The two persons who killed and then robbed Roy William Karsh in 2001 have been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

That was the verdict from the Tribunal de Juicio de Goicoechea against a man with the last names of Mora Garita and another with the last names of Chacón Chacón. They were charged with the Costa Rican version of premeditated murder.

Karsh, formerly of Texas, died in his home in Los Faroles de Curridabat. Karsh was found in his home by a neighbor. The murderers took his BMW automobile and some household appliances, money and some other items. 

The autopsy showed that Karsh, 61, was strangled, said investigators, who speculated at the time of the murder that Karsh knew his killer because 

Investigators did not take long to find suspects. The home was ransacked, and investigators learned that Karsh's green BMW automobile was missing. 

About 6 p.m. the day of the murder investigators got a tip that the car was in a lot in Barrio Cuba, and they set up a surveillance, said officials at the time.

Subsequent investigation showed that the car had been driven by a young woman who turned out to be the girlfriend of one of the men, investigators said. With that information, investigators began to watch the suspects.

As in similar cases, the murder suspects were known to Karsh and had frequented the home.

MEXICO CITY, Mexico — One of the non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council that remains uncommitted in regard to a new resolution on Iraq is Mexico, a nation that shares a 3,000-kilometer border (1860 miles) with the United States and sends 85 per cent of its exports there. 

On Tuesday, President Vicente Fox spoke by telephone with various world leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, who favors the new resolution, and French President Jacques Chirac, who opposes it. 

Fox also received a call from Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who urged his Mexican counterpart to support the resolution to be put before the Security Council by the United States, Britain and Spain.

At the same time, pressure is growing from domestic political groups for Mexico to vote against any resolution that would open the way to a war. Public opinion polls show overwhelming support for a peaceful resolution of the crisis. Rival political figures are also joining the anti-war chorus, warning Fox not to yield to pressure from Washington. 

While relations between the United States and Mexico are generally good, old resentments remain. Many people distrust U.S. motives and are concerned about the possible effects of a war on their country. One source of concern is that thousands of Mexicans are in the U.S. armed forces.

The news media here gave broad coverage to the burial this week of U.S. Army Specialist Rodrigo Gonzalez who died along with three other soldiers

Some news publications here this past weekend warned that there will be many more such deaths because, they said, the United States is recruiting illegal Mexican immigrants with the promise of granting them citizenship after they complete their tour of duty. 

The U.S. Embassy here in Mexico immediately issued a statement denying the story. According to the statement, only citizens and legal residents of the United States may join the military. The embassy document also countered the claim made in some media here that Hispanics would constitute a large percentage of the soldiers on the front lines in any war. 

The embassy statement noted that 8.7 percent of U.S. military personnel are Hispanic, while the most recent census shows that Hispanics make up 12 and one half percent of the U.S. population.

But a war in the Persian Gulf could have other detrimental effects here, especially if the worldwide economy is disrupted. Officials are also taking precautions against possible terrorist attacks.

The navy has increased patrols in the Bay of Campeche region where much of the country's oil industry is located. There have been recent warnings about terrorists targeting oil production facilities worldwide in the event of a war in Iraq. 

The authorities have also stepped up vigilance along its borders to prevent the entry of terrorists attempting to enter the United States through Mexican territory.

The automobile inspection people are going to go soft on certain cars that do not have catalytic converters. And that has environmental defenders upset.

A new decree will allow Riteve SyC, to pass some 10,000 vehicles that do not meet the minimum allowable emissions.

A large number of the vehicles involved are believed to be those that the government permitted to enter in the first place even though they did not have the required emissions control devices installed.

Under terms of the decree, cars without catalytic converters that belong to the select group that were imported into the country can pass the emissions test with up to nine times more harmful exhausts than other vehicles.

The alternative would have been a prolonged legal dispute between the government and importers.

The decree is expected to help out any number of owners of dirty cars that could not be brought up to legal standards. The decree also represents the first case of the government backing down on the stiff standards that were established for the inspection monopoly. 

Foreign service test
still available there

U.S. citizens who would like foreign service jobs can take a test April 12 that will start them enroute for any number of overseas U.S. government jobs.

But they will have to fly to the United States to take the test because the deadline for registering to take the test overseas already has past.

The deadline for taking the test in the United States is Saturday. 

The test is the first step in a number of career paths, including the diplomatic service. Those who pass the test will face a round of interviews.

The Foreign Service Exam will be given only once in 2003. To register information is available at www.careers.state.gov. Information about at www.doscareers.us.

Although the U.S. State Department encourages applications from persons with overseas experience, those with dual citizenship, a foreign spouse or a close relative with foreign citizenship might experience difficulties.

The eligible age ranged to 59.

Cuban attitudes change
on embargo of homeland

MIAMI, Fla. — For decades, Cuban exiles in the south of the state have staunchly backed the longstanding U.S. economic embargo of Cuba as a means of pressing Havana for democratic reform. But recent surveys of exiles show a shift in attitudes.

Cuban exiles have traditionally been viewed as a monolithic group unified in opposition to any dealings with Cuba that might benefit Fidel Castro. 

For years, the Cuban American National Foundation has steadfastly advocated measures to isolate the island both politically and economically in hopes of one day toppling the government in Havana.

But the foundation made headlines earlier this year when its chairman, Jorge Mas Santos, came out in favor of dialogue between exiles and the Castro government.

Mas Santos says the goal is not to boost the aging Cuban leader's grip on power, but rather to influence his top lieutenants, those who will help determine Cuba's future post-Castro.

"Those are people that you have to engage," said Mas Santos. "But there always has to be a precept of our vision for the future of Cuba, that the Cuban people have to decide through free and fair elections."

Last month, two public opinion surveys revealed what appears to be a growing divide within the Cuban exile community in the south of the state.

Both surveys showed that solid majorities of exiles who came to the United States in the 1960s continue to back the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba. But among younger exiles, those who fled the island in the 1990s, more than 60 percent support easing travel restrictions and waving limits on the amount of money they can wire to relatives in Cuba. 

Observers say the apparent split among exiles reflects the fact that more recent arrivals tend to have greater ties to relatives still living on the island.

But despite evidence of a shift in attitudes among some exiles, resistance remains formidable to anything that might be construed as "caving in" to Castro.

Three Cuban-American members of Congress, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, remain staunch defenders of the U.S. economic embargo. 
 

Just a short walk from the downtown and through a metal gate is the tranquility of a rose garden.

Those who visit the nearby Museo Nacional only need to spend about five minutes walking north to find this hidden display of roses.

But some are a bit shy because the garden is on the grounds of the Asamblea Nacional. That’s the beautiful house on Avenida Central on the hill of La California. It is the national congress and a bit imposing for visitors.

The assembly is a beehive, and one or two tourists will not be intruding if they peek in to admire the roses. They are the handiwork of Celimo Pérez Fernández, who has worked there 13 years and has a story of his own to tell.

This week he was a bit upset that the garden would get some exposure to English-speakers. He would have preferred to wait about two months when the roses will be in full bloom at the start of the rainy season.

Pérez was minding his own garden in Alajuela 14

His efforts provide a quiet place for the harried politicians and their staff. The garden is located so that most workers at the assembly pass by it once or twice a day.

There is no fee to enter the assembly grounds. It is a public building, The gate is on the west side of the boulevard that runs from the court complex past the Museo National and north of Avenida Principal to Parque Nacional. There even is a bus stop nearby on Avenida Principal. The best time to visit is mid-morning.

Roses are considered among the hardest plants to grow, second perhaps only to orchids. And at the assembly they blend in perfectly with the colonial setting with arches and courtyards.

This newspaper seeks the prompt return of two men who ran high-interest investment operations that have gone out of business.

Luis Enrique Villalobos Camacho, 62, was associated with Ofinter S.A., a money exchange house, and with his own private investment business that had about $1 billion in other people’s money on the books.

Villalobos closed his business Oct. 14 and vanished.

Louis Milanes operated Savings Unlimited and several casinos in San José. He left the country with other members of his firm the weekend of Nov. 23. He may have as much as $260 million in his possession. Both operations catered to North Americans.

Villalobos and Milanes are the subjects of international arrest warrants.  Associates of both men have been jailed.

A.M. Costa Rica has posted a $500 reward for information leading to the detention of either man with the hopes that others will make similar pledges. The newspaper believes that investors only will see some of their money when the two men are in custody.

Milanes has few supporters in San José. On the other hand, as the letters frequently on this page show, Villalobos still has supporters who believe that he will reappear and settle his debts. They believe he is in hiding because of a predatory Costa Rican government.