The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, April 27, 2004

LONG way from home: Three generations of the Asevedo González family, from the Northern Zone, spends their second day camping out in downtown San José’s Metropolitan Cathedral. The family, along with approximately 100 other farmers, has sought help from the Catholic Church to resolve a land dispute with Standard Fruit Company.
Tico Times/ Jeffrey Arguedas

Evicted Northern Zone Farmers
Seek Church’s Help in Land Dispute
Approximately 100 Northern Zone campesinos have been camping out at the Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown San José since Sunday with the hope of gaining permanent rights to a farm they have occupied on and off since 2001.
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A Busy Day for
Children’s Rights Issues
In a busy day for children’s rights, the latest report on the state of sexual exploitation of children in Latin America was released yesterday just hours before President Abel Pacheco signed into law two measures to protect children.
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April 27

What Does an Illustrator Do?
Illustrator Juan Gedovius will explain his job in a workshop today and tomorrow 5-7 p.m. at the Children’s Museum, at the end of Ca. 4, Av. 9 in San José. Info: 258-4929, ext. 113.

Concert “Wind and Wood”
William Ramos Calvo (marimba and percussion), Delberth Castellón (oboe) and Marvin Brenes (guitar) perform at 7 p.m. at the Spanish Cultural Center, Ca. 31, Av. 13 in San José. Info: 257-2919.

New Play Opens
The Giratablas Theater production Fin de Partida, by Samuel Beckett, will be performed simultaneously today through Thurs., April 29, at 8 p.m. at three San José theaters: realist version at Teatro 1887; abstract version at Torres del Colegio de Costa Rica and the postmodern version at the Giratablas Theater. Info: 253-6001.

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Evicted Northern Zone Farmers
Seek Church’s Help in Land Dispute
By Rebecca Kimitch
rkimitch@ticotimes.net

Approximately 100 Northern Zone campesinos have been camping out at the Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown San José since Sunday with the hope of gaining permanent rights to a farm they have occupied on and off since 2001.

Squatters from El Bambuzal Farm near Río Frío de Sarapiquí say they were kicked off land that is rightfully theirs by multinational banana exporter Standard Fruit Company, which owns the land.

The group is seeking a trial to determine if the campesinos have rights to the land, according to its legal advisor, Hector Monestel. Because this trial has been repeatedly delayed, the campesinos came to town to request help from the Catholic Church to arrange a meeting with the President of the Supreme Court of Justice, Luis Paulino Mora, according to Monestel, who said that meeting was set to occur last night.

More than 250 farmers began living and working the land in 2001. Although they claim the property has been abandoned by Standard Fruit Company for 10 years, they have had problems from the beginning.

In late 2001, police attempted to expel the squatters but were unsuccessful. Several court battles followed. Authorities first ruled the squatters could stay, because they had resided on the land unchallenged for more than a year. Later the verdict was overturned when a judge determined they had not actually lived there for a full consecutive year.

Last July, the Sarapiquí District Court ruled again in favor of the Standard Fruit Company and ordered police to expel the squatters. A violent confrontation broke out and one squatter was killed by officers, who said they were acting in self-defense after being attacked with sticks with nails and farm tools, according to the Security Ministry (TT Daily Page, July 16, 2003).

The upcoming trial, which will establish land rights, has been delayed because Standard Fruit Company has requested the squatters be tried in penal court before the land dispute is resolved, according to Monestel. The Association of Bambuzal Farmers believes it should work the other way around.

“First the rights to the land should be established, and then they can decide if the law was broken,” Monestel said.

Since being removed from the farm in July, the farmers have spent the last nine months working odd jobs and living on surrounding land, several told The Tico Times. They tried to return to the farm last week, but were immediately removed, according to Iliana Sánchez, President of the Association of Bambuzal Farmers.

Church officials have agreed to let the group stay at the Cathedral until after leaders have met with Mora, according to Father Guido Villalta. They will facilitate the meetings to the best of their abilities, he said, and then assist in relocating the farmers back to the Northern Zone.

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A Busy Day for
Children’s Rights Issues
By Robert Goodier
rgoodier@ticotimes.net

In a busy day for children’s rights, the latest report on the state of sexual exploitation of children in Latin America was released yesterday just hours before President Abel Pacheco signed into law two measures to protect children.

The seventh report on the implementation of the Agenda for Action adopted at the World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children chastised Latin American countries for their slow responses, paltry resources and lack of coordination across borders to combat child sexual exploitation.

Costa Rica, the report said, though one of the 10 Latin American countries that has developed a national action plan, has not allowed a preliminary investigation of the degree of commercial sexual exploitation of children in the country, and has not dedicated enough money of its state budget to the effort.

As if telling the investigators not to speak so soon, Pacheco yesterday declared a “sacred war” on sexual exploitation of children, pedophiles and propagators of child pornography when he signed a law creating a San José court for children and adolescents and another regulating pornography viewing in Internet cafes.

“The sexual exploitation of children, in any of its diverse expressions, is a situation that embarrasses us and hurts us, but also fills us with fury and determination to fight it,” Pacheco said. “Throughout our lives there are battles that we can lose, but there are other that are sacred. Those we cannot lose.”

He also announced that he has instructed the delegates to the General Assembly of the Organization of American States to request that one of the topics for discussion be the struggle against the trafficking and sexual exploitation of minors. The General Assembly will be held in Quito, Ecuador, in June.

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Former President Rests
After Carjacking Incident

Doctors have advised former President Luis Alberto Monge (1982-1986) to rest at home this week after armed and masked men surrounded him and stole his vehicle last weekend.

The incident happened shortly after 9:45 p.m. Saturday as Monge, 79, was returning home from a dinner party in Heredia, 10 kilometers north of San José. Six men wearing ski masks stopped the car at gunpoint, and forced Monge and his Nicaraguan-born driver onto the street. Neither suffered injuries.

Hours later, Monge filed a complaint before the Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ) accompanied by Security Minister Rogelio Ramos. Monge said the assailants were Costa Rican, and he believes one of them recognized him.

On Sunday, Monge received a checkup from his doctors, María de los Ángeles Rivera and Carlos Sancho. The former President was found to be in good shape, but ordered to rest at home for a few days.

The whereabouts of his car remain unknown, Al Día reported.

This is the second time in the past six months that Monge has been the victim of crime. On Nov. 22, 2004, unidentified individuals broke into his house in the western suburb of Pozos de Santa Ana while he was out of the country and stole valuable items from his residence.

Officials from the Public Security Ministry announced two weeks ago they are stepping up efforts to combat car theft in the country.

On April 14, police arrested two suspects they believe to be key members in a car theft ring (TT Daily Page, April 16).
-AFP

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Libertarians Say Lunar Cycle
Affects President’s Actions

Legislative deputies of the Libertarian Movement congressional faction have issued a statement saying President Abel Pacheco’s actions are influenced by the lunar cycle. The statement alleges Pacheco acts irrationally when the moon is waning.

In a comical yet historically accurate press release, the Libertarians point to 37 incidents involving Pacheco that took place during the receding quarter.

The effects of the moon cycle on the President’s political decisions became evident during the first week of February 2002, according to the Libertarians, when Pacheco, then a presidential candidate, had an argument with Luis Fishman, one of his running mates, which led them to part ways.

During the last week of August 2002, also during the receding quarter, Pacheco said he would not nominate former Environment Minister and jurist Elizabeth Odio as one of the judges of the International Criminal Court. Eventually, Panama nominated Odio, who was ratified by an overwhelming majority, according to the statement.

The Libertarians also blamed the lunar cycle for many of the 26 firings, resignations and transfers that have taken place in the Pacheco administration since it took office in May 2002 (TT, April 23). During the waning of the moon, Pacheco fired Justice Minister José Miguel Villalobos for being “too pugnacious” and Planning Minister Danilo Chaverri for giving him “bad advice.”

Also during the waning of the moon, Tourism Minister Rubén Pacheco resigned to tend to his private business, and Presidency Minister and close advisor to Pacheco Rina Contreras was forced to step down following problems with legislators.

Strikes by dock workers and employees of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) and protests by fishermen and those opposed to the mandatory technical inspection of vehicles also took place when the moon was waning, according to the release.

During the waning cycle, Pacheco also broke settlement talks with Harken oil company, forgave part of Nicaragua’s debt to Costa Rica and reiterated his moral support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

The statement said that it was also during this same phase of the moon that Pacheco publicly insulted the Libertarians and the party’s most outspoken deputy, Federico Malavassi, most recently in connection with the government’s proposed fiscal reform plans (TT, Feb. 20).

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Wednesday October 26, 2005