Former President Arias Gives Speech at UTPA
Kathryn Walson, The Monitor

With 1.5 billion people lacking clean water and one billion enduring substandard housing, the us$956 billion that nations spend on militaries should fund better causes, said former Costa Rica President Oscar Arias Sánchez.

"It’s a moral crisis when 35,000 children die every day of malnutrition and disease," he said. "We are not dealing with the problems humanity is confronting. The real threat today is … hunger, disease, poverty, environmental degradation and illiteracy."

In accented English, the 1987 Nobel Peace Laureate addressed a full house of mainly University of Texas-Pan American students Monday evening in the university’s Student Union Theater.

Arias was president of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his work in promoting peace in Central America.

Following a nearly hour long speech, Arias took questions from the crowd. He then went to the Visitors Center to sign a stone for the traveling Milestones for Peace exhibit.

Arias said much of the responsibility for confronting global dilemmas lies with the United States. As the world’s superpower, the United States accounts for half of the world’s military spending but spends less than most countries on foreign aid, he said.

While teaching in Europe recently, Arias said he encountered resentment not toward Americans, but toward the U.S. government.

"By acting unilaterally all the time, the United States shows a lot of arrogance, and that annoys people all over the world. It seems that you … live in a bubble," he said.

While the world forgave the United States for electing President Bush in 2000, "most of the world’s people are going to blame the U.S. for re-electing him. … He talks a lot but doesn’t listen," Arias said, drawing applause from the audience.

"I just hope he’s going to act in a multilateral way. … Otherwise, you are becoming more vulnerable to terrorist attacks, and certainly that’s something this great nation doesn’t deserve," Arias said.

Ethical duty also lies with other large nations, like India, he said.

"How can (India) justify spending $20 billion on defense when they have 400 million people who are illiterate?" he said.

One way to combat poverty is to expand free trade, which benefits both third world and developed countries, he said. Rather than subsidizing domestic farmers, the United States should import more crops, thereby boosting poor nations’ economies and providing cheaper goods to American consumers.

"The poor can and will benefit from free trade," he said.

In 1986, Arias opened Costa Rica’s national economy and lowered tariffs. The move created a more business-friendly environment and improved the job market, he said.

"There is no doubt in my mind … that had things not changed, the poverty rate would be much higher (than it is)," he said.

Arias said Latin America is to blame for its immense poverty, bursting populations and low education levels. "We don’t have resources to education these children, nor provide them with shelter," he said. "We have chosen to be poor. It is not until now that we open our markets and cut tariffs."

Arias is the second person to speak in the university’s Distinguished Speaker Series. Screenwriter and producer, Antwone Quenton Fisher, spoke Oct. 13. Presentations are free to students, whose student fees pay the speakers.

Former Presidents Corner
Calderón claims innonce; Rodríguez says he is being persucted; Monge won't vote for Arias in 2006; and Figueres and Calderón paid taxes on un-reported income.

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Former president Rafael Angel Calderón Fournier, told Noticias Repretel, in an exclusive interview, that he incarcelation is based on the word of only one person and nothing else. He said that he was surprised at receiving the us$520.000 dollars, a year after the deal was done.

He also told news director Roxana Zúñiga, that he is a religious man, believes in God and that he has the support of an extraordinary family, especially his wife of 33 years. Calderón insisted during the interview that he innocent of all charges made against him.

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Across the cell block in La Reforma prison, sits former president Miguel Angel Rodríguez Echavarria, who in an interview with Radio Monumental said he is a victim of an illegal detention and abuse of judicial powers. And is resentful of being the star of a media circus that followed his return to Costa Rica on October 15.

Rodríguez said in the interview that when his airplane landed, he was met by judicial officals who told him he was being detained and made the error of not asking to read the 'warrant'. After reading the warrant, I realized that the detention was illegal.

What could I do? I was being confronted by judicial officials who were intent on making part of the show, their circus event. I was not sad, humiliate or ashamed, rather I felt insulted by the confrontation.

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Former president Luis Alberto Monge said he will not vote for Oscar Arias in the 2006 election. He does not agree to the changes made to allow a former president to be re-elected and has said publicly that he will not support any former president of the PLN party that runs for re-election.

Asked his thoughts on Calderón and Rodríguez, he avoided giving any answers, only saying that he hopes that there will be a trial. "I don't want to judge anyone", he said.

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And, a report in today's edition of the Spanish language daily La Nación, former presidents, José María Figueres Olsen and Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier were quick to pay their taxes on un-reported income. The total paid by the two former presidents was ¢107.000.000 colones.

Figueres' brother, Mariano, paid to the the Tributación Directa ¢67.200.000 colones, while Calderón paid out ¢40.300.000 colones.

By making the payments, both former presidents avoid being notified of their failure to pay taxes on un-reported income, following the recovery by the tax man of some ¢241.300.000 colones linked to the Fischel-CCSS and ICE-Alcatel scandals.

Habitat For Humanity, Cisco Systems Partner to Abolish Poverty Housing in Costa Rica
Working together, Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica and Cisco Systems will be building a home for a family in need. Cisco Systems has agreed to provide the labor and donate fifty percent of the home’s cost to Habitat’s revolving fund.

Additionally, for every hour of labor provided by their 30 or more employees, another $17 will be contributed - more than enough to cover the entire cost of the home.

Says José Pedro Sanchez, Nacional Director of Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica, “It is an honor to partner with Cisco Systems in our mission to eliminate poverty housing in Costa Rica. Through their collaboration, we will be giving a brighter future to one more family, allowing them to purchase their own decent and affordable home”.

The funding that Cisco is providing is a contribution to Habitat Costa Rica’s revolving credit fund, specifically earmarked to fund the Sibaja-Castro family home. In keeping with Habitat’s policy of not making gifts of houses, the family will pay back their no-interest loan over the course of 9 years, giving them true ownership of their new home.

Makers of powerful networking and internet hardware, Cisco Systems educates, inspires and motivates their employees to become life-long volunteers and philanthropists. Their goals are to increase employees' awareness about community issues and as a consequence, stimulate their passion for a cause and direct involvement with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity Costa Rica.

Founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976 in Americus, Georgia, Habitat for Humanity is a non-discriminating, Christian-based, non-profit organization whose vision is to see everyone worldwide living in a decent and affordable home.

They offer no-interest loans to families who qualify, creating opportunities where none may have existed before. Two of the requirements for participating families are that they be able to pay back their loan and that they participate in what is called “sweat equity” - helping to build their neighbors’ Habitat homes, as well as their own. Currently, Habitat for Humanity International is helping to eliminate poverty housing in more than 100 countries, and have built more than 175,000 houses internationally.

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CONCACAF SOCCER: Honduras, Costa Rica fight it out to stay in World Cup race Costa Rica and Hondura , two of the CONCACAF region's most accomplished teams, meet today in a World Cup qualifier which will leave the losers out of the race for a place in the 2006 Finals Germany. Jamaica also face a huge task, needing at least a point and more likely a win away to the United States to make the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifying tournament next year. Otherwise, Panama or El Salvador will progress instead. Honduras, who have failed to build on an excellent year in 2001 when they beat Brazil at the Copa America and were voted FIFA's team of the year, must win their second-stage match to accompany Guatemala into the final round from Group B. Costa Rica, who gave a good account of themselves in the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea where they were out on goal difference for a second-round place by eventual semi-finalists Turkey, only need a draw. A tense atmosphere is expected and the visitors are already upset at Honduras's decision to move the game to the 20,000 capacity Francisco Morazan stadium, where the crowd is closer to the pitch than in the country's usual venues. The Costa Ricans say the stadium, named after a Honduran national hero who was shot dead in Costa Rica in 1842, was not on the original list of venues nominated by the Hondurans. Honduras began the group by beating Costa Rica 5-2 away but have not won since. Coach Raul Martinez was fired after last month's 1-0 defeat in Guatemala and replaced by stalwart Jose de la Paz Herrera, who returns for a third stint.