Theater at Noon
Features 4 Pelos Los del Medium dance group, noon, National Theater.

Conference on public health
Led by Dr. Carlos Rojas and Dr. Rubén Darío Gómez of Colombia, Sept. 22, 5 p.m., UCR School of Medicine, San Pedro. Info: 2511-4493.

Speaker's Forum
“The Path to the Golden Age: The New De-mythologized Version of the Garden of Eden,” by composer and teacher John Parker, and “Spirituality: Ripples, Waves and Foundations in a Changing Paradigm,” by Sharon Mijares, author, Sufi teacher, psychologist, professor, Sept. 22, 7-8:30 p.m., Beacon Escazú hotel, Escazú Centro, 150 m west of Central Park and church. Info: 2289-6333, 8821-4708.

José Miguel Insulza, the secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), is expected to travel to Honduras to press for the signing of a Costa Rica-brokered reconciliation plan, following the surprise return Monday of Honduras' deposed President Manuel Zelaya.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias joined the global call Monday for Honduras to open up a peaceful dialogue and push toward the reconciliation plan he drafted after intense talks with both sides in the feud.

“I think this is the best opportunity, the best time, now that Zelaya is back in his country … to sign the San José Accord. It's all we have on the table,” Arias told reporters at a news conference in New York City with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Arias was referring to his proposed reconciliation plan for Honduras, which calls for Honduras to give Zelaya amnesty and reinstate him as president in a power-sharing government.

With Zelaya back in Honduras, Arias said, “it makes it easier … for us to put some more pressure on the de facto government to sign the San José Accord.”

Following two media-grabbing abortive missions to return, Zelaya made a more discreet, successful attempt at entering, reportedly sneaking back into Honduras by foot during a two-day trek over the mountains and through the forest.

His appearance in Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital, came nearly three months after the military ousted him from the presidency and just two months before the country is planning to go to the polls to elect a new president.

Zelaya took shelter in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa, where he spoke to Venezuelan television's Telesur, calling on his supporters to march into the streets. Thousands of Zelaya supporters took to the streets of Tegucigalpa Monday to celebrate the return of their leader. Followers from across Honduras planned a massive mobilization to the capital, where they hope to hold a 1 million-person demonstration on Wednesday, according to interviews by Telesur.

Honduras' de facto President Roberto Micheletti first denied Zelaya's return, calling it a fabrication of the “media propaganda” machine, according to CNN en Español. Then he issued an immediate curfew and began pleading with the Brazilian government to turn Zelaya over to the de facto authorities, the newswire AFP reported.

From Brazil's embassy, Zelaya told various media outlets he sought to negotiate with the Micheletti administration. “As of now, we are beginning to seek dialogue,” he told The Associated Press. He pressed his supporters to conduct peaceful protests and urged the military not to attack his followers. “It is the moment of reconciliation.”

Following a meeting Monday, the OAS issued a statement demanding “full guarantees from the de facto authorities in order to ensure the life and physical integrity of President Zelaya and a treatment consistent with his high office, as well as his return to the presidency.”

Address reporters at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Clinton sought to maintain a balance in urging peace on both sides of the debate. “ We have certainly communicated very directly our expectation that there will be order and no provocation on either side,” she said. “This is not just a one-sided request … Both sides have supporters who need to be restrained and careful in their actions in the days ahead.”

The Nica Times and wires contributed to this report.

Volcano experts are keeping a close eye on Poás volcano, northwest of San José, after plumes of steam and rock sediment soared out from its crater Friday.

Park guards who witnessed the eruption said gases and particles sailed up to 300 meters in the air, which is approximately the height of the crater wall.

The phreatic eruption indicates significant changes to the volcano's behavior and physical makeup. It occurs when hot magma within the volcano comes into contact with surface water and causes an explosion of gas and ground particles.

The temperature of the volcano, which is normally between 100 and 135 degrees Celsius, rose to 369 degrees Celsius last week and caused the volcanoes sulfur to burn – an infrequent phenomenon that hasn't been seen at Poás since July of 1994. According to the National Seismology System (RSN), based at the University of Costa Rica, sulfur begins to burn when volcano temperatures hit 248 degrees Celsius and causes frequent phreatic eruptions.

The extreme heat combined with this year's drought has also caused a loss of 400,000 cubic meters of water inside the volcano's acid crater.

The recent activity has not prompted park closures, but scientists said the gases and particles could cause nominal eye damage to those standing on the crater wall's edge.

Volcanologists expect more phreatic eruptions and said they will continue to monitor the volcano.

President Oscar Arias stood in the unfinished stands of the new stadium and looked out over a field of rusted stakes, large cylinders and other construction material, soon to form the home of the country's celebrated soccer team, La Sele.

Six months after beginning construction, progress is already rising above the chain-link fences on the western side of La Sabana.

On a site visit on Friday, Arias told media sources that the project was 40 percent complete in some areas, and just beginning in others, but that it looks to be on track for a February 2011 opening.

“When I see the speed in which this project is moving forward and the certitude of its completion, I see this as an enormous gift to the people of Costa Rica; for the athletes, for soccer players and sports fans,” said Arias, with a red construction hat sitting squarely on his head. “I think it will be a modern stadium … the best in Central America.”

The 35,000-seat stadium was a gift to Costa Rica by the Chinese, who convinced Arias to rupture ties with Taiwan to align his country with its neighbor.

“Looking back on the day I was in my house with the Chinese ambassador and he asked what his government could do at the time we were establishing relations, we thought the best project for the people of Costa Rica was a new soccer stadium,” Arias said. “I don't think we were wrong.”

Arias praised the work ethic of the Chinese, who have been on site 24 hours a day, commenting that Latin Americans have something to learn from them.

He also said the absence of rain may push construction ahead of schedule: “Regretfully, the lack of rain may be affecting our agriculture, but (fortunately) it's favored faster construction of this stadium.”

The president also had a few words to say about the country's World Cup prospects. After three consecutive losses and the expulsion of the head coach on Monday, Arias urged Costa Ricans not to give up.

“The only thing I want is (they have luck and play well) so that we can qualify,” said Arias. “This is in the hearts of all Costa Ricans and I am one of them.”