Night Club
Owner Killed
Italian, Nicola
Eduardo Ravaccio, owner of the
night club "Itzamana", located
in Quepos, was shot dead Friday
night when he left the club area
to retire to one of the cabins
located on the property.
Nicola was 34 years of age
and had assumed ownership of the
night club that his father had
built in the area several years
back, along with a hotel and
several other properties.
The family established roots in
Quepos for many years.
According to a preliminary
police report, the assailant
approached Nicola from the back
and shot him at point blank
range and then fled. Patrons of
the club scurried on hearing the
shots, leaving no witnesses to
the murder.
Nicola was was taken to the
nearby hospital Max Terán in
Quepos, where he was stabilized.
Due to the seriousness of his
wounds, and the lack of
anaesthesia (there was no
delivery made on Friday due to
the blockades), hospital medical
director at the Quepos hospital,
Miguel Arana, said they were not
able to perform surgery on the
man and was being transferred to
Monseñor Sanabria hospital in
Puntarenas, when he died about
15 kilometers from the hospital.
The Organismo de Investigación
Judicial (OIJ) began an
investigation and soon learned
that the main suspect who police
believe had the most motive to
kill the man was in San José at
the time. Several other
suspects, who had recent
altercations with the man, are
being sought by police.
Four
Arrested for Extortion
A group of four men
were arrested by the Organismo
de Investigación Judicial (OIJ)
for extortion, whose activities
where being managed from the La
Reforma penitentiary in
Alajuela.
The group were led by a man who
is currently in prison serving a
19 year sentence for auto theft.
According to the OIJ, Roberto
Maya Rosales, known as "el
Cubano" heads the group.
The four men arrested were
directed by Maya to steal cars
and then call the owners for a
ransom for the save return of
the vehicle.
Police made the arrest following
a complaint by a car owner who
was being asked ¢250.000 ransom
for his car stolen last Saturday
near the Hospital Mexico, in La
Uruca.
The man had begun to receive
phone calls shortly after the
theft, from the thieves that
they would return his car if he
paid them a ransom. Police
investigating realized that the
calls were coming from a pay
phone in the prison La Reforma.
Police decided to set the sting.
The supervised the negotiations
between the victim and the
extortionists and made the
arrests Thursday afternoon in
the area of Plaza América in
Hatillo, when the exchange was
to take place.
Notwithstanding, police say,
the extortionists never had
intentions to return the car.
They arrived at the location to
pick up the money, but no car
was in sight.
Arrested were two men,
identified by the last names
Campos Rivera, 23, and Cerdas
Obando, 26, who showed up to
collect the ransom.
The other two men implicated
were, Quesada Mora, 28, and Ríos
Herrera, 29, who are currently
prisoners in La Reforma.
Chilean
Embassy Tragedy Report Due Soon
One month following
the tragedy outside the Chilean
Embassy in San José, the tension
continues. The killing of three
diplomats by the member of the
Fuerza Publica police officer
who had been posting guard
outside the Embassy and the
taking of his own life, moved
the country.
Cristhian Juseff, Roberto Nieto
and Rocío Sariego were shot in
the Embassy by José Orlando
Jiménez, after learning from his
superiors that he was to be
transferred after working
outside the Chilean Embassy post
for some two years.
The consequences of the
murder/suicide touched the lives
of not only the families and
co-workers in Costa Rica, but
also in Chile, where sadness and
pain is still being felt.
Today tension and incertitude
are still evident outside the
Embassy, where a new guard has
taken his post. According to
Fuerza Publica records, officer
Eddy Ulate now has the job.
Walter Navarro, Director of the
Fuerza Publica, stated that the
police organization has been
revising the psychological
profile examinations given to
police officers, especially to
those working the diplomatic
posts.
Rogelio Ramos, Minister of
Seguridad Publica named a
commission to analyze what
happened at the Chilean Embassy
and provide the Ministry with a
report, with the idea to not
have such a tragedy reoccurring.
The report is expected sometime
this week.
Aerobics
Dancing to the Salsa Beat
To the pulsating beat of a salsa
rhythm, Alexandra Carrera was
trying to whip Salinas,
California, residents into
better shape Saturday afternoon.
Carrera, a native of San JosM,
Costa Rica, led a small group of
friends and young people in her
first-ever aerobic salsa course
at Sherwood Park in Salinas.
Using a mixture of dance,
aerobics, and even some tae-bo-style
kickboxing, Carrera and her
friends were sweating to a
high-energy salsa soundtrack.
"I want to help people improve
their health, not just to look
good," she said. "A lot of
times, people are only
interested in exercising to look
good, but they're not concerned
about their own health."
Saturday's turnout was
considered a disappointment.
Only a handful of people showed
up, but Carrera was undeterred.
She plans on holding the outdoor
salsa aerobic sessions every
weekend through the beginning of
October. She said it is her
mission to get the community in
better health for its good.
In Costa Rica, Carrera studied
theater and dance, in which she
took a particular interest.
She moved to Salinas 10 years
ago, but often returned to her
hometown, where she was involved
in community outreach through
dance.
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