Protest Action Confirmed
Costa Rican unions and social organizations confirmed their participation in a national strike against the Tratado Libre de Comercio (TLC) - Free Trade Agreement with the United States - that is currently being evaluated in Congress.

The date is set for Monday, October 23 and Tuesday, October 24 and announcements are being on national television and print media, calling on the people from all over the country to participate.

In San José, the groups will gather at four separate locations, two in the West and two in the West and then make their way to the Legislative Assembly in downtown San José.

According to Jorge Coronado, representative of the Coordinadora de Lucha contra el TLC  the central theme of the massive protest will be the immediate withdrawal of the treaty from legislation and projects to reform telecommunications and insurance.

Coronado added that work will be stop at all public institutions, including schools, ICE, the Caja, that will paralyze the country.

Expected to participate in the protest will be farmers and women's groups are all against the free trade deal, he added.

The union leader affirmed that it will be a large civic demonstration in defense of national sovereignty that will demonstrate the pacifist and civil conviction of Costa Ricans.

The Coordinadora anti TLC stressed that the government of President Oscar Arias has closed all dialogue and is relying on arrogance and militarism to attempt to push through the treaty in any way possible.