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11 Nov 2005 |
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Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, November 11, 2005
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Guard Dogs Kill
Suspicious Intruder
One man is dead after being attacked by two Rottweiller guard dogs in the hours before dawn yesterday. The attack – which was partially caught on tape by a local TV news team – took place on private property. It is unclear what the victim, and two others who escaped unharmed, were doing there, a spokesman for the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) told The Tico Times.
(Click for more)
AyA Strike
Declared Illegal
One month after beginning a strike for higher wages, 3,500 employees of the National Water and Sewer Institute (AyA) were told yesterday that their strike is illegal.
(Click for more)
U.S. Fugitive Arrested
In Joint Operation
Police arrested a U.S. fugitive yesterday, wanted for grand theft and fraud in the state of New York. A joint operation between International Police (INTERPOL) and Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ) arrested Brett K. Curie in a spa in Cañas in the northern Pacific province of Guanacaste.
(Click for more)
Police Confiscate
98 Kilos of Cocaine
Police confiscated 98 kilos of cocaine yesterday, found in an Isuzu Trooper registered in Costa Rica on the Inter-American Highway near the Panama border. They arrested two men, a Costa Rican by the last name of Ledesma, 43, and a Panamanian by the last name of Arosemena, 47. The cocaine was hidden in a false bottom of the back seat. Two boys, ages 17 and 12, were also in the vehicle and are now in the custody of the Children's Welfare Office (PANI).
(Click for more)
November 11
Dance Performance
“Nadie Me Quita Lo Bailao ” is a story told through bolero and swing rhythms, Nov. 11-12, 8 p.m. at Teatro de la Danza, CENAC, Av. 3/5, Ca. 11/15. Info: 221-2154.
Christmas Opening and Benefit for the Needy
Multiplaza del Este is getting a start on the Christmas season with a benefit program to help children who suffer from cancer Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. A caravan with elves, Santa and Christmas carols will be part of the activities. Later the audience can enjoy the play “En Busca de la Navidad.” The activity will close with a concert of the Choir of the Lodge for Children with Terminal Cancer and the Philharmonic Orchestra. The same program will repeat at Multiplaza Escazú on Nov. 18, at 5 p.m. Info: 253-5518.
“Fantastic” Dance Performance
Performed by 120 dancers, including the participation of Carlos Caballero, first dancer of the Cuba Ballet, National Auditorium, Children's Museum.
Children's Pan-American Judo Championship
Nov. 11-13, National Gymnasium, south Sabana Park.
Concert by Mexican Pop Band Reik
On Nov. 12, at 7 p.m., Palacio de los Deportes, Heredia. Tickets on sale at Burger King restaurants.
Edited By Leland Baxter-Neal
Tico Times Staff
lbaxter@ticotimes.net
Guard Dogs Kill
Suspicious Intruder
By Leland Baxter-Neal
Tico Times Staff
lbaxter@ticotimes.net
One man is dead after being attacked by two Rottweiller guard dogs in the hours before dawn yesterday. The attack – which was partially caught on tape by a local TV news team – took place on private property. It is unclear what the victim, and two others who escaped unharmed, were doing there, a spokesman for the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) told The Tico Times.
The man, identified by police as 24-year old Nicaraguan immigrant Natividad Canda Mayrena, died as he was brought to the Max Peralta Hospital in Cartago, east of San José, due to blood loss, OIJ spokesman Francisco Ruíz said.
Footage of the attack broadcast on Channel 7 TV News showed two large Rottweilers alternately biting and pulling the immobile body of the victim, as firefighters attempted to separate the animals from the victim by spraying them and the victim with a fire hose. Though a police vehicle is visible, no officers are seen attempting to intervene.
Police officials said they could not fire upon the animals because they feared hitting the victim, though on multiple occasions the news footage shows the animals leaving the body and walking a few feet away.
“If that is the case, there has to be an investigation,” Ruiz said to The Tico Times. “We are going to review the situation and investigate.”
According to Ruiz, the victim and two others entered the property, apparently without permission, of an auto shop in the community of La Lima, in the province of Cartago, sometime after 11 p.m. Tuesday night. The two Rottweilers and German Shepherd were kept in pens during the day, but released at night to guard the property.
Ruiz said the attack lasted for at least a half an hour, and by the time the police were notified and arrived, the man was already severely wounded by repeated bites to his arms and legs.
The owner of the animal, whose identity could not be confirmed by Ruiz and who was identified by Channel 7 only as “don Fernando,” told Channel 7 this is not the first time that the dogs had attacked someone to defend the property, that he approved of his dogs' actions and he would continue to use them to guard his property.
One month after beginning a strike for higher wages, 3,500 employees of the National Water and Sewer Institute (AyA) were told yesterday that their strike is illegal.
A superior labor court reversed Wednesday a lower court's Oct. 26 decision that the strike was legal. The reversal came after the government appealed the earlier decision.
The declaration of illegality allows the government to reduce striking employees' salaries for the days they have not worked, and eventually fire them without the normal employer's obligations.
“We want to insist with respect and vehemence to the AyA employees and to their leaders that it is time that this ends. The corresponding resources have been exhausted and the movement has been declared illegal,” Labor Minister Fernando Trejos said.
The employees have been on strike since Oct. 10, saying they are paid salaries 18% below the legal minimum wage their colleagues receive in other institutions.
The government has granted a 9.81% salary increase for the most poorly paid employees of the public sector. However, AyA employees are asking for at least 9.5% more.
The workers have warned that if the government denies them negotiation, they will conduct pressure tactics such as marches, road blocks, water cuts to some state institutions and hunger strikes.
The only AyA service that has not been disrupted by the strike is the supply of potable water. Leak repair, bill collection, water reconnection and cuts, and attention to the public have been paralyzed in most of the country.
- ACAN-EFE
U.S. Fugitive Arrested
In Joint Operation
Police arrested a U.S. fugitive yesterday, wanted for grand theft and fraud in the state of New York. A joint operation between International Police (INTERPOL) and Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ) arrested Brett K. Curie in a spa in Cañas in the northern Pacific province of Guanacaste.
He was sentenced by New York 's Supreme Court July 5, 1994 on various counts of grand theft, attempted fraud and international real estate title fraud.
INTERPOL reported that Curie was the administrator and primary stockholder of five cooperative residential buildings in New York from 1989-90. In that time, he didn't pay the monthly mortgages, monthly maintenance or utilities bills, and owed $1.8 million to the cooperatives.
His immigration history is unknown in Costa Rica ; the only registry recorded is an entrance into the country Aug. 4, 2000.
His extradition is being processed in the Penal Court of Heredia, northwest of San José.
Police Confiscate
98 Kilos of Cocaine
Police confiscated 98 kilos of cocaine yesterday, found in an Isuzu Trooper registered in Costa Rica on the Inter-American Highway near the Panama border. They arrested two men, a Costa Rican by the last name of Ledesma, 43, and a Panamanian by the last name of Arosemena, 47. The cocaine was hidden in a false bottom of the back seat. Two boys, ages 17 and 12, were also in the vehicle and are now in the custody of the Children's Welfare Office (PANI).
Police have confiscated nearly 1,200 kilos of cocaine in the Southern Zone this year and more than 5,600 kilos in the entire country, which makes this a record year, beating the previous record of 5,566 kilos confiscated in 1997.
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