Sweet Victory: Fans of Mexico's national soccer team celebrated their victory over the Costa Rican team last night at the Gold Cup played in the U.S. city of Houston. Meanwhile, Costa Rican fans mourned their 1-0 loss.

Costa Rica opened a new consulate in the southern Nicaragua town of Rivas Friday to help regulate the migratory flow of Nicaraguan workers here.

Mundoloco Concerts
Featuring medieval, Celtic and Brazilian music, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro.

Cooking Classes
Level II classes open today, 6-9 p.m., Estudio Gastrónomico Mucho Gusto, Barrio Dent. Info: 234-0840, 234-0154.

By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net

It looks like a tropical storm could bring Costa Rica more heavy rains in the next couple of days, and the National Emergency Commission (CNE) is maintaining a green, preventive alert for the Central Valley, southern Pacific coast and southern Caribbean, CNE spokesman Reinaldo Carballo told The Tico Times yesterday.

The commission placed the southern San José district of Desamparados under a yellow alert, and a red alert remains in place in Alajuelita, south of the capital, which was hit by a tornado last week. The Central Valley cantons of Belén, Flores, and Alajuela are also under a red alert because of potential flooding, Carballo said.

“We're asking everyone in these areas to remain vigilant of river levels as a tropical storm approaches from Venezuela within the next two days,” he said.

An estimated 3,000 homes were damaged by the tornado in Alajuelita. Around the Central Valley, 250 homes have been “severely damaged” by flooding and several bridges have been washed out since heavy rains rolled in last week, according to a statement from the CNE.

Some help arrived for residents of Alajuelita yesterday when CNE and Red Cross officials brought sheets of zinc, nails and other materials costing about ¢60 million ($115,384) to repair damaged homes, the statement said. The Mixed Institute of Social Aid (IMAS) is also coordinating with the commission to make emergency funds available to families affected.

“This material will allow me to cover my house and avoid water entering during the night. I have three small children who got wet last night,” said Alajuelita resident José Saldaña.

A U.S. citizen accused of sexually abusing children was extradited to the United States Friday, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry.

The man, identified by the last name Gavino, 36, was arrested June 8 in the central Pacific beach town of Jacó, where he owned a restaurant. He tried to flee twice after being arrested but was recaptured by police, the statement said.

A warrant for Gavino's arrest was issued by a judge in the U.S. town of Polk, Florida on May 20, 2004. He is accused of abusing a minor and having sexual relations with a 12-year-old girl from June 2002 to April 2004.

He was on the Florida Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) list of the “five most wanted pedophiles,” according to the daily La Nación.

Tourism Police, International Police (INTERPOL) and Immigration officials worked together to locate and arrest him.

-Tico Times

Costa Rica opened a new consulate in the southern Nicaragua town of Rivas Friday to help regulate the migratory flow of Nicaraguan workers here.

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno, together with his Nicaraguan counterpart Samuel Santos, inaugurated the new consulate. Also in attendance were Jaime Lacadena, Spain's Ambassador to Nicaragua, and Aurora Díaz, director of the Spanish Foreign Ministry's Department of Cooperation for Spain and Latin America.

The Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) donated $2.7 million to open the consulate in an effort to improve conditions for Nicaraguan immigrants seeking work in Costa Rica and promote social integration.

During his Friday visit to Nicaragua, Stagno also remarked that the Costa Rican Consulate in Managua will undergo “surgery” to repair the disorder, chaos and long lines users typically face, according to the daily La Nación. The first step will be looking for a bigger building so that users don't have to wait in line under the hot sun before entering.