Dental Solutions in Costa Rica
Thursday, August 20th, 2009
Archive for August 20th, 2009
Calderón’s Lawyers Says Penalty Is Too High
Thursday, August 20th, 2009The lawyer for former Costa Rican president, Rafael Angel Calderón, in his closing statement in the Fischel-Caja trial said he considers the penalty of 24 years prison asked by the Ministerio Público is excessive. Juan Marcos Rivero made the statement to the judges of the Tribunales de Justicia de Goicoechea in the final phase of the long trial.
Rivero said the court penalty asked for his client is in contrast to only the four years asked for against co-defendant Walter Reiche Fischel, based on the act of being sorry, but without confession to any crime of embezzlement or corruption as he is charged.
Rivero asked the judges to find his client not guilty of all charges, but in the case that they feel just to impose a penalty it should be in the form of a suspended sentence.
Calderón, Reiche and six others are all charged with embezzling the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) in the purchase of medical equipment with a loan from the government of Finland, equipment that for the most part was not either required or adequate for the Caja.
The Caja, the offended party has separately asked the court to for damages of us$43 million dollars.
Calderón is also the presidential candidate for the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana for the 2010 presidential elections.
Costa Rica To Withdraw Honduran Diplomats’ Accreditation
Thursday, August 20th, 2009The Costa Rican government announced on Tuesday that it would disavow Honduran ambassadress Koritza Suazo, as it was requested by ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya.
Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno told the press that his government had decided to call off the diplomatic accreditation to Suazo.
Suazo is a member of the defacto Honduran government of Roberto Micheletti, who is not recognized as Honduran president by the Latin American nations.
Ousted Honduran Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas sent a letter to Costa Rican government requesting the disavowing of Suazo as Honduran ambassadress.
“We respect the communications with Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas, so we will do due procedure and report the result to the Honduran authorities, ” said Stagno.
San Jose ratified its support to Zelaya as legitimate president of Honduras.
Costa Rica will “withdraw the accreditations and give new ones,” Stagno added.
Supermarket War Heats Up With Gag Order
Thursday, August 20th, 2009Mega Super has been using bold television commercials against rival supermarkets, targeting the Wal-Mart chain of supermarkets in particular, which forced Wal-mart to seek relief of the courts, filing a “recurso de amparo” to protect its Palí discount chain of supermarkets, the target of Mega Super.
This week the Mega Super television commercials have been toned down against Palí, not mentioning the store by name as it had been in the past, as the supermarket chain adheres to a gag order.
A judge decided to issue the order as a preventive measure while an investigation continues.
Wal-mart claims that the Mega Super commercials are deceitful as the two chains locked horns in a publicity campaign to attract market share.
Mega Super uses the slogan “El súper con alma de ama de casa” (the supermarket with the soul of the homemaker) and the Palí slogan “Paga el doble de la diferencia” (pays double the difference).
Wal-mart says that due to the Mega Super commercials it has been forced to out ¢190 million colones over the last two months to clients who took the chain to its word, finding lower prices at other supermarkets.
The success of the Mega Super commercials has been to the presentation of Jaime Gato Castro, a well known theatre actor, who dresses up as a woman (average homemaker) claiming to the the general manager of the supermarket chain, working for the people.
The publicity has been running on national television for two months, some ads mentioning Palí directly, supplanting doubts on the part of the customers that the Palí chain has the lowest prices in the market.
This is the second time that Wal-mart has gone to court charging unfair competition.
Wal-mart in Costa Rica operates, in addition to the Palí, the Mas X Menos and Maxi Bodega supermarkets and the Hypermas mega stores.
Take a Tropical Rain-forest Vacation to Costa Rica
Thursday, August 20th, 2009Have you thought about taking an exotic vacation with your family but you just don’t know were to go? Maybe, you want to get away with someone special and lose yourselves in the lap of nature. If you want all of this and more then you need to check out a tropical rain-forest vacation in Costa Rica. Costa Rica will offer you a vacation that you will never forget. Costa Rica is a premier family friendly vacation spot. Don’t worry about your budget. Costa Rica has vacation packages that will fit in any budget. If you are looking for a taste of “pura vida” or pure life, Costa Rica is the place for you. Costa Rica has something for everyone, you could indulge in an eco tourism adventure, relax at a beach while taking in the splendor of the ocean, trek through natural territories.
Cost Rica is truly blessed by nature and eco tourism is well developed. There are twenty six national parks and many resorts and luxury hotels. If you are looking for a scenic vacation, come to Costa Rica, spend a relaxing time at Drake Bays beach or the beach at Pavones, visit the Irazu volcano, white water raft in the river on the Rios Pacuare, travel through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. You can also enjoy an exciting night life at the many of the Southern Caribbean Coastal hotspots. (more…)
