Authorities have been searching for father Enrique Vasquez on an Interpol warrant on behalf of Costa Rican officials. Full Story

Air Traffic Controllers Strike Continues
For more than two weeks the air traffic controllers have been on strike and there is still no basis for a compromise between the striking controller's union and government negotiators.

Minister of Transport, Javier Chavez, confirmed yesterday that the striking controllers will not receive their pay tomorrow.

In Costa Rica pay days are normally on the 15th and the 30th of each month.

The controllers have been on strike since June 26, when they walked off the job demanding pay equity with other aviation workers.

The ¢20.1 Million Colones that would normally be paid to the air traffic controllers will go towards pay the foreign traffic controllers the government hired to keep the Costa Rican airways moving.

IMF Director Visits Costa Rica
For the first time in Costa Rican history, the Sub-Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) (website), has visited the country.

Agustín Carstens, met yesterday with Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco, Revenue Minister Alberto Dent, and Francisco de Paula Gutiérrez president of the Banco Central de Costa Rica.

According to a statement by Carstens, the Costa Rican economy is showing a solid growth mostly due to foreign investment and a diversified exporting program.

Carstens added that he is pleased that Costa Rica has no loans with the IMF, as the IMF lends only to countries with weak or problem economies. Carstens also added that Costa Rica still has a long way to solve it's problems with collecting taxes and reducing inflation.

COPA AMERICA
All or Nothing: Costa Rica Still Has Chance to Advance
Costa Rica remains alive in the South American championship despite consecutive losses to Paraguay and Brazil. It needs to defeat Chile in today's game to guarantee a berth in the quarters.

Coach Jorge Luis Pinto, who replaced American Steve Sampson two weeks before the start of the Copa America, was hoping his team can rebound from the opening losses.

"We'll go after the win, just like we did against Paraguay and Brazil," Pinto said.

Costa Rica, playing in its third Copa America as a guest, had a full squad available, and it only remained to be seen if Pinto would keep striker Alonso Solis and Alvaro Saborio, who replaced regular starters Ronald Gomez and Andy Herron against Brazil, in the starting lineup.

The game starts at 4:30pm local Costa Rica time.