Limón Talks Could End Strike Today; Night of Violence Shook The Port City
Talks between the government and the union is moving ahead to put an end to the strike in Limón, possibly by the end of the day today.

Officials of the Junta de Administración Portuaria y de Desarrollo Económico de la Vertiente Atlántica (JAPDEVA) and the union, the Sindicato de Trabajadores de JAPDEVA (SINTRAJAP), are continuing talks to put and to the work action by the dock workers and the protest that have required police intervention during the last two days.

A number of protestors have come violently against the negotiations and police have had to be called in to restore calm in a number of neighbourhoods.

The Ministro de Trabajo (Labour Minister), Francisco Morales, assures that by today (Friday) there will be white smoke, confident that the two sides will reach an agreement. However, Ronaldo Blair, representing SINTRAJAP, refused to give a public statement on the talks.

Notwithstanding the confidence by the Labour minister, the Fuerza Pública (police) are maintaining an active preventive operation in Limón, avoiding any blockades of the main streets.

The loss due to the strike action is high to the area businesses as well as the residents, as a number of cruise ship liners have said they will cancel their visit to the port city unless the government can guarantee security.

At least three ships cancelled docking at Moín and Alemán docks, leaving the area with a loss of at least ¢100 million colones (us$192.000 dollars), according to a press statement by the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) - Costa Rican Tourism Board.

During the last two nights, Limón has been the scene of violent protests with the detention of at least four people, who are in the hands of the judicial authorities. One of the the men is charged with setting fire to a tractor trailer on Tuesday.

Last night (Thursday), police had to intervene in eight separate occasion in removing barricades set up by the protestors. The worst of the confrontation between protestors and police was in Limoncito, where a number of family had to leave their homes affected by tear gas used by police.