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Fugitives Caught
Following an intense operation, police captured the two suspected
drug traffickers that got away from on Monday when a joint U.S. - Costa Rica
operation netted the capture of three Colombians and 325 kilos of Cocaine.
The two men captured yesterday were also Colombian nationals, identified as
Héctor Mariano Torres and Fernando Rondoñes Bedolla. They were detained some
2 kilometers from the beach town of Mal Pais, Puntarenas, in the Nicoya
Peninsula.
The three that were captured on Monday have already had their day before a
judge and were ordered t one year of preventative detention. The two
captured yesterday will have their hearing today, and the same detention is
expected for them as well.
The exact amount of drugs confiscated will be known in the coming days as
authorities prepare a report of the event. The suspected drug traffickers
threw overboard packets of cocaine when they learned of a U.S. helicopter
was in pursuit.
Police were only able to recover 13 of the supposed 25 packets that the boat
the men where traveling in was carrying. Each packet is to have contained 25
kilos of cocaine.
Near Riot in León XIII
A near riot broke out in the barrio of León XIII, west of San
José, when hundreds of youths started throwing rocks and stones at anti-riot
police when they tried to break up a demonstration by pirate taxis against
the ruling yesterday by the ARESEP - the regulating authority on public
prices and services - that "piarata" taxis could face a fine of ¢600.000 to
¢1.200.000 colones and have their cars confiscated.
The confrontation ended in about 9 people being arrested, mostly underage
youths, three police offices and two local residents hurt and minor damage
to some homes.
The operators of pirate taxis - taxis that not licensed by the MOPT (Ministerio
de Obras Publicas y Transporte) and don't carry the official taxi plates -
say they are providing a needy service to the community and are out to take
business away from the "official" taxis.
The pirate taxis, for the most part, operate only within the community where
official taxis seldom respond to call and provide a necessary service to the
residents.
According to police commander, Luis Hernández, the "piratas" had nothing to
do with the problems yesterday and appear to no be part of the protest that
the police encountered. The police commander added that the problem was
created by those who took advantage of the current situation with the pirate
taxis to form a disturbance.
Father Gets 15
Years Prison in Abuse of Daughter
"Karla", at only 10 years of age, is the youngest child in Costa
Rica to have given birth to a baby. She give birth to a little girl last
October and according to medical exams following the accusation against her
father for rape, she became pregnant still a virgin.
According to medical experts, the little girl gave birth to "Catalina"
without having being penetrated. It has been legally proved that there never
was any penetration and that her hymen was not broken.
That was the testimony given to the court yesterday by defence lawyers for
Manuel Salvador López Potosme, 25 years of age, the father of the little
girl. The defence attorney used that argument to reduce the sentence of 45
years the man faced.
The judges heard testimony that the man never penetrated the girl, however,
did ejaculate near the opening of the vagina causing the pregnancy.
Never before in the history of Costa Rica has there been a similar case.
Medical tests show that there was a 99.99% chance that the father of the
child was López Potosme.
The judges after hearing all the arguments decided to condemn the man for
the lesser crime of abuse against a minor and ordered a 15 year prison term
for the man.
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US
impounds Argentine ambassador's residence
The houses of Argentine ambassador to Washington and to the
Organization of American States (OAS) were listed among properties to be
frozen by the United States for debt defaults, local media reported
Wednesday.
A US judge on Tuesday ordered seizure of the buildings by request of private
creditors of Argentina's foreign debt.
The residence of Argentine Ambassador Jose Octavio Bordon is ina building in
Dupont Circle, while one of the OAS compounds is located on Wyoming avenue,
Washington D.C., said the reports.
The ruling came after the residence of Argentine Navy Attache Capt. Javier
Valladares and 3-million-dollar military equipment purchased by Argentina
were sequestrated in the United States.
Argentina's OAS embassy includes three buildings. One of them belongs to the
army, navy and air force attaches; another one the residence of the navy
attache; and the last one for military use in the state of Maryland.
The Argentine government has decided to appeal and lodged a protest with the
US State Department against the ruling, citing that the properties should be
protected by diplomatic immunity.
"The seizure is part of the pressure exerted by creditors and there are no
reasons to be alarmed," said Ambassador Bordon.
According to official figures released Tuesday, Argentina has owed 88
billion US dollars in foreign debts in arrears since 2001,most of which are
treasury bonds held by private creditors. So far19 overseas law suits have
been filed against Argentina's debt defaults.
Venezuela
to Accept Colombian Refugees
Venezuela has granted refugee status to Colombians fleeing the
conflict in their country in a move that will allow them to be protected and
resettled, a United Nations official said Monday.
María Virginia Trimarco, the regional representative of the United Nations
high commissioner for refugees, said the policy shift by President Hugo
Chávez's government would make it easier to help thousands of Colombian
refugees in the border area. "It's a very important step forward," she said.
"It basically formalizes the regulation of refugee status and the protection
which this gives."
In what United Nations officials have described as the most serious refugee
crisis outside Africa, tens of thousands of Colombians have spilled into
neighboring countries like Venezuela to escape a four-decade-long war waged
between government troops, right-wing militias and Marxist rebel groups.
Ms. Trimarco said Venezuela had granted formal refugee status to a first
group of 47 Colombians. More than 2,300 more were reported seeking
registration.
Two
Inmates Nailed to Crosses in Bolivia
Two inmates were voluntarily nailed to crosses Wednesday by their fellow
prisoners as part of a protest for better conditions and shorter sentences
that was broadcast on Bolivian television.
The two men at the Palmasola prison in this city southeast of La Paz
screamed in pain as their hands were nailed to the makeshift crosses.
Inmates Freddy Acosta and Walter Ortiz were removed from the crosses after a
few minutes and taken to the prison infirmary for treatment of broken bones
in their hands, said regional police commander Freddy Soruco.
They were removed by police who rushed to the scene.
"No one forced us to do this," said Acosta, 37. "It's the authorities'
fault."
Another inmate, Carlos Vega, said five more inmates were prepared to take
part in the protest, but Soruco said that will not be permitted.
Reporters from TV and radio stations were on hand to record the protest
after being summoned by the inmates for a news conference - a normal,
frequent procedure in Bolivia.
It was not clear why the prison authorities permitted the stunt and
officials would not comment, but the guards have a reputation for
corruption.
Inmates at many Bolivian prisons have recently been demanding better
conditions and faster legal proceedings. Hundreds of inmates have been
imprisoned for months without being sentenced.
Acosta and Ortiz have been in jail for more than a year without being
sentenced, other inmates said. It was not known of what crimes they were
convicted.
The inmates also are demanding home detention for inmates over 60 and
shorter sentences for those who have participated in work programs.
Nardi Suxo, a lawyer who represents the protesting inmates, said about 70
percent of Bolivia's 5,600 prisoners support the movement.
The protest started with scattered hunger strikes, including some in which
the inmates sewed their lips shut.
The government has not commented on the protest, but members of congress
vowed to consider legislation addressing some of the inmates' concerns.
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