First Fall Of Arias Administration
The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) - country's monopoly on telecommunications and electricity - will have a new president, following the resignation of Jorge Gutiérrez, who took over from Pablo Cobb on May 8.

Pedro Pablo Quirós was named the new head of the institution by president Oscar Aria, however, the institution's unions are not happy with the posting.

Gutiérrez resgined after only several months at ICE. President Arias said, in accepting the resignation, that he had was counting him for the projects that the government is pushing ahead for the institution but it just wasn't working out.

The new boss who will take over the post on September 15, is an engineer with some 40 years of experience in telecommunications and is currently vice-president of the board of directors at ICE.

The unions have made it clear that they do not like Quirós, and though they union representatives have not said anything specific, they are united in letting everyone know their position.

Jorge Arguedas, coordinator of the Frente Interno de Trabajadores del ICE (FIT), said: "It doesn't appear that the leaving of Gutiérrez is related to health problems, but, rather to contradictions with the government".

Fabio Chaves, president of te ASDEICE, was more energetic in his comments, saying "Quiros is a person we do not accept, because is part of the conspiracy to privatize the institution".

Both Chaves and Arguedas agree that not much will change in the daily operations of the institution as Quirós knows the operations well, just he is not liked for is position on the future of the institution.

Chaves added that his union will not recognize Quirós as the new head and will be calling on all workers for a peaceful disobedience against the new president and talked about possible protests to pressure the government against the privatization of ICE.