TLC Referendum Expected in September
The Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) annouced yesterday that the referendum on the Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the United States, Central America and the Dominican Republic, will be held in September, though it did not give the exact date.

The TSE made the announcement following the rejection of the peition by José Miguel Corrales who made the initial request to the Tribunal to hold a referendum, that the public vote should only go ahead when the 133.000 signatures are collected. However, the TSE has heeded to the petition by the government and the Legislature.

The TSE decision was made public by magistrates Luis Antonio Sobrado, Eugenia Zamora and Zety Bou.

Sobrado, in the decision, said that once the government petition, approved by the legislature, was made the recollection of signatures lost all legal standing. For the magistrates, the people should have the final decision on the trade deal and that is the process that it is heading.

The steps that will follow to the popular vote will be first for the TSE to officially convene a referendum. The decision on the date will be made in June, and the vote to follow not more than three months later.

The TSE will then ask for the co-operation of the Ministerio de Educación to use public schools for the voting and ask the government to pressure those in the public transportation sector to provide transportation with the intent of getting the largest number of voters possible.