000 colones ($97.96).

Metallica is promoting its latest album, "Death Magnetic," released in September 2008 on Warner Bros. Records. The record won two Grammy Awards in 2009 for “Best Metal Performance” and “Best Recording Package” and is the first to feature the band's newest bassist, Robert Trujillo.   

Trujillo is the band's fourth bass player, while Death Magnetic marks Metallica's first studio album since releasing "Saint Anger" in 2003.   

Drummer Lars Ulrich and lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield, founded the group in 1981. Kirk Hammett, lead guitarist, joined Metallica in 1983. All three are still with the band and will perform in Costa Rica.   

Metallica has not announced the opening bands for the March 7 date.  

The Costa Rican men's soccer team face Uruguay on Saturday, exactly one month since the Ticos' match with the United States that missed them a ride to South Africa.

It's been a tough month for the Costa Rican men's soccer team.

In their last World Cup qualifying match on Oct. 14, the Tico team, or La Sele, was 15 seconds shy of clinching a place in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa when United States midfielder Jonathan Bornstein scored in the 94th minute to tie the game 2-2 and forever earn the title of villain in the hearts of the Costa Rican faithful. Had the Ticos held on to win, they wouldn't be where they are now – preparing to play in a two-game, do-or-die playoff series with Uruguay for the final World Cup slot allotted to the Western Hemisphere. The playoff will be decided by the combined score of the two games.

"The loss is behind us now," said Costa Rica midfielder Luis Marín in an interview with FIFA.com. "Of course it was a heavy blow, but mentally we've handled it well. Coach René Simoes spoke to us about it and we also looked at how we ourselves were to blame. Only God knows why it had to happen like that, but from now on we've simply got to focus on the matches against Uruguay."

He's right. If the Ticos can win the two-game series with Uruguay, they'll taste victory and qualify for the World Cup, and those painful memories will forever be forgotten.

But beating Uruguay will be no easy task.

To say the least, Uruguay's team, known as Los Charrúas, is a formidable opponent. In addition to their two World Cup championships (1930, 1950), Uruguay is tough at home, losing only twice in Montevideo, the country's capital, during World Cup qualifying. Those losses were to Brazil, the FIFA No. 1-ranked team in the world, and to perennial powerhouse Argentina. In similar heartbreaking fashion to Costa Rica, Uruguay would have advanced to the World Cup with a win over Argentina in their final qualifying match in Montevideo. However, after outplaying Argentina much of the game, Argentina scored in the 84th minute to dash Uruguay's qualifying hopes.

The playoff for a final World Cup spot is familiar territory for Uruguay, who played in similar two-game playoffs in 2001 and 2005, both against Australia. In 2001, Uruguay beat Australia to qualify but, in 2005, Australia shocked the soccer world by beating Uruguay on penalty kicks to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

"We mustn't be overconfident or let our heads drop,” said Uruguayan forward Diego Forlan. “We need to realize that we're two games away from qualifying and we can do it. Nobody likes being in this position, but we've been there before and know how to approach it."

Game 1 will be played at 8 p.m. on Saturday night. Game 2 will be played Wednesday night at 5 p.m. (local time) at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo.

See the Nov. 13 print or digital edition of The Tico Times for more on this story.

When President Oscar Arias travels to Turkey this month, he'll be the highest-level Central American official to visit the country in recent memory.

His visit will mark the beginning of closer ties between Turkey and the Central American isthmus, at least that's the hope of Alev Kilic, Turkish ambassador to the region.

“Although we are distant, we have a lot in common,” said Kilic, on a tour of Costa Rica 10 days before the president will visit his home country. “Central America is at a crossing point between the north and the south and the east and the west. That is how we see ourselves. We are between Europe and Asia, the Christian world and the Muslim world.”

Being at a crossroads means the Central American region has much in common both commercially and culturally with Turkey, he said. It's from these similarities that Kilic   is hoping to grow a partnership.

The United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica and leading business school INCAE have already established programs with Turkey's Balikesir University and Koc University, Graduate School of Business in Istanbul, said Michael Adenauer, Turkish honorary consul general in Costa Rica. And, according to Adenauer, Turkey is interested in what kinds of investments it can make in Costa Rica.

  Arias will be traveling through Turkey Nov. 23 through 26, making stops in Istanbul and Ankara to meet with university leaders, the president and other country leaders.