Protest March On For Tomorrow
Lineth Saborí0, acting as president for the Republic, was firm in her words yesterday, that those who take action in tomorrow's protest of the TLC will not be paid their days salary.

The stern warning came form Casa Presidencial while President Pacheco has yet to return from his trip to the United States this past week, when on Thursday he met with U.S. president George W. Bush on progress of the free trade agreement.

"We are calling on reason and sensibility on the points being protested. There is worry that many are joining without knowing what is happening", added Saborío.

The Vice-President said that the government has already taken the necessary steps, however, she did not elaborate.

The protest march is being called for tomorrow by the Comisión Nacional de Enlace (CNE) which is being supported by the workers of the Frente Interno de Trabajadores (FIT) del Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados and the Asociación de Profesores de Segunda Enseñanza (APSE).

Expected to take part in the protest march are more than 12.000 people, who will gather outside the offices of ICE in La Sabana park, west San José and will make their way along Paseo Colon and Avenida 6 to the Legislative Assembly.

The protest march, according to organizers, is expected to make a brief stop in front of the Constitutional Court (Sala IV) to denounce them for giving the green light to presidential re-elections, which paved the way for former president Oscar Arias to run for the 2006 presidential elections in February.

Union organizers are calling on all Costa Ricans to show their most profound opinion to the political corruption that is now Costa Rica and to protest what is happening to our country.

Organizers are being emphatic that tomorrow's protest will be peaceful.

Most public institutions like the phone company (ICE), the light and power company (FyL) and the water and sewers (AyA) will have  skeleton staff to attend to customers, though both institutions say they will respond to emergency calls. Most of the other public offices will be either closed or be with limited staff.

Public schools will remain open and students are expected to attend classes, though it will be doubtful if teachers will on hand to give lessons.