Daily Edition: San
José, Costa Rica, July 18, 2003
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Church Criticizes
Women's Affairs Minister
For Speaking Out
in Favor of Birth-Control
Members of the country's Catholic clergy last Friday sent a letter to
President Abel Pacheco asking him to reprimand Women's Affairs Minister
Esmeralda Britton for comments she made last week during a United Nations
Conference on Discrimination Against Women. The Minister criticized the
church for obstructing efforts to impose mandatory sexual education at
public schools and create national campaigns to promote safe sex, the daily
La Nación reported.
(Click for more)
Nation Mourns Death of
Salsa Legend Celia Cruz
The Latin American press this week mourned the death of Cuban-born "Queen of
Salsa" Celia Cruz, who passed away in her home in New Jersey Wednesday as a
result of complications from brain cancer. She was 78.
International Court Rules Against Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA, (AFP) - The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, based in San
José, Costa Rica, condemned the state of Honduras for the death of
ex-guerrilla Juan Humberto Sánchez in 1992, in a ruling emitted last
Thursday.
(Click for more)
El Salvador Candidate Chosen
SAN SALVADOR, (AFP) - Radio impresario Elías Antonio Saca won the
presidential candidacy spot for March 2004 national elections after a Sunday
primary within the right-wing ruling party Nationalist Republican Alliance
(ARENA).
(Click for more)
July 18
Impersonator Julio Zabala
(Must see!) Performing tonight at 8 and 10:30 p.m., tomorrow at 8 p.m. and
an extra show on Monday at 8 p.m. at the Melico Salazar Theater, Av.
Ctrl./1, Ca. Info: 290-6665.
Dido and Aeneas
By Opera Nova, Fri.-Sat., July 18-19, at 7:30 p.m., at Bach Academy Theater,
San Pedro. Info: 443-3498.
Birds’ Friends Meet
The Ornithological Society of Costa Rica, together with the Monteverde
Institute and the Fundación Conservacionista Costarricense invite everyone
to participate in a scientific-cultural event at the Monteverde Institute
Sat., July 19 at 4 p.m. It includes a lecture on The role of Costa Rica for
the Conservation of the Endangered Specie "Three Wattled-bellbird", by
Victorino Molina, open discussion between lecturers and public, and words by
the Minister of Environment and Energy Lic. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez Echandi.
Info: 645-5030.
Church Criticizes
Women's Affairs Minister
For Speaking Out in Favor of Birth-Control
Members of the country's Catholic clergy last Friday sent a letter to
President Abel Pacheco asking him to reprimand Women's Affairs Minister
Esmeralda Britton for comments she made last week during a United Nations
Conference on Discrimination Against Women. The Minister criticized the
church for obstructing efforts to impose mandatory sexual education at
public schools and create national campaigns to promote safe sex, the daily
La Nación reported.
The church also alleges Britton may have spoken in favor of abortion.
During the conference, which took place on July 2 in New York, Britton
stated that the Catholic Church and civil groups closely linked to have have
in the past been able to stop programs that sought to promoted condom use as
a way to reduce the number of new AIDS infections.
"The church excerts pressure on key issues that affect the entire population
and affect people's rights to be educated on how they should live their
lives," she said.
In the letter, the President of the Costa Rican Episcopal Conference Msgr.,
José Franciso Ulloa, demanded a meeting with Pacheco to explain Church's
stance on issues such as sexual education, birth control and abortion.
"There was big misunderstanding, that's all," Pacheco said during Tuesday's
Cabinet meeting. "I spoke to her over the phone and she explained that her
comments were taken out of context.
"The government's position is anti-abortion," he added. "As a doctor and a
Catholic, I cannot be in favor of abortion."
Pacheco plans to meet with Ulloa next week to "clarify the
misunderstanding."
Nation Mourns Death of
Salsa Legend Celia Cruz
 Happier times: Cruz celebrates her 2000 Grammy win. TT Photo / AFP |
The Latin American press this week mourned the death of Cuban-born "Queen of
Salsa" Celia Cruz, who passed away in her home in New Jersey Wednesday as a
result of complications from brain cancer. She was 78.
"Salsa has lost its queen," a headline on the front page of Thursday's daily
La República read.
During her 50-year career, Cruz made more than 70 records, acted in various
movies and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music including
the Puerto Rican legend Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Dionne Warwick, Patti
Labelle, and Wyclef Jean.
In 1987, she was honored with her own star on the Hollywood walk of fame and
had a street in Calle 8 -- Miami's biggest Cuban neighborhood -- named after
her.
Cruz' last Costa Rican perfomance took place Jan. 30, 1999, when she
entertained a crowd of 5,000. She was scheduled to return last Dec. 10, but
was forced to cancel as a result of her illness.
The "Queen of Salsa's" departure was the second death to affect the Latin
American music world this week. Earlier in the week, thousands mourned the
death of Cuban trovador Máximo Francisco Repilado Muñoz, better known as
Compay Segundo.
Segundo, who was best known for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club,
died of kidney failure Monday in Havana, Cuba.
International Court
Rules Against Honduras
TEGUCIGALPA, (AFP) - The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, based in San
José, Costa Rica, condemned the state of Honduras for the death of
ex-guerrilla Juan Humberto Sánchez in 1992, in a ruling emitted last
Thursday.
The court determined that Sánchez, a radio operator for El Salvador's
left-wing guerrilla group Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN),
was arbitrarily detained and then assassinated by the Honduran military.
Sánchez was reportedly killed on June 12, 1992, a day after he crossed the
border from Perquín. El Salvador and one year after former President Rafael
Callejas declared amnesty for all left-wing militants.
After being detained and interrogated in Colomoncagua, 300 kilometers
northeast of Tegucigalpa, Sánchez was released until a military commando
forced from his home later the same night. He was later found dead on the
banks of the Negro River, with his genitals and tongue cut off.
The court began hearing testimony from both sides last March, after the
Center for Justice and International Law and the Committee of Families of
the Disappeared in Honduras (Cofadeh), filed the formal accusation.
According to the International Court, the state of Honduras violated
Sánchez's right to life, integrity and personal liberty, as well as the
guarantees of due process and effective legal representation. Within the
next six months, Honduras must publicly accept responsibility, apologize to
the family and give them the victim's remains.
The international court has also condemned the state for the 1981
disappearances of two other citizens, Manfredo Velásquez and Saúl Godínez.
El Salvador
Candidate Chosen
SAN SALVADOR, (AFP) - Radio impresario Elías Antonio Saca won the presidential candidacy spot for March 2004 national elections after a Sunday primary within the right-wing ruling party Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA).
Saca, 38, director of several private radio stations, promised not to privatize public health-care and Social Security. He will face either left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) candidates Schafik Handal and Oscar Ortíz, both ex-guerrilla commanders, who will be chosen on July 27.
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