Latin American Film Festival
“Un día sin sexo” (A Day Without Sex) Peru, 4 and 6 p.m., Variedades Theater, Calle 5, Avenida Central/1. 2222-6108.

“Change Your Attitude and Live the Life You Want”
Speaker's forum with Cate Montana, writer and CEO of Global Intelligence Press, 7 p.m., Big Mike's Place, Escazú. 2289-6333, 8821-4708, 8869-6031.

Concert Celebrating the Ngäbe Children
With a presentation by Czech Ambassador Mr. Milan Jakobec, Unchi, Alexis Rodríguez (Ngäbe researcher and Jironday Project creator), 7 p.m. National Auditorium, Children's Museum.

Ninth International Baroque Music Festival
Part I: EMAI Orchestra, trumpeter Fred Sautter (U.S.), sopranos Alejandra Ulate and Susana Velasco, oboists Jorge Abrego and Miriam Padilla, performing works by Cimarosa, Handel, Vivaldi, Scarlatti; Part II: EMAI Orchestra and Choir, Ulate and Velasco performing selections from Vivaldi's Gloria. 7:30 p.m., Santa Ana Church. Free admission.

The weekend did little to calm outraged opponents of an open-pit gold mine near the Nicaraguan border, where the government has authorized the logging of nearly 200 hectares of forest, including endangered species.

A Supreme Court chamber last week ordered the logging suspended and the Chief Prosecutor's Office began a criminal investigation of President Oscar Arias and his environment minister, Roberto Dobles.

Yesterday morning, protestors converged on the Environment, Energy and Telecommunication Ministry (MINAET) with drums, whistles, signs and bullhorns to protest the mine and the government's authorization of the logging.

Later that afternoon, Dobles appeared before the Legislative Assembly, at the lawmakers' request, and faced a barrage of criticism and questions.

On Oct 17, Arias and Dobles issued a decree declaring the mine, called Las Crucitas, “of national convenience.” The decree, however, was suspended three days later by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) after an environmentalist filed an injunction.

Sala IV ruled last month that MINAET cannot authorize the logging of the mountain almond, an endangered tree species that is the principal food source and habitat for the endangered great green macaw.

National law also prohibits changing the land use status of forest to allow logging, except in cases where the government has declared the project of national interest.

Arias and Dobles have said that the prior Sala IV ruling does not apply in this case, and that they were right in declaring the mine in the nation's interest.

Facing legislators who were at times hostile – Citizen Action Party (PAC) lawmaker Alberto Salóm demanded Dobles' resignation – the minister deflected environmental concerns saying the mine met the government's “rigorous” technical and environmental standards.

Dobles also asserted that MINAET studies showed the great green macaw does not nest in the area slated for logging, and that it only “occasionally” passes through for feeding.

Bird experts in Costa Rica have however have told The Tico Times the area is a prime feeding area for the macaw.

Sánchez said the loss of nearly 200 mountain almond trees would seriously affect the animal's comeback.

The Costa Rican business sector warned this week that credit restrictions imposed by the financial system is slowing local production, causing unemployment to rise.

The Union of Private-Sector Chambers and Associations (UCCAEP), which represents 42 private business groups, affirmed today that the lack of credit has stopped – either temporarily or indefinitely – about 15 to 20 percent of construction projects throughout the country.

As a result, more than 20,000 workers have been laid off in the last six months; however, that number could go up to 40,000 in the next six months, said Costa Rican Construction Chamber spokesman, Juan José Castro.

UCCAEP President Manuel Rodríguez said this is just the beginning of a crisis that could will get worse and lead to more unemployment if the government does not intervene so that the banks can adjust their criteria for credit.

According to the business groups, the credit squeeze, including rising interest rates, has cut production growth in half.

Juan María González, UCCAEP's vice president, pointed out that in the last few months, local businesses – 98 percent of which are small- and medium-size – have run into trouble not only with credit financing but also closing of their credit lines, which are then not renewed.

The business leaders blamed the Central Bank and financial authorities for directing banks to be stricter with their portfolios in light of the international crisis, and insisted the government provide concrete solutions for what they called a “serious situation.”

Among the proposals to open up new credit lines, Rodríguez suggested that the government ask for an international line of credit to capitalize the local banking system, as well as apply a “redistribution” of those resources, giving more to productive activities and less to consumer loans.

Otherwise, they said, unemployment will continue to go up, particularly hurting women and youth, the most vulnerable groups in the country.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega launched new attacks against the Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC) legislator and Managua mayoral candidate Eduardo Montealegre, who is currently leading in the polls.

Ortega, in an official appearance with mayor candidate Alexis Argüello, of Ortega's Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), said Montealegre represents the “oligarchy” and the “Cenis,” a reference to the recent $600 million banking bailout scandal.

Montealegre was accused last July by the Public Ministry for crimes against the economy, fraud and influencing the distribution of the controversial bond-like Negotiable Investment Certificates, known as Cenis.

The opposition's candidate has been acquitted in the financial scandal, which left Nicaragua with a debt of close to $400 million and has called the accusations “political” and part of Ortega's plan to turn “the country little by little to a dictatorship.”

The president mocked Montealegre, who, by his own admission, “didn't know now much the fare cost” on public transportation vehicles in the capital.

Ortega added that it was “logical” that Montealegre, who has part of his campaign last week rode around on several public transportation buses, wouldn't have “any idea” how much the fare cost because “it's the first time in his life he's ridden a bus.”

He joked with Argüello, a former world boxing champion, that the two had been riding buses since they were young.

“I don't find it strange that Montealegre should be from the oligarchy,” said Ortega.

This is the second time in a week Ortega has attacked Montealegre.

On Friday, Ortega said that if the legislator won the election, he would leave “nothing” for Managua's city hall.

Montealegre, who yesterday received the endorsement from Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) leaders, a party formed by Sandinista dissidents, has said that the attacks by Ortega are the FSLN's “last gasps.”

“The only thing Ortega is demonstrating in attacking me is desperation, because the people of Managua favor me,” he said.

The Sandinistas have held the Managua mayorship, the country's leading political office after the presidency, for over eight years.

Nicaragua will elect mayors, deputy mayors and city council members on Nov. 9 in 146 of the country's 153 districts. The other seven, all on the northern Caribbean coast, will hold theirs in January.