Accused of trying to divide the country, the government yesterday cancelled an event to celebrate the signing of the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA). Legislators and other prominent government officials were invited to the ceremony, to be held Wednesday at the Melico Salazar Theater in San José.
President Oscar Arias will sign the law, which Costa Ricans voted in favor of in a national referendum Oct. 7, with less pomp after his weekly Cabinet meeting Wednesday, according to a statement from Casa Presidencial. The treaty will then be published in the official government newspaper La Gaceta, although it will not go into effect until the legislature passes 11 laws required to implement it.
“Some sectors have told us that this ceremony could be misinterpreted, giving the impression that we were trying to revive divisions that split Costa Ricans during the referendum campaign,” Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias said in a statement. “Nothing could be more wrong. |
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