Much Love for Mothers: Gabriela Muñoz plays with her son Felipe at the playground of the Yabalá-Montessori Kindergarden in the western suburb of Escazú as part of the school's Mother's Day celebrations yesterday.

Updated at 8 p.m. -- A tsunami warning is in effect for the Pacific coast of Costa Rica after an earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale hit Peru earlier today, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Authorities are advising residents of all Pacific coast areas to head inland and keep abreast of the news.

Costa Rican artists will have the chance compete for a slot performing before MTV Latin American awards this year through “Combat Zone” a contest that's seeking out new bands and solo artists from all musical genres in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a statement from the contest's organizers.

Manuel Antonio Tourism Fair
10 a.m., Radisson Europa Hotel, San José, Calle Central, Ave. 3/5. Info: 777-1229.

Recreo de las Artes
Theater, music, art, dance, storytelling and reading activities, today and tomorrow, Centro Cultural del Este, Guadalupe, 234-2916.

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

As is Tico tradition, Mother's Day was celebrated with fanfare liken to that of Christmas yesterday, even though it was work and school as usual for most mothers and their loved ones.

Because of a law that moves holidays that fall mid-week to the following Monday, the official Mother's Day holiday will be observed Aug. 20. Legislators recently passed a law changing Mother's Day back to the traditional Aug. 15, but they didn't do so in time for this year's celebration.

Nevertheless, many observed the holiday yesterday, as evidenced by stores and stands packed with people buying flowers and other gifts, restaurants offering special deals and even President Oscar Arias making stops to address two unique groups of mothers: policewomen and prisoners.

At the Public Security Ministry, a ceremony honored the approximately 170 women who serve as police officers. Arias informed them of three new agreements aimed at helping their families. Children of National Police officers will have access to government day-care centers, and will be eligible for the Avancemos program, through which families receive money each month to keep their kids in school. Finally, an agreement with Banco Popular's Community Development branch will allow police access to special financing for their families' needs.

At the Buen Pastor Women's Prison, south of San José, prisoners listened to speeches by Arias, Justice Minister Laura Chinchilla and Housing Minister Fernando Zumbado and watched a traditional dance performance by a group of their fellow inmates.

Since children under age 3 are allowed to stay at the prison with their sentenced mothers, several little ones sat on laps or scampered around during the speeches.

The President's message focused on education. He announced that the children of prisoners will be eligible for the Avancemos program and promised to look into getting a few computers at the prison for women to learn how to use them and hopefully apply this knowledge in future jobs.

Ruth Morán, 34, was among those who sat holding a baby, her son José Luis, just 22 days old.

By Peter Krupa
Tico Times Staff | pkrupa@ticotimes.net

President Oscar Arias announced this week that the Chinese government is offering the equivalent of $50 million to Costa Rica for municipal improvement projects such as roadwork, schools and other public works.

The announcement comes just months after Costa Rica shifted diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan (TT, June 8), whose 63-year relationship with Costa Rica had yielded hundreds of millions of dollars in loans and donations similar to the assistance just offered by China.

The money will go toward programs of the Institute for Municipal Development (IFAM), a public entity funded by the central government to support to local governments.

There is some uncertainty over whether the $50 million from China will be in the form of a donation or a loan. Statements from the Casa Presidencial have assured reporters that the amount will be donated.

But Finance Minister Guillermo Zúñiga told The Tico Times on Tuesday night that “I still can't confirm even the amount” of the assistance, which will go directly into the central government's 2008 budget.

Zúñiga said the form of the assistance has not been decided upon either, and that the head of China's Central Bank will be visiting Costa Rica next month to discuss what form any potential financial aid would take.

Lang Hu, a spokesman with the Chinese Embassy in Costa Rica, said the Embassy had no comment on the matter at the moment, although he confirmed that China is in talks with the Costa Rican government over possible financial aid.

Costa Rican artists will have the chance compete for a slot performing before MTV Latin American awards this year through “Combat Zone” a contest that's seeking out new bands and solo artists from all musical genres in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a statement from the contest's organizers.

The winner will have a chance to perform live the night before the MTV awards, to be held in Mexico City Oct. 18, and also be offered a $50,000 contract with a music production company.

The contest will be open to musicians in 13 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, but first they must make the pre-selection cut and earn a space among the 16 bands that will compete in Combat Zone.

Pre-qualifying events are scheduled to be held in cities around the region. Costa Rican musicians are headed to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Oct. 4 to give their pre-qualifying performances, the statement said.

These artists will warm up during a series of concerts leading up to the competition, the first of which will be at Bar Cavale, in the eastern suburb of Zapote, tomorrow. Among groups that have signed up to compete are Le Pop, Proyecto Villegas, 13 Millas, The Movement in Codes, Sincrónico, Mentados, Deznuke and Broka.

Bands or artists interested in more information can visit www.lazona.com.