The Bush administration and business groups yesterday hailed Costa Rica's narrow approval of an a free-trade agreement with the United States - handing the White House a hard-won victory despite early polls that predicted the measure's defeat. With 98 percent of the vote counted in Sunday's referendum, 51.6 percent of Costa Rican voters backed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and 48.4 percent voted against it, according to the country's electoral tribunal.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - Costa Ricans appear likely to elect their first woman president Sunday as Central America's most politically and economically stable country chooses between a career politician from the ruling party and an anti-taxation Libertarian. Pre-election polls gave a nearly 20-point lead to Laura Chinchilla, who served as vice president under current President Oscar Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and free-market enthusiast.
Recently, newly elected Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla has stated that she will try to help the plight of the Nicaraguans. There is a great deal of prejudice against the Nicaraguans. They face discrimination in many places in Costa Rica, and even those who are legally in the country discover they have few rights. Many Costa Ricans complain that the Nicaraguans cause an undue burden on their healthcare and education systems. But the Nicaraguans point out they help to develop Costa Rica's economy and help to generate taat revenue. Many Nicaraguans also pint out that they hold jobs many Costa Ricans do not want. Many Nicaraguans live close to the Costa Rica-Nicaragua border. Many travel between the two countries. Costa Rica does extensive trade with Nicaragua, 'and Nicaraguan labor...
Ten Costa Ricans have turned in more than 130,000 signatures of registered voters requesting a popular referendum on a bill introduced in the...
WASHINGTON -- The White House said Saturday that if Costa Ricans vote against joining a U.S.-Central American free trade agreement, the Bush administration will not renegotiate the deal. The Costa Rican government scheduled a referendum today on the accord. The White House also suggested it may not extend trade preferences now afforded to Costa Rican products and set to expire next September.
Places to stay were plentiful. We chose a neat Best Western in Liberia for the princely sum of $55 per night, breakfast included. There are higher end resorts with golf and tennis but who needs that with such scenery? It should be noted that prices are considerably higher in the winter dry season. Weather was a bit cooler than Key West but definitely lower humidity, which our room air conditioners took care of. Costa Ricans are well dressed and many speak English, especially in restaurants. Automobiles are up-to-date and neat, a far cry from the creaky 1950s' castoffs driven in Cuba. Many commute to work on comfortable, modern buses.
This time, just when it seemed that Suriname-born Albert Ramdin, the nominee of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), would be a shoo-in for the position of assistant secretary general, the Central Americans have returned the favor by dropping a bombshell on Caricom, doling out former Nicaraguan foreign minister Ernesto Leal Sanchez to compete against Ramdin less than two weeks before the actual vote takes place. What we know for sure is that we continue to support Mr. Ramdin, but we are a bit surprised that another candidate has emerged at this last moment, but Caricom stands solidly behind him," Caricom spokesman Colin Granderson said. Ramdin has already said he expects votes from Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina and Peru, and even Costa Rica in Central America, but the Costa Ricans ...
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - Costa Ricans voted Sunday in favor of joining the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the president said, but opponents of the pact refused to recognize the results. With 89 percent of the precincts reporting, nearly 52 percent of voters backed the agreement, which sharply divided the country between those arguing it would bring continued economic development and critics who feared it could hurt farmers and small businesses.
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