Traffic Chaos Expected Today As Protestors Take To The Streets
If you don't have to go to downtown San José today, you will be better off, as the "porteadores" will be protesting on the streets of San José and will no doubt cause all sorts of traffic chaos. More than normal for a Tuesday.

The porteadores from all over the country will be converging onto the streets of San José with their final destination the Asemblea Legislativa (Legislative Assembly) with their intent to have legislators listen to their demands.

The "formal" taxi drivers - the official red taxis - will be watching with their arms crossed as the dispute between the two public transports continues.

On the one hand, the porteadores want to be able to work freely without harassement by the Policía de Tránsito (traffic police) and taxi drivers, while taxi drivers want the "porteo" - the informal taxi business - totally eliminated.

Demonstrations by the porteadores isn't new, as these types of demonstrations have already taken place a number of times. In some cases, anti-riot police had to be called in to keep the peace.

The demonstration is to demand the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) it once and for all decide to regulate or eliminate the business of porteo.

The porteo is the informal taxi business that has over the years become a force in the face of higher taxi fares and especially in communities where formal taxis do not or will not provide services.

Formal taxis, who are marked in red and clearly identified with a yellow triangle, argue that many Porteadores operate as "taxi", picking up fares on the street and cutting into their business.

The protest today is mainly due to the ambiguous declarations by the MOPT minister, Karla González, who along with the Comisión de Jurídicos de la Asamblea Legislativa, said that Porteadores who depend solely on the "porteo" can obtain taxi plates.