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of the A.M. Costa Rica staff Costa Rican health authorities are working hard to stem a wave of virus infections that seem to be spread by food handlers. The Semana Santa holidays probably will result in widespread distribution of the virus, which can be serious for children. This is not the flu-like disease that has health officials on alert worldwide since its discovery in China. This local virus causes diarrhea and vomiting. Some cases have been found in San José over the last three weeks. Ministerio de Salud employees say that the virus is widespread throughout the city but not epidemic. There is not a lot of treatment short of letting the virus run its course of from 24 hours to two days. Cleanliness is the key, health officials said. The virus is spread from hand to food to mouth, and a |
good washing of hands can break the
chain. Restaurants should insist on extreme cleanliness to prevent the
spread of the virus, health workers said.
At the same time, health workers are encouraging Costa Ricans all over the country to clean their backyards and gardens in advance of the rainy season so that dengue-bearing mosquitoes will not find breeding grounds in standing water. A dengue outbreak last year even hit the Central Valley. That disease also can be dangerous if contracted a second time. And if that is not bad enough, health workers also say they are on the alert for cases of tuberculosis, which seems to be making inroads in poorer neighborhoods of Costa Rica. Any cough that lasts for more than a few weeks and generates yellow phlegm with blood prompts a visit to a physician. Loss of appetite and night sweating are other symptoms. TB is highly contagious but can be treated with antibiotics. Several cases have been found in the country. |
Man and girl die
in water mishaps By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Two more persons have drowned in water accidents, according to officials. Two other persons died usual deaths over the weekend. A man with the last name of Rodríguez who was 43 years old died at Playa Manuel Antonio Saturday, according to the Judicial Investigating Organization. A 6-year-old girl died in the Tempisque River near Filadelfia in Guanacaste, agents said. In La Cuesta, Ciudad Neily, a 92-year-old man died Saturday when gored
by a bull. And in Guápiles a man named Noguera, 53, died the same
day after being attacked by honeybees.
Police shot man
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Police shot a man when he went to recover stolen goods from a discovered hideaway, investigators said. The home of Orlando Solís in Sarchí Norte de Valverde Vega, Alajuela, was looted Saturday, according to a police report. The burglars stole a VCR, a toolbox, jewelery, important papers and wallets. A stash of stolen items was discovered underneath some shrubbery during a search, according to police. Investigators simply waited for someone to return. At midnight a man with the last names Núñez Fernández showed up along with others. One of the officers shot Núñez in the throat during the
effort to arrest him. Núñez was treated at Hospital de Grecia
and is believed to have been involved in the burglary, said police.
U.S. urges probe into
By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. State Department is urging Venezuelan authorities to probe the bombing of a Caracas office building where negotiators had agreed to work toward a referendum on President Hugo Chavez's rule. Philip Reeker, State Department spokesman, said Monday that Washington condemns Saturday's attack by those who seek to undermine what he termed a "significant accord." Reeker also called on Venezuelan authorities to bring those responsible for the attack to justice. The blast happened at the Caracas Teleport building one day after Venezuelan government and opposition negotiators reached their deal during talks sponsored by the Organization of American States. The parties agreed that the vote would take place after Aug. 19, the midpoint of Chavez's six-year term. Venezuela's opposition has been pushing for the president's removal. They say he is leading Venezuela toward economic ruin and trying to model the country on Cuba. In April of last year, Chavez was briefly ousted in an unsuccessful coup. In December, the opposition began a failed nationwide general strike to force the president to resign and call early elections. The two-month labor action was felt most severely in Venezuela's key oil industry. Bush visit to Canada postponed Special to A.M. Costa Rica The U.S. and Canadian governments have decided to postpone U.S. President
George Bush's May 5 visit to Ottawa. The postponement is due to the president's
ongoing obligations to the Iraq situation. Bush and Canadian Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien look forward to accomplishing these goals that both
share.
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This newspaper will withdraw its reward offer for Luis Enrique Villalobos Camacho and Luis Milanes at midnight Tuesday. A.M. Costa Rica believes that the two men, suspects in multi-million dollars frauds, are unlikely to be found in the near future. In addition, there has been little support from investors in either high-interest operation to add to the rewards. For six months investors in the Villalobos high-interest operation have been biting their fingernails in the hopes that something would happen. The financier closed the doors to his business Oct. 14, and he has not been seen since. He did, however, send a message to investors at that time and another around the first of the year. |
Since then there have been no public
statements, although some investors claim to have had contact with the
man. Investigators did jail his brother.
Milanes left town around Nov. 20. Several associates have been jailed, but not Milanes himself. Some investors, in fact, have been critical of the reward offer. They see Villalobos and perhaps Milanes as victims of a dark governmental conspiracy. The arrest of Villalobos, at least, would shatter their dream of ever getting back their money. He has said that if he is jailed he never would pay up. The A.M. Costa Rica rewards, just $500 each, were largely symbolic. Heavily financed investigators are seeking both men, and the small amount offered by A.M. Costa Rica is irrelevant after six months, the newspaper management concluded. |
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Louis Milanes |
Luis Enrique Villalobos Camacho |
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 had about 6,300 customers. Milanes
had about 2,400.
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. |
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Dear A.M. Costa Rica:
I read with interest Gregory Kearney Lawson’s comments on peace human rights and respect in Costa Rica. I am rather surprised at his wrapping himself in the Costa Rican flag when he is acting on behalf of Villalobos investors who have been bilked out of their money by a government that seems to have not one iota of proof against him. It has seen fit to let two other people on similar charges out of jail while keeping Oswaldo Villalobos incarcerated. I guess it is a case where they release the little fish and keep the big one to feed the treasury. I understand that a short stay in San Jose's infamous prison will soon show you the error of your ways and then no trial is required. So much for human rights. International human rights organizations are constantly stating that Costa Rica has a lot of work to do in this department. So much for human rights. I read your paper daily about crime and it seems that a gringo can have his throat cut if he fails to hand over his wallet. So much for peace. I lived in Mexico for a number of years and, yes, the people in Latin America do have a form of government-enforced respect (begrudgingly given) to keep you spending. You are a commodity to these governments called tourism. From a faithful reader who feels that we are being abused by a government whose greed knows no bounds in grasping for dollars using their dictatorial powers. Gordon Jantzi Oshawa
Ontario, Canada |
Dear A.M. Costa Rica:
Your recent article written by Christopher Walvaren has him writing about "illegal operations" and "illegal funds." I presume he is referring to the likes of "The Brothers" and the "Cubans." But what information does he possess that can show either the operations were illegal or that the funds were illegal? His remarks are blasphemous. Perhaps what was foretold has come to pass — loss to the Costa Rican economy of $5 million per month. No doubt Costa Rica is in the throws of an economic slowdown, top down or complete catastrophe. Frankly, Costa Rica is not that far removed from a banana republic. Political control continues to rest within the ruling gentry, where nepotism, inefficiency and bribes continue to rule. As long as the liberal socialistic attitudes remain the modus operendi, the economic situation will not get better. As long as a legal system allows criminals to perpetuate crime with impunity tourists will think twice about visiting Costa Rica. As long as politicians take an anti-residency attitude toward potential immigrants with liquid income, Nicaragua, Panama and other Central American countries will gain capital influx. As the adage goes: "You reap what you sow." James B. Crowell, Ph.D.
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