Art opening: ‘Dar la mano por amor'
Art exhibit featuring sculpture, oil painting, watercolors, photography, through Nov. 31, National Gallery, Children's Museum.

María Pretiz in Concert
Trova, 8 p.m., National Theater, www.mariapretiz.com.

Jazz jam session
10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro, www.jazzcafecostarica.com.

Parque en el Espacio in concert
Trip hop, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, Escazú, www.jazzcafecostarica.com.

Costa Rica and China signed 11 agreements yesterday on free trade, education, energy and aid during Chinese President Hu Jintao's first Central American visit, which lasted less than 24 hours.

The China National Petroleum Corporation agreed to help Costa Rica expand its refinery in Moín on the Caribbean coast at a total cost of about $1 billion, to be split between the two nations. The refinery, which could be completed in 2013, would be able to process 60,000 barrels a day, up from 25,000 currently, said José León Desanti, president of the National Oil Refinery (RECOPE).

China and Costa Rica will also begin negotiations for a free-trade agreement Jan. 19 in San José. Foreign Trade Minister Marco Vinicio Ruiz said he expected to complete talks by May 2010, when President Oscar Arias leaves office.

In addition, China has agreed to establish a Confucius Institute at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) to spread Chinese language and culture. The institute will open in the coming weeks with four Chinese language professors, said UCR president Yamileth González.

China also pledged additional funds for the construction of a national stadium in La Sabana Park on the western edge of San José. China will now invest $83 million in the stadium, $10 million more than originally expected.

State banks Banco de Costa Rica and Banco Nacional will each receive credit lines of $40 million from the China Development Bank.

Hu, the first Chinese head of state to visit Central America, signaled his readiness to further tighten ties with Costa Rica.

"China is willing to intensify our contacts with the Costa Rican government, Congress and political parties…to cooperate further in such sectors as the economy, commerce, finance, energy, science, technology, the reduction of poverty and tourism, among other issues," he said at a press conference, as Arias nodded slightly at his side. 

Colombian super star Juanes cleaned up all the major trophies at the ninth annual Latin Grammy Awards last week in Houston, Texas, but, for the first time, a Costa Rican grabbed a Grammy too.

Tico composer Carlos José Castro's “Concierto del sol,” a guitar concerto that weaves traditional Latin musical styles with classical arrangements, was one of two pieces awarded “Best Classical Contemporary Composition.”

“I hope to be the first of many that make it here,” said Castro, according to Billboard magazine.

Tying with Castro's work was “Tahhiyya Li Ossoulina” by Brazilian Sergio Assad.

GRANADA, Nicaragua – The U.S. government yesterday issued a travel warning for Nicaragua, noting “heightened security concerns” and advising its citizens to “maintain a high level of vigilance,” just as Managua girded for another march planned for today, which many hope will remain peaceful.

Street violence and protests have continued to spread across Nicaragua in the wake of the disputed Nov. 9 municipal elections.

The U.S. travel alert, posted on the State Department's homepage, http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_2477.html, says that “street protests and or clashes are likely to continue in the coming days and can be unpredictable in time, place and intensity.”

The State Department warns that passersby are “not immune from the effects of these protests.” It urges U.S. citizens to “avoid the affected areas if possible, and to exercise caution when in the vicinity of any large gathering.”

The travel alert was posted during another day of political protests and allegations of elections fraud by Liberal Constitutional Party candidate for Managua, Eduardo Montealegre.

Montealegre yesterday held an interactive conference to make public his copies of the Nov. 9 ballot tallies, which he says show he won the election in Managua with more than 50 percent of the vote, despite preliminary results from the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) that show he lost to Sandinista challenger Alexis Argüello by more than five points.

Sandinistas claim the Liberals are trying to steal the election from Argüello and took to the streets yesterday to block the southern highway in an attempt to prevent Montealegre and his supporters from returning to the city after his town hall meeting was over.

Riot police were called in to clear a path through the crowd so that Montealegre and his motorcade could pass through.

Another group of Sandinistas protested in the street yesterday afternoon to demand that the CSE release the final vote count and officially announce Argüello as mayor of Managua.

“The CSE should publish the final results as soon as possible to end with all the manipulation by Montealegre,” Sandinista legislative leader Edwin Castro told The Nica Times.

Asked if he thought final election results would bring an end to the partisan violence in the streets, where Sandinista supporters have been holding continual rallies for more than a month, Castro said “You would have to ask Montealegre, not me.”