Day of Protest Tomorrow
If you haven't already heard it, let us tell you again. Tomorrow will be a day of protest in Costa Rica and though most of the marches and manifestations centred in San José, the objective of the trade unions is to paralyze the entire country.

Union leaders have asked all public sector employees and anyone else who is against the Tratado Libre de Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the United States - to join them in letting legislators know their discontent as the trade agreement slowly makes its way to the Legislative Assembly floor for a vote.

Confusion about tomorrow is evident. What will be closed and what will be open. Should parents send their children to school? Yes, says the Ministerio de Educación Pública (MEP), saying that teachers who do not show up for classes will have their pay docked.

Will government institutions like the Institutio Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) - electricitity and telcommunications, the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) - insurance, and the Acueductos y Alcanterrilados (AyA) - water and sewers - be open? And how about the Registro Nacional (national registry) and the post office?

Those questions can only be answered tomorrow, as workers from the various public institutions make their decision to walk off the job or remain at their post. ICE workers, as they have been the backbone of most of the protests against the TLC, are expected to be out in massive numbers, and as in the past, shutting down most of the ICE agencies around the country, not to forget that all the protests have always started in front of the main ICE offices in La Sabana.

One institution that will definitely be affected is the public health system. The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) announced Friday that it will close all hospital and clinics and only provide emergency services.

During this past week, the government of Oscar Arias has been saying on radio and television commercials that protestors have a right to manifest, as long as they do it respectfully and do not violate the rights of others to go to work, to block the streets impeding others to get to and from work and block emergency services like police and ambulances.

For their part, the 17 legislative deputies of the Partido Acción Cuidadana (PAC) will be out protesting, along with a number of other smaller party members who have said clearly that they will vote against the TLC when the trade agreement hits the legislative floor.

The protest march tomorrow will gather steam at the Parque La Sabana, with then move along Paseo Colón, unto Avenida Segunda and end up at the Asemblea Legislativa (legislative assembly) building in downtown San José. Another group will gather near the Rotonda La Hispanidad (in front of San Pedro mall) in San Pedro and move west to the Legislature, where both groups will meet in a united front.

The Policía de Tránsito (traffic police) has said it will close off the Paseo Colón and Avenida Segunda, detouring traffic unto the Circunvalación, as more than 450 Tránsitos (more than half the force) will be on hand at strategic points all over the country, ensuring that traffic will not be blocked.

The Ministerio de Seguridad Pública is also ensuring that the Fuerza Pública (police) will be out in full force and disarmed. Police officers along the protest route will not be allowed to carry their guns and to avoid any confrontations with the protestors.