The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, January 10, 2003

"LA CARAVANA": 1989 Painting depicts Rafa Fernández' signature style.
from the book "Rafa Fernández."

Highest National Distinction
Awarded to Celebrated Painter
"And the winner is" . . . During an intimate press conference amid jury members, government cultural representatives and former prize recipients, Minister of Culture Guido Sáenz yesterday.
(Click for more)

Bush Nominates New Assistant
Sec. Of State for Western Hemisphere
U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday announced his intention to nominate Kansas native Roger Noriega to replace Otto Reich's recently vacated post of Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, according to a White House press release.
Click for more).

January 10

New Movies Playing Today

Halloween: Horror, San Pedro, 2:45, 4:55, 7:05, 9:15; Cariari, 2:45, 4:55, 7:05, 9:15; San Carlos, 2:45, 4:55, 7:05, 9:15.

Moonlight Mile: A true story about the director, whose girlfriend dies accidentally, and his relationship with her family, with Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon, Jake Gyllenhaal and Holly Hunter, San Pedro, 2:30, 4:40, 7:10, 9:10; Cariari, 2:30, 4:40, 7:10, 9:10; Internacional, 2:30, 4:40, 7:10, 9:10.

One Hour Photo: A man is obsessed with a family, with Robin Williams, San Pedro, 2:30, 4:40, 6:50, 9; Cariari, 2:30, 4:40, 6:50, 9.

Cooking Classes
Six recepies on main courses made with meat, pork and poultry. Schedules at your convenience at Decocina, Cartago downtown. Info: 551-9552.

Last Day to Register
Kids 4-7, drawing, ballet; children 8-12, acting, drawing, story telling classes; teens 13-15, popular dance classes, flamenco, mask-making, story telling, drawing, bonsai, stilts and construction; adults 18 and up, drawing, acting, story telling, poetry, dance workshop, stilt-making and using, puppet making, popular dance; senior citizens, story telling, literary workshop, popular dances, noon-7 p.m., at Skené Theater, next to KFC, Los Yoses. Info: 283-9748.

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Highest National Distinction
Awarded to Celebrated Painter
By Amanda Schoenberg
aschoenberg@ticotimes.net

Rafa Fernández in earlier days

"And the winner is" . . . During an intimate press conference amid jury members, government cultural representatives and former prize recipients, Minister of Culture Guido Sáenz yesterday
announced renowned painter Rafael "Rafa" Fernández the winner of the 2002 Magón Cultural Prize.

The Magón ("Manuel González Zeledon") Prize, awarded since 1962 for lifetime achievement in the arts, research and literature, is the highest national distinction awarded to citizens who have made great strides to advance Costa Rican culture.

Fernández' artistic career began at age 17, when he studied at the Casa del Artista and brought his intense colors and fantastic images all over the world. He has been called the most important artist of the 1970s and recognized for a constantly evolving body of work, often focusing on mysterious magical women.

Ricardo Méndez, of Editorial Costa Rica, one of the jury members, called Fernández a "sufficiently solid, valuable artist, whose work stands out not only within, but outside Costa Rica as well."

Fernández was not present at the announcement due to illness, but Sáenz and former President Oscar Arías informed the artist of the decision at the end of December.

In a statement read by Sáenz during the press conference, Fernández called the prize "the greatest recognition a Costa Rican can receive."

"I would like to see this news on the front page," Sáenz requested of journalists present, calling attention to the tremendous importance of the Magón award and the significant contribution Fernández has made to Costa Rican art. Other national cultural prizes will be announced on Jan. 23, he said.

Sáenz called Fernández a man "full of talents and great sensibility," who has been a source of inspiration for the Minister himself. Sáenz is the only Minister of Culture who also received the Magón Prize.

Jorge Charpentier, another former Magón winner, called Fernández an "extraordinary choice," comparing his exquisite use of color and figure drawing to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

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Odio Close to Being Named
International Criminal Court Judge
By Fabián Borges
Tico Times Staff

Former Vice-President, ex-Environment Minister and current jurist Elizabeth Odio is apparently one giant step closer to being appointed a judgeship on the International Criminal Court (ICC).

According to former diplomat Javier Solís, Odio received overwhelming support from many of the countries that have signed the Rome Statute -- the treaty authorizing the creation of the ICC, a special judicial branch of the United Nations charged with hearing cases pertaining to international human-rights violations.

Odio currently serves as a member of the Inter-American Human Rights Institute's Directive Council. She served as vice-president of the special tribunal in charge of judging war crimes committed in the Balkans and for 20 years served as a member of the work group in charge of drafting the United Nations Optional Torture Protocol.

She served 25 years a professor of international law at the University of Costa Rica and has been a guest lecturer at several universities in Europe and the U.S. She has also been an active member of the Costa Rican government, serving as Justice and Environment Minister and more recently as Second Vice-President in the Rodriguez Administration (1998-2002).

Odio had long been considered a natural candidate for judge at the ICC, but failed to receive support from President Abel Pacheco, who questioned her qualifications, charging that she failed to accomplish the tasks she was assigned as Vice-President under the administration of President Miguel Angel Rodríguez (1998-2002). Odio also came under fire for her lackluster performance as Environment Minister.

Despite her public endorsement by several top diplomats, former President and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Oscar Arias (1986-1990) and several other groups, Pacheco refused to back her nomination. Without official sponsorship at home, Odio turned to Panama in late 2002, as was nominated as the Panamanian government's candidate for the ICC.

The voting to decide the makeup of the court, which began last December in New York, is expected to conclude the first week of February.

To assemble a court that mirrors the diversity of the countries that belong to it, candidates are being judged according to the geographic area they represent, gender and their experience in international law.

"The new International Criminal Court is an additional instrument in the arsenal to protect human rights," Odio explained. "It make us proud that Costa Rica has actively participated in this historic step against impunity."

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South African Consul Warns of Nigerian Internet Scams

Honorary Costa Rican Consul to South Africa, Claude Charbonel, issued a warning to Costa Rican investors yesterday about the dangers of doing business through e-mail with Nigerians. In recent months, the so-called Nigerian scamsters have tricked at least one Tico, causing him to lose over $60,000.

The scamsters, who have been around for years and used to use the regular mail, operate by sending mass e-mails offering investors "unique business opportunities" which generally involve recuperating large fortunes stored in secret bank accounts that used to belong to a "General" who passed away. Other versions ask for help recovering inheritances of between $30-$50 million, or spiriting funds from government bank accounts.

The recipient is offered the possibility of participating in the "business opportunity" by paying between $20,000 and $50,000, which will be used to cover legal fees to recover the money and possibly a flight out of Nigeria with the money.

In some cases, the recipient is asked to "loan" his bank account for the transaction -- and the account is promptly cleaned out.

In exchange for his generosity and help, the recipient is promised between 20% and 30% of the total money recovered, the e-mail promises. The e-mails are marked as very urgent and the sender often pleads with the recipient, begging him or her for help.

The "Nigerian" and the recipient exchange e-mails several times until the money is deposited in a bank, which wires it to Africa. Once the money is sent, the Nigerian scamster is never heard from again. In some cases recipients have been asked to travel to Nigeria to collect their share of the loot. Several have been kidnapped for million-dollar ransoms, have been tortured and, in some cases, murdered.

This type of crime is quite common in Nigeria. Most of the e-mails are sent from Internet cafes in the capital city of Lagos. The crime is known as "advance fraud payment" or "fraud 419", after the Nigerian law created to prosecute them.

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Bush Nominates New Assistant
Sec. Of State for Western Hemisphere

U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday announced his intention to nominate Kansas native

Roger Noriega
AFP/photo

Roger Noriega to replace Otto Reich's recently vacated post of Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, according to a White House press release.

Noriega is currently a Permanent Representative of the United States to the Organization of American States (OAS). Prior to his appointment to the OAS, Noriega served as a senior staff member for both the Committee on Foreign Relations of the U.S. Senate, and the Committee on the International Relations of the U.S. House of Representatives, according to the State Department bio. He also served at USAID and the Bureaus for Inter-American Affairs and Public Affairs at the State Department.

Bush yesterday appointed Reich as Special Envoy for Western Hemisphere Initiatives, according to a White House press release. Reich will be charged with coordinating long-term policy initiatives.

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