Viva Natura
Notebook and Calendar exhibit with art works made by artists Zoleila Solano, Roberto Mata, Roberto Piedra, Max Solís, Freddy Rojas, Franklin Mata, Luis Vega, Sept. 29, 7 p.m., Casa de la Cultura Cartaginesa, Cartago. Info: 2551-3486.

Japanese Week Opening Concert
By pianist Junko Ueno, Sept. 29, 7 p.m., Eugene O'Neill Theater, Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center, Barrio Dent.

Costa Rica is seeking to buy at least 20,000 barrels of fuel a day from Venezuela at preferential rates, said Robert Dobles, minister of Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET).

Officials from MINAET, the National Oil Refinery (RECOPE), and Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. late last week discussed the price, type and amount of fuel that Costa Rica will be able to buy once it joins the Venezuelan alliance PetroCaribe next year. Dobles, who was stingy on details, said the countries will reach a firm agreement in October or November.

Some 18 Latin American and Caribbean countries are part of PetroCaribe, which allows members to pay 60 percent of their fuel bill over 25 years at 1 percent interest with a two-year grace period. Payment for the other 40 percent is due within 90 days. 

Costa Rica, set to join the initiative at the next summit, most likely in December, now imports about 17,000 barrels of crude oil from Venezuela a day and must pay the bill within seven days.

On Friday, officials from Petróleos de Venezuela were scheduled to travel to the Caribbean to visit the national refinery and a pipeline that runs from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Venezuela has expressed interest in using the pipeline to supply other PetroCaribe countries, Dobles said. 

Costa Rica will be able to pay some of its fuel bill with goods and services. Emmanuel Hess, general manager of the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER), discussed Tico products that Venezuela might purchase, such as tires, clothing, medicine, sugar, tuna and gum.

RECOPE, whose finances have been strained by this year's spikes in oil prices, is requesting some leeway from Venezuela until the new conditions kick in. RECOPE will seek to increase its line of credit from the current $55 million to $125 million and increase the payment period to up to 90 days, Dobles said.

The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) struck down a longstanding policy in public schools that required students to attend religious classes taught by Roman Catholic officials.

The father of a female student at a high school in Cartago, east of San José, filed a request for an injunction against the practice in April, according to a court press release. School officials had threatened to expel his daughter if she refused to attend the classes.

The ruling ordered the Education Ministry to make the necessary policy changes to end the practice.

Costa Rica is mulling over whether to add on or shave off a few cents at the pump.

The Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP), tasked with approving price adjustments, is still processing bids issued last month to increase the price of gas by ¢7 (about 1 U.S. cent) and diesel by 34 (6 cents) a liter, according to ARESEP spokeswoman Carolina Mora.

As fuel prices appear to be cooling abroad, ARESEP is also considering an idea to drop the price of gas by ¢14 (2.5 cents) and diesel by 76 colones (14 cents), said Mora, adding that the decision could be made by mid-October.

The Costa Rican National Refinery (RECOPE), however, is asking for a drop of just ¢2 per liter for super and ¢3 for regular, citing Hurricanes Ike and Gustav as affecting oil supplies.

Super currently costs ¢736 ($1.32) a liter, regular is ¢721 ($1.29) and diesel ¢726 ($1.30). Prices of fuels have increased six times already this year.

ARESEP launched a public survey Sept. 18 to get Costa Rica's input. Residents can write in by e-mail at usuario@aresep.go.cr, by fax at 2290-2010 or by dropping off a written letter at the services authority's offices in the western San José neighborhood Sabana Sur.

“Before the decision is approved it has to incorporate a consultation of the public, which takes about two weeks, then there's an analysis by the official experts, and finally, it would take another week for it to be published … so that's about a four-week process to apply new prices,” Mora explained.