A Day without Cars: Leonela Mena, 6, Sofía Brenes, 8 and Cristina Mata, 5, from the Mario Fernández Alfaro School, waited to perform yesterday at an ecological festival held along San José's Paseo Colón. Games, activities and cultural performances were part of the festivities, and this busy thoroughfare was blocked off to cars to promote walking, biking and other environmentally friendly forms of transportation.

Hidden among tree branches in the Southern Zone's Piedras Blancas National Park, police yesterday discovered 1,050 kilograms of cocaine and arrested three men suspected of hiding it there, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry.

Youth Volunteer Camps
Organized by Youth Council and the Costa Rican Sports and Recreation Institute (ICODER), for conservation of national parks and reserves, Manuel Antonio (ages 18-25), today through Saturday; Térraba Indigenous Reserve (ages 12-35), June 15-17; Parque del Este (ages 12-17), July 3-6; Fraijanes Park (ages 12-35), Aug. 9-12; register three weeks prior to trip, 253-4131. Info: 280-5618.

Computer Classes for Seniors
Basic e-mail, windows and Internet, today through June 15, 8 a.m.- noon; advanced Internet, June 18-29, 8 a.m.-noon, Omar Dengo Foundation, San José. Ave. 10, Calle 25. Info: 527-6007.

At the request of a group of legislators, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) will review a controversial trade pact before Costa Rican citizens vote on it, according to a statement released Friday by the Judicial Branch.

These 19 legislators -- most of whom are from the Citizen Action Party (PAC) – asked on May 24 that the court review the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA), arguing that parts of it are unconstitutional. The justices have 30 days to rule on this matter.

Additionally, the Sala IV is studying a similar consulta presented by Ombudsman Lisbeth Quesada April 27 in which she expressed concern over CAFTA's lack of consideration for human rights.

The court plans to make its ruling on CAFTA before a popular referendum tentatively scheduled for Sept. 23. The Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) has not commented on what it would mean for the referendum if the court rules that parts of CAFTA are unconstitutional, according to the daily La Nación.

In a statement released by Casa Presidencial Friday, Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias declared his “total respect” for the court's decision to accept the legislators' request on top of the one previously presented by Quesada.

“The Sala IV's decision will allow, once and for all, for a resolution of the worries certain sectors have” about CAFTA, the statement said. The minister, whose brother President Oscar Arias has strongly supported CAFTA since before he was elected, remained confident that the court won't find the agreement unconstitutional because of the “professional way in which it was negotiated and the months of serious and exhaustive analysis it's had in different forums, such as the Legislative Assembly's International Affairs Commission,” the statement said.

-Tico Times

Hurricane season began Friday, and the Red Cross is alerting Costa Ricans to be prepared for possible heavy rains that could hit the country as a result of the 16 storms expected to pass over Central America, according to a statement.

These storms are likely to affect the Caribbean coast, although residents around the country should be prepared for heavy rains and flooding. The Red Cross recommends keeping a bag on hand with non-perishable food items, bottled water, medicine, blankets, a radio with batteries and sanitary supplies.

Additionally, residents should remain alert to news from the National Emergency Commission (CNE) and be prepared to evacuate if necessary, the statement said.

Red Cross auxiliary committees are heading out to communities likely to be hit by heavy rains, including those in the southern Caribbean, to educate residents there about what to do in an emergency situation.

“The best way of saving lives in risky situations is preparation,” the statement said. This hurricane season is expected to last through Nov. 30.

-Tico Times

Hidden among tree branches in the Southern Zone's Piedras Blancas National Park, police yesterday discovered 1,050 kilograms of cocaine and arrested three men suspected of hiding it there, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry.

A fisherman in the area notified the Costa Rican Coast Guard that he observed three suspicious men getting out of a boat in the early morning near Playa Gallardo, inside the park.

Coast Guard officials, along with police and officials from the Environment and Energy Ministry (MINAE) scoured the area and found the drugs hidden in the branches of palm trees and under the leaves of various plants, the statement said.

They then began an intense search for the three men they believed to have hidden the drugs, and they found and arrested them eight hours later near Gamba, north of Río Claro.

The three arrested were identified by the last names Obando, 47, Bolaños, 38, and Caicedo, 37; all are from Colombia. They face drug trafficking charges before the Prosecutor's Office in the Southern Zone town of Golfito.