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Costa Rica


Opposition gains strength as pro-CAFTA forces caught in manipulation scheme
The remarkable coalition of public employees, farmers, small business owners, intellectuals, and assorted citizens has already changed Costa Rican politics regardless of the outcome of the referendum vote.
Costa Ricans oppose FTA
Four days before a referendum in Costa Rica on CAFTA, a poll carried out by the company Demoscopia for the newspaper Al Dia shows that 50.8 percent of voters oppose the FTA.
Huge crowds in Costa Rica protest US pact
More than 100,000 Costa Ricans — a huge protest in a country of 4 million — protested a US trade pact on Sunday they say will flood their country with cheap farm goods and cause job losses.
Costa Rica to protest FTA with US
Representatives of several Costa Rican sectors will take part in a mass demonstration in this capital on Sunday in rejection to the free trade agreement with the US, which will be put to the vote on October 17.
Referendum in Costa Rica: Countdown to CAFTA?
Even if Costa Ricans vote not to adopt CAFTA on Oct 7, they may still suffer economically from it.
Central America Free Trade Agreement dividing Costa Rican society
For the first time in the history of world, a voting population will have the opportunity to vote on a free trade agreement in a referendum.
CAFTA in Costa Rica would cause deepening inequality
CAFTA is a legal instrument that favors multinational expansion without limits, leaving the most underprivileged sectors of Costa Rica totally unprotected, among them women and the poor. The strong movement against ratification of CAFTA will not end with the approval or rejection of the agreement on 7 October 2007, but could well be the seed of broader social transformation.
CAFTA a danger says Nobel Prize winner
Nobel Peace Prize winner Argentine Adolfo Perez Esquivel (1980) called on Costa Ricans to reject the free trade agreement with the United States or submit themselves to the US market.
Costa Rica dealt wild card in trade pact rift
With just over two weeks to go before Costa Ricans head to the polls to vote on a free-trade agreement with the United States and six other countries, Alfredo Volio should be a happy man. As head of the "yes" campaign championing the pact, known as CAFTA, he has watched public support climb in recent months. But that was before a memo written by CAFTA advocates was leaked to the public this month, fueling outrage here.
Costa Rica CAFTA referendum on October 7!!!
Unable to gain public and legislative support for CAFTA amidst broad-based public opposition, the Costa Rican government has set up a referendum vote on CAFTA on October 7. It will be a "yes" or "no" vote. Hear a 28 minute audio piece, a segment of the video documentary, "Costa Rica, Inc." for an indepth analysis of why opposition is so strong in that country.
Costa Rica: Indígenas reclaman consulta sobre Convenio de Obtenciones Vegetales
Con un recurso de amparo ante la Sala Constitucional, los pueblos indígenas reclaman nuevamente su derecho a ser consultados debidamente sobre el Convenio de la Unión para la Protección de Obtenciones Vegetales (UPOV 91).
Repression on FTA opponents denounced
The Costa Rican Human Rights Association denounced the increase of the police repression against local citizens, students and social leaders opposed to the Free Trade Agreement with US in their Sunday statement.
UNI solidarity mission urges Costa Rica to reject the proposed Free Trade Agreement
UNI Telecom Americas President told the Minister of Labour and Deputies from the Costa Rica National Assembly that the country should look to lessons from other free trade agreements, including from his country Mexico, where poverty had not decreased and the minimum wage was in effect lower than before the 43 trade agreements signed by Mexico.
University students protest tribunal resolution on CAFTA campaigns
Students from the University of Costa Rica and National University organized the protest against a Supreme Elections Tribunal resolution of July 12 which said that university personnel, like other public officials, cannot use public resources to campaign for or against the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA).
CAFTA’s October referendum: A death sentence for Costa Rican foreign investment?
With a little under two months until the October referendum on the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, time is quickly running out for Costa Rican president Óscar Arias to gain the necessary public support to pass CAFTA. The trade pact is strongly opposed by those who believe that it will not help the Costa Rican economy, while being significantly beneficial to the US.
Costa Rica urged to fess up FTA survey
The Pro-Liberation Front against the Central America Free Trade Agreement-Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR) demanded the Costa Rican government publish results of a poll it commissioned about the level of public support for the agreement.
Costa Rica opposition leader calls for renegotiation of Cafta
The top opposition leader in Costa Rica said he wants to renegotiate a free-trade agreement with the US, citing as a precedent the US revamping of a similar agreement with Peru.
Anti-CAFTA camp protests outside tribunal
Leaders of the movement against the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) spoke to about 200 people yesterday outside the Supreme Elections Tribunal in San José.
Guatemala and Costa Rica: in and out of CAFTA
The growth in exports being celebrated by the Bank of Guatemala has nothing to do with CAFTA.
Costa Rica, free trade fewer jobs
Costa Rica’s PAC party (Citizen Action) president Otton Solis has warned of the potential increase in unemployment if CAFTA-DR, the free trade treaty with the United States, is approved.