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International Arts Festival (FIA)
Spain National Ballet (Spain), dance, March 18-20, 8 p.m., National Theater, Av. 2, Ca. 3/5. Info: 2221-5341. Concert by Rosario Flores, Ismael Serrano, and Luis Eduardo Aute, trova (Spain), Concert by María José Franco (Spain), Rodolfo Mederos and Miguel Poveda (Spain-Argentina), March 19, 8 p.m., Sabana Park Lake. Play "amor mai nos s'addorme," by Tascabile, March 19-20, 6 p.m., Parking lot by the Costa Rican Art Museum, Sabana Park. Shows for Children: March 19, Vaca Lula, 2 p.m.; Storytelling show by Juan Madrigal, 5 p.m.; Salsa Concert by Salsa Tumbao Group, 6:30 p.m., Children Stage, Sabana Park. Play "Tesoro contra Tesoro," 3 p.m.; Ceramics Workshop, 4 p.m., March 19, Spanish Cultural Center Stand.

Carla Knoche
“Zaguates,” paintings, March 19, 6-8 p.m., Café Liberia, Liberia, Guanacaste. Info: 2665-1660.

El 11vo Mandamiento
Dram a, March 19-20, 8 p.m., Casa de la Ciudad, Cartago.

Culture Festival
Including concerts by Son de Tikizia and Flamenco shows by Zingary, March 19-20, Ciudad Colón.

FIA
Concert by Maese Pedro and Heredia Symphony Orchestra (Spain and C.R.), March 19-21, 8 p.m., Melico Salazar, Av. 2, Ca. Ctrl./2. Info: 2257-6005. “Phaedra's Love,” by Fedrina Ljubav (Serbia), March 19-21, 8 p.m., Teatro de la Danza, Ca. 11, Av. 3/7. Concert by Miguel Poveda (Spain), March 19, 7 p.m., Eugene O'Neill Theater, Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center (CNCC), Barrio Dent. Concert by María José Franco (Spain), Rodolfo Mederos and Miguel Poveda (Spain-Argentina), March 20, 8 p.m., Sabana Park Lake. Shows for Children, theater-dance show "El Circo del Viajante" by Sol Carballo, 1 p.m.; Concert by Shiroles Children's Choir, 4 p.m.; Dance and Theater Show "Luz," by Danzaire Group, 5 p.m., March 20, Children's Stage. Play "1, 2, 3 a jugar otra vez" by Contraluz Group; Acting Workshop for children, 11 a.m. and noon; Play "Resurección" by Balagam Theater Group, 3 p.m., March 20, Spanish Cultural Center Stand, Sabana Park.

FIA
Concert by Emilio José (Spain), March 20, 7 p.m. Eugene O'Neill Theater, Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center (CNCC), Barrio Dent. Concert by the National Symphony Orchestra (C.R.) and Buika (Spain), March 21, 8 p.m., Sabana Park Lake. Shows for Children, Concert by by Shiroles Children's Choir, 10 a.m.; Play "Tocata y Fuga," by Zanguango Theater (Spain), 5:30 p.m., March 21, Children Stage. Concert by Maromero, 11 a.m.; Planting Workshop for kids, noon; Play "Sancho Panza gobernador" by El Papel Theater Group, 3 p.m.; Play by the Spanish Cultural Center Writing Workshop, 4:30 p.m., March 21, Spanish Cultural Center Stand, Sabana Park.

Hiking Tour
With guide Luis Boza, to Pavones, Silencio and La Suiza, Turrialba, March 21, leaving at 6:45 a.m., from Turrialba Bus Stop, 150 m. south of Plaza de la Democracia, in front of the railroad, 8306-6354, 2223-3186.

National “Gallo Pinto” Celebration
More than free 60,000 servings of the Costa Rican typical dish served for free, March 21, 9 a.m., in front of Centro Colón, Paseo Colón. Also, a huge Olla de Carne (typical Costa Rican soup made with vegetables and meat) will be served for free to approximately 90,000 people at 1 p.m. in the same place.

Rodrigo Bolaños, who presided over the Central Bank in the mid-1990s, steps back into the same role at a time when inflation is at an all time low and the colón is experiencing wide fluctuations in its value compared to the United States dollar.

Bolaños will inherit the recession, one that economists say has already bottomed out and is slowly climbing toward recovery. And he will assume the challenge President-elect Laura Chinchilla issued on election night – for Costa Rica to become the first developed country in Latin America.

“The improved confidence of buyers and sellers in the international community will contribute to the improvement of the financial status (of the country) and the expansion of spending,” said current Central Bank President Francisco de Paula Gutiérrez, in a February speech in which he outlined his predictions for 2010 (TT, March 5). He will step down for personal reasons after seven years at the helm of the Central Bank.

Bolaños, who most recently worked as a partner at the firm Ecoanálisis and president of the Latin American Reserve Fund (FLAR), served as presidency minister (1977), finance minister (1977-1978 and 1982-1984), consultant to the International Development Bank (1991-1992, 1999, 2004-2005) and as the country's comptroller (2001-2002), among other posts.

The 59-nine-year-old is Chinchilla's 9th appointment since she was elected to the presidency on Feb. 7. This week, she named new finance, agriculture, commerce, foreign trade, transportation and tourism ministers.

A former call center operator, found guilty on charges of defrauding United States residents of an estimated $1.7 million, filed a successful appeal in federal court alleging that judges erred in the severity of his sentence.

Juan Luis Llamas said his sentence of 132 months jail time and $4.3 million in paybacks was disproportionate to his crime and asked that a higher court reconsider ruling.

On Wednesday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a reconsideration of the restitution order for Juan Luis Llamas stating that “the district court abused its discretion.”

According to court documents, Llamas moved to Costa Rica in 2004 to work in a sweepstakes scam in which potential victims were lured to pay $1,500 to $3,000 with claims they had won a cash prize.

In order to claim their prize, they were told to wire the cash advance through Western Union to ensure safe delivery.

“No prize money was ever paid, of course, and the fraud scheme continued in this manner until victims were no longer willing to cough up additional funds,” wrote Judge Frank D. Whitney in the opinion document.

Llamas remained in Costa Rica for ten months, during which time he received an average salary of $600 a week to serve as a support staff and office manager for the call center. Two and a half years after he left the country, he was apprehended in California and charged with 42 counts of wire fraud, 19 counts of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Llamas did not act alone in the sweepstakes scheme. In June 2009, Llamas' former employer Michael Kearns, 33, of Sacramento, Calif. was sentenced to nine years in prison. Two other employees – Herman Kankrini, 44, of Montreal, Canada and Severin Marcel Stone, 32, of Los Angeles – were sentenced to 87 and 90 months in prison respectively. Collectively, they were ordered to pay $20 million restitution.

In total, 46 defendants have been charged for their roles in the scheme and, according to a June press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, 33 have pleaded guilty.

The ferry that runs between Puntarenas, on Costa Rica's central Pacific, and Paquera, on the Nicoya Peninsula, will be out of service for at least a week.

The closure was ordered on Wednesday after an access ramp on the Paquera side of the Gulf of Nicoya collapsed. The Public Works and Transport Ministry's (MOPT) maritime division is in charge of repairing the ramp.

Meanwhile, at least 4,000 daily ferry users will be affected and the company that runs the ferry, Naviera Tambor, expects to lose approximately $10,000 each day business is interrupted, according to the daily La Nación.

Those wishing to cross the Gulf of Nicoya may take an alternate ferry, operated by Coonatramar, that runs from Puntarenas to Playa Naranjo, about 25 kilometers via a gravel road from Paquera. The ferry will leave Puntarenas daily at 6:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The ferry from Naranjo will leave daily at 8 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Coonatramar said it could increase the frequency of ferry trips according to demand.

According to La Nación, the poor condition of the ramp had obligated a reduction in heavy traffic since early January and, beginning last Friday, only people, bicycles and motorcycles were allowed to pass on the ramp.