Judge Closes Offices
Of Risqué Magazine
A decade of cleavage and sultry glances may have ended this week when Judge Christiana Vargas, accompanied by police officers, closed the offices of Chavespectáculos, a risqué monthly entertainment magazine in San José.
(Click for more)

Emergency Declared in
Guanacaste Because of Locusts
The government has declared a national animal health crisis in the northwestern province of Guanacaste following an outbreak of a plague of flying locusts.
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CNE Proposes Land-Use
Guidelines in Orosi Area
The National Commission for the Prevention of Emergencies (CNE) yesterday submitted a land-use study to the Committee for the Prevention and Attention of Emergencies of Orosi and the Municipality of Paraíso de Cartago to help local government make adequate use of the land in the Orosi Valley, southeast of San José.
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Play Opening
Núcleo de Experimentación Teatral (NET), under the direction of Fernando Vinocour present the play “Ex,” by Samuel Beckett. The Spanish-language play will be performed Thurs.-Sun. at 8 p.m. through June 13 at Teatro Fanal, San José. Info: 257-5524.

Dance Show
The Chamber Dance Company of the Universidad Nacional is performing at 7 p.m., at EARTH University, and tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Teatro Casa de la Cultura in Limón. Info: 713-0000 ext. 3606, 798-5963.

Culture Day
Local artisans, singers and dancers of Pérez Zeledón, in the Southern Zone, are offering at the best of their art 8 a.m.-8 p.m., at Casa de la Juventud in San Isidro de El General. Info: 771-1437.

Judge Closes Offices
Of Risqué Magazine
By Robert Goodier
rgoodier@ticotimes.net

A decade of cleavage and sultry glances may have ended this week when Judge Christiana Vargas, accompanied by police officers, closed the offices of Chavespectáculos, a risqué monthly entertainment magazine in San José.

With this latest move by the state, publisher Jorge Chaves has become the fulcrum of a censorship debate, the loss of which, if you ask him, could shackle the nation’s free press.

Chavespectáculos marches provocative, scantily dressed women onto the news stands – outside of the plastic covers that block pornography from young or uninterested eyes. The entertainment magazine also features interviews with musicians, actors, models and gossip about famous personalities.

The Penal Court of the First Judicial Circuit of San José last week ordered the closure of his office, also the home of Sexxxo Caliente, an indisputable porn magazine, citing an outstanding fine of more than ¢1 million ($2,315).

A judge imposed the fine in 2003 when Chaves refused to submit Chavespectáculos to the Justice Ministry’s Office of Control and Rating of Public Spectacles for a screening before it went to press each month.

“It’s a question of principles,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if the censorship office says it will be flexible – prior censorship does not exist in this country.”

Chaves’ opinion is propped up by newspaper owners, journalists and media big-wigs, so much so that without their support, he said, he would have long since considered himself wrong.

Chaves thinks the problem is in the censorship office’s definition of pornography. He claims the law that the court regards as justification for the office’s request for prior review governs “public spectacles” and “printed materials,” among other things, and is restricted to pornography.

“Call it vulgar, say that it stirs up instincts, call it what you want, but when they call it pornography I pull out a copy of this,” he said, holding up the latest edition of his porn magazine Sexxxo Caliente. “Then I send it to their offices.”

Questioned about the case as she stuck official seals over Chaves’ closed office door yesterday, Judge Vargas said she was just doing her job, and offered no further comment.

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