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Book Fair
May 3-7, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Pretil, across from General Studies Building, UCR, San Pedro.

Little Theatre Group Open House
All welcome, with auditions for “The Bird Cage,” May 3, 7-9 p.m., Laurence Oliver Theater, Av. 2, Ca. 28.

Activities at the UCR's Planetarium
Show “El astrónomo viajero,” Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. Show “Ghosts of the Solar System,” Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Reservation at 2511-6302.

In his last public speech as Costa Rica's president, sixty-one year old Oscar Arias called on the country to continue the push to become a developed nation.

Criticizing those who stood against him as he attempted to muster political support for the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States, and who blocked his other initiatives in the Legislative Assembly, he said, “We have let the (political) opposition … become a voice that attacks and hampers … and this benefits nobody.”

His 58-minute speech to the Legislative Assembly combined reflection on his accomplishments in office with thoughts on the country's future.

The second-term president mentioned among his government's accomplishments a reduced poverty rate, new infrastructure projects and increased environmental protection. He called his economic stimulus package in the face of last year's economic crisis the best in Latin America, and said Costa Rica was on the doorstep of the developed world.

“For the first time in its history, Costa Rica has the opportunity to become a developed nation,” he said. “But this possibility depends on whether we are capable of building a culture of political progress.”

He said the country needs to move beyond the five years it takes to approve a law, stop the practice of the legislature submitting every bill for judicial review as a ploy to avoid making decisions, and that opposing forces must become less an obstacle and more of an ally in moving the country forward, even if this means putting leadership ahead of party unanimity. He said, “As I have said many times, the search for a consensus is a negation of leadership.”

He considered his greatest accomplishment to be restoring confidence to the people of Costa Rica.

“Four years is a small amount of time to make profound transformations, but it was sufficient to achieve the most urgent change in Costa Rica : a change in attitude,” he said. “For this reason, the return of confidence (to the people of Costa Rica ) is the principal fruit that I have offered.”

Arias officially steps down on Saturday, May 8, when he hands the reins of power to the country's first female president, Laura Chinchilla.

For the next six months, Costa Rica will be one of 189 countries participating in Expo Shanghai, the international business promotion fair held in Shanghai, China from May 1 through October 31. The mammoth fair, which was inaugurated with opening ceremonies and a parade on Saturday, aims to promote exchange of economic, social, environmental and technological ideas among participating countries.

Each country at the fair will have a pavilion where themes related to the purpose of the fair as well as its own traditions will be displayed. According to Costa Rica's Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER), the Costa Rican pavilion will feature the themes of peace, the environment, energy efficiency, education and the country's commitment to high technology.

Costa Rica is located in Zone C of the massive sprawl of pavilions, grouped together with the other Central American nations of Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama. The area of the fair's pavilions covers several city blocks and includes a bridge over the Huangpu River that connects two separate areas of the Expo. The Costa Rican pavilion covers 324 square meters and will be decorated in the red, blue and white colors of the national flag.

“This is the exposition of all expositions,” said Emmanuel Hess, the General Manager of PROCOMER. “The participation of Costa Rica gives us the opportunity to promote the country on the world stage. Visitors will see the (country's) great diversity of natural riches, that we are a heavenly destination and have a stable business environment. It should be an event that attracts new investors and introduces a larger number of people to the Costa Rican culture.”

On October 29, the Costa Rica pavilion will host its “national day” and will celebrate with national drinks and coffee, souvenirs, traditional food, an art exposition by the sculptor Manuel Jorge Jiménez Deredia and musical performances by the group Malpaís and Manuel Obregón, who is also the incoming culture minister in the government of President Laura Chinchilla.

Expo Shanghai estimates that 70 million people will visit the fair over the next six months. Shanghai is one of the most populous cities in the world, with around 20 million residents. For more information on Expo Shanghai, visit www.en.expo2010.cn.

The last link in the free trade agreement with the United States passed through the Legislative Assembly Thursday evening as congressmen gave it the long-awaited nod.

More than a year overdue, the hanging legislation had put a freeze on Costa Rican sugar exports to the United States.

Rigoberto Vega, legal director of the sugar industry advocacy group LAICA, estimates as much as $1 million has been lost in potential revenue. The United States expects to lift the sugar ban – allowing 11,880 metric tons to flow into the country – within a month of last night's approval.

Costa Rica officially entered the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) in January 2009 after pushing through sweeping policy reforms in industries such as insurance and telecommunications.

But even until now, lawmakers remained at odds over a piece of legislation that governs copyright, known as amendment 14. According to trade officials, the agreement would only enforce Costa Rica's existing laws and would not introduce further protections on patented products. However, left-leaning legislators argued the law would force many businesses to close, as it would forbid mass copying of textbooks and unauthorized use of songs.

“If you think it's a crime to sing mariachi or play music in a restaurant, vote for this bill,” congressman Sergio Alfaro said, according to the daily La Nación.

Others said the new law went too far and patented common agriculture products, which could push smaller producers out of business.

Lawmakers with the left-of-center Citizen Action Party stalled the bill by sending it to a high court for review. Judges refuted their concerns and returned the bill to the legislature Monday, just in time for its approval before the membership of the Legislative Assembly turned over Saturday.

The final vote was 28 in favor and 15 opposed.