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Bringing Home a Gold: The Costa Rican track and field team captured a gold medal Monday at the Central American Student Games being held in Guatemala. Photo courtesy of the Costa Rican Sports and Recreation Institute (ICODER). |
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Photo courtesy of the Costa Rican Sports and Recreation Institute (ICODER)
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| Record-Breaking Rains Pound Costa Rica |
Intense rain that destroyed roofs, walls and a dike in the Central Valley and Southern Zone Monday also broke national records, according to National Meteorological Institute (IMN) meteorologist Max Mena.
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| Tribunal Rules That Arias can Tout CAFTA on Tours |
In a long-awaited decision, the Supreme Elections Tribunal said yesterday that President Oscar Arias has not violated electoral rules by touting the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) at nearly every official event he attends. |
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| Psychologist Testifies in Burgos Murder Trial |
A psychologist testified yesterday that public defense attorney Luis Fernando Burgos confessed to his ex-girlfriend Zulay Rojas that he strangled and killed his wife Mauren Hidalgo.
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| August 29 |
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Angola Ballet
7 p.m., Colegio San Luis Gonzaga gymnasium, Cartago.
Choque Urbano
Music, theater and dance show, today and tomorrow, 8 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater, San José. Info: 207-2025.
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Edited By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net |
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Record-Breaking Rains Pound Costa Rica |
By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff | aroberson@ticotimes.net
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Intense rain that destroyed roofs, walls and a dike in the Central Valley and Southern Zone Monday also broke national records, according to National Meteorological Institute (IMN) meteorologist Max Mena.
In the northern suburb of Tibás, about 80 millimeters of rain fell in one hour, at least 10 centimeters more than the national record, he said. The rest of the San José area as well as the Southern Zone also experienced rain so intense it turned some roads into muddy rivers, damaging homes and infrastructure.
In the Southern Zone canton of Corredores, a dike broke, flooding neighborhoods in nearby Ciudad Neilly, according to a statement from the National Emergency Commission (CNE), which yesterday declared a green, preventive alert for the Pacific slope, Northern Zone and Central Valley. Three bridges were also washed away near Ciudad Neilly.
About 27 families had to evacuate their homes in the Corazón de Jesús neighborhood of the northwestern San José district of La Uruca, the statement said.
In Tibás, a vehicle was nearly swallowed by a hole in the road as it attempted to make it through thigh-deep water, and residents of one condo in the western suburb of Escazú saw a chunk of their ceiling cave in from the pressure of accumulated water.
“The intensity was extremely high, and we also saw a lot of electric activity” in the form of thunder and lightning, Mena said, adding that there's lots more rain and possibly tropical storms to come in September and October, typically the wettest months of the rainy season. |
Tribunal Rules That Arias can Tout CAFTA on Tours |
By Gillian Gillers
Tico Times Staff | ggillers@ticotimes.net
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In a long-awaited decision, the Supreme Elections Tribunal said yesterday that President Oscar Arias has not violated electoral rules by touting the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) at nearly every official event he attends.
Tribunal President Luis Antonio Sobrado said the President's activities are not “propagandistic” and thus do not violate rules against using public resources to promote CAFTA. “Propaganda” would include distributing pro-CAFTA pins or flyers, according to a statement from the Tribunal.
The resolution – which responded to petitions by the Access without Exclusion Party, the National Rescue Party and activist Alberto Cabezas – also said the Tribunal has no power to sanction Arias or Public Health Minister María Luisa Ávila, for invoking religion during speeches on CAFTA. Still, the Tribunal “vehemently urged” them to avoid making any religious references when touting the treaty. |
Psychologist Testifies in Burgos Murder Trial |
By Blake Schmidt
Tico Times Staff | bschmidt@ticotimes.net
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A psychologist testified yesterday that public defense attorney Luis Fernando Burgos confessed to his ex-girlfriend Zulay Rojas that he strangled and killed his wife Mauren Hidalgo.
Psychologist Yolanda Batrez counseled Rojas, a former state prosecutor and Burgos' former girlfriend, after the alleged murder took place last year. Testifying in this highly publicized case, the psychologist said Rojas showed signs of post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) when she told Batrez that Burgos had confessed to his wife's murder.
“Burgos told her that (sigh), he had strangled his wife,” Batrez testified.
Burgos is being tried for first-degree murder. Rojas is also implicated in the case, in which there is little physical evidence, for allegedly covering up Burgos' confession and helping him take care of the body (TT, Aug. 10).
Batrez said Rojas suffered from insomnia, nightmares, and a general loss of interest after hearing the alleged murder confession.
“She was suffering an absolute terror that didn't go away day and night,” Batrez said.
Rojas sat at the defendant's stand with her head bowed during much of the testimony.
According to Judicial Branch spokesman Federico Vanegas, two more witnesses are to appear tomorrow and then the case will be postponed until Sept. 3, when Burgos will testify
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