‘The Selfish Giant'
Dance show by Piruetas dance academy, including jewish dances, Flamenco, ballet, contemporary dances, Dec. 10, 3 and 7 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater.

Ciudad Navidad
With Santa, elves, games, to benefit the Palliative Care Unit, Dec. 10-20, Parque del Agricultor, in front of Juan Santamaría International Airport, Alajuela, santaencr@gmail.com.

4th Ilusión de Navidad Festival
Christmas carols, music, bands, Christmas fair, food, dance, Dec. 10-13, 6-9 p.m., Centro Cultural Cantonal de Mora, north side of church, Ciudad Colón.

‘The Nutcracker'
Ballet featuring Yuriko Kajiya and Carlos Lopez of the American Ballet Theatre, Dec. 10-11, 8 p.m.; Dec. 12, 11 a.m.; Dec. 13, 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., National Theater. Most tickets sold out.

Costa Rica lost its 40th president Wednesday, two weeks after he was admitted to the hospital with a heart condition.

Rodrigo Carazo, who led the country from 1978 to 1982, died at 1:30 p.m., following reports that his health was deteriorating. He was 82.

“His heart never fully recovered after the surgery,” said Douglas Montero, director of Hospital Mexico, who said Carazo had undergone a quadruple bypass surgery on Nov. 30.

The former president's son Mario Carazo, who arrived at the hospital just moments after his father's death, said the medical personnel and doctors at Hospital Mexico were excellent and could not have done more.

He expects to spend the holidays together with his family in the Caribbean beach town of Puerto Viejo de Limón, which will give them the opportunity to reflect and to mourn.

Carazo stepped into office just as the world was falling into economic recession. Against the advice of the International Monetary Fund and his finance minister, he borrowed heavily to maintain the value of the Costa Rican currency, the colón. The policy failed and eventually resulted in a catastrophic devaluation of the colón.

Carazo is also known for his work in founding the United Nations University for Peace and later for his role in regional peace talks, which current President Oscar Arias highlighted in his words of remembrance on Wednesday.

“Of all the former presidents consulted (during the Central America peace talks in the 1980s), he was the first to give support to the peace plan with the firmness and integrity that characterized him,” Arias said. “He was a man true to his ideas, and that is his greatest legacy.”

Mario Carazo said he wants his father to be remembered for “his integrity, conviction and profound spirituality.”

The price and demand for gasoline are both on the rise in Costa Rica.

The Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) announced on Friday that the price of gas will increase this month. The price of super will be raised ₡ 24 per liter, the price of regular plus will be raised ₡ 26 per liter and the price of Diesel will be up ₡ 23 per liter.     

The adjustment in prices is calculated using a scale that charts the international prices of gasoline between Oct. 29 and Nov. 12, as well as the price of the colón with respect to the dollar on Nov. 12.

The slight hike in price could have an affect on the consumption of gasoline, which was 13 percent higher in November 2009 than November 2008, according to the National Oil Refinery (RECOPE). In November 2008, Costa Rica used around 1.28 billion barrels of gasoline, while in November of this year, that amount reached a consumption of nearly 1.46 billion barrels.

The increased consumption possibly stemmed from the decrease in gas prices for the month. According to the National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC), transportation costs, which include gasoline, dropped 0.11 percent in November. Through the first 11 months of 2009, transportation costs have risen only 0.91 percent. Through the first 11 months of 2008, transportation costs rose 16.96 percent.

The Copenhagen Climate Change Summit's host nation, Denmark, threw the first concrete financial aid figures on the negotiating table on Wednesday that could help countries such as Costa Rica protect their environment.

Pending a firm global deal and promises of fair aid numbers from other developed nations, the Danish government announced it will commit €160 million (roughly $235 million) between 2010 and 2012 to help developing countries, such as Costa Rica, improve their capacities to fight climate change, according to a news release on the Danish Foreign Affairs Ministry's Web site.

The amount represents a fraction of estimated $10 billion that developing countries will need between 2010 and 2012, according to European Union representatives, in order to jumpstart emissions mitigation projects.

Costa Rican negotiators headed to Copenhagen this week hoping to secure financial aid for the country and its developing Central American neighbors.

Delegates estimate that Costa Rica will need approximately $7 billion, a big chunk of which will have to come in the form of foreign financial aid, to execute projects that will significantly reduce national greenhouse gas emissions.