Judge
Cuts Calderón Jail Term
A judge on Friday reduced from
six to three months the amount
of time that former president
Rafael Angel Calderón must
remain in jail while authorities
investigate him on illegal
enrichment charges. The court
ruled Tuesday.
Calderón is under investigation
for a $40 million Finnish
government loan meant to help
Costa Rica's social security
system purchase medical
equipment.
Investigators say that almost
$10 million wound up in the
hands of a local company,
Fischel, which allegedly passed
about $450,000 to Calderon. He
has denied the charges.
In mid-October, a judge ordered
Calderón held in jail for nine
months while the investigation
continued. A hearing reduced the
original nine months to two,
setting a possible release date
of December 22.
However, a judge heard appeals
by the Fiscalía (prosecutor's
office) and ruled against the
release and ordered another six
months for Calderón. The ruling
yesterday came after an appeal
was made by Calderón's lawyer.
Municipality and Vendors Reach
Agreement
It was late yesterday afternoon
when the Municipality of San
José and the Street Vendors
removed the day earlier came to
an agreement on three key
points.
One, the Municipality will issue
vendor's licenses to those over
the age of 70 as of December 31,
2004. Two, "ferias" (open
markets) will be held 5 times
week instead of the usual once,
mostly on Saturdays, at key
locations around the outskirts
of the city. And, three, the
Municipality will relocate about
30 Vendors who are disabled or
are 'extremely' poor.
In the last point, the
Municipality will give priority
to this group allowing them
space at the enclosed Municipal
market in Paso de la Vaca on
Avenida 9.
The Municipality took the strong
and decisive action to remove
the Vendors from the streets
shortly after midnight on
Monday, following months of
debate and several court
decisions ruling in favour of
the Municipality last December.
San José Mayor Johnny Araya
stayed off the action following
the last court decision last
month, allowing Vendors time to
relocate and for the Christmas
holidays.
Both sides are expected to meet
later today (Wednesday) at the
offices of the Defensoría de los
Habitantes (Ombudsman) to sign
the agreement.
The San José-Caldera Will Go
Ahead
The Minister of
Obras Publicas y Transporte (MOPT),
Ranndal Quirós, announced that
the road that will connect San
José to Caldera will go ahead
even though the Canadian firm
contracted for the work backed
out and one year behind
schedule.
The Minister said that the work
will continue with the contract
going to one of the three
companies currently in the
bidding. The MOPT is studying
the proposals submitted by the
three firms and should have a
decision soon.
Construction is expected to
start not later than this coming
June if the Contraloría General
de la República (Comptroller's
office) gives it the green
light.
The new road will reduce the
travel time between San José and
Puntarenas in under one hour
where it now takes two. The new
road will also reduce the travel
time between San José, Jacó
Beach and Quepos, as it
intersects with the Costanera
near Orotina.
Jacó is the closest beach town
to San José, currently 90
minutes travel by car. The new
road could reduce that travel
time to 45 minutes or less.
The new road is expected to cost
us$144 million dollars.
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2004 Inflation Highest in
Eight Years; Second Highest
in Latin America
The Spanish language daily
newspaper, La Nación,
reports that inflation
closed in 2004 at 13.13%,
the highest in 8 years, with
one of the highest inflation
record in Latin America.
Venezuela topped Costa Rica
at 19%.
The last time Costa Rica
experienced such a high rate
of inflation was in 1996
when it topped 19.89%,
slowly decreasing year to
low of 9.96% in 2002.
What the inflation rate
means for most families is
that for every ¢100.000
colones (us$217) they used
for purchases last year,
they will need ¢113.000
(us$246) this year to stay
even.
The La Nación reports
that December was the month
with the largest increase -
1.11%.
Gasoline prices (36%) and
transportation costs (10%)
contributed greatly to the
high inflation rate,
followed by rising costs for
water (31%) and electricity
(17%). The price of rice
went up 26% in 2004.
The Central Bank (Banco
Central de Costa Rica) had
predicted a 9% inflation
rate for 2004 and is under
heavy criticism for having
been off by so much.
The Bank is predicting a 10%
inflation rate for 2005.
Costa Rica Park Opens in
Korea
The Embassy of Costa Rica in
Seoul held the opening
ceremony of the Park of
Costa Rica in front of the
World Cup Stadium in Mapo,
Seoul, in December.
``This park will be a
special place for every
person to reflect the good
relations between Korea and
Costa Rica,’’ Costa Rica's
Ambassador to South Korea,
Pedro G. Hernandez, said in
his congratulatory speech.
The park occupies 4,370
square meters of land and is
open to the public.
In attendance at the event
included Salvadoran
Ambassador, Alfredo Ungo,
who is also dean of the
diplomatic corps in Seoul
and Park Hong-seok, head of
Mapo-gu District Office.
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