Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, January 20,  2003

HORSE JAM: Palmares Festival attracts weekend partygoers. The festival runs until Jan. 27. TT/ Scott Brennan

The Legend of the Isla del Coco Treasure
Resurfaces in Costa Rica
After years of investigation, a Costa Rican historian is arguing that the legendary treasure of Isla del Coco, which has lured hundreds of treasure hunters over the years, does in fact exist.
(Click for more)

Abstention High in Municipal Elections
With more than 87% of the ballots
counted at 1:20 a.m., the vote tally in the 10 municipal elections held in the Caribbean slope showed the ruling Social Christian Unity Party took five mayoral posts, while the National Liberation Party won four and the minority Costa Rican Renovation Party won one.
(Click for more)

The U.S. Embassy will be closed today for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Horse Riding Classes
Registration Jan. 17-24, minimum age 5 at Centro Ecuestre del Sol, Santa Ana. Info: 203-1380, 282-1070.

Filming Classes
Centro de Cine invites everyone to cinematography classes in directing, production, script, documentary, photography, sound and edition; for people 22-28, two years of university, resumé, six passport photos, registration fee, registration Jan. 13-31; XXI International Film Festival in Uruguay, April 12-20, productions sent by March 18; Short Films Contest, Huesca Festival, June 5-14, productions sent by April 1.Info. at 223-2127, 223-0610.

National Conference for English Teachers
seminar starts Jan. 22-24, C.R.-North American Cultural Center, 207-7501, fax: 290-2550.

Palmares Fiestas
Mon., Jan. 20, 7 p.m., Bull fights; Tues., Jan. 21, 4 p.m., VII Children Festival; Wed., Jan. 22, 6:30 p.m., Cheerleaders; Thurs., Jan. 23, 7 p.m., I Horse Exhibit; Fri., Jan. 24, 5:30 p.m., Carnival; Sat., Jan. 25, 9 a.m., Basketball Championship; 3 p.m., VI Long Distance Race (13.5 km.), 6 p.m., Bull fights; Sun., Jan. 26, noon, International Concert, Huey Dumbar, Magic One and Charly Cruz; 4 p.m., Horse riding and bull championship.

The Legend of the Isla del Coco Treasure
Resurfaces in Costa Rica

After years of investigation, a Costa Rican historian is arguing that the legendary treasure of Isla del Coco, which has lured hundreds of treasure hunters over the years, does in fact exist.

Russian and British satellite studies conducted over Isla del Coco -- located 365 miles of the Pacific coast -- reportedly found three spots underground with high concentrations of metals. One of the spots happens to be the same location Culture Ministry researcher, Raúl Arias, claims is the site where a treasure stolen from Lima, Peru was allegedly buried in 1820.

Arias is proposing that authorities from the Environment Ministry request international funding to obtain three-dimensional satellite images to pinpoint the exact location of the buried treasure and retrieve it without damaging the island's ecosystem, which in 1997 was protected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

If the government makes an official request for assistance in extracting the treasure, Costa Rican astronaut Franklin Chang has promised to lobby for support among officials at NASA.

However, according to Arias, the government has yet to make such a request.

The first mention of the alleged treasure dates back 1699, when author Lionel Waffer described stolen riches buried by pirates on Isla de Coco.

A confidential document drafted in April of 1919 by the British Foreign Relations minister speaks of three buried treasures on the island, including the famed "Lima Treasure."

The Lima Treasure allegedly consists of two dozen 300-pound crates of jewels and other valuables that once belonged to the Catholic Church and several wealthy families living in Peru in the early 1800s, before its independence.

According to the legend, the treasure was en route back to Spain to be stored safely from the pro-independence forces marching on Lima, but was stolen by sailors of the English Merchant Marines and buried on Isla de Coco.

The crates allegedly contain coins and golden and silver chalices, as well as a large image of the Virgin Mary laid in precious stones and jewels.

In his soon to be published investigation entitled "The Isla del Coco Treasure, History and Legend", Arias argues that the treasure is located on Waffer Bay, on a small mound next to the mouth of the Genio River.

The treasure's believed location was described in the will of the only person to ever find the treasure, Canadian captain John Keating. Keating obtained information about the treasure's locate after befriending a sailor who was one of the only survivors of the eleven men to originally steal the treasure.

After uncovering the treasure, Keating was only able to take a few coins, barely enough to make him rich. He planned to return to collect the rest of the bounty, but died suddenly in 1882.

More than 300 adventurers have tried to find the treasure since Keating's death. The last treasure hunter was U.S. citizen Charles Baldwin, who came up empty in 1989.

After being discovered by the Spanish in 1526, Isla del Coco became a regular stop for pirates during the 17th and 18th centuries. It later served as a drinking water refueling station for whaling vessels, until Costa Rica took control of it on September 15, 1869.
-AFP

Abstention High in Municipal Elections

With more than 87% of the ballots counted at 1:20 a.m., the vote tally in the 10 municipal elections held in the Caribbean slope showed the ruling Social Christian Unity Party took five mayoral posts, while the National Liberation Party won four and the minority Costa Rican Renovation Party won one.

Sunday's elections were held as a rain date to the Dec. 1 nation-wide municipal elections, which were postponed in 10 municipalities because of heavy rains and flooding (TT, Dec. 6)

Not surprisingly, Unity had its strongest showing in the Caribbean province of Limón, where it won four out of six mayoral seats. President Abel Pacheco is from Matina, Limón.

Similar to the Dec. 1 municipal elections in the rest of the country, high abstention trends continued in yesterday's vote.

Despite efforts to get-out-the-vote, more than 7 out of 10 eligible voters did not show up to cast their ballot.