Law Student Makes Constitutional Appeal To Stop Arias' Support of the Free Trade Agreement
If law student, Luis Roberto Zamora Bolaños has his way and the Sala Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia (Constituional Court) agrees with him, president Oscar Arias Sánchez will have to abstain from supporting the Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the United States.

Zamora presented a "recurso amparo" - an appeal - to the Constitutional Court that, in addition to restricting the president from supporting the trade agreement, also asks that the president withdraw the agreement from the Legislative Assembly so that legislative deputies cannot discuss and vote on it.

Zamora argues in his appeal that the TLC, in specific section 3-3, frees up duties on the importation of arms and other types of warlike material like tanks and other war vehicles, something that the law student believes goes against social peace that is part of Costa Rican tradition.

The appeal maintains that president Arias cannot support nor promote the commercial trade agreement, that all goes against the man's declarations, discussions and actions that has taken during his life as leader of the country and winner of the Nobel Peace prize.

Zamora adds that the other Central American countries have adopted measures to reduce arms based on initiatives pushed by Arias some 20 years ago and part of the Acuerdos de Paz de Esquipulas that led to peace in the region.

Zamora considers that the past declarations made by the president against arms trading have judicial validity not only at home but also on an international level.

To support his appeal, the law student cites a resolution by the Corte Internacional de Justicia in 1974, sponsored by the government of France, to stop nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean.

The Constitutional Court has to now consider the appeal and render a decision. No time frame was given by the Court on when it will give that decision.

Zamora was also responsible for an appeal to the Constitutional Court against former president, Able Pacheco's decision in 2003 to include Costa Rica's name on the United States list of supporters of the Iraq war.