Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, August 16, 2005
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CAFTA Discussion
Postponed in Nicaragua
Enrique Bolaños, President of Nicaragua, said he is not sure whether his country's legislature will ratify the Central American Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States because his opponents in the Liberal party and Sandinista party have agreed to delay it.
(Click for more)
Tokyo Summit Held T
To Strengthen Cooperation
Central America and Japan will give a new push to cooperation between the two regions in a meeting of heads of state, including Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco, to be held Thursday in Tokyo.
(Click for more)
Costa Rican Fans Pessimistic
About Game with Mexico
Forty-three percent of Costa Rican fans are pessimistic about the national team's World Cup-qualifier away game against Mexico tomorrow, according to a poll in the daily Al Día.
(Click for more)
Physics Essay Contest
Challenges Students
What impact does physics have on daily life? While students may ask themselves this question during complicated physics lessons, they are being invited to answer it in this year's annual essay contest of the Foundation for the National Center of Science and Technology (CIENTEC).
(Click for more)
August 16
International Concert
The New York String Octet is performing tonight at 8 p.m. at the Gran Hotel Costa Rica. Info: 221-4000.
Metal Exhibit
By students of UCR and Universidad Nacional, through Aug. 31, National Gallery, Children's Museum, end Ca. 4, Av. 9. Info: 258-4929.
Edited By Rebecca Kimitch
Tico Times Staff
rkimitch@ticotimes.net
CAFTA Discussion
Postponed in Nicaragua
Enrique Bolaños, President of Nicaragua, said he is not sure whether his country's legislature will ratify the Central American Free-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States because his opponents in the Liberal party and Sandinista party have agreed to delay it.
In an interview published yesterday with the daily newspaper El Nuevo Diario, Bolaños said legislators from the Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC) and the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) have postponed the trade agreement's ratification until an undisclosed date.
On Sunday, 9 Liberals and Sandinistas agreed in the National Assembly to postpone discussion of CAFTA until after the legislative recess, which began yesterday and concludes Sept. 5 (Nica Times, Aug. 12).
Bolaños blamed the delay on the political reaction to his decision to restrict visits to former President Arnoldo Alemán (1997-2001), who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for charges of corruption. Alemán is serving the sentence at his luxury ranch El Chile, after a judge transferred him there because of his medical conditions.
Hours before legislators were to discuss the ratification of CAFTA, Bolaños ordered that visits to Alemán at his ranch be restricted; the Liberals refused to go ahead with the planned discussion. Alemán is the de facto head of the Liberal Party.
The Sandinistas, for their part, have opposed CAFTA from the outset.
Bolaños explained that the restriction against Alemán is designed to keep the Sandinistas and Liberals from plotting against the President from El Chile. Before the restrictions were put into place, Alemán had received 80 visits from family, friends and politicians.
Bolaños said that Liberals and Sandinistas who threaten to approve his impeachment and try him for alleged electoral crimes are requesting that the government pass “accompanying laws” before ratifying CAFTA.
“I just say that if they (the laws) are necessary, they shall be made, but explain to me how this is going to help increase production and give guarantees to the unemployed,” Bolaños said.
He added that the ratification of CAFTA has been delayed only because the Liberals oppose everything except the release of Alemán.
– ACAN-EFE
Tokyo Summit Held T
To Strengthen Cooperation
Central America and Japan will give a new push to cooperation between the two regions in a meeting of heads of state, including Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco, to be held Thursday in Tokyo.
This will be the second summit between the Central American Integration System (SICA) and Japan; the first was held in August 1996 in Costa Rica.
The meeting will also celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Central America.
At the summit, Pacheco will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Guatemalan President Oscar Berger, Honduran President Ricardo Maduro and the Vice-Presidents of El Salvador (Ana Vilma de Escobar), Nicaragua (José Rizo) and Panama (Samuel Lewis Navarro).
Topics will include heath, education, waste management, sewage treatment, water, tourism and citizen safety.
– ACAN-EFE
Costa Rican Fans Pessimistic
About Game with Mexico
Forty-three percent of Costa Rican fans are pessimistic about the national team's World Cup-qualifier away game against Mexico tomorrow, according to a poll in the daily Al Día.
In response to the question, “What will be the result of the Mexico-Costa Rica game?” 43% of those polled said the victory would go to Mexico ; 32% said Costa Rica would triumph; and 25% said it would be a tie. Al Día surveyed 592 of its readers for the poll.
Costa Rica has already lost once to Mexico, 1-2, at home in the current round of the race to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Mexico is leading this round of the tournament with 13 points, followed by the United States (12), Costa Rica (7), Trinidad and Tobago (4), Guatemala (4) and Panama (2). The first three teams will qualify for Germany and the fourth-place team will vie for a spot by playing the fifth-place Asian team.
On the road to the World Cup in France in 1998, the two games between Mexico and Costa Rica ended in ties, 3- 3 in Mexico and 0- 0 in Costa Rica; in the elimination for South Korea in 2002, Costa Rica beat Mexico 1- 2 in Mexico and tied in Costa Rica 0-0.
– ACAN-EFE
Physics Essay Contest
Challenges Students
What impact does physics have on daily life? While students may ask themselves this question during complicated physics lessons, they are being invited to answer it in this year's annual essay contest of the Foundation for the National Center of Science and Technology (CIENTEC).
Public and private school students are invited to participate in the contest and compete for computers, cell phones and free Internet.
Entries explaining perspectives and opinions on the impact of physics in daily life can be up to 750 words, must be in Spanish and must be received by Aug. 31
Competition is divided in two categories: ages 13-15 and ages 16-18.
The goal of the contest is to promote creativity, free thought, and interest in the sciences.
For more information, visit www.cientec.or.cr/concurso2.
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