President
Arias Pledges Free
Trade Progress To Bush
Costa
Rican president, Oscar Arias
Sanchez, was in Washington
yesterday to meet with U.S.
president, Geroge W. Bush, a
meeting held at the Oval Office,
a room that Arias has visited on
a number of occasions in the
past, while Reagan and Bush Sr.
were in the White House.
U.S. president George W.
Bush met with Costa
Rican president, Oscar
Arias, in the Oval
Office yesterday morning
to discuss the pending
free trade agreement and
for Arias to ask for the
U.S. forgive Costa
Rica's debt.
View White House video of Arias
visit |
Remarks by President Bush and
President Arias
The following is a transcript of
remarks by President Bush and
President Sanchez of Costa Rica
in a photo opportunity:
Cable Theft A Million Dollar
Headache For the Utility Company
The Compañía Nacional de Fuerza
y Luz (CNFL) - light and power
utility company - says it is
surprised at the ingenuity of
thieves as they continue to
steal not only cables from the
light posts, but also meters,
underground cables and parts of
street lights, all in an effort
to extract precious metals
contained in the equipment.
Majority
of Ticos Don't Trust Their
Politicians, Poll Shows
A poll taken by the Idespo-Universidad
Nacional (UNA) says that Costa
Ricans have lost faith in their
politicians. The poll of 800
people reveals that 68% of Ticos
don't trust their politicians
and believe there is more
corruption and he ring of
politicians and how they manage
the public purse is
deteriorating democracy in the
country.
Nicaragua's new government to
enforce free education
The new government of Daniel
Ortega, who will take power as
president on Jan. 10 in
Nicaragua, will introduce free
education in the country, said
Miguel De Castilla from Ortega's
Sandinista National Liberation
Front on Tuesday.
ower in 1990.
Another Guatemalan
Politician
Assassinated
Dr. Hugo Monterroso
Chacon, UD
(Democratic Union
Party) finance
secretary, was
murdered Wednesday
by three persons
unknown in Casa
Arianna in Guatemala
City, and police and
public prosecutors
are investigating.
Ecuador will stick to one-China
policy
Ecuadorian President-elect
Rafael Correa said on Wednesday
that the South American country
will adhere to the one-China
policy and hoped China will
achieve national reunification
at an early date.
Cuba's Raul Castro attends
Battle of Ideas commemoration
Cuba's Defense Minister Raul
Castro on Wednesday attended an
event commemorating the 7th
anniversary of the so-called
Battle of Ideas in Cardenas, a
city 140 km east of the Cuban
capital.
Venezuelan president begins
visit to 4 South American
nations
Venezuelan President Hugo
Chavez, who was declared winner
of Sunday's election, arrived in
Brasilia, capital of Brazil on
Wednesday, kicking off a
four-nation tour of South
American countries.
VENEZUELA:
The Opposition, a
Minority to Reckon
With
Hugo Chávez's
landslide victory in
Venezuela's
presidential
elections has not
prevented the
emergence of a much
more mature
opposition. After
years of seeking a
shortcut to oust him
from power, it now
has nearly 40
percent of the
electorate behind
it.
