Pope Concerned About Poverty in Costa Rica
Pope Benedict XVI expressed his concern for the increase in poverty in Costa Rica and has asked the Arias government to adopt "urgent measures in consideration of a person, family and society". The Pope made his comments during a ceremony installing the Costa Rican ambassador, Luis París Chaverrí, to the Vatican.

The Pope said that poverty affects education, health and the home and declared that the Catholic Church has a commitment to Costa Ricans and is worried about the growing level of poverty that leads to insecurity and domestic violence.

Pope Ratzinger added that the situation means an urgent challenge for the leaders to face the future of the nation.

The Pope expressed, that like in other parts of the world, the poor in Costa Rica lack primary goods and do not have the means for development. "This affects, above all, immigrants who come in search of a better life". said the Pope.

For his part, Costa Rican president Oscar Arias, said that the Pope is mistaken "because in Costa Riac the poverty level has been stagnant at 20% since 1994".

The president added that a number of measures - like the doubling the amount of pensions, helping youth stay in school, reducing the unemployment rate from 6.6% to 6%, reducing inflation from 14% to 9.3% and the ridding of some 46.000 slums - will reduce the poverty rate to 16% in the next four years.

Arias, although, he differed with the Pontiff, he did add that poverty is the worst form of violence in the country.

In a statement to the press, the government was pleased with the overall words of the Pope and especially the call for "peace and harmony" in the face of the planned protests to the Tratado Libre de Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the United States - that unions have set for February 26.