TLC Will Be Decided By Referendum
Costa Rican president, Óscar Arias Sánchez, at noon yesterday announced that he signed a decree to call a referendum on the Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the United States, the Dominican Republic and Central America. The decree will be sent on Tuesday to the Legislative Assembly.

The government decree must be approved by at least 29 of the 57 legislative deputies, a requirement for the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) -elections tribunal - to hold the popular vote, which is expected to be held within the next 4 months.

The decision to send the approval of the trade agreement to a referendum or popular vote came one day after the TSE authorized the collection of 132.000 signatures to hold a referendum.

Arias said he met with the leaders of the Unidad Social Cristiana, Restauración Nacional, Liberación Nacional and Unión Nacional parties, who are in support of the trade deal.

"This is a historic decision, as it is the first time Costa Ricans will have the opportunity to directly decide the lick of a law that is of great importance to the country, and it opens a new era in our democratic development", said president Arias.

The president added that in this manner the fate of the TLC will be decided by a peaceful and calm vote.

"I have all the faith that Costa Ricans will know to choose the right path; which will prefer to say yes to democracy, yes to the creation of more jobs, yes to the future of our youth, yes to the world; will prefer to have a country that is advanced with optimism and sense of direction", said Arias.

"We will decide the future of the TLC in way closest to out idiosincrasy: voting in peace and calm, not in the streets but at the voting booths. We will not count heads in a protest  march, nor in posters, nor barricades, simply, we will count the votes. I receive the resolution with relief, because following years of discussion finally we have in hand the mechanism to decide this debate. Costa Ricans have the right to decided on the TLC, but above all have the right to embark in new dreams and move forward", were the words of the president.

The Ministro de la Presidencia and brother to the president, Rodrigo Arias, said that the government will be sending the Ley del Referendo to the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, April 17 (Monday is a holiday), and is within the rules of the political constitution of the country.

Minister Arias added that the referendum does not impede the process of the TLC in the Legislature. The law for the referendum will be discussed during only one session and a vote of 29 in favour is that is required for the public vote to take place, said the minister.

The minister added, for clarity, that once the deputies approve the referendum, it will go back to the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE), which will then have 90 days to prepare the referendum.

The referendum will be held on a Sunday, between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm, with voting held at public schools and colleges, similar to the presidential elections.

The TSE was clear in its decision earlier this week that more than 700.000 people have to cast their vote on the referendum and the law prohibits any propaganda on the issue.

The referendum is expected to be held before September 15, Independence Day in Costa Rica.