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COSTA RICA |
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Protest by Porteadores Suspended For Today
Waiting Outcome Of Meeting With Government
The announced protest porteadores (informal
taxi operators) to block traffic around the
country today by was called off at the last
minute, preferring to seek a compromise with
the Poder Ejecutivo (government) so as not
to introduce during the current legislative
session, the bill that would eliminate the "porteo".
José Alberto Alfaro, president of the Cámara
Costarricense de Porteadores, said that
Rodrigo Arias, the ministro de la
Presidencia, has agreed to meet with his
union today, to discuss the stalling of the
bill that legislators last week said would
be fast tracked, reducing the discussion
time before a vote.
Alfaro said that his association is looking
for the next group of legislators to tackle
the problem, a problem that saw no
resolution during this administration.
The union leader added that a future protest
all depends on what occurs today at Casa
Presidencial.
The porteadores have had the legislators of
the Movimiento Libertario (ML) on their
side. However, the leader of the ML
legislators, Carlos Gutiérrez, made it clear
over the weekend that the support would be
withdrawn if the porteadores decide to use
blocking of traffic as a tactic.
Gutiérrez said that the party understands
the problem of the porteadores, but cannot
support illegal actions, especially when the
right of citizens to transit is violated.
The Asociación Cámara de Porteo Fenapo,
another group organizing porteadores, also
said they would support any protest.
Porteadores want the word "persons" removed
from the Código de Comercio (Commercial
Code) that would effectively eliminate the
porteo - the transport of persons without a
taxi license.
Porteadores, for the most part, provide
service to communities where there are no
formal (red) taxis readily available and for
the most part provide door-to-door services
under contract with their customers.
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