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More Than A Thousand Residents
of Quepos Could Be Without
Home Soon
More than 1.000 residents of
Matapalo de Quepos are living
the uncertainty of being removed
from their homes and seem then
torn down, while they try to
resolve a dispute with the owner
of the lands they occupy.
A recent court decision keeps
the families in suspense . The
decision is based on a charge
presented by Eliécer Solís who
says that the 43 people have
invaded his farm, built homes
and other buildings on the land
that comprises some 150
hectares, located between the
beaches of Matapalo and Linda on
the Costanera Sur, southeast of
Quepos.
The problem has been ongoing
since 1997 when the first filing
was made in the Tribunales de
Quepos, which was asked to place
the lands in the hands of the
Solís as a preventive measure so
avoid further damages caused to
the land.
During the legal battle, judge
Mainor Vargas Gutiérrez ordered
the removal of the families and
the tearing down of the
buildings.
The residents say that have been
there for a long time, more than
14 years in some cases and do
not want to leave.
The situation has become
complicated, for they argue that
if they have in fact usurped the
lands and thus have no legal
status how is that they were
able to obtain public streets,
electricity, water and telephone
services.
The residents say there are
enormous contradictions which
are difficult to understand,
like how is possible to obtain
construction permits form the
municipality for the recently
constructed buildings and the
Instituto Costarricense de
Electricidad (ICE) - state owned
electricity and telephone
utility - has a building in the
middle of the property.
The answer is simple: either the
residents are in the right or
there is a gross disorder with
the possession.
The situations is further
complicated by the fact that a
number of residents have
property plans, some even have
title awarded them by a judicial
court and one family like that
of Miriam Chacón, asks to be
explained how the Ministerio de
Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT)
was able to expropriate and pay
them for the lands that is now
part of the Costanera Sur.
The majority say they purchased
possession rights and which no
one ever disputed until now.
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