The Tico Times Online Daily Page

THANK YOU!: Efraim Zuroff, Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center Gives Costa Rican Ambassador to Israel Noemy Baruch a book of documents and an album of Holocaust photos for her to give Minister of Public Security Rogelio Ramos in appreciation for playing a key role in the expulsion of 82-year-old Estonian-born suspected Nazi collaborator Harry Manill.
Photo / Simon Wiesenthal Center

Simon Wiesenthal Center Gives Security Minister Book
Thanking Him For Kicking Out Suspected Nazi War Criminal
Efraim Zuroff, Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an organization dedicated to tracking down former Nazis and bringing them to justice, thanked Costa Rica for barring the reentry of 82-year-old Estonian-born suspected Nazi collaborator Harry Manill to the country. (TT, Feb. 7) (Click for more)

Culture Minister Proposes New
Perspective on Costa Rican Culture
Culture Minister Guido Sáenz announced Tuesday the basic blueprints of a new plan aimed at changing the way Costa Ricans perceive culture. He hopes to replace the traditional belief that culture is non-productive sector, and instead view it as a potential source of economic and social development.
(Click for more)

'La Sele' Defeats El Salvador In
Central American Nations' Cup Debut
Panama, Feb 11. In a highly contested game, La Sele - Costa Rica's national soccer team - defeated El Salvador 1-0 in the first round of the Central American Nations' Cup (UNCAF) Tuesday. The tournament, which is being held in Panama, is key for Costa Rica's international aspirations since the three top teams will earn spots in the Gold Cup, to be held later this year in the United States.
(Click for more)

Dragons at Bookshop

Peace Corp Volunteer Reunion
Fri.-Sun. at the Cloud Forest Ranch in San Carlos. Info:

Love Shipwreck?
Argentine singing group Los Naufragos (The Castaways) offers three concerts to celebrate Saint Valentine's Day. Tonight, couples can enjoy their music and dinner at 8 p.m., at the International Conference Center at the Herradura Hotel (239-0033); Fri., Feb. 14, at 8 p.m., in Picachos Discotheque in Cartago (574-6072) and Sat., Feb. 15 at 8 p.m., at the Melico Salazar Theater, Av. 2, Ca. Ctrl./1, 257-6005.

Movies at Museum
Museum Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia today at 6 p.m. starts a film Cycle with a series of short movies by Lumiere, Georges Melies (creator of special effects) and "The Great Train Robbery," (1903) including an analysis by Cuban expert Roberto Román. The museum is 100 m. east, 100 m. north of Santa Teresita Church, Barrio Escalante. Info: 255-1218, 222-6392.

Simon Wiesenthal Center Gives Security Minister Book
Thanking Him For Kicking Out Suspected Nazi War Criminal

Efraim Zuroff, Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an organization dedicated to tracking down former Nazis and bringing them to justice, thanked Costa Rica for barring the reentry of 82-year-old Estonian-born suspected Nazi collaborator Harry Manill to the country. (TT, Feb. 7)

In a ceremony in Jerusalem Tuesday, Zuroff gave Costa Rican Ambassador to Israel Noemy Baruch a book of documents and an album of Holocaust photos for her to give Minister of Public Security Rogelio Ramos in appreciation for playing a key role in the expulsion.

Manill is accused of having been a member of the Estonian Political Police in the capital city of Tallin during the Nazi occupation of 1941-43. After the war, he lived in several countries before settling in Costa Rica, where he held rentista residency status from 1969 to 1987. He later moved to Venezuela, where he became a naturalized citizen.

Manill continued to visit Costa Rica regularly -- entering the country 37 times over the last three years. On Feb. 5, after becoming aware of Manill's alleged war record from the United States Office of Special Investigations and under pressure from the Wiesenthal Center, Ramos announced Manill would never again be allowed to return to the country.

Manill has denied he played any roll in the Holocaust or in rounding up Jews for concentration camps, as the Center alleges. He is now a wealthy auto parts mogul in Venezuela but has been reported as saying he had hoped to relocate to Costa Rica to escape that country's current political and economic turmoil.

Zuroff, who has played an instrumental role in the efforts to bring Mannil to justice, thanked Ramos and other Costa Rican authorities for their prompt action in denying "a known Holocaust perpetrator the privilege of residing in Costa Rica, one of the world's leading democracies."

"This is the second country (after the U.S.) that Harry Mannil has been expelled from and it is high time that the Estonian government finally realize that he is a Nazi war criminal and Holocaust perpetrator who must be brought to justice," Zuroff proclaimed, saying the Center's charges against the man were vindicated by the Costa Rican move.

Culture Minister Proposes New
Perspective on Costa Rican Culture
By Fabián Borges
Tico Times Staff

Culture Minister Guido Sáenz announced Tuesday the basic blueprints of a new plan aimed at changing the way Costa Ricans perceive culture. He hopes to replace the traditional belief that culture is non-productive sector, and instead view it as a potential source of economic and social development.

"Usually, people in this country see culture merely as an art form, a means of expression," Sáenz explained. "This attitude rules out the possibility that culture could play a key role in the country's economic development. We're proposing a plan that will change this perspective, focusing on culture as a means of economic production and a potential source of income."

Costa Rica is already an exporter of paintings, music, theater, and performance arts. Culture, in its broadest sense, which ranges from arts and crafts to complex theater productions, is an important part the nation's economy and serves as the main source of income for Ticos from all walks of life, he said.

Sáenz noted that a large national and international market for culture-related products already exists, and that the sale of arts and crafts is a primary source of income for residents of several poor rural communities.

"Culture sells, art sells," he argued. "Some people may not think this sector plays a significant role in the economy, but if you add up the numbers, it's clear the country has grown dramatically in every area of culture."

By changing the way culture is perceived, and looking at it as a source of personal income and regional development, increasing the country's production of culture and providing assistance for the sector will be possible, he said. This would translate into increased profits, not only for artisans, but for the country as a whole.

"What this plan aims to do is increase coordination within the culture sector," Vice-President Lineth Saborío explained. "It will give people a broader perspective on culture, making them see it as a source of social and economic development that will attract tourism, integrate communities and create new jobs."

"Under this new perspective, organized groups involved in the production of culture may one day be able to apply for credit and other benefits currently reserved for the traditional productive sectors," she added.
The specific measures that will be taken to put the plan into effect have yet to be announced.