Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, January 17,  2003

REELECTION REVISITED: Oscar Arias campaigns for reelection initiative in 2000. -AFP

Reelection, Take 3
The opposition National Liberation Party hopes three times is the charm when it comes to the Constitutional Supreme Court's (Sala IV) ruling to overturn the law prohibiting presidential reelection bids.
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Latin Coffee Exports Drop in Oct-Dec.
Coffee exports from nine leading Latin American producer nations in the first quarter of the 2002-03 October-September coffee year were 6.17 million 60-kg bags, Guatemala's National Coffee Association (ANACAFE) reported Thursday. The exports were down 8.42% from October-December 2001-02.
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Dangerous Overcrowding In
Prisons Worries Authorities
The increasing problem of overcrowding in the country's prisons has authorities deeply worried; and to make matters worse, there are no viable short-term solutions.
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English-Teacher Conference
to Begin Next Week
Today is the last day to register for next week's XIX National Conference for Teachers of English, Jan. 22-24 at the Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center (CCCN).
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Santa Cruz Fiestas
Enjoy the beaches and the party:
Fri., Jan. 17, noon, horse parade, 2 p.m., cowboy show and concert by Los Navegantes and Explosión, 7 p.m., Cultural shows, 8 p.m., cowboy show and concert by Yaguaré, Pikin and La Nueva Sétima.
Sat., Jan. 18, noon, horse parade, 2 p.m., concert Sergio Vargas, Johnny Ventura, Alex Bueno, David Pavón, Costarican Power, Victor I-Shire; 7 p.m., Cultural shows; 8 p.m., Concert by Pikin and La Nueva Sétima, Cartagena Band, La Selección.
Sun., Jan.19, 2 p.m., horse parade, 7 p.m., Concert by Pikin and La Nueva Sétima and Cartagena Band.

Super Trova Special
Highlighted Trova player Silvio Rodríguez performs special music to delight his fans tomorrow at 8 p.m., at Café Expresivo, Barrio Escalante, 375 m. east of Santa Teresita Church. Info: 224-1202.

Orange Fair
Everyone is welcome to the fair, featuring citris sales, crafts, traditional food, dances, singing festival, concerts, chearleading exhibit, dog show, horse parade and mountainbike competition, Jan. 17-19 and 21-26, at Campo Ferial in Ciudad Colón. Info: 249-1423.

Reelection, Take 3

The opposition National Liberation Party hopes three times is the charm when it comes to the Constitutional Supreme Court's (Sala IV) ruling to overturn the law prohibiting presidential reelection bids.

The party last week announced it has filed another plea of unconstitutionality before the Sala IV, even though the Sala has twice voted against previous motions, filed in 1999 and 2000, according to the daily La Republica.

The last Sala verdict -- a 4-3 vote against the motion -- effectively closed the book on former President Oscar Arias' reelection crusade. Ironically, the most vocal opposition to Arias' reelection bid came from politicians within his own party, some of whom had their own presidential aspirations (TT, Sept. 8, 2000).

"If Costa Ricans want me to return to power, and the Sala IV allows it, I will round up the nation's brightest minds and return to the presidency," Arias said this week.

Almost two and a half years later, two of the Sala magistrates who voted against the 2000 motion have since resigned, and the three who voted for the measure still hold their posts. As a result, Liberation will once again try its luck with the reelection motion.

Latin Coffee Exports Drop in Oct-Dec.
By Brian Harris
bharris@ticotimes.net

Coffee exports from nine leading Latin American producer nations in the first quarter of the 2002-03 October-September coffee year were 6.17 million 60-kg bags, Guatemala's National Coffee Association (ANACAFE) reported Thursday. The exports were down 8.42% from October-December 2001-02.

Despite increases in exports from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador-where large amounts of rollover stock from the previous harvest remained-the sharp drop in exports from Mexico and world number-two producer Colombia brought down the group's totals.

Group exports in December were 1.998 million bags, off 13.2% from December 2001.
ANACAFE compiles the export data from the group, comprised of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Dominican Republic.

Dangerous Overcrowding In
Prisons Worries Authorities

The increasing problem of overcrowding in the country's prisons has authorities deeply worried; and to make matters worse, there are no viable short-term solutions.

Currently 6,537 inmates inhabit the country's prisons, 637 more than the 5,864 they were built to house, according to the daily La Nación.

Finding housing for inmates has been further complicated by recent court orders banning officials from transferring new inmates to overcrowded correctional facilities in the provincial cities of Liberia, Puntarenas and San Ramón.

On Dec. 18, officials were given three months to reduce the number of inmates in San José's San Sebastian Jail.

Officials worry that, the more saturated the prison system becomes, the more difficult it will be to keep track of inmates and the higher the probability of riots and break-outs.

Director of the Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ) Jorge Rojas and Public Security Minister Rogelio Ramos fear that the overcrowding will force police to release criminals before they've been fully investigated or before their sentences conclude.

As an immediate solution, 90 new slots will open at the Gerardo Rodríguez Correctional Facility's classrooms. In March, two temporary rooms will be added to the San Rafael Prison, creating room for and additional 120 inmates.

Building a new prison near Pococí in the eastern province of Limón seems like the most likely long-term solution for the problem. However, it's now up to Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) to evaluate the legality of the contract that would allow a private firm to build and operate the prison (TT, Nov. 8, 2002).

In recent years, the number of inmates here has increased at an annual rate of 7.7%, making Costa Rica number two in Latin American for the fastest growing incarceration rate.

Between 1992 and 1999, the prison population increased by nearly 99%..