Anti-drug police found another tourist trying to export suspected cocaine from Juan Santamaría airport. The man, an Israeli, was headed for Madrid and then to Amsterdam, said the Policía de Control de Drogas.

The suspected drug was found taped to the calves of the man.

Agents said they noticed the man because he seemed to be nervous, and they subjected him to a more thorough examination. However, many drug couriers are compromised for various reasons by friends and associates who make anonymous calls to the police.

The man carried about 1.9 kilos, about 4.2 pounds, agents said.

New defensora comes out
in defense of women victims


The new defensora de los habitantes issued her first statement Monday and said there should be better and more effective ways to let women victims receive justice.

The defensora, Ofelia Taitelbaum, was commenting on a decision by a tribunal de casación to annul a trial court 20-year sentence of a man convicted of rape. The tribunal also threw out not guilty verdicts against two companions and ordered all three to be tried again.

This is a well-known case because it involves young men from a high social bracket and a woman who said they took advantage of her when she was drunk.

Ms. Taitelbaum's statement suggests that she will be an advocate for women during her time in the ombudman's office. She said that the justice system was weak in the way it can resolve the needs of women victims of violence. She said the victim had less rights than the suspect.

Ms. Taitelbaum, until Tuesday, was a legislative deputy.

She said that the holidays bring increased in the holiday season and that effective attention by the authorities will permit many women to enjoy the right of dignity and life and not increase the number of the 35 women who have been killed by their partners, which she called the shame of society.

Election workers given
job of counting ballots


The Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones said Monday that it would accept the vote counts supplied by the various polling places. It said the change is based on the new election code.

That means the Tribunal only will count votes when there is a dispute or other irregularities.

In the past the counting was done at Tribunal headquarters in San José. The votes from the more than 6,000 polling places were brought to the headquarters, and workers spent days counting the votes under the supervision of at least one magistrate.

The Tribunal decision means that final vote totals may be available sooner for the Feb. 7 presidential and legislative elections.

In the case of the presidential vote, the Tribunal said it would do a hand recount if the difference between the leading candidates was 2 percent or less.

Each polling place has three workers who check identifications, issue ballots and, under the new rules, count the ballots.

Boy's battered body found


Agents are investigating the death of a boy about 13 whose body was found about 11 p.m. Sunday night in Playa Herradura near Jacó. The boy had a broken forearm and an injury to his shoulder that could have been caused by being tossed around by waves. However, the Judicial Investigating Organization said that an autopsy report would be awaited.