Alliances, Protests, Speeches
Fill San José on May Day
Saturday, May 1 – International Workers’ Day and last day of the 2003-2004 political calendar – was marked by unexpected alliances in the election of the Legislative Assembly’s new directorate, a loud but peaceful protest by opponents of the proposed Central America Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States and a two-hour, statistic-intensive speech by President Abel Pacheco highlighting most, if not all, of his administration’s accomplishments.
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Authorities Recover
Ex-President’s Stolen Vehicle
Police recovered the vehicle stolen at gunpoint last week from former Costa Rican President Luis Monge and arrested three suspects after an intense chase during the early hours of Saturday morning, the Public Security Ministry announced.
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Panama Concludes
Peaceful Election Process
The Panamanian presidential elections concluded peacefully at 4 p.m. yesterday, sources from the country’s Election Tribunals announced.
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International Conference on Focusing
Psychotherapists from 16 countries meet to discuss new focusing therapies, May 3-7 at Hotel Fiesta in Puntarenas. Info: 281-1146.

Open House Improve & Preview
New members will offer improvisation and a special preview of the Little Theater Group’s next production, Talking With... by Jane Martin. Members also will vote for new board representatives. Bocas will be provided 7-9 p.m. at Blanche Brown Theatre in Escazú. Info at the new box office telephone number: 355-1623.

Alliances, Protests, Speeches
Fill San José on May Day
By Fabián Borges
fborges@ticotimes.net

Saturday, May 1 – International Workers’ Day and last day of the 2003-2004 political calendar – was marked by unexpected alliances in the election of the Legislative Assembly’s new directorate, a loud but peaceful protest by opponents of the proposed Central America Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States and a two-hour, statistic-intensive speech by President Abel Pacheco highlighting most, if not all, of his administration’s accomplishments.

Concerns over who would lead the Legislative Assembly into the next year were put to rest Saturday morning. Shortly after 10 a.m., deputies elected legislator Gerardo González, of the ruling Social Christian Unity Party, as president of the Legislative Assembly for the 2004-2005 term.

Of a possible 57 votes, González received 28 – 18 from Social Christian Unity, five from the Libertarian Movement, four from the Patriotic Bloc and one from Costa Rican Renovation deputy Carlos Avendaño.

His nearest opponent, Sigifredo Aiza of National Liberation Party, received 17 votes – all from members of his party. Epsy Campbell of Citizen Action Party received eight votes – all from members of her party. Independent deputy José Francisco Salas received one vote – his own.

Three deputies – Aída Faigenzicht of Unity and Humberto Arce and Emilia Rodríguez of Patriotic Bloc – cast blank votes. Under Legislative Assembly voting rules, the blank votes were transferred to the candidate with the most votes, leaving González’ with 31 votes -- two more than he needed.

To secure the support the Libertarians, González agreed to actively work to eliminate the monopoly Spanish-Costa Rican firm Riteve has on the mandatory yearly vehicle technical inspection, reduce wasteful spending by the Legislative Assembly and not create additional legislative commissions that include representatives of different social sectors, particularly unions. Avendaño conditioned his support on being allowed to remain head of the Assembly’s Permanent Child-Welfare Commission.

The four Patriotic Bloc deputies gave González their support in exchange for having one of their own – Juan José Vargas – elected Vice-President of the Assembly.

As part of the agreements reached by this unlikely political alliance, Libertarian Carlos Herrera and Mario Calderón of Unity were elected First and Second Secretary, respectively. Avendaño and Elvira Navarro of Patriotic Bloc were named First and Second Pro-Secretary (replacement secretary), respectively.

Shortly after midday, after all the members of the directorate had been chosen, hundreds – if not thousands – of union members, teachers, farmers, students and self-proclaimed Marxist and Anarchist groups taking part in the annual May Day parade arrived in front of the Assembly building to express opposition to CAFTA, the proposed Permanent Fiscal Reform Package and other issues.

Protesters screamed “NO AL TLC!” (No to the free-trade agreement!) at the top of their lungs and accused President Pacheco of attempting to “sell the country” by agreeing to open the country’s telecom and insurance monopolies under CAFTA. The 70 police officers in charge of ensuring security during the Assembly’s elections watched carefully as protestors spoke their mind.

Citizen Action deputy and CAFTA opponent Rodrigo Alberto Carazo had his suit spray-painted by a member of an anarchist group after he went out on the street to address protesters. The anarchist youth had just finished writing anti-CAFTA messages on the freshly painted outer wall of the Assembly’s main building. Several protestors came to Carazo’s aid.

The incident was isolated. For the most part the march was peaceful.

At 5:20 p.m., Pacheco gave his annual speech before the deputies. His 66-page speech, entitled “the Homeland is a Work in Progress,” lasted approximately two hours. In essence, it was a long checklist of his administration’s accomplishments and goals.

Pacheco cited the drop in the country’s poverty rate to its lowest level in 17 years and the strong growth of Costa Rica’s economy in 2003 as two of his greatest accomplishments and signs the country is on the right track.

Enrollment in elementary and high schools increased, while dropout rates decreased. New schools were built and many received new equipment. Thousands of children benefited from scholarships, education bonds, school lunches and school busing, he said.

Costa Rica’s infant mortality rate dropped to its lowest level in history and life expectancy is comparable to that of most developed countries. Health-care coverage has been improved through local health clinics, he said.

“Costa Rica is growing, jobs are being generated, investment is being attracted, poverty has been reduced, there have been increases in education and health-care coverage,” he said.

Pacheco also vowed to continue his quest to rid the government of corruption.

The President listed the approval of CAFTA and the Free-Trade Agreement between Costa Rica and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), as well as the fiscal reforms and bills to strengthen the Costa Rican Electricity and Telecom Institute (ICE) and the National Insurance Institute (INS) as the “great challenges” that await legislators.

“We are a government that backs the great commercial, institutional, financial and tax reforms. We have placed Costa Rica on the most important paths of the world economy,” he said. “Now, if we wish to consolidate the accomplishments reached and overcome the pending challenges, there are tasks we must complete together.

“Making the most of the third year that begins today [Saturday] is crucial for Costa Rica’s future. At this moment, our country has only two possible roads: continue working to reach development or stop now, stagnate and, in short while, be left in the middle of nothing,” he concluded.

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