Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, April 05, 2005
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Pacheco Travels to Rome
To Attend Pope's Funeral
Together with other Central American Presidents and members of their Cabinets, Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco, First Lady Leyla Rodríguez and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Marco Vinicio Vargas flew to Rome yesterday to attend the upcoming funeral of Pope John Paul II, who died Saturday.
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March Inflation
Registers at 0.83%
Costa Rica registered a monthly inflation of 0.83% in March, the National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC) reported yesterday.
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Former Vice-President of Ecuador
Returns Home, Gives up Asylum
The former Vice-President of Ecuador, Alberto Dahik, lost his political asylum in Costa Rica , which he had enjoyed since 1996, upon returning to his country last Friday, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
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April 05
Newcomer's Club for
English-Speaking Women Meeting
The topic of today's meeting is “Selecting and Preparing Meats Available in Costa Rica ,” 9:30 a.m. at Grace Woodman's home. Info: 232-3999.
La Papaya Orchestra in Concert
This Central American orchestra will perform tonight at 8 p.m. at the Melico Salazar Theater in San José . Info: www.papayamusic.com
Edited By Robert Goodier
Tico Times Staff
rgoodier@ticotimes.net
Pacheco Travels to Rome
To Attend Pope's Funeral
Together with other Central American Presidents and members of their Cabinets, Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco, First Lady Leyla Rodríguez and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Marco Vinicio Vargas flew to Rome yesterday to attend the upcoming funeral of Pope John Paul II, who died Saturday.
“I will be representing the Costa Rican people that loved him so much, because Costa Rica profoundly loved this saint,” Pacheco said before his departure. He signed a book of condolences before leaving.
“In this country's streets I've seen the pain reflected in the faces of the people. The sympathy that I take with me from Costa Ricans to the Vatican is sincere and deeply felt,” the President said.
Pacheco met with the Pope twice during his 26-year reign, once in Guatemala and once last year in the Vatican on a Presidential tour of southern Europe last year. At that time, the Pope gave Costa Rica a special blessing.
“The holy Pope spoke of our nation and sent blessings to its people, he spoke of the peace we Costa Ricans have, he spoke of our democratic system and he gave me a Rosary from his blessed hands, that I keep among my most prized possessions,” Pacheco said.
A special mass in reverence of the death of the Pope will take place Thursday at 10 a .m. in the Metropolitan Cathedral in San José . Archbishop of San José Hugo Barrantes, who has been away this week on a tour of Jerusalem , will attend, as will the bishop of the Ciudad Quesada diocese Ángel Sancasimiro. All are invited; only Catholics can take Communion.
Every morning at 8 a .m. this week until and including Thursday, the cathedral will host masses in honor of the Pope.
March Inflation
Registers at 0.83%
Costa Rica registered a monthly inflation of 0.83% in March, the National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC) reported yesterday.
This brings inflation for the first three months of the year to 3.94%, greater than inflation over the same period in 2004 (3.49%) and 2003 (2.12%).
The Central Bank has set its 2005 target inflation at 10%, and bank president Francisco de Paula Gutiérrez has said controlling inflation is the bank's top priority this year (TT, Jan. 21). Annual inflation in 2004 was 13.13%.
Former Vice-President of Ecuador
Returns Home, Gives up Asylum
The former Vice-President of Ecuador, Alberto Dahik, lost his political asylum in Costa Rica , which he had enjoyed since 1996, upon returning to his country last Friday, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
The legislation regarding asylum states that beneficiaries lose their status upon returning to the country of their alleged persecution, the statement said.
Costa Rica awarded Dahik asylum March 29, 1996, under legal arguments of persecution, which he had alleged, but those arguments are no longer legally valid as of his return to Ecuador , the statement continued.
Dahik had been in Costa Rica since Oct. 11, 1995.
The former vice-president returned to Ecuador one day after the Ecuadorian Supreme Court annulled his conviction for corruption charges.
Upon his arrival, Dahik thanked his family in Ecuador and his friends who had supported him during his absence, and thanked Costa Rica for being a “model of liberty.”
“Dahik can formally present his renunciation of asylum and, if he desires, he can also remain in Costa Rican territory, but no longer under the protection of asylum,” the Foreign Ministry said.
--EFE
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