Costa Rica Accuses Castro of Meddling
Costa Rica accused Cuba Thursday of meddling in its internal affairs after Cuban leader Fidel Castro criticized free trade agreements between Latin American nations and the United States.

Costa Rica charges that Cuba is attempting to ‘mar’ a referendum on its free trade deal with the United States scheduled for September 23.

"The government of Costa Rica expresses its concern and unease over a foreign government’s interference in the internal affairs of Costa Rica", came the statement from the office of Costa Rican president Oscar Arias.

‘The declarations of the president of Cuba ... fomenting an external interventionism and insinuating the possibility of ‘fraud’ in the referendum ... represent a serious affront on the residents of a sovereign, democratic, free and independent Costa Rica,’ the statement said.

The statement was issued a day after the convalescing Castro denounced in a newspaper article the ‘bitter reality’ left by free trade agreements between Latin American nations and Washington.

In his eighth article in two months, the 80-year-old Cuban leader also cited Costa Rican, Mexican and Chilean delegates who criticized free trade deals during a forum in Havana.