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| Costa Rica Expertise Ltd http://crexpertise.com E-mail info@crexpertise.com Tel:506-256-8585 Fax:506-256-9393 |
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| Constitutional
court won't get involved in contralora election |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Sala IV constitutional court has rejected a claim by some legislative deputies that the president of the Asamblea Legislativa held them against their will in the assembly chamber. The appeal to the high court grew out of the June 27 legislative session where Rocío Aguilar Montoya was named contralora de la República. Some deputies tried to leave the chamber in order to stop the voting by reducing the number present below a quorum. They appealed to the court that the assembly president, Gerardo González Esqivel, violated their right to free passage. The election of Ms. Aguilar is controversial because she was not among the persons who applied and submitted to examination by a legislative committee. In fact, her name did not appear until the second round of voting that day when it became obvious that the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana and Partido Liberación Nacional had entered into a deal to |
elect her. She got 24 votes in
the second round
without her name having been mentioned as a candidate. The court said in its decision that the minutes of the legislative session does not establish that the president of the assembly had impeded anyone from leaving the legislative chamber. González had ordered the doors be closed. The court also said that deputies have a legal obligation to attend legislative sessions and that voting is a continuing act that may not be interrupted. Six of the seven magistrates agreed with the decision. The seventh, Adrián Vargas Benavides, said the appeal had some substance but should have been structured as a request for judicial aid, amparo. The case was presented as one of habeas corpus. The job of contralor is to direct the Contraloría de la República, which serves as a fiscal watchdog and passes judgment on all significant contracts and agreements made by the government. |
 A.M. Costa Rica/José
Pablo Ramírez Vindas
Vendors camp at the municipal building
Street vendors continue
to push for muncipal aid By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Vendors staged a protest Wednesday in front of the municipal building in San José to press their case for a place to sell their goods. These are the same individuals who were kicked off downtown streets last Jan. 3. The street vendor association has about 400 members, according to Geovanny Jiménez Godines who is one of the leaders. About 100 showed up Wednesday. The street vendors had been dispersed to other areas around the city, but they stopped working two weeks ago when a citizen appealed to the Sala IV constitutional court claiming that their presence in La Uruca was causing garbage to accumulate in the area. The Sala IV said Wednesday that the appeal had merit. It ordered the Municipalidad de San José to maintain a safe and garbage-free area for the vendors and to protect the public peace. Municipal officials promised to relocate many of the vendors into the former civil registry building on Avenida 2, but there has been little progress. The building is occupied by the reserve of the Fuerza Pública. Jiménez noted that Wednesday's protest was peaceful but he did not discount the idea of more drastic measures if the city does not comply. Who will go with Arias? Not this judicial duo By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Two judicial figures denied Wednesday that they were interested in elective office. But Óscar Arias Sánchez invoked the name of Franklin Chang Diaz as a possible runningmate. Francisco Dall’Anese Ruiz, the fiscal general or chief prosecutor, and Luis Paulino Mora, president of the Corte Suprema, denied any interest in running with Arias. Their names had been included in a speculative article in the Spanish-language press. Paulino Mora pointed out in a statement released through the Poder Judicial press office that he is prevented from running because of his position. He said he has been a judge for 30 years, not a politician. The Costa Rica Constitution prohibits persons who have held certain jobs within 12 months of the voting from being candidates. In addition to ministers, the court president is included. Dall’Anese would be a better candidate because he has been the central figure in prosecuting official corruption cases involving at least three former presidents. “It is absolutely false that I have any interest in participating in politics,” said his statement. He, too, had been linked to Arias in a news article. Chang will soon retire as a U.S. astronaut to go into private business. He grew up in Costa Rica and then took U.S. citizenship. His wife is a U.S. citizen. Arias threw out his name as a kind of trial balloon Wednesday. Chang's citizenship status is unclear. When he accepted U.S. citizenship, he lost his Costa Rica citizenship under the laws that were in force at the time. Quickly lawmakers acted to allow dual citizenship by Costa Ricans. However, the question remains if he somehow got back his Costa Rican citizenship. He is the recipient of a major Costa Rican award that is given only to foreigners. Nevertheless, due to his exploits as an astronaut and his sensitivity and generosity to Costa Rica, he is a beloved figure. He could likely be a formidible presidential candidate instead of No. 2 on the Arias ticket. Of course if Chang accepts and Arias is elected, Costa Rica could end up with a U.S. citizen as president if something happened to Arias. Web movie delivery promoted by Intel Special to A.M. Costa Rica
Revelations Entertainment and Intel Corp have announced the formation of a new digital entertainment company focused on distributing premium movies directly to consumers over the Internet, Revelations, a partnership between actor Morgan Freeman and producer Lori McCreary, has formed ClickStar Inc. with an investment from Intel. ClickStar’s strategy is to create an online service in which consumers can access, pay for and download first-run, pre-DVD-release films and artist-created entertainment channels in their homes. This new online destination will be designed to give filmmakers a vehicle to connect directly with fans and offer consumers a new way of experiencing home entertainment. ClickStar will enable new business models resulting in increased revenue opportunities for the film industry, said an announcement. The formation of the new company was announced Wednesday by Freeman and Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference. Intel, the world's leading manufacturer of computer chips, has a plant in San Antonio de Belén. From our readers
He likens inflated fares to a criminal act Dear A.M. Costa Rica: In reference to the two stories, “Hotel cabs seem to set their own ride rates” and “They are happy to charge about $4 a mile,” I would like to extend my thanks for this story being published. Investigation and discussion of this issue is very valuable for visitors and new arrivals alike. In my opinion, this is a form of theft against tourists (and often foreign residents) plain and simple. In addition to my view of it being criminal, its inconsistency only proves that this is a “progressive” stereotype that, for many foreign residents and visitors, is unjust. I know for a fact that employees of these same hotels, and nationals that are visitors of their services (regardless of their economic situation) do not receive the same treatment proportionately. Next week my parents will be staying at the Intercontinental Hotel in Escazú, and this issue has been on my mind- not because of the money, rather because of the embarrassment that my wife and I will feel if they are extorted in this way. Costa Rica is my home, and I love it deeply, but some things like this, that are tolerated and even supported, I find both upsetting and fraudulent — Thank you again for covering this issue. L. Keith Allen
San Jose |
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with the observations of Dr. Lenny Karpman Click HERE! |
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| AOL and Plaxo join to provide continual updates of e-mail
addresses |
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| Special to A.M. Costa
Rica America Online, Inc. has announced that it is working with Plaxo, Inc., the Web-based contact management company, to help AOL members keep their e-mail address books and buddy list features up-to-date, and make it easy to access AOL services from other e-mail programs. Under the agreement, AOL will integrate Plaxo services to enable AOL members to easily import, export and synchronize contact information in their Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express and third party Web-based e-mail address books with their AOL mail address books. This will also enable AIM users to automatically pull contact information from third party address books to build upon, their buddy list features. In addition, the agreement will enable AOL members, and Plaxo members to detect information from within Plaxo and Plaxo-enabled platforms, such as Outlook and Outlook Express. A new AOL screen name field will be added to both Plaxo and Outlook 'v-cards' and the familiar AOL Running Man icon will appear in contact lists and e-mail headers letting users know when buddies are available to chat. The net result for all will be a universal and up-to-date address book that can be used at home, at work, and the road, and which provides the accurate contact and presence information necessary for all digital communications. This will enable the more than one million users who have already adopted the new free AIM mail service to easily import contact information from other e-mail applications to quickly bring their AIM mail address book up to date. |
"Together with Plaxo,
we are making it easy for our members and users
to create, update and maintain their e-mail address books and buddy
list features," said Chamath Palihapitiya, vice president and general
manager for AIM and ICQ, America Online, Inc. "Through this agreement,
we will also enable Plaxo users to detect AIM presence within the Plaxo
service and Outlook, giving them instant access to their friends,
family and colleagues." Finally, Plaxo will integrate access to the AIM service into its software and AIM users will be given the opportunity to install the Plaxo plug-in for Outlook or Outlook Express while downloading or upgrading the AIM service. AOL members will be able to adopt Plaxo both within the AOL service and on the AOL.com(R) portal. "We are excited to bring the popular AIM service into our offerings," said Ben Golub, president and CEO of Plaxo. "By combining highly accurate and available contact information with the ability to instantly see who is online and available to chat, we are providing a more integrated communication experience for our millions of customers. We are also extremely pleased to offer AOL members, AIM users and AIM mail users our contact management services, enabling them to stay connected to friends, family, colleagues and customers." Both AOL and Plaxo will make the integrated features available at no additional charge to their subscribers and registered users. A public beta of the joint technology will be available from America Online, Inc. later this year. The new AIM Mail and the AIM service will continue to be free, as will the basic Plaxo service. |
| U.S. holding main suspect in murder of newsman |
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Special to A.M. Costa Rica
Washington -- U.S. law enforcement officials have arrested a fugitive in the United States wanted by Mexican authorities for questioning in the murder of a journalist from Veracruz, Mexico. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said it had arrested Jesus Rojas-Lopez, 41, an illegal alien wanted by Mexico on charges of tax evasion and for questioning in the murder in Veracruz of journalist Raul Gibb Guerrero, director of the daily newspaper Opinión. Rojas allegedly was the head of a Veracruz gasoline contraband ring. He was arrested July 4 on a money-laundering charge in Houston, but immigration said he is also suspected of ordering Gibb's murder. Gibb was murdered April 8. Interpol, the international police organization, and Mexico's Federal Agency of Investigation had been looking for Rojas for the last several months, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is the investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. |
Rojas faces removal proceedings for being in the United States
illegally. He will be turned over to Mexican authorities to face
criminal charges for tax evasion and for possible participation in the
homicide of Gibb. The arrest of Rojas attracted global attention, with the Paris-based press advocacy group, Reporters Without Borders, featuring the news on its Web site. The organization said local members of Rojas's organization had offered Gibb money not to run a series of reports about gasoline smuggling that implicated the gang. Despite the attempted bribe, Gibb published the articles in his newspaper. Reporters Without Borders said investigators are considering whether the Mexican reporter might have been killed because of his coverage of drug trafficking. The organization said the prosecutor in the Gibb murder investigation suspected a link with drug traffickers, who are very active in Veracruz. Investigators are meanwhile also considering that he was killed at the behest of the editor of a rival newspaper who allegedly threatened him, said Reporters Without Borders. |
| Pinochet loses his immunity in rights investigation |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica wires services
SANTIAGO, Chile — A Chilean court Wednesday stripped former dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet of immunity from prosecution for alleged human rights violations during his 17-year reign. The ruling by the Santiago appeals court allows a judge to question Pinochet about his association with Operation Colombo, a rash of killings by Chile's secret police during his reign. It could also clear the way for charges of murder and human rights abuses to be filed against the 89-year-old former strongman. The former general ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. During that time more than 3,000 people were killed and 30,000 tortured or imprisoned. |
His lawyer, Pablo Rodríguez, says his client is unfit to stand trial and defend himself in court. “General Pinochet can't answer questions. He can't build his defense, can't participate by providing information that naturally is necessary to be able to defend him from the accusations,'' said his lawyer. Two previous efforts to bring Pinochet to trial on rights abuses failed when judges backed claims by his lawyers that his failing physical and mental health made it impossible for him to stand trial. But last month, a court stripped Pinochet of his immunity in a tax evasion case alleging that the former dictator stashed more than $15 million in foreign banks, including those in the United States. |
| Hurricane Dennis aiming for Haiti, Jamaica and Guantanamo, Cuba |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Hurricane Dennis has strengthened in the central Caribbean, and is moving towards Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, meteorologists report. Another tropical storm, Cindy has made landfall in Louisiana. The U.S. National Weather Service says Cindy is moving north into the south central United States, packing winds up to 112 kph (70 mph). New Orleans emergency officials report some wind damage in the city, and say the storm has left tens of thousands of people in Louisiana without electricity. A tropical storm warning is in effect for parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Meanwhile weather reports say Hurricane Dennis continues to strengthen over the Central Caribbean. |
A hurricane warning has been issued for the southwestern peninsula of
Haiti from the Dominican Republic border westward, all of Jamaica, all
of the Cayman Islands and portions of eastern Cuba, including the
provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo. A warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours. At 2 a.m. eastern time today the storm center was about 255 kms. (160 miles) east southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 375 kms. (235 miles) south southeast of Guantanamo, Cuba. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., said the storm is moving west northwest at about 24 kph (15 mph) and is expected to be over Jamaica later today. The strength is building and the storm could turn into a category 2 hurricane by the time it reaches Jamaica, the center said. |
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