Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, October 10,  2003

New Peace Museum Announced
The Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress today is inaugurating in San José a new private Museum for Peace to promote a new culture of peace in Central America.
(Click for more)

October 10

Melico Salazar Theater 75 Anniversary
Don’t miss the closing ceremony which includes a video of the theater's history, a musical presentation by the Opera Singer Raquel Ramírez, a concert by Camerata Avanzada of the Music Institute, a theatrical production by Muy Abierta al Monologo and a dance show by Jimmy Ortiz. The event starts at 5 p.m., on Sun., Oct. 12, Av. 2, at the Melico Salazar Theater, Ca. 1/Ctrl. InfO: 257-6005, 233-5424.

A Lo Tico Festival
Features music, craft sales, traditional games, traditional food, on Sun., Oct. 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Children’s Museum, end Ca. 4, Av. 9. Info: 258-4929, ext. 113.

Culture Day
Celebrate the holiday with some rock and reggae, on Sun., Oct. 12, 1-6 p.m., at Casa Nostra, 300 m. east of Salón Bellavista, San Ramón, Tres Ríos. Info: 278-6069.

Don’t Forget to go to Limón Carnivals
Starts today at noon, the Crowning of the Queen at 8 p.m. at the Stadium Juan Gobán. Also, go to the Concert by Calle 8 and La Solución, at 2 p.m., at the Boulevar. Tomorrow you can enjoy the Horse Parade, at 1 p.m., from Barrio Cristóbal Colón to downtown; the Concert with Trinity and Atlántico, at 5 p.m., at the Boulevar. On Sun., Oct. 12 (Cultures Day) the fiesta includes a Dancing Night with Mariachis, Trios, Calypso Groups, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Boulevar; a Concert with Expresso and Chicas Buba, at 6 p.m., at the Boulevar; and the Children’s Carnival, at 2 p.m. at the Boulevar. Info: 798-5959.

Return To Top Of Page

Costa Rica Drops Out of G21
By Tim Rogers
trogers@ticotimes.net

Six days after a visit from U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, Foreign Trade Minister Alberto Trejos this week apparently reversed his earlier position by announcing Costa Rica has withdrawn itself from a lobbying group of developing nations referred to as the Group of 21 (G21).

Despite U.S. pressures on Costa Rica to drop out of the Group, Trejos said last week Costa Rica would remain within the G21 to defend the country's agricultural interests.

This week, he said Costa Rica had left the Group, but denied it was related to U.S. pressures.

The G21, led by Brazil, was formed as bloc of developing nations to try to pressure Europe and the United States within the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to substantially reduce domestic aid and subsidies for agricultural exports. Costa Rica joined the Group last August.

The United States has criticized the G21, which includes China and India, for abandoning its original agricultural agenda for a political one. Both Zoellick and Jim Kolbe, a Republican Congressman who visited Costa Rica two weeks ago, mentioned their concerns about Costa Rica's affiliation with the Group.

The United States has challenged Costa Rica and Guatemala's affiliation with the Group at a time when they are negotiating a Central America Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States (TT, Oct. 3). El Salvador also was a member of the G21, but dropped out last month before the failed WTO talks in Cancún, Mexico.

In a Foreign Ministry press release this week, the government said it was dropping out of G21 because it did not share the Group's unspecified political agenda, nor its plans to expand its scope into topics other than those related to agriculture.

Costa Rica said it will continue to push for the reduction of agricultural subsidies, as agreed by the WTO in 2001 in Doha, Qatar, but will do so through the more apolitical grouping of 18 countries called the Grupo Cairns.