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Published Wednesday Edition
August 2, 2017, Vol. 17, No. 152
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Aerial view of the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles.
The Romería pilgrimage reaches its climax today
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Today in Costa Rica marks the pinnacle of one of the country’s most important religious celebrations: the Romería.

It is quite a picturesque site for any tourist who happens to snap a photo of the masses of people out on the pilgrimage trial towards the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles. The pilgrimage itself is an annual walk towards the church located in Cartago Centro. Many walk from San José ao Cartago in a display of solemn faith toward the Catholic faith in Costa Rica.

It usually draws thousands of romeros, the name given to those willing to make the hike toward Cartago. Many are driven by faith while some simply wish to attempt the walk from San José to Cartago. Some data from the Cruz Roja Costarricense suggests that the Romería was too much for some.

The Cruz Roja said that it had attended to 1,247 people since Tuesday morning. The data shows that the vast majority of cases, at 579 patients, were attended at the Basilica area.

The majority were between the ages of 20 and 59 years old at 901 cases reported. Fortunately, a transfer to the hospital was not necessary for most with only 71 marked in the trauma category and 11 marked for falling and only one case of a collision. The Cruz Roja marked just three patients as being in critical condition.

Over 1,100 officers of the Fuerza Pública will be part of an operation lasting until August 3 that includes the mounted police units, motorcycle units and the air surveillance unit.

According to the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública, the operation will be divided into four phases with the first being maintaining patrols and the reinforcement of any police unit in case of a large presence of people on rural roads and the Inter-American highway.

On Aug. 2 and Aug. 3, police officers will be providing security for the pass of the Virgen de los Ángeles, according to the Policía de Tránsito who are also involved in the event’s security. The traffic police’s last update was that they would be blocking truck traffic and any transport of dangerous materials from Hacienda Vieja to the crossing of La Lima in Florencio de Castillo until this afternoon.


“The action taken by the Dirección General of the Policía de Tránsito is made with several objectives, among which are the reduction of the risk of accidents involving a vehicle with toxic or highly flammable materials in a route through which thousands of people will be on at different times,” a statement from the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes said.

“With the size of these cars, the idea is to reduce congestion in the area, to give priority to buses and private vehicles, as well as pedestrians.”

Other groups are using the Romería event and its pilgrims as an opportunity to hopefully obtain or promote their desired agendas.

Romeros
Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes photo    
Romeros head towards Cartago Centro.

Cruz Roja
Cruz Roja Costarricense photo        
Cruz Roja members attend patient.

The environmental ministry, along with a few municipalities and the MarViva Foundation, has teamed up to reduce the use of single-use plastics among the romeros.

According to MarViva, the foundation helped set up two water filling stations at the Centro de Servicio el Higuerón and the second about 200 meters east of the Servicentro la Galera on the road to Tres Ríos. The filling stations are free and also will provide information about the impacts of plastics in the marine ecosystem.

“The Romería is an event involving thousands of people,” said Marcel Soler, the mayor of the municipality of Montes de Oca. “It is an opportunity to reduce the consumption of plastic bottles and thus reduce the impact of these products on our seas.”
 
During the last Romería, MarViva placed a position on the route to the basilica with the support of the Municipalidad de Curridabat. The equivalent of four million liters of water were dispensed and about eight million bottles of half-liter plastics were prevented from being introduced into the environment, the foundation said in a statement.

Speaking of water, the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica analyzed the quality of the water at the basilica. Through its Centro de Investigación de Servicios Químicos y Microbiológicos, the institute assured that the water is completely safe to drink.

“The values are normal. No fecal coliforms or other dangerous substances are present. The water is characterized as fit for human consumption,” said Noemi Quirós, the center’s coordinator. TEC said that experts took samples of the water coming from the pipes located within the basilica grounds and used both portable and lab equipment to determine any presence of minerals, the water temperature or residual chlorine in the liquid.

Quirós emphasized, however, that while the water is clean, that does not mean that one’s container is as well and proper measures should be taken on the part of those collecting water from the source.



Bank forecasts gloomy consequences on deficit
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Government creating new taxes, less availability of loans for private investors and a sharp increase in the monthly payments of those who are indebted are some of the possible consequences the fiscal deficit may cause in the short term.

That is the reality the Banco Central forecasts in its Programa Macroeconómico  2017 y 2018.

According to the program, the government's urge for more money pushes up the interest rates, which have already been raised by the intervention of the Banco Central, with the purpose of making the local currency more attractive to those saving money.

That situation influences the national production and that is why Banco Central maintains a much less optimistic view than that at the beginning of the year. A decrease in production does not mean anything but less income for companies and workers.

The fiscal deficit happens when the government spends more money than it receives from taxes. To pay for this difference, the Ministerio de Hacienda has repeatedly asked for national and international loans.

Quietly, however, finance officials are also asking the executive and the Legislative Assembly to rein in on the spending for public programs.
Only a balance of both can achieve a fiscal equilibrium, according to Hacienda.

The Central Bank predicts debts will reach 6.1 percent of the national production. That same debt will be a total of 6.6 percent in 2018.

According to the document, from 2012 to 2015 Costa Rica requested $1 billion in  loans from foreign investors through the sale of bonds.

That allowed the government to finance debts without having to affect the budget of public institutions and have their operations continue without creating any alarm.

At some point, the pressure to pay debts was not so strong because there was always the option of asking money from international markets, however,  markets are no longer so open and investors do not trust a country too indebted, according to the document.

To face the debt, the Banco Central will ask for more debt. In this case from Fondo Latinoamericano de Reservas. The amount will be $1 billion as well.

In the program, Banco Central says the purpose of that loan is to maintain economic stability while achieving a fiscal reform that provides new income sources to the state. However, the Legislative Assembly focus on these issues, since the beginning of 2017 is likely to be clouded. It is an electoral year after all.






Remarkable
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16th anniversary edition

Costa Rica: Remarkable Tales from Our Super Vacation Spot

A.M. Costa Rica celebrates its 16th anniversary with a compilation of classic news reports geared to the needs of foreigners living here and those elsewhere with personal or business interests in this vacation paradise. Each seeks to tell something new or original about the vacation and retirement mecca. 


Read a sample and purchase the book HERE!


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A.M.
Costa Rica

Second News Page

Published || Wednesday Edition, August 2, 2017 || Vol. 17, No. 152
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Professional Directory
A.M. Costa Rica's professional directory is where business people who wish to reach the English-speaking community may invite responses. If you are interested in being represented here, please contact the editor.
Psychotherapy




Dr. Gray
Dr. Lucinda Gray
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US (310) 827-4241
doclucinda@gmail.com
www.LucindaGray.com
Learn more about 
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9057-2/25/17


U.S. Income Tax
Tax time
U.S. Income Tax Services
Marlene B. Summers
T
ax Accountant
Let’s discuss your tax situation.

Marlene Summers
The IRS has become more aggressive and if you have not filed, you must do so. 

However, there are solutions to problems and your situation may be better than you think.

If your filing is not up to date, Streamlined Filing can be used with no penalties.

Including disclosure of foreign corporations to avoid serious problems.

If tax payment is holding you back, the IRS has options to solve payment problems.

You can file current or past due FBARs without payment to meet IRS  requirements.

If you have yet to file, do it now as there is still time.

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Phone (506) 2289-6590 ; Cell (506) 8750-2316
Email: marlene.summers@gmail.com
9186-6/30/17

Personal Assistant

Jacqui Monacell
Your “go to” person in Costa Rica!

Jacqui Monacell

With over 20 years of experience in Costa Rica, we understand the inner-workings of the “Tico system” and offer a wide range of services for newcomers and expatriates!

    • Vehicles: purchase, sale, storage, repairs
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Visit our website to read more about our services and peruse our testimonials to see why we are recommended throughout the community!
Call or write us for more information and we will contact you the same day!
Costa Rica Phones: (506) 8878-4932 / (506) 2271-1845 / (506) 2271-1844
Email: info@yourcostaricacontact.com
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9243-8/17/17


Legal Services

American/Costa Rican staff
to properly assist you


MBC

* Corporate, Labor, Family Law (marriage / divorce),
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* Naturalization
* Real Estate
* Notary Services
* Collections and Foreclosures 
* Wills and Testaments, Probates 
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* Legal fees calculated by CR s Bar of Lawyers

Our Business/Construction Unit
will be glad to assist you on:
* How to start a business in CR
* How to import/export to CR: Sanitary, registration Certificates, free sales certificates, logistics
*Constructions projects: Municipal permits, contracts, due diligence to buy / build your home or project in CR. 

Contact Info:
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*Offices conveniently located in Rohrmoser and Belén-Heredia / Costa Rica
9226-12/7/17


Adrian Fernandez
Attorney & Notary

A Fernandez
Notary services and registrations. Collections and foreclosures. Real estate and litigation. Corporate Law. Immigration. Estate planning wills and testaments, probate.

I provide the highest professional standards. Official documentation and Notary deeds are always translated in English for better comprehension, client satisfaction and safety.

 Call me for advice
    Phone:  2280-9692 / 2253-3705
    Email: ajfernandez@racsa.co.cr
    Law Office is conveniently located near  Mall San Pedro, 350 meters south  from the Hyundai dealer, Los Yoses, San José.
9181-7/3/17

Real estate agents and services

Costa Rica's first Realtor specialized
in eco properties, eco consulting and green living.

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cell: +506 8825-6556  
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9124-4/19/17

Dentistry

Dental
Services rollover
Dental Services Costa Rica

Dr Oscar Vargas specialist in prosthodontics
Where Science and Art meet!
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Give yourself a bright and healthy smile.  Our professional practice is geared to exceptional quality in all procedures.   We are dedicated to technical perfection using cutting-edge technology.     

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Contact us:
Dial toll FREE from USA or Canada:  1.800.901.0114
CR local phone:  +506-2274-3231
Cell: +506-8302-5877
Email:  info@dentalservicescostarica.com
Web:  www.dentalservicescostarica.com
8758-9/18/17

Insurance professionals

The Garrett Insurance Group
Garrett
-Brokerage fully licensed by the
      government.
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       BMI, Blue Cross, Blue
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-Correspondents of WILLIS.
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-Superb communications.
-Prize-winning Web site.
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Centro Comercial El Pueblo, Local #125, San José. Phone:  ( 506 ) 2233-9520  or ( 506) 2233-2455
E-mail : info@garrettbrokers.com
More information HERE!
9165-5/22/17

Residency experts

resdiency

JAVIER ZAVALETA
RESIDENCY IN COSTA RICA
A full service immigration agency
U.S. and San José offices
There are four primary ways to apply for legal residency in Costa Rica:
    Retiree (Pensionado):  For those with a pension or other retirement income.
    Legal Resident (Rentista): For those with guaranteed non-salary income or savings.
    Business/Investor (Inversionista): For those with Costa Rican business or real estate investments.
    Marriage/Relation (Vinculo): For those married to or related to a Costa Rican citizen.


WHICH OPTION IS BEST FOR YOU?
Getting and authenticating documents can be a chore. We know how to do it. Experienced with many nationalities. Up-to-date on Costa Rica's evolving immigration law.
Your first stop for smooth, professional service and a positive experience.
Javier Zavaleta
Residency in Costa Rica
P. O. Box 86352, Los Angeles, CA 90086
U.S. Phone: (323) 255-6116
U.S.  Fax (323) 344-1620
Phone in Costa Rica: ( 506 ) 2226=0755  (En español )

Email:  javier@residencyincostarica.com
Web: www.residencyincostarica.com
9071-3/19/17
9071-3/19/17

 Accountants

U.S. Tax International
Plus Costa Rican taxes, accounting, and legal
 services. Over 15 years in Costa Rica
U.S. Tax
rollover
(English spoken). Tamarindo office hours now available.  If you or anyone you know would like an appointment in Tamarindo, please call our San José office at 2288-2201 to make an appointment.
Contact Us:
 U.S 786-206-9473         CR 506-2288-2201
FAX: 506 2231-3300
E-mail: ustax@lawyer.com
Web page: www.ustaxinternational.com
9179-9/17/17

James Brohl, C.P.A. & M.B.A. US Income Tax,  U.S. GAAP Accounting
& Business Consulting
S
pecializing in all matters of concern to U.S. taxpayers residing abroad including:
Uncle Sam's
IRS filing requirements of foreign income tax exclusion (up to $102,100 for 2017).
Past-due tax returns: Taxpayers filing before an IRS notice do not face criminal sanctions.
Reporting foreign financial assets: FBAR and foreign corporations.
Up-to-date FATCA news.
All US Tax return preparation:
individual, business, estate and trust.
eFile returns: secure with faster refunds.
Business consulting to facilitate working in Costa Rica.
Telephone 8305-3149 or 2256-8620
E-mail jrtb_1999@yahoo.com
8984-4/6/17

Fine art restoration and conservation

Gilbert Carmichael
Master Art Restorer
European and U.S. standards. USPAP.
 
Paintings    Sculptures    Murals 
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  Works on paper restoration
Gilbert Carmichael
  Conservation Curatorial  services
  Art expert services
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  Condition evaluation
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  Art related insurance and 
       damage evaluations
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Experts in fine art restoration and conservation for the tropics. We clean mildew, mold, etc., repair, restore and offer art expert and curatorial services.

For more information please call (506) 8388-5328 or  email cocopopcr@yahoo.com
9212-5/9/17

Bill seeks to implement digital platform
to be used across all public institutions

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

A new bill seeks to force the creation of some manner of digital headquarters in every public institution where Costa Ricans provide all sorts of paperwork.

The bill also seeks to generate a positive impact in the economy and save time for users and for public administration workers. It is currently being discussed in the Comité Especial de Ciencia, Tecnología y Educación, at the Legislative Assembly.

Ottón Solís, legislator and supporter of the initiative from Partido Acción Ciudadana, requested an opinion from the comptroller general.

"The use of technology is a tool to protect the citizen from the excess of administrative requirements and procedures, through the creation of digital headquarters and thus improve efficiency,” according to the comptroller's office.

 In the past, the Sala Constitucional has recognized as a fundamental right of individuals to be able to interact with institutions by electronic means. However, the comptroller's office said that the obligation for public institutions should consider the budgetary impact, something that is not easy taking into consideration the fiscal situation of the country.


Collapsed house
Comisión Nacional de Emergencias photo          
Property destroyed in landslide this past weekend.

122 incidents reported due to storms

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The  Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias has provided support in 122 incidents since the weekend, due to a tropical depression and increased rain in Costa Rica.

According to the Comisión, floods, landslides, strong winds, road problems and other emergencies have affected the population during this past weekend and the days following. The heavy rains are also responsible for the damage in the bridges at San Rafael Arriba de Desamparados, in Los Angeles de La Fortuna de San Carlos and  Guayabo de Turrialba.

The most affected areas have been in the Central Valley, Alajuela and the Zona Sur. However, there were incidents also reported at Cartago, Zona Norte, Huétar Caribe and Chorotega.

According to the assessments made by the local emergency committees, supplies were sent to those affected by a landslide in Junquillo Arriba de Puriscal. Shelters were installed in Desamparados due to the floods.

A landslide also that took place at Finca San Juan in Rincón Grande de Pavas, where five families lost their house. Currently, they've been taken care of by the Comité and the Insituto Mixto de Ayuda Social.


Nathalia Rojas
Casa Presidencial photo          
Nathalia Roja, pictured, will be leading the new Defensoría.

New ombudsman for broadcast media

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Sistema Nacional de Radio y Television has officially launched an audience ombudsman, an agency that will work as a mediator between its media outlets, the contents it produces and the impact on different audiences.

The Defensoría de las Audiencias is would allow people, institutions and organizations to report and file complains should they consider the broadcasts violate human rights.

To lead the agency, the system has appointed Nathalia Rojas, a journalist and audiovisual production graduate from the Universidad de Costa Rica.

"The agency has been created with the objective to self-regulate the work of the Sistema and improve its contents," said Ms. Rojas. "This is an agency to guarantee and strengthen the right to communication, promoting freedom of expression, the right to information and the right to participation.

The population may report to the ombudsman's office any content that it considers sexist, sexist, misogynist, if it discriminates against people because of their ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, among others.

"My work will be focused on developing a synergy between communication and human rights, in order to present alternatives within the programming adhering to the principles of equality and dignity, as well as ethical rigor and inclusion, to generate real transformations in society," said the ombudsman.


A.M. Costa Rica book recommended

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rica’s leading English language newspaper is celebrating its 16th anniversary with the publication of an illustrated ebook that contains selected classic stories.

The book goes on sale today just two weeks before the newspaper’s birthday, Aug. 15.

“These stories illustrate various aspects of life in Costa Rica, and they are much too interesting to languish in our archives,” said Jay Brodell, editor emeritus and the person who put the book together.

Brodell said he tried to reflect the wide variety of news stories that have been published from food and travel to more serious aspects of life here. A.M. Costa Rica is known for not pulling any punches in covering the news. The title is “Costa Rica: Remarkable Tales from this Super Vacation Spot.”

The book contains contributions by staffers and interns who have worked at the newspaper. The company has tried to provide internship opportunities as part of its personnel plan.

Gabriela Vega Barrantes, the newspaper general manager, said that she would consider issuing a similar book every year as a supplement to the daily newspaper.

The book is $3.99 now online at Smashwords in all the standard ebook formats, including those for the Amazon Kindle and also for iBook. A sample is available at the site here.


News from the Spanish-language press
Translated into English




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A.M.
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Third News Page
U.S. Tax
Published || Wednesday Edition, August 2, 2017 || Vol. 17, No. 152
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High prices at Jacó restaurant upset some, defended by management
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Thousands of critics took over some Tico Facebook pages and discussion groups, after an image went viral showing alleged excessive prices of a business located in Jacó and left some outraged persons questioning what a fair price really means.

The image shows the supposed menu of the Jacó Blu Beach Club, located close to the Parque de Jacó. The business offers pools and chairs inside their facilities. Apparently, the cost of food and beverages for tourists is way higher than that for citizens.

According to the image, a bottle of Cacique sells up to $140, same price as Aguardiente. Bailey's Irish Cream and Jaggermeister bottles sell at almost $200 each, the sparkling wine costs about $115 and a 12 year-old Flor de Caña has a price of $220. Meanwhile, a bottle of Blue Label Johnny Walker costs above $400.

According to Andrey Montenegro, manager of the club, the picture does not say that along with the purchase of one bottle, up to five people can make use of the facilities during the whole day.

“We have pools, jacuzzi, restaurant and bar for customers to enjoy,” he added.

The Costa Rican law establishes no price caps to products, however people over the web considered the prices will only scare away tourists and feed the idea that Costa Rica is a expensive country. The image was first published at the El Infierno in Costa Rica Facebook site.

Jaco Menu
Facebook photo    
An example of the menu posted on Facebook.


Going beyond books marks the upcoming international book fair
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The country’s literary and publishing community will be joining together as part of the upcoming celebrations for the international book fair.

The 2017 Feria Internacional del Libro will be housed inside San José’s Antigua Aduana building and the Casa del Cuño, according to a statement from the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. The ministry added that more than 80 exhibitors will participate among the publishing houses, groups, libraries and independent writers sharing their works. 10 international guess will pay homage to nine organizations.

Some of those international guests include Rita Dove from the United States, while the others include primarily writers from other parts of Latin America such as Mayra Santos-Febres and Carlos Fonseca, both of Puerto Rico.

The book exhibition will be unveiled on this Friday, at 6 p.m., in the Calderón Guardia museum. Next up on the schedule will be a workshop for managers and editors, on August 21 and 22, and a children's illustration workshop, on the 23 and 24 at the museum, organizers said. The festival itself will be opening on August 25 and run until September 3. The cultural ministry said it would release a more informed schedule of the fair later in the coming weeks.

“This year, the FILCR 2017 turns 20 years old and we are pleased to see how it has been consolidated over time as a magnificent setting to stimulate consumption and a taste for books to encourage a cultural exchange and to promote business opportunities,” said Sylvie Durán, the minister of culture.

Mario Vargas Llosa
Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud photo/Daniel Mordzinski   
Writer Martin Vargas Llosa poses. Photos such as these will also be on display at the museum.

The activity has also expanded beyond books to include a sample of 35 artistic and cultural activities ranging from plays, stage poetry to puppets for the little kids.

According to the head of the Costa Rican Cámara del Libro, Luis Bernal Montes de Oca, this is all the product of several Costa Rican educators who created the first book fair in 1954.

“This relationship makes it possible that, in a dynamic action, the fair can be visited by all free of charge, as a cultural event that serves to gather readers with the creators and managers for the benefit of all,” Bernal said in a statement.



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A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page

Published || Wednesday Edition, August 2, 2017 || Vol. 17, No. 152
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Poder Judicial strike over but doubt remains over pension plans
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

On Monday, the strike at Poder Judicial was called off  by several union leaders after reaching an agreement with magistrates to ask the withdrawal of the reforms bill that will be applied to the pensions regime.

The strike started on July 19 to demand legislators take into consideration the worker's proposal to reform the current pensions scheme that could face financial problems in the coming years, according to research made by the Universidad de Costa Rica.

At the time and during the 11 days the strike lasted, the legislators in charge of approving the reforms on first vote refused to include the draft sent by unions as a base document.

Now, unions and judges, except for those of the Sala Constitucional, will ask Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solís to withdraw the bill from legislative discussion and try to replace it with a common draft representing the whole Poder Judicial position.

In fact, the president of the Corte Suprema will meet the president next week to further explain the agreements of their new proposal. Each year during August, the extraordinary legislative sessions begin and it is up to the executive branch to determine what bills will be discussed.

The new single project of the judiciary, which admits the need for reforms, will take into consideration the technical recommendation provided by the Universidad de Costa Rica. Regarding the age of retirement, instead of the 65-years old requirement legislators tried to approve, the judiciary will request that the limit stays at 62 for men and 60 for women.

The other agreement has to do with the amount of years worked in order to be eligible for retirement.
Poder Judicial
strike
A.M. Costa Rica photo/Rommel Téllez      
July 26 photo showing one of the first days of the strike.

The Poder Judicial proposal leaves it at 35. In regards the caps in the pensions, it will remain at a maximum of $6,992 per month.

The judicial proposal for the president will also include the creation of an administrative pensions board who will remain within the scope of Poder Judicial. Legislators have been seeking to have that board work independently from the judiciary.

The board will now have three directors appointed by the Corte Plena and three by the unions. Every member should have some measure of economics, stock market and investments knowledge, according to the proposal.

The joint project was handed over to Frente Amplio's legislator Jorge Arguedas, who introduced it in the Special Pensions Committee at the Legislative Assembly as a minority report.



Vacation, travel and hospitality


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George Lundquist header

The Relocation/Retirement tour with the
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Visit many rental options to actually experience the price/amenity options available in more of the areas chosen by Expats for security, comfort, and quality of life.

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U.S. Income Tax Services (paid category)


Tax time
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A.M. Costa Rica
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Real estate rentals (paid category)

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A.M. Costa Rica's
  
Fifth news page

Published || Wednesday Edition, August 2, 2017 || Vol. 17, No. 152
Calendar
Opinion
Classifieds
Real Estate
Lifestyle
Food
About us
 
Two opposition leaders
seized from their homes


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Two Venezuelan opposition leaders who were on house arrest have been seized from their homes by state security forces, two days after a controversial vote creating a national assembly to rewrite the constitution.

The families of Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma say agents with the Venezuelan intelligence service Sebin took the men during the early morning hours Tuesday. Both families posted videos on Twitter of the men as they were taken, with Ledezma still wearing pajamas.

Venezuela's Supreme Court said the two leaders were sent back to jail because official intelligence sources discovered they were planning to flee. The court also said Lopez and Ledezma violated the terms of their house arrest by political campaigning and making statements to the media.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is concerned rising political tensions will distance the country from a path conducive to finding a peaceful solution to the country's challenges, according to U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric..

Dujarric said Guterres reiterated the need for the government and opposition to begin negotiations, adding, the only way forward is a political solution.

The two opposition leaders had each posted videos urging their followers to boycott last Sunday's vote to establish the assembly, which opposition forces said was an effort by President Nicolas Maduro to transform Venezuela into an authoritarian state.

Lopez and Ledezma, both of them former mayors, had been under house arrest for various charges. Lopez entered house arrest just weeks ago after spending three-and-a-half years in jail on charges of instigating violence during anti-Maduro street protests in 2014. Ledezma was convicted in 2015 on charges of plotting a coup against Maduro.

The detentions came hours after the United States imposed sanctions on Maduro over what it called his illegitimate election of an assembly to rewrite the constitution. All of Maduro's assets in the U.S. are frozen and Americans are forbidden from doing any business with him.

Maduro showed his apparent indifference to the sanctions late Monday, calling them a sign of President Donald Trump's desperation and hate. "I will not obey imperial orders. I do not obey any foreign governments. I'm a free president," Maduro said.

The sanctions against Maduro follow those imposed recently on a number of current and former senior Venezuelan officials.

Mnuchin would not comment on possible future sanctions, including a ban on Venezuelan oil exports. He said the U.S. will monitor the situation.

The Maduro government appeared determined to go through with forming the 545-member constituent assembly, even before it releases final results of the election.

Details on what is likely to be included in a new constitution are unclear. Maduro has said it is the only way to pull Venezuela out of its severe economic and social crisis and stop the violence.

The opposition contended the vote was rigged, in order to pack the assembly with Maduro supporters who could dissolve the opposition-controlled national assembly and fire officials who disagree with the government. Maduro's opponents are demanding early presidential elections.

The White House says it is holding Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro personally responsible for the safety of two opposition leaders seized by police in the middle of the night.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the opposition leaders' arrests "very alarming." The two men each had posted videos urging their followers to boycott Sunday's election.

Maduro says he does not care. He raged on Venezuelan television: "They don't intimidate me. The threats and sanctions of the empire don't intimidate me for a moment. ... Bring on more sanctions, Donald Trump."

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino dismissed U.S. charges that Maduro is a dictator. He said dictators do not hold elections, invoke the constitution and work for peace to avoid civil war.

Violence and protests for and against the election killed at least 10 people, bringing the total number of deaths in four months of anti-government protests to more than 120.


Homeland Security waives
environmental laws for wall


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is exempting itself from complying with environmental and other laws in constructing a wall along the Southern California border with México, the agency said Tuesday.

The waiver would apply to a number of wall prototypes the agency intends to build in the area in carrying out an executive order signed by President Trump in January.

In its statement announcing the decision, the department cited the San Diego sector in particular as an area of high illegal entry for which there is an immediate need to improve current infrastructure and construct additional border barriers and roads.

Congress gave the authority to Homeland Security to waive certain laws in the interest of securing borders in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

The agency has exercised the waiver authority on five previous occasions between 2005 and 2008, during which most of the current border walls on the U.S. southern border were constructed.

But months before Homeland Security's statement Tuesday, the Center for Biological Diversity along with U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva filed a suit against John Kelly and the department, saying that the proposed plans for the wall would endanger "dozens" of endangered and threatened species in the San Diego sector alone and environmental requirements should be observed.

Last week, Customs and Border Patrol announced that the naming of companies to build the prototype walls would be delayed until at least November.

Two companies that bid on mock-ups of the proposed wall appealed to the Government Accountability office after failing to make it to the second round and delaying the process. Eight to 10 companies were supposed to be chosen and announced in June to build prototypes.

A day later, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a spending bill that included $1.6 billion for Trump's border wall, a sum of money, which may face challenges in the Senate.


Refugee arrivals to U.S.
plummet to lowest level


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

The number of refugees coming to the United States dipped sharply in July, dropping to the lowest level of monthly arrivals in more than a decade amid temporary Supreme Court orders that largely supported the government's efforts to curb the number of displaced people allowed into the country.

By Monday afternoon, 1,224 refugees had arrived, according to U.S. State Department data. That is less than any other month since the 2007 fiscal year.

The number plummeted in recent weeks after the Supreme Court determined that only refugees with close family ties to the United States will be allowed in for now. The country's highest court is scheduled to hear two cases related to President Donald Trump's travel ban in October.

The sharp decline in July also comes as the U.S. reached a reduced limit for total arrivals set by Trump. That ceiling of 50,000 refugees for the fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, 2016, was reached July 12. Trump has insisted on that limit since January; it is a significant reduction over the Obama-set ceiling of 110,000.

As it stands, refugees beyond that limit will only be resettled if they can prove they have bona fide immediate family members already in the United States.

The family-relations requirement also extends to programs like those to resettle unaccompanied refugee minors who have no family to care for them in the refugee camps, but have foster families waiting for them in the U.S.

Throughout six months of Trump's executive orders, the lawsuits challenging them, and rulings that started and stopped various parts of the travel ban on six countries and all refugees, the arrivals continued.

The last two weeks of July saw the fewest arrivals since Trump's inauguration. The weekly average has been 751, according to an analysis of State Department data, with sometimes-dramatic fluctuations depending on court rulings.

But during the weeks of July 16 and July 23, an average of 142 refugees came to the U.S.

In the next two months, the Trump administration must announce how many refugees will be allowed in for the coming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Resettlement agencies and civil rights organizations are lobbying to keep the arrival numbers as high as possible as the U.N. projects an increasing demand for permanent, safe homes for millions of refugees. To date, Trump has not backed down from an aggressive reduction in the total.


Border scene
Voice of America photo          
Luz Adriana Chalarca embraces border guard.

At border bridge, plea rises
for peace in Venezuela

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

For many months, Simón Bolívar International Bridge has been a conduit for people surging into this border city, many of them fleeing Venezuela's dire political and economic straits or just seeking to stock up on food and medicine that's scarce back home.

On Sunday evening, the bridge also served as backdrop to a plea for peace as, 850 kilometers away in Caracas, Venezuela's socialist government wrapped up an election that many fear will tip the country into dictatorship and trigger more violence.

"We’re praying to God for peace for the nation of Venezuela," said Luz Adriana Chalarca, founder of the Community of the Divine Infant.

She had organized a vigil bringing at least a dozen people to the span to offer prayers and hymns. She and another woman each carried figures of baby Jesus encased in clear plastic. Others hoisted a Venezuelan flag that stretched nearly the width of the bridge and included an image of the Christ child.

Singing and praying, the group marched to the Venezuelan side of the bridge, where two border guards stood watch.

Chalarca, whose white shirt bore a Colombian flag on its sleeve, shook hands with one of the guards and presented him with the doll. The guard said nothing but, with a gentle smile, accepted the doll and a hug from Chalarca.

Then a young woman in a baseball cap approached the guard. "We're the same. We’re brothers," she said to him. Alluding to Venezuelan security troops' use of force at anti-government protests, she added, "No more repression, please."

The guard turned away, still silent and still clutching the Christ child. Prayer couldn't hold back politics.


Site shutdown
Voice of America photo           
What some subscribers got slapped with.

International sting hits
dark websites the hardest

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

They are known as the dark Web, encrypted corners of the internet that promise anonymity to customers who want to buy or sell illegal drugs, weapons and other contraband.

But these futuristic marketplaces recently became much less anonymous after an international sting captured the addresses of thousands of users and shut down two of the biggest sites: first AlphaBay in early July, and then Hansa Market at the end of the month.

Now, many users are wary of joining the next secretive marketplace, and that's exactly the point.

U.S. and European law enforcement authorities say the closures of AlphaBay and Hansa Market were the largest dark Web criminal marketplace takedown in history.

To dark Web users, the message is clear, said Europol Director Robert Wainwright: "You're not as safe, as anonymous, as you think you are."

AlphaBay and Hansa were two of the top three criminal markets on the dark Web, sites that sprang up in the wake of drug market Silk Road's takedown in 2013. Hansa's users numbered in the five digits; AlphaBay had more than 200,000 customers and 40,000 vendors, making it 10 times as large as Silk Road. It generated nearly $1 billion in sales.

The operation to shutter AlphaBay and Hansa grew out of several independent investigations, according to U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

The investigation into AlphaBay appears to have started as early as 2015 when undercover agents posing as customers started making small purchases on the site. In one case, an agent bought an ATM skimming device; in another, an undercover officer purchased a small quantity of drugs.

In December 2016, investigators got a break when they came across a priceless clue: the site operator's personal email address. In the days after AlphaBay's launch in December 2014, investigators learned, the administrator included his personal email address in AlphaBay's welcome email to new users singing up for the site's discussion forum.

The email address was traced to Alexandre Cazes, a French-speaking Canadian website designer from Quebec. Born in 1991, Cazes had posted the email address on a tech forum as far back as 2008 and later used it to create PayPal and LinkedIn accounts.

Meanwhile, Europol provided Dutch law enforcement authorities with a lead on Hansa Market that would allow them to identify the site's administrators and locate its servers in Lithuania, Germany and the Netherlands.

Investigators then coordinated the timing of the two sites' takedown. A plan was hatched: The Dutch would move in first, followed by the Americans.

On June 20, as German police arrested Hansa's two German administrators in Germany, Dutch law enforcement authorities moved to seize control of the site. The takeover was seamless.

On July 4, the FBI took AlphaBay offline but made it look like an outage. Unaware that the FBI was on his tail, Cazes swung into action to bring the site back online.

When Thai police, assisted by FBI and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents, raided Cazes' house in Bangkok the next day, they found he'd contacted AlphaBay's server host to request a reboot and was logged into its forum to answer comments by AlphaBay users.

On his unlocked, unencrypted laptop, agents found passwords for AlphaBay, its servers and other online identities associated with the site.

As rumors swirled that AlphaBay operators had absconded in what is known as an exit scam, authorities sought to quell the talk: AlphaBay was down for maintenance and would be up again soon, they posted on Reddit on July 6.

In the days that followed, the number of users on Hansa jumped 800 percent as AlphaBay users streamed in, according to Wainwright of Europol. To cope with the flood of orders, authorities temporarily closed registration to new users.

Then on July 20, authorities pulled the plug. The Dutch shut down Hansa, putting up a banner saying the site had been seized and controlled since June 20. A nearly identical FBI banner went up on AlphaBay.

U.S. and European authorities went public with the news. Attorney General Jeff Sessions called AlphaBay's seizure the largest dark Web criminal market takedown in history.

The intelligence yielded by the Hansa operation has given us a new insight into the criminal activity of the darknet, including many of its leading figures, Wainwright said.

Dutch authorities said that 10,000 foreign addresses of Hansa Market buyers had been identified and shared with Europol. Over 500 deliveries were stopped in the Netherlands alone.

Europol sent intelligence packages on drug shipments to law enforcement agencies in 37 countries. Wainwright said the identified users would be subject to follow-up investigation by Europol and partner agencies.

Joseph Campbell, a former assistant FBI director, said the intelligence, users' names and phone numbers, email and IP addresses, banking and wire transfer information is invaluable to law enforcement authorities looking to dismantle criminal networks on the internet.

Meanwhile, business is down on the dark web as shellshocked "AlphaBay refugees" lie low, waiting for the dust to settle. But sooner or later, they'll find a new home.


DEA head criticizes Trump
for remarks on use of force


By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

The acting director of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has chastised President Donald Trump for urging law enforcement officers not to be too nice when physically detaining criminal suspects, urging DEA agents to maintain the very highest standards when involved in such situations.

Acting Director Chuck Rosenberg emailed a memo to DEA personnel on Saturday, one day after Trump seemingly encouraged excessive police force when addressing police in Brentwood, New York.

"When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just want them thrown in, rough. I said, please don't be too nice," Trump said, drawing applause and laughter from the officers.

The president's remarks drew criticism from many local law enforcement agencies, as well as Rosenberg's memo to DEA agents.

"I write to offer a strong reaffirmation of the operating principles to which we, as law enforcement professionals, adhere," Rosenberg wrote. "I write because we have an obligation to speak out when something is wrong."

Rosenberg was the first head of a federal agency to object to the president's remarks. The White House and the Justice Department have declined to respond to the memo.

Rosenberg is a longtime Justice Department official who was twice a U.S. attorney in the administration of George W. Bush.


More news of the Americas
From the Voice of America

Real estate services
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Real estate for sale (paid category)

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U.S. contact: Carl Stratton, cell phone: 813 310-7402  Email crstratton@ymail.com
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San Ramon home
Mountain home w/million dollar view near San Ramón
Beautiful home in the mountains near San Ramón with 180-degree view of the gulf of Nicoya. 7 miles from San Ramón, 1 mile from Interamericana highway. 3,200 foot elevation so temp is 65 to 75 year around. Electric gate, private drive. house built in 2010. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, appliances included. High-speed internet installed,  Price for sale $179,000    Contact Mike: mmpeace@hotmail.com  (please link that email)
Check out slide show HERE!
9220-8/15/17


Santiago de Puriscal
A little piece of paradise near Santiago de Puriscal,
Costa Rica.
    

16 acres (approximately).  Price: $425,000 USD

We are selling our beautiful finca that has been in the family for 37 years. It is located 3 miles (5 km.) northwest of Santiago de Puriscal in the village of Desamparaditos. We are looking for a discriminating buyer who would appreciate the location, views, flora and fauna. Excellent for artists, writers and nature lovers. Fantastic birding. Very private but not isolated. Have surveyed plans for possible subdividing.

For more information:  In the U.S.A. call the owners: Pete & Debbie Todd: 970 -221-1457 or 970-581-4826 or email toddscolorado@gmail.com. In Costa Rica call Liz Guegan at 506-7187-8577.
CODE: 9216-8/11/17


Puriscal home
GORGEOUS MOUNTAIN & OCEAN VIEW HOME
REDUCED $40K - $355,000
HEALTH CONDITIONS REQUIRES QUICK SALE
This is a gorgeous, new, 3-bedroom luxury home on 2.2 flat acres in a secure, gated community, high in the hills of Puriscal, with stunning, 180-degree views of the ocean, city and mountains of the Central Valley in Costa Rica. Centrally located in the heart of Costa Rica, you are never more than an hour from the Pacific beaches while being much less than that to the culture, shopping, services and night life of the San José, Escazú, Santa Ana and the whole Central Valley. The Altos de Antigua gated community sits at an altitude of 2,800 feet with mild temperatures year round. Features wide paved roads and cement culverts throughout, a large community pool & spa with changing rooms & showers. The community association fees are $42 a month ($500 annually).
This property is currently being offered for $355,000.00 U.S.
Purchase adjoining 2.2 acre investment lot with the home sale for $35,000.00 U.S. or separately for $55,000.00 U.S.
 
    Summary of House Features:

       * Completed 2012 to North American standards
       * 3 large bedrooms, 2 full baths
       * Custom designed kitchen w/granite countertops
       * Frigidaire Professional appliance package
       * State-of-the-art solar hot water
       * Eco-friendly Toshiba LED lighting
       * LG Multi-Split air conditioning system
       * House & perimeter security alarm system
       * 2-car closed garage w/large paved driveway
 
Video Tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUEAmahIU9A
Community Web Site: http://www.altigua.com
Photos: HERE!
Costa Rica # 506-8985-6705 or from the States call # 561-740-0651 or email gary_one@msn.com
9173-9/1/17

colinasdelsol
COLINAS DEL SOL Fenced Gated Lots for Sale

* Colinas del Sol is a fenced and gated project  in a quiet area.
* There are 88 clear titled lots.
* Mountain areas with great views.
* Gently sloping level areas ideal for hobby farms, gardening, fruit trees.
* Quiet place to get away from the busy city and beach crowds.
* All lots have gravel roads to them, water and electricity at each.
* Lots are 5,000 sq. meters or larger, starting at only $40,000 USD
* Located in Libertad, Guanacaste, northwest Pacific area of Costa Rica.
* 20 minutes to the Liberia International Airport
* 15 minutes to the Pacific Beaches
* 10 minutes to Medical Facilities
* 25 minutes to the Liberia Hospital
* 5 minutes to Vista Ridge Golf Club

Contact:
In Costa Rica, Jeffrey Sandi Murray:  jsandimurray@colinasdelsolcr.com
In the USA and Canada contact Jim Day: jimday50@aol.com or call 517-484-3675

For more information Click Here: www.colinasdelsolcr.com
9056-2/28/17

Etlinger Farm
rollover
Beautiful farm in excellent location
At only an hour's drive from San José, minutes from Guápiles, and boardering Braulio Carrillo National Park, Etlingera Farms is one heck of an amazing farm. We purchased this 77-acre farm 10 years ago after many trips, and an exhaustive search. It has a little bit of everything we were looking for and a whole lot of beauty. Our average elevation of 600 meters helps to keep Bella Vista cool year round. This farm is nearly level with a semi-modern 2-bedroom house. A fairly rustic 2-bedroom caretaker's home. And, a comfortable, 1-bedroom cabin where we stay. We have 2 large barns, a chicken coop, and a 3-stall pig pen. There are two tilapia ponds and 2 hectarias, (approximately 5 acres) of different species of bananas. The property boarders Rio Blanco in the rear and has 300 meters of public road frontage. Water, electricity, and telephone are all serviced by public utility. Etlingera Farms was reforested with several thousand wood trees of different tropical varieties. We truly believe this farm is spectacular. Our neighbors are selling for as much as $20 per meter. We are negotiable, motivated and open to offers. Our location can be found by searching Etlingera Farms on Google Maps. Our webpage is www.etlingerafarms.com and photo album can be found at www.ticorico.com
9196-4/25/17

horse ranch
rollover
Spectacular Horse Ranch and Spiritual/Yoga
Retreat Center For Sale

We invite you to a horseback tour of 187 acres of pristine farm land with breathtaking vistas, including the islands of the Gulf of Nicoya. There are multiple springs and streams, wooded areas, hard-wood and fruit trees, rolling hills with a geat variety of birds and wildlife. This property boasts the privilege of being bordered by thousands of acres of forest preserve down a steep canyon, offering its own spectacular views, which will never be developed. The many hills provide a builder an endless array of possibilities for nestling buildings in where they will have both views and privacy. The elevation of the property at 1,200 to1600 feet above sea level ensures fresh breezes and ideal year-round temperatures with a day-time average in the low 80's for open-air living. There is a ranch-style house with guest house with 8 total bedrooms, 5 modern baths, huge eat-in kitchen, landmark palm-thatched giant rancho, stable, and storage buildings. The home will come partially furnished, including beds, ample dishware for large groups, housewares, linens, washer/dryer, and fine hard-wood hand-built cabinetry. The remaining horses, 4 to 6 of them, will also convey if one wishes. We are also including a LARGE BEACH LOT in nearby Playa Bejuco. San Rafael de Nandayure is a tiny rural village nestled into the mountainside above Carmona with all the charms of the simple good life of a BLUE ZONE. Carmona is a thriving town with a clinic, restaurfants, shopping, and everything else one may need. The price of our listing Rancho Ricco is $799,000. More information
go to www.ranchforsalecostarica.com  Call Darin Ricco, phone +619-846-8249 or email:  darin_ricco@hotmail.com
9183-6/13/17

rollover
Owner Financing in San Ramon
New Construction, and Ocean View 
Brand new home with 4-plus bedrooms and 3 baths all overlooking an incredible 180-degree view of the Pacific Ocean and mountains. Located only 45 minutes from the San Jose airport and about the same to the Pacific Ocean.  The lower level could be used as a separate apartment or mother-in-law setup. Home includes HUGE master  suite, CLOSETS, custom cabinets, granite counter tops, high wood ceilings, and all in an area that is 70-80 degrees year round. Priced at $199,000. Completion date is January.  See the Virtual Tour CLICK HERE or see our site here  www.whynotcostarica.com. If you would like to take a look at this amazing house, please give me a call at  Costa Rica # 506-8755-6743 or if from the States call # 509-570-1928 or email tim@whynotcostarica.com 
9143-2/3/17

Business for sale or lease (paid category)






Hotel in
Escazú

For sale 5,200 m2 Escazú

Fantastic location for condo, hotel, restaurant. Large lower lot, incredible views. Flexible zoning. Easy to get liquor license. Low interest financing. Up to 40% financing / get residency through investor status / includes a corporation that is 27 years old and offshore banking account with  Banco National / possible 50/50 partnership. Super location in front of the Bosques de Escazú  Condos  / Monthly rentals available


Send an email hotelescazu@aol.com Call for more info:
Free US phone 877-778-8515  or 410-975-6703 
In Costa Rica phone: 506- 8307-0164
9142-7/27/17


Sabana
Sur house
Commercial Building for Sale in Sabana Sur
A two story building w/14 areas for offices, call center, storage or residence. Building has been completely remodelled  Transportation within 50 mts. passenger train, buses and taxis. Park, gymnasium, tennis club and National soccer stadium 2 - 3 block walk. 24 hour security, many restuarants, clubs and social facilities nearby. Approximately 325 mts. construction $350,000. 
Contact :
 James Holley E-mail  jimmy6902001@yahoo.com
9245-7/8/17


Live the dream!
Several profitable businesses, including a regional radio station, are for sale in Costa Rica. Certain purchases can provide the new owner with residency as well as a great lifestyle. So live your dream while making a profit. Contact: manager@crbusiness.biz.

Real estate brokers and agents (paid category)

CENTURY 21 JACÓ BEACH
Century 21

A Name You Trust,
Professionalism You Deserve

Tom Ghormley and the dream team!
Owner/Broker
in CR since 1979

Buying? Selling? Renting?
We Can Do It!
Let us help you live your dreams!
Beachfront, Views, Mountains,
Beaches, Houses, Condos,
Hotels, Restaurants, Projects,
Commercial, Investments and more

 Century 21 Jacó Beach
Playa Jacó, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
U. S. A. phone numbers:  (213) 283-5168 
or Toll Free: (877) 746-3868
Costa Rica phone number: (506) 2643-3356
Email: info@c21jaco.com
Web: www.c21jaco.com
9215-3/22/18


Remax
Tamarindo
www.remax-oceansurf-cr.com The experts in buying property in Costa Rica, with more than 20 years experience and the largest networked team of agents in the country.  We can help you learn if investing in Costa Rica is right for you with our low-key, educational approach to sales. Our professional agents can tell you more about Costa Rica properties, including condos, homes, lots and & commercial real estate. Twelve (12) agents to serve you, from Playa Marbella to Playa Dante in the Guanacaste, through our Tamarindo and Flamingo offices. For more information, please contact our local phones: 506-2653-0073 Tamarindo / 506-2201-9056 Flamingo ~ Toll Free: 1-866-976-8898 or email:  info@remax-oceansurf-cr.com  or click here www.remax-oceansurf-cr.com
9145-1/2918


ReMax
Playas del Coco
We are an award-winning Team of Professional Agents working with Costa Rica’s #1 Selling Real Estate Agency RE/MAX Prestige Ocean Properties. Get to KNOW, LIKE & TRUST us and let us help you find YOUR Pura Vida! We have over 30 years of experience to educate our buyers and sellers in all aspects of Real Estate.  For Information on condos, homes, lots, farms, ranches, commercial or development property
CONTACT US TODAY with NO OBLIGATION whatsoever.

Playas del Coco Click Here!

Playa Panama Click Here!

Playa Hermosa Click Here!
Peninsula Papagayo Click Here!

Playa Matapalo Click Here!
Toll Free 1-877-293-1456
Email: michael@costarica-realestate.com

9174-2/7/18

Real estate-related services (paid category)

Related

Costa Rica
Solar

COSTA RICA SOLAR
Serving Atenas and Surroundings Areas

BUY NOW! Your solar hot water system, so in three months, we can calculate a lower install price for your PV system.  Perfect for homes and hotels. Save up to 40% of your electric bill. More Watts per Panel, Smarter and more Capable Enphase Micro Inverters mean Less Cost and more Flexibility for You.  Fully Guaranteed!

CALL TODAY!
Office: 506-2446-0543
Andre 506-8314-8090
Paul 506-8898-9398

OUR EMAIL:
andrefurlong@gmail.com
Paul.Furlong@CR-Solar.com
VISIT OUR WEB:

9177-6/19/16

Browse timeshares for sale and rent by owner in Costa Rica at bargain prices. We connect existing timeshare owners with those looking to buy or rent a timeshare on the resale market. Timeshares on the resale market are up to 50% cheaper than those sold through the resort. Already own a timeshare and looking to sell? Stop saying “sell my timeshare” and let BuyaTimeshare.com help you find a buyer or renter.
9203-4/19/2018

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Published || Wednesday Edition, August 2, 2017 || Vol. 17, No. 152
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News from the BBC up to the minute





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Former
ambassador Haney
U.S. Embassy photo        
Haney is well-liked. Let's see if he can dance.

Haney to dance with the stars

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Former U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica, S. Fitzgerald Haney, is still in the spotlight only this time he will be on a dance floor.

According to reports from Teletica and the show “Dancing with the Stars Costa Rica,” Haney will be participating in the upcoming season of the dance competition show. The 48-year old Haney officially began as the United States’ ambassador to Costa Rica officially on May 28, 2015.

Since that time, the Spanish-language press and the Costa Rican government have laureled the former ambassador with praise for his friendliness and time spent as the primary representative of the U.S. government. That culminated with Manuel González Sainz, Costa Rica’s head of the foreign affairs ministry, awarding Haney with the Orden Nacional Juan Mora Fernández on his last day as ambassador back in July 14.

The father of four will be joined on stage by some familiar faces in the local Costa Rican scene. The Costa Rican version of the U.S. television show began airing on Teletica back in 2014. It has not been announced when the next season will air.


Defensoría reminds of discrimination

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Tuesday marked the commemoration of the abolishing of slavery within the territories of the British Empire including its Caribbean territories. Although never formally part of the British Crown, the province of Limón has a strong minority of Costa Ricans of African descent.

To that end, the Defensoría de los Habitantes launched a general reminder to the population and government institutions to respect anti-discrimination laws and to remember centuries of enslavement of Afro-descendants. “We must never again repeat the institutionalized absurdity of denying our human dignity, which is one, and of the rights and freedom of all people without distinction,” the ombudsman said.

The policies of the ombudsman include urging the penalization of hate speech without defining what constitutes hate speech nor noting where free speech ends and censorship begins. It also urged further promotion of preserving the indigenous and Afro-Costa Rican cultural heritages.

Aside from the generalities, the ombudsman did urge of the need for an ethnic self-identification option for the collection of statistical data and constructing indicators of economic, social and cultural rights for the purpose of further data collecting in case of the need to adopt special measures or affirmative action programs.

The Defensoría stance is largely based on the United Nations’ Committee against Racial Discrimination that provided recommendations to governments on this issue back in 2015.




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From page 7:

Pérez Zeledón businesses win Seedstar award

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The recent edition of Seedstars Costa Rica included the participation of elementary and high school students with the rest of the adults to see which projects would receive some help from the Promotora de Comercio Exterior.

The last event happened over the weekend at the Colegio de Ingenieros in Pérez Zeledón. More than 40 projects and innovative ideas were involved in the Symposium Brunca with the main prize going to the Fudesemillas project, a foundation that develops food for animals in the form of pellets made from tropical alfalfa. The other winner was Bambucoop, a cooperative that manfactures compressed bamboo wood.

Additionally, the symposium allowed for a business conference composed of five purchasing companies in the region and 25 suppliers. Seven companies attending also received the licensing certificate of the country for the Marca País brand.

Pedro Beirute Prade, the general manager of Procomer, said that the regional calls were a pleasant surprise for the organization. “With each contest, we discover a greater diversity of projects and participants who are most interested in promoting the development of their region through innovation, social conscience and sustainability,” he said.

The winners received an initial check of $1,000 and an opportunity to join the other projects in the Seedstars final during the Buyers Trade Mission for September 2017, Prcomer said.

“We have realized that outside the GAM there is a universe of projects and companies that, with the push of Procomer, can strengthen the country’s exportable goods,” said Marcial Chaverri, the director of financing for exports and imports as well as the organizer for Seedstars.

Chaverri is referring to the greater metropolitan area consisting of San José and the surrounding communities. Procomer said that the last regional call will be held on August 10 as part of the Congreso de Valor Agregado in Orotina.