As teachers returned to their classrooms this week, President Abel Pacheco said the government has evidence that at least two "foreign agitators" took part in last month's strike and "may have acted as a destabilizing force."

The President blamed the alleged foreign communist influence for convincing educators to remain on strike, block roads and refuse government attempts to negotiate.

According to information released by the Intelligence and Security Direction (DIS), two "leftist foreign agitators" -- Carmen Godínez, director of Foreign Relations for Cuba's Central Workers' Union, and Braulio Céspedes of Brazil's FSG union -- entered the country last month and played an active role in the month-long strike.

Pictures published in Saturday's edition of the daily La Prensa Libre confirm their presence at a protest march held last Tuesday in Alajuela, the government asserted.

Godínez was granted a visa at the request of the Universidad Nacional (UNA) to participate in a series of conferences on the effects of globalization, but the conferences never took place, according to the government.

University Rector Sonia Marta Mora admitted that she personally requested Godínez' visa, but denied knowledge of what the Cuban did while she was here.

Céspedes entered the country as a tourist and is not believed to have been acting on official union business. Both "agitators" returned to their respective countries last weekend, according to Immigration.

Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar accused Godínez of "creating a turbulent environment and inciting teachers to block the highway connecting Juan Santamaría International Airport to San José."

He announced he would ask the Cuban government for an explanation of why it allowed a diplomatic representative to play an active role in a local strike.

"These actions were inappropriate and must be denounced," Public Security Minister Rogelio Ramos said. "I'm sure the response of Cuban authorities to Costa Rican officials actively participating in an anti-government protest would be much like ours. They would be just as outraged as we are."

Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar promised to apply stricter background checks before issuing diplomatic visas, to prevent similar events in the future. He added that Godínez will never be allowed back in Costa Rica.

"For months, I've been saying that the country's unions are being influenced by foreign groups," Pacheco said, referring to comments he made during a Cabinet meeting last month (TT Daily Page, June 4). "The DIS has documents proving that foreign leftist leaders have infiltrated the country and have participated in destabilizing movements."

Representatives of the country's unions deny the government's leftist conspiracy claims, dismissing them as absurd allegations.

"Those allegations are stupid and ridiculous," said Albino Vargas, secretary general of the Association of Public and Private Employees (ANEP), according to AFP. "The allegations offend the intelligence of Costa Ricans. They are being used to hide weaknesses in the way the government is running the country. The allegations are so absurd they cause laughter."

Gilda González, secretary general of the Association of Secondary School Teachers (APSE) denied being aware of Godínez and Céspedes' participation in the strike. In her opinion, the allegations are part of "a government effort to tarnish the reputation of a strong movement that represents the will of the educators."

"I didn't see them, I didn't meet them, nobody told me anything," she said. "In any case, the claims are irrelevant, since they didn't take part in the decisions made in relation to the strike."