The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, July 7, 2003

MEDINA MOURNED: A man wears a Parmenio t-shirt during an August, 2001 protest in the Plaza de Justicia. Unsolved murder reaches the 2-year mark today.
AFP/TT

Today Marks 2nd
Anniversary of Medina Murder
Two years after the assassination of popular radio journalist Parmenio Medina, police have yet to identify the intellectual author behind the murder.
(Click for more)

Tico Life Expectancy Increases
The life expectancy of Ticos has increased by several years, ranking Costa Rica third in Latin America for life expectancy behind Chile and Cuba, according to the Costa Rican Social Security System (Caja).
(Click for more)

Accused Italian Drug
Trafficker Arrested
In a joint police sting last Friday by Costa Rican agents and the International Police (INTERPOL) accused Italian drug trafficker Igor Simmi was arrested in the Pacific slope town of Orotina, according to a Security Ministry press release.
(Click for more)

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Today Marks 2nd Anniversary of Medina Murder

PARMENIO MEDINA

Two years after the assassination of popular radio journalist Parmenio Medina, police have yet to identify the intellectual author behind the murder.

The Colombian-born, naturalized Costa Rican journalist was the brains and voice behind the 28-year satirical radio program "La Patada" ("The Kick"). He was assassinated outside his home in Santo Domingo de Heredia July 7, 2001 by three point-blank gunshots to his head and torso (TT, July 13, 2001).

Shortly before his death, Medina had been investigating alleged financial irregularities at the once wildly popular and now-defunct Catholic radio station Radio María, headed by charismatic and dogmatic priest Minor Calvo. Javier Ara, Medina's son-in-law, told The Tico Times shortly after the murder that Medina had been receiving death threats from "Costa Rican religious fanatics" who warned him to leave Radio María alone.

Primary suspect, Nicaraguan-born Luis Alberto Aguirre - known as "El Indio" - is behind bars in La Reforma maximum-security prison for leading an armed assault on a bank in the Pacific port town of Puntarenas in October, 2001. Although several witnesses place Aguirre near the scene of the crime, he insists he is innocent and is currently entering the third week of a hunger strike.

The Judicial Investigate Police (OIJ) last Thursday raided the home of Father Calvo and confiscated 10 boxes of documents and personal belongings, according to the daily La Nación. Police reportedly took blood samples from Calvo, his brother José Miguel and former Radio María collaborator Luis Bolívar to compare the DNA to saliva samples taken from one of the threatening letters sent to Medina.

The raid reportedly occurred following new testimonies that allege Calvo might have had a role in the journalist's death. Police have reportedly interviewed some 1,000 people since Medina was killed, according the La Nación.

Medina's murder was the first-ever of a journalist on Costa Rican soil.

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Tico Life Expectancy Increases

Former First Lady Lorena Clare de Rodriguez celebrates 106th birthday with Alfredo Villalobos in 2000.

The life expectancy of Ticos has increased by several years, ranking Costa Rica third in Latin America for life expectancy behind Chile and Cuba, according to the Costa Rican Social Security System (Caja).

According to the government's health statistics, the life expectancy of men is up from 74 to 76 years, while for women it has increased three years to an average life expectancy of 80.

However, despite the increase in life expectancy, the Caja claims that the quality of elder care has not necessary improved and that many older people still suffer from abandonment.

Juan Luis Delgado, director of the Caja's pension program, told radio "Monumental" that the increase in life expectancy is due to the application of the country's integrated health programs. However, he noted, there is still much to be done in caring for the nation's elderly.

According to government statistics, 12,000 of the country's 300,000 elderly live in conditions of extreme poverty.

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Accused Italian Drug Trafficker Arrested

Igor Simmi
Italiano Capturado

In a joint police sting last Friday by Costa Rican agents and the International Police (INTERPOL) accused Italian drug trafficker Igor Simmi was arrested in the Pacific slope town of Orotina, according to a Security Ministry press release.

Simmi, who reportedly owned a restaurant and sold cars in Orotina, is wanted in Rome on charges of trafficking cocaine from South America to Italy.

The suspect first came to Costa Rica in September, 1998, and then applied for residency three years later, after marrying a Costa Rican. He was granted residency in December, 2002, according to the release.

Simmi is being held in the First Circuit Court in San José while Italy files extradition paperwork.

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