Comments on: Chinese company says it is ready to build $40 billion “Nicaragua Canal”

By: Ken Morris

Ken Morris — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:24:00 +0000

Yes, this is huge, and the consequences don’t seem to be registering on Ticos. These consequences aren’t necessarily bad, but 20 years from now it’s entirely possible that Nicaragua will be the economic powerhouse and Costa Rica the poor neighbor. Costa Rica blew the chance to make this kind of deal by its adamant refusal to even discuss joint development of the Rio San Juan. Also, note that the canal project includes an oil pipeline. This is what Chávez long wanted for Venezuela, and its inclusion just augmented the power of Chávez’s leftist successor even as it increased Ortega’s power. The political economy of the region has just changed dramatically, yet the Ticos and others are greeting it with a yawn.

By: toolman78

toolman78 — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:56:00 +0000

This is something that has long been in the works. The Chinese are paying Panama a fortune to get their ships to the east coast. It only makes sense that they would fund this. Panama stands to lose a mountain of money if this canal gets built, So I expect they are going to throw as much sand in the gears as possible. The canal will probably be the best thing that could have happened to Nicaragua. It will give their economy a huge boost. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when the Nicas stop coming here to pick coffee, harvest sugar cane, etc..

By: Timothy Williams

Timothy Williams — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:04:00 +0000

Once we know more and are confident in it, you can be sure we’ll run a follow up.

By: georgechapogas

georgechapogas — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:04:00 +0000

“Two former Colombian officials recently accused China of influencing the international court of justice to secure the territorial waters that Nicaragua needs for the project.
In an op-ed piece for the magazine Semana,
Noemí Sanín, a former Colombian foreign secretary, and Miguel Ceballos,
a former vice-minister of justice, said a Chinese judge had settled in
Nicaragua’s favour on a 13-year-old dispute over 75,000 square
kilometres of sea.”
that is not news worthy? u need my list:))

By: georgechapogas

georgechapogas — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:59:00 +0000

i sent the UK Guardian out last week on my insiders subscriber private list. they mentioned it prominently with qualification because it is the inside scrum among officials that matter, including ticos. that many officials of all stripes are commenting on the court make up makes it news would you not think that as well?

By: Timothy Williams

Timothy Williams — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:52:00 +0000

Cover image only. As far as I’m aware, the route of the canal has not been *officially* announced, so the image isn’t meant to indicate the route. The Chinese ‘insider’ seemed a bit too speculative to me so we didn’t mention it.

By: Patrick Smyth

Patrick Smyth — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:23:00 +0000

This will be an environmental disaster. Beyond epic.

By: georgechapogas

georgechapogas — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:01:00 +0000

ty. why did you cut off the portion of rio san carlos which is where the canal would begin on Costa Rican territory? the Guardian also reported that the chinese have an insider on the international cout to settle this dispute in favor of Nicaragua

By: Timothy Williams

Timothy Williams — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:58:00 +0000

It is 50 years with an option to renew for another 50.

By: georgechapogas

georgechapogas — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:55:00 +0000

it was reported in the UK Guardian that the concession was for 100 years. last week.