School's Cool: Argentine singer Diego Torres -- who gave a concert Saturday night in Heredia, north of San José – took advantage of his stay in Costa Rica to announce a campaign he's sponsoring together with the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Public Education Ministry to encourage kids to stay in school.

The Chinese government plans to send an official delegation to Costa Rica to look into importing more of the country's coffee, according to a statement from the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE).

Workshop in Classical Indian Dance
Led by Andrea Vargas, 7-9:30 p.m., Studio Danza Fusión Cultural, La Uruca, 100 m west, 50 m north of Hola Rent a Car, in front of Hotel Irazú. Info: 296-2022.

Ornamental Jewelry Exhibit
By Grupo Fíbula, through July 13, Roberto Sasso Sasso Auditorium Gallery, Veritas University, Zapote. Info: 232-8565.

Authorities believe five Colombian men arrested in Costa Rica late last week were hired by a Colombian drug cartel to kill Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias and Public Security Minister Fernando Berrocal, according to the daily La Nación.

The murders were allegedly planned as an act of vengeance after Costa Rican police seized 40 tons of cocaine in several operations during the past year, Berrocal told the daily.

The five arrested, identified by the last names Angulo, Martínez, Casares, Flores and Olaya, are believed to be part of the armed branch of the Norte del Valle cartel in Colombia. Angulo and Martínez were arrested Friday night in the Pacific town of Esparza, while the other three were arrested Thursday in the center of Alajuela, northwest of San José.

Police believe the leader of the group left Costa Rica a few days before the arrests to seek more resources and backup, Berrocal said. Two Costa Ricans are suspected of assisting the group by providing them with guns.

Police believe these five helped control the Pacific port of Buenaventura, Colombia, from which they sent boats full of cocaine to the United States via Central America. Costa Rican police have intercepted several of these boats during the past year.

The five arrested were deported Saturday morning to Bogota, each accompanied by two Immigration officials. In Colombia, they face interrogation by that country's Administrative Security Department concerning cases of murder of government authorities, police and civilians.

“These men are some of the most dangerous to be arrested in many years,” said Immigration Director Mario Zamora.

-Tico Times

By Blake Schmidt
Tico Times Staff | bschmidt@ticotimes.net

Friday afternoon shoppers looked on as a man sitting at a bar with his friends was shot and killed at the San Pedro Mall, in the eastern suburb by the same name.

The daily La Nación identified the victim as Steven Mauricio Chaves, 29, from Heredia, north of San José. He was shot twice in the chest and transported to San José's Calderón Guardia Hospital, where he passed away, according Rafael Alcazar, Firefighters' Corps supervisor at the scene. 

The Tico Times received conflicting reports as to whether any suspects were arrested, Public Security Ministry spokeswoman Ingrid Luna said more information would be available today.

The shooting took place after an argument around 5 p.m. in the bar Fusión, on the second level of the popular shopping center, according to mall's lawyer Guido Granado.

Several ambulances and a fire truck arrived on the scene, creating gridlock in the traffic circle in front of the mall.

Gawkers gathered outside, some taking photos with cellular phones, as authorities evacuated and closed the mall and Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ) investigated the scene.

The Chinese government plans to send an official delegation to Costa Rica to look into importing more of the country's coffee, according to a statement from the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE).

Future Chinese Ambassador to Costa Rica Wang Xiaoyuan and other Chinese officials recently met with ICAFE Director Ronald Peters to discuss Costa Rica's coffee industry.

“Wang appeared very interested in increasing commercial ties between the two countries, mainly in purchasing more coffee from Costa Rica,” the statement said.

Peters said that during the meeting, ICAFE representatives outlined “the importance the coffee industry continues to have in the economic and social development of Costa Rica.”

Coffee consumption has recently increased among the Chinese by about 15% per year. The beverage has become trendy, especially among young people, who are becoming more sophisticated in their tastes and are willing to pay more higher quality coffee, the statement said.

China lowered its tariffs on imported coffee from 10.4% to 8% after joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).