‘Like Ants'
Collective art exhibit by Jacqueline Córdoba, Melissa Matamoros and Marta E. Mora, acrylics, Casa del Artista, Guadalupe, 50 meters east and 25 m south of the intersection.

Speakers forum
“Discover the Three Keys to Profound Health and Abundant Energy,” by certified movement teacher Paul Tank, 7 p.m., Big Mike's, Los Anonos, Escazú. Info: 2289-6333, 8821-4708, 8869-6031.

Jazz jam session
Jazz Café Trio and guests, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro, 2253-8933, www.jazzcafecostarica.com.

Mundo Loco concert
Zurdo & Parque en el Espacio, Santos y Zurdo and Nagual Trio, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, 2288-4740, www.jazzcafecostarica.com.

José Angel Roque's days spent languishing in a Costa Rican airport may soon be over.

Late Monday afternoon, Public Security Minister Janina del Vecchio granted the 40-year-old Roque refugee status, a move that should end the Cuban man's 53-day stay in Juan Santamaria International Airport.

In a case reminiscent of the movie “The Terminal” starring Tom Hanks, Roque had been living in the airport since Dec. 4, when he attempted to enter the country with false papers and was denied entrance by immigration officials. He filed a petition of habeas corpus and sought formal refugee status in Costa Rica, alleging that he would face political persecution if he returned to Cuba.

In a statement released Monday afternoon, del Vecchio cited the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which bestows refugee status to someone with a “well-founded fear” of persecution in their homeland.

Officials at the U.N. Refugee Agency in San José had argued that Roque's case clearly met conditions for political asylum, but his petition for refugee status was denied earlier this month by immigration officials. An appeal was also denied last week, putting his case in the hands of del Vecchio, who had until Wednesday to make a final decision.

Del Vecchio's decision comes after Costa Rica's ombudswoman gave notice Monday she would appeal Roque's habeas corpus petition, saying his rights had been violated.

Roque's lawyer, Carlos Seguro, told The Tico Times on Monday before del Vecchio's announcement that immigration authorities had been pressuring Roque to drop his asylum request, while the Cuban consulate maintained Roque would face no persecution back home.

Seguro could not be reached Monday evening for comment.

State prosecutors have closed a controversial criminal investigation against 17 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) after three months of investigation in which they didn't find enough evidence to press charges, according to Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Tania García.

The investigation, which critics have called a “witch hunt ” against dissidents, is now being passed to the Ministry of Governance, which will investigate whether the NGOs will face administrative sanctions.

The state Prosecutor's Office found no crimes, García said. The NGOs, among them the Autonomous Women's Movement, renowned Nicaraguan journalist Carlos Fernando Chamorro's Center for Communication Research and Oxfam of Great Britain, were under investigation for suspected money laundering.

Autonomous Women's Movement direct or Sofía Montenegro said although the criminal investigation has been dropped, the government will continue to investigate the groups for suspected administrative irregularities, for which they could face fines.

“Obviously they want to constantly have an instrument of pressure, ” said Montenegro, whose movement has been persecuted for having led opposition protests in 2008, she said. “The whole process is politically motivated. ”

Prosecutors are in the process of returning documents to NGOs which had been requested and in some cases seized as part of the investigation, García said.

The Ortega government drew fire from foreign governments and NGOs abroad for launching the investigation in October. Paris-based press freedom watchdog Reporters without Borders called the investigation a “witch hunt” against dissidents.

Oxfam released a statement this week lamenting that the 45-year-old group's image had been damaged by the investigation.

We've said since the begi nning that Oxfam GB is a serious organization that respects Nicaraguan laws. We're transparent and we always have been available to give account to the appropriate authorities that request it, ” said Oxfam spokesman Simon Ticehurst.

Ticehurst said the investigation triggered “great instability ” in Nicaragua's NGO sector and has “seriously affected the image of Oxfam GB.” He said “false accusations” made by state-run media have threatened the group's image, and requested that authorities give the organization documentation that says the probe has been closed.

Montenegro said she suspects the government dropped the investigation after European governments -- some of them implicated because the funds in question had originated from their coffers -- announced aid cuts late last year in light of deteriorating political freedoms in Nicaragua.

Faced with more than $100 million in foreign aid cuts, the Ortega government recently announced it would tighten its 2009 budget, including $20 million in cuts for health and education.

“I love San José: San José is my city,” the Costa Rican capital's new clean-up campaign slogan, was launched Monday by San José Mayor Maureen Clarke, along with the municipality's ¢43 billion ($78.18 million) budget, the highest in the city's history.

Five billion colones (just over $9 million), about 10 percent of the total, will go to dealing with San José's pollution problem. Clarke said the municipality plans to put this sum toward environmental education and management, as well as programs including street and river cleaning, tree planting, and garbage collection and treatment. The city plans to purchase six new garbage trucks, but according to Clarke, more trash collection is not the only solution.

“I believe that the amount of garbage in the city isn't due to the problem of garbage collection, but to a need to implement respect in our city, ” said Clarke. This instigated the launch of the “I love San José ” clean city campaign, with the slogan to be plastered on stickers throughout the city.

Previously deputy mayor, Clarke took the municipality's top seat when former Mayor Johnny Araya stepped down to begin campaigning for president.

Clarke announced that another 2 billion colones (more than $3.6 million) will be spent on road work projects, including plans to repave Avenida 10, between Calles 8 and 11, and other downtown streets badly in need of repair.

Aside from money to initiate new plans, the municipality has allocated funds for projects still under construction, such as the Paseo de Las Damas. The project is about 30 percent done, but the planned sidewalks, public and green spaces are still pending.

Revamps will also include making sidewalks throughout the city more accessible for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Clarke also said the municipality will continue its support for women seeking to enter the workplace or be promoted. Though she acknowledged Ticas have come a long way, the female mayor said it is 10 times harder for women to be considered as equals in the workplace, and “300 times harder as a politician.”