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President Arias In His First TLC
Protest
During the past protests of the
Tratado LIbre de Comercio (TLC)
- free trade agreement with the
United States (CAFTA), president
Óscar Arias Sánchez, had been
sitting on the sidelines. Today,
he is living his first protest
as president since taking office
last May.
President Arias has been very
clear, he is not against the
manifestations that will be
taking place today and tomorrow,
however, asks the union leaders
and protestors to respect the
rights of all Costa Ricans.
The president has called on all
Costa Ricans to respect the
right to protest that is part of
a democracy. However, on radio
and television, including a
short message on the national
news broadcasts this morning,
asking the protestors not to
hold "hostage" the rest of Costa
Ricans who are not part of their
action.
"I respect the right to protest,
but not the decision to hold
hostages of the rest", said
Arias.
The president did his best to
stop the protest today, asking
the union leaders to sit down
and dialogue. Last week, Albino
Vargas of the Asociación
Nacional de Empleados Públicos (ANEP)
and Fabio Chávez, representing
the Frente Interno de
Trabajadores (FIT) del Instituto
Costarricense de Electricidad
(ICE), refused the president's
call to talk.
The unions intend to "paralyze"
the country in two days of
protests and aren't willing to
listen to the president,
preferring to take their message
to the streets and the
Legislative Assembly, who has
the power to put an end to the
trade agreement.
President Arias has asked the
protestors to keep in mind the
more than a million Costa Ricans
that will be affected by the
protest, especially the 1.160
who have surgery scheduled
during the two days, the 289.000
laboratory exams pending and
89.000 medical appointments. The
president is concerned for the
900.000 students who will be
facing empty classrooms today as
teachers, from grade school to
universities, join the protest.
For the president, the defiance
of the unions to heed to his
call to dialogue, has been a
test of his presidency. Arias
has kept his frustrations
private and has come out with a
calm call to all to keep the
peace. To that end, he has
ordered that all police - Fuerza
Pública and the Policía de
Tránsito - assigned to the
protest be unarmed. In addition,
he has, according to Security
Minister, Fernando Berrocal,
instructed that in addition to
keeping their firearms at home,
that police be dressed in
regular uniform and no riot gear
and shields be used and that
police not provoke the
protestors.
The president has also asked
that the protestors keep the
roads open, marching on one side
of the streets, while using the
other half for their protest.
More than one half of the
Policía de Tránsito force will
be out to control and regulate
vehicular movement.
"A group of union leaders have
called for a strike because the
government is in favour of the
TLC. That is correct, I am in
favour of the TLC. However,
above all, I am in favour of the
1.100 Costa Ricans who this
strike will impede them from
having their surgery, if the
medical services of the Caja are
suspended.
Of the 400.000 compatriots who
will lose their medical
appointment and will not receive
their medication.
Of the 900.000 students who will
be receive lessons and the
1.000.000 Costa Ricans who use
public transport on a daily
basis", said president Arias.
The president added that is in
favour of a "true democracy"
where the vote counts and the
there is a respectful dialogue
and of a Legislative Assembly
that can decide on those things
that we all agree on. We will
not permit the impeding of free
vehicular transit nor restrict
the rights of the majority who
will be at work."
"Costa Ricans: I am on your side
and your right to work and live
in peace", were the closing
words of president Arias in his
nationalized televised address.
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