The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, June 21, 2004

TIED again: Costa Rica’s Froylán Ledezma (left) battles for possession of the ball against Cuba’s Mario Pedraza in yesterday’s second match and second tie between the rivals.
AFP/Mayela López

Gay Rights Group
Denounces Ombudsman
The Ombudsman has let his political ambitions tie his hands in the struggle for equal rights for gays and lesbians in Costa Rica, according to the Central American Center for the Investigation and promotion of Human Rights (CIPAC), a gay rights advocacy and support group.
(Click for more)

Trade Talks with Dominican Republic
Will Continue Next Weekend
Top trade officials from Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States will meet again next Saturday to continue discussing the terms of Dominican Republic’s incorporation into the Central American Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States.
(Click for more)

June 21

Fęte de la Musique (Music Festival)

The following are at the University of Costa Rica:
9 a.m. - Cimarrona (typical music)
10 a.m.-noon - Chamber Music Orchestras performing at the Administration Building, School of Fine Arts and the School of Modern Languages.

The following is at the Eugene O’Neill Theater, C.R.-North American Cultural Center:
10 a.m.-2 p.m. - Concerts, Barrio Dent, 207-7555.

The following are at Morazán Park:
9.30 a.m. - “Oratorio Don Bosco”
10:15 a.m. - “Los Pirulos” children’s music, including clowns and dancers
11 a.m. - Guápiles Fine Arts Academy performing classical music
11:30 a.m. - Maromero (music for children).

The following are at the Parque Central:
11 a.m. - “Descalzos” (ska);
11:30 a.m. - Grupo Auroral (Música Típica)
Noon - Marimba de Costa Rica
12:30 p.m. - Edito (to be confirmed)
1:30 p.m. - Amarillo Cian y Magenta (to be confirmed)
6 p.m. - Café “Meridiano del Este,” Walter Flores (Bolero), Patricio Torres (Trova), Chocolate (Cuban music), Ray Tico and Brazilean Samba.

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National Soccer Team Advances
Despite 1-1 Tie with Cuba

Costa Rica’s national soccer team (“La Sele”) qualified yesterday for the third international elimination round of Concacaf, tying the Cuban national team 1-1 after a competition many feel should not have been so close.

The first goal of the game came after the Ticos made a strong push downfield, led by Froylán Ledezma. He passed to Erick Scott, who quickly kicked it up to Rónald Gómez, who scored with a head butt.

It seemed that had Costa Rica headed in the right direction, until the 45th minute when Cuban Alaín Cervantes maneuvered through the Tico’s defense and scored, tying the game.

Steve Samson, Costa Rica’s coach from the United States, was jeered for the poor performance of the team as the game ended.

In Havana last Sunday, Costa Rica and Cuba tied 2-2. Costa Rica will now advance rather than Cuba for scoring more goals as the visiting team.

Honduras will be the Ticos’ next challenge, and its team will visit Costa Rica Aug. 18. Honduras is part of Group B of the third round, which also includes Guatemala and Canada.

A total of 12 teams, divided into three groups, will compete in the third round. The top two teams of each group will advance to the final hexagon, where they will fight for three seats in the World Cup, to be held in Germany in 2006.

A fourth team from the final hexagon will compete with a select team from the Asian Football Federation.
--AFP

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Gay Rights Group
Denounces Ombudsman
By Robert Goodier
rgoodier@ticotimes.net

The Ombudsman has let his political ambitions tie his hands in the struggle for equal rights for gays and lesbians in Costa Rica, according to the Central American Center for the Investigation and promotion of Human Rights (CIPAC), a gay rights advocacy and support group.

The group announced yesterday that it plans to file a formal complaint against Ombudsman José Manuel Echandi before the Legislative Assembly and two international human rights organizations.

Nearly one year ago, CIPAC began working with Echandi to create a motion to contest the constitutionality of laws that discriminate against homosexuals, according to CIPAC’s administrative director Francisco Madrigal. Specifically, Madrigal is pushing the government to give the same rights to gay couples it gives to heterosexual couples.

After a certain period of living together, straight couples begin to acquire certain legal protections and privileges similar to married couples in Costa Rica, but gays have so far been exempt, Madrigal said.

Echandi had taken up the case, but bowed out last week saying he “considers it inopportune to present the motion” and recommended CIPAC take the matter up directly with the assembly, according to a statement from CIPAC.

“That is a process that could take many years,” Madrigal said, and will surely be fought fiercely by conservatives and “fundamentalists.”

“The Ombudsman has the responsibility to defend the rights of the citizens, and we, gays and lesbians, are citizens,” Madrigal said.

CIPAC’s statement accused the Ombudsman of thinking more about his public image than the people he should defend.

“He does not fear for the proven discrimination that we gays and lesbians live daily,” CIPAC said. “He does not fear for the social disadvantages, the permissions and services denied to gays and lesbians, nor the suicides that young gays and lesbians commit because of social and family reactions to their sexual orientation.”

Madrigal accused Echandi of dodging the issue to save a future political career, a sentiment that President Abel Pacheco voiced Tuesday in response to the Ombudsman’s yearly report, saying, “This person (Echandi) is running an open political campaign."

Echandi met with the heads of two political groups seeking support for bid for congressional deputy, according to Pacheco. Echandi denied the accusation, saying that he meets with all political groups as a part of his job (TT, June 18).

In the absence of the Ombudsman’s support, CIPAC will take the long road to equality before the law and work directly with the assembly.

However, Madrigal said the group also will request the support of the Washington-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the United States and Argentina-based International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

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Trade Talks with Dominican Republic
Will Continue Next Weekend

SPEAKING out for gay rights: Francisco Madrigal
Tico Times/Robert Goodier

Top trade officials from Central America, the Dominican Republic and the United States will meet again next Saturday to continue discussing the terms of Dominican Republic’s incorporation into the Central American Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States.

Negotiators met last week in Miami to sort out what were believed to be the final details needed to make the Dominican Republic the seventh country to form part of the trade pact (TT, June 18). Saturday’s meeting will also take place Miami. Negotiations will focus on trade in goods.

“Up until now, important advances have been made, but there are still some details that need to be further defined,” said Anabel González, head of Costa Rica’s CAFTA negotiating team.

During negotiations held earlier in the year with the United States, the Dominican Republic accepted CAFTA’s 22 normative chapters.

However, all sides have not yet agreed on the way the market access rule and product liberalization schedules would be applied between the Dominican Republic and the five Central American members of CAFTA.

Once all parties reach an agreement on these issues, CAFTA will be signed again – it was first signed on May 28 by the United States and the Central American countries (TT, June 4). After that, each country must submit the treaty to its respective legislative body.

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Wednesday October 26, 2005