Ceramics Biennial
For national and international artists, today and tomorrow, Mexico Institute, Ca. 41, Av. 10. Info: 2283-2333, ext. 204.

“Niña Frida”
Dance show for children and family, 7 p.m., National Auditorium, Children's Museum, end Ca. 4. Info: 2258-4929.

Jazz Cafés
In San Pedro, Costa Rican rock band Time's Forgotten, 10 p.m.; in Escazú, salsa band Son Urbano, 10 p.m. http://jazzcafecostarica.com.

Tensions escalated yesterday over speculations on the alleged connection between Costa Rican politicians and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

President Oscar Arias urged the public security minister, Fernando Berrocal, to clarify his remarks that alluded to a tip-of-the-iceberg scenario after a March 14 police raid on a home in Barva de Heredia, north of San José.

The raid uncovered a safe box holding $480,000 belonging to FARC. The tip-off was allegedly an e-mail sent between high rebel commanders found on a laptop after Colombia attacked a base just beyond its border with Ecuador, which killed the FARC's No. 2 in command, Raúl Reyes, and at least 20 of his soldiers.

“Many things are going to come out” of those laptops, Berrocal said. “The relations don't only go with the mafia organized to distribute drugs, but with some political sectors of this country that have lost a sense of reality.”

Yesterday, speaking in the central Pacific town of Puntarenas, Arias called on Berrocal to elaborate.

“He (Berrocal) had better give an explanation,” the president said according to the daily La Nación. “If he has (names), he should give them. But if not, well…”

The push from Arias, which followed similar statements by the chief prosecutor, Francisco Dall'Anese, obviously struck a nerve.

Yesterday afternoon a letter emerged from Berrocal addressed to the president's brother and presidency minister, Rodrigo Arias, in which Berrocal seemed to retract his statement.

After scrutinizing his comments, the letter said, “from my words it cannot be deduced, since I didn't say it, that there is an official list of politicians linked to drug-trafficking and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.”

He went on to clarify his statement, saying, “What I said in my speech is that FARC and drug-trafficking are one and the same. I also said that whoever does not understand this truth understands nothing about the grave and dangerous process of narcotics infiltration and its ramifications in Costa Rica.”

The number of drug-trafficking “mules” being foiled at the country's airports has spiked in recent months. A mule is slang for a person who trafficks drugs on their person, often in their stomachs or rectums, as they cross borders.

Most were foiled by their own bodies rather than by any action the police took. Hamilton Keller, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen on his way to Miami, nearly died March 13 after 65 wrapped cocaine pellets began to explode in his stomach. He had to have them surgically removed from his stomach and throat after Drug Control Police arrested him.

“It seems the young Hamilton was trying to travel to the United States and, minutes before leaving, he started to convulse inside the plane, at which time Drug Control Police agents stationed at the airport were informed,” a court press release states. “He was promptly transferred to a hospital.”

Keller joins at least three other mules – another American, an Italian and a Spaniard –whose plans fell apart at the Juan Santamaría airport in Alajuela, northwest of San José city, in the last few months.

Police busted Chercocles, a Spaniard, on March 19 with 2.5 kilograms of cocaine hidden in tuna cans, Fiedrick, a 44-year-old U.S. citizen, on March 6 with 111 cocaine pellets in his stomach and Madonía, an Italian who vomited 77 cocaine pellets, on Feb. 19. Fiedrick was also hospitalized after convulsing and vomiting.

They have all been ordered to three months of preventive prison and are facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Public Security Ministry spokesman Jesus Ureña said the tactic of wrapping drugs in cut-off fingers from latex gloves, swallowing them, and then defecating them later in their country of arrival is a relatively common practice.

“We've seen the trend for about 14 years,” he said. “Normally, they're trafficking networks. But these ones we're seeing are poorly trained, so we suspect they're doing it on their own behalf without a network behind them.”

President Oscar Arias is more popular now than at any other point during his term, according to the polling firm Unimer.

Some 50% of respondents said Arias is doing a “good” or “very good” job, while 14% called his performance “bad” or “very bad.”

The figures, first reported yesterday by the daily La Nación, are based on 1,200 interviews conducted throughout the country March 8-15.

Of the last five presidents, Arias has the highest midterm approval rating. The runner-up is Rafael Angel Calderón (1990-94), with 38% approval.

Arias, who took office in May 2006, saw his popularity reach a low point in September 2007, when he had 42% approval and 20% disapproval. He drew fire then for pushing the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA), which was passed by referendum in October.

Approval ratings for Arias' cabinet have also increased from a low point in September. Some 36% of respondents said the cabinet was doing a “good” or “very good” job, while 22% percent said it was doing a “bad” or “very bad” job.

Still, most Costa Ricans said the government is not helping everyone equally. Some 67% said the government favors certain sectors, up from 59% in August.

People also have become more worried about safety and drugs. Some 20% of respondents said crime and violence were the country's biggest problems, up from 11% in August. Some 12% said Costa Rica's thorniest challenge was drug addiction, up from 6% in August.

Nearly a quarter of respondents were most worried about the high cost of living. Some 28% said they had trouble satisfying their basic needs. That figure has not changed since August.