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Break-dancing to the Bard: A hip-hop version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet comes to the Theater of Dance, inside San José's National Culture Center (CENAC), tonight. The National Dance Company will also present this unique act tomorrow and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. |
| Photo courtesy of National Dance Company |
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| Costa Rica Renews Ties with China |
President Oscar Arias announced yesterday afternoon that Costa Rica has established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) – a move that automatically breaks off its relations with the Republic of China ( Taiwan ), which the PRC regards as illegitimate, and ends almost six decades of cooperation between Costa Rica and Taiwan.
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| Two Tons of Cocaine Seized in Pacific Waters |
Adding to a recent wave of aquatic drug busts, police yesterday seized more than two tons of cocaine in Pacific waters in two separate cases, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry. |
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| New Plan to Combat Chemical Disasters |
After snuffing out two raging chemical fires in six months and hosing down the resulting storm of media attention, a coalition of government institutions yesterday announced a plan to reduce the risk of accidents at the nation's chemical plants.
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| June 07 |
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Collective Exhibit by Jade Azul Group
Oils, through June 30, National Gallery, National Children's Museum, San José. Info: 258-4929.
“Bartleby”
By Herman Melville, directed by Alfredo Catania, today through June 17, Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 5 p.m., Teatro de La Aduana, San José, Calle 23, Ave. 3. Info: 257-8304.
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Edited By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net
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Costa Rica Renews Ties with China |
By Katherine Stanley
Tico Times Staff | kstanley@ticotimes.net
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President Oscar Arias announced yesterday afternoon that Costa Rica has established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) – a move that automatically breaks off its relations with the Republic of China ( Taiwan ), which the PRC regards as illegitimate, and ends almost six decades of cooperation between Costa Rica and Taiwan.
He said he made the decision not because of ideological reasons, but rather out of “fundamental realism.”
“The reasons are very obvious,” he said, adding that relations with mainland China will “bring greater well being and development for Costa Rica, which cannot remain static (in) a changing world.”
According to Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno -- who officially normalized relations with China June 1 during a meeting with officials in Beijing and informed the Taiwanese Embassy in San José during a meeting shortly before yesterday's press conference -- Taiwan and Costa Rica will now begin the process of closing their respective embassies.
Stagno said plans with China include a possible free-trade agreement between the countries and a ministerial council to begin a bi-national dialogue. Arias said he hopes for significant Chinese investment here.
The President said he will personally take charge of securing new funding for pending projects to be funded by Taiwan, such as a highway from San José to the Northern Zone city of Ciudad Quesada.
Arias has expressed interest in increased trade with China since before taking office last year, but has consistently denied rumors that he would break off relations with Taiwan – right up until yesterday morning, when he told wire service ACAN-EFE that talk of a pending break was “just speculation.”
Costa Rica was one of Taiwan's only 25 diplomatic allies. |
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Two Tons of Cocaine Seized in Pacific Waters |
Adding to a recent wave of aquatic drug busts, police yesterday seized more than two tons of cocaine in Pacific waters in two separate cases, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry.
The largest bust occurred off the shore of the central Pacific town of Quepos, when Costa Rican and U.S. Coast Guard officials, together with police, seized a boat carrying more than two tons of cocaine.
The three Colombian men aboard tried to set the ship on fire when they saw police approaching, but were arrested and are being taken to Quepos, along with the boat. Police are investigating the case and determining the exact amount of cocaine aboard, the statement said.
Additionally, yesterday morning, a Costa Rican boat carrying six kilos of cocaine was seized by police at the port city of Caldera. Aboard the boat, named Matina, were two Costa Ricans identified by the last names Badilla and Gutiérrez were arrested.
Public Security Minister Fernando Berrocal said he is concerned about this case, which shows a relation between international and local drug trafficking. Police suspect the two aboard worked with international drug traffickers to deliver fuel to boats carrying drugs at high sea and received the drugs they were carrying as a payment for their services.
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-Tico Times
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New Plan to Combat Chemical Disasters |
By Dave Sherwood
Tico Times Staff | dsherwood@ticotimes.net
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After snuffing out two raging chemical fires in six months and hosing down the resulting storm of media attention, a coalition of government institutions yesterday announced a plan to reduce the risk of accidents at the nation's chemical plants.
The plan comes at a critical juncture – one month after the Suministros Industriales chemical plant in Alajuela, northwest of San José, burned to the ground, raining chemicals on the surrounding neighborhood and leaving lingering questions as to whether rivers and groundwater had been contaminated (TT, May 11).
Such multi-faceted national commissions and comprehensive plans on chemical safety are the norm elsewhere in the world, according to Federico Paredes, President of the Costa Rica Association for Public Health, a non-governmental organization in San José – but have only now taken hold in Costa Rica (TT, May 25).
Environment and Energy Minister Roberto Dobles, who leads the commission, said the problem is relatively new to Costa Rica, but he agreed the plan is urgent.
“It's well known that we've had very disorganized development in recent years, and chemical contamination of our aquifers and rivers is one of the results,” he said. “This plan seeks to better regulate and control the industry and also to reduce pollution,” he said.
The coalition, which includes the Health Ministry, Environment and Energy Ministry (MINAE), National Water and Sewer Institute (AyA), National Firefighter's Corps, National Emergency Commission (CNE), Universidad Nacional (UNA) and School of Chemistry Engineers, among others, will identify key risk areas, inspect each individual plant in the country and ensure that all are properly prepared for accidents.
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