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*Early Morning Bank Robbery in San José

Three men, heavily armed, stormed the branch of the Banco Crédito Agrícola de

Cartago (BCAC) located across from the court house in San José and made away

with ¢12 million colones (us$25.500 dollars) in an early morning bank heist.

This time there were deaths or hostages like the failed bank robbery of the

Banco Nacional branch in Monteverde last week.

According to police, three men waited patiently in the early hours of

yesterday morning when at 6:30am they took advantage of the lack security on

the changing of the guard rotation.

Using tear gas and they overtook the guards and waited for the branch manager

to arrive, who was taken by surprise and forced to open the bank vault.

Apparently the bank did not use a timed vault system.

The three men then fled in a the bank manager's automobile but abandoned it a

short distance from the bank when they realized the automobile had a tracking

device and fled on foot.

Police are still searching for the three men.

The Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) is looking in the possibility

that the bank robbers may have had some "inside" help, seeing it strange as

to how the three men could easily overpower the guards, knew exactly the time

of the guard rotation on when the bank manager would be arriving.

The OIJ agents got the feeling of something strang is going on with this

robbery after completing the initial interviews of the guards. An OIJ source

revealed to the press that the guards offered contradictory statements to

investigators. In addition, the bank alarm was never set off and no call was

made to 911.

Police say the action was well planned and the group knew that the bank did

not have video surveillance and nor did they take the cash that was set aside

for robberies, money that contained a dye mark system that would be visible

once it left the bank.

The Ministerio de Seguridad Pública and the Organismo de Investigación

Judicial (OIJ), along with Fuerza Pública chief, Walter Navarro, are denying

that a "bank alert" exists in the country. Aside from the robbery yesterday

morning and that in Monteverde last week, officials are denying are other

reports of any other bank robberies.


*Costa Rica Rules Out Immediate Ratification of TLC with US

Costa Rica on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of an immediate

ratification of the Tratado Libre de Comercio - TLC (Free Trade Agreement -

FTA) between Central America and the United States.

Foreign Trade Minister Manuel Gonzalez Saenz told the press that Costa Rica

will not ratify the TLC right now due to pressure from special groups.

Entrepreneurs and economic sectors of Costa Rica called for the immediate

ratification, while social sectors opposed the TLC and threatened to protest

if the agreement was presented to the parliament.

The minister said if the United States ratifies the treaty, Costa Rica will

undoubtedly feel pressure, but by now no pressure has been exerted by

Washington.

The opposition party Movimiento Libertario proposed to leave the TLC to a

referendum.

Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala signed the TLC

with the United States in May 2004.

El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala have ratified the agreement, and in

Nicaragua, the text has been sent to the legislature, while Costa Rica's

executive branch still holds on to the document.


*Natural Cosmetics From Costa Rica

Vista Group is to launch a new natural skin care line on the US market that

is manufactured in Costa Rica.

Rainforest Preserve utilizes features clays unique to the lava fields of

Central America – a formula that aims to feed the growing demand for natural

cosmetic formulations, writes Simon Pitman.

Vista says that it will immediately begin distribution from its facility in

Chester, Virginia from where the company will be supplying retailers

throughout the United States.

"Rainforest Preserve has been designed for up-scale consumers interested in

top-quality natural and organic cosmetics," said Rocio Kemp, director of

sales for Vista. "After three years of intense market research, numerous

focus groups, and countless revisions to refine the formulations, we've come

up with a line of products that meets this discerning customer's

expectations."

Kemp added that, contrary to the no-fuss hippyish image connected with

consumers of natural cosmetic products, consumers buying these type of lines

are just as likely to now be well educated, sophisticated individual with

real concerns about the environment and the type of products that come into

contact with their skin.

"Our initial launch features three products with differing natural colors and

body uses. Red Volcanic Mask, like its name insinuates, is made of red

volcanic clays and is designed for the face. Liquid Lava is made of black

lava and is a body scrub. Natural Clay is a mild daily facial exfoliant made

from white earth,“ Kemp also added. The new range of products features

naturally derived ingredients that include aloe leaf, chamomile and mint

extract all found in the Red Volcanic Mask facial cleanser; wild orange

hibiscus, tillia and aloe vera in the Liquid lava body scrub; together with

lemon and oragne peel oil and green tea extract found in teh Natural Clay

facial exfoliant.

The ingredients for Rainforest Preserve are largely natural or organic and

are not tested on animals.



*IRS to Help Out the Costa Rican Tax Man

The Dirección General de Tributación Directa (DGT) - the Costa Rican tax man

- is getting ready to apply stricter controls to it's tax collection problem,

thanks to the help of the United States Treasury, that oversees the Internal

Revenue Service (IRS).

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica made public that Larry Westfall will be

heading the U.S. team to help the Ministerio de Hacienda (Costa Rican Revenue

Service) in planning, training, auditing and collecting of taxes.

Hacienda has a long running problem with it's computer system and the U.S.

will help out with that too.

The agreement was signed yesterday (Wednesday) between the Westfall and

Hacienda minister, Federico Carrillo and president Abel Pacheco.

The agreement is in preparation of the planned "reforma fiscal" - tax reform

- that has been debated for some time.

Carrillo commented that the union with, and without a doubt, the strongest

tax organization in the world, will help strengthen Hacienda and to bring

more equality and justice to the Costa Rican tax system and taxpayers.


*Semana Santa is Not A Paid Holiday

Yesterday we reported that all government offices will be closed all week

during Semana Santa, save for the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad

(ICE), FyL (electricity), Aya (water) and state bank - Banco Nacional, Banco

de Costa Rica, who will be open on Monday and Tuesday.

The move to close all government offices from closing on Friday March 18 to

the morning of Monday March 28, is to save the government money. What we

didn't make clear, that though government offices will be closed, only

Thursday and Friday - according to the Ministerio de Trabajo (Ministry of

Labour) - are paid holidays.

Government employees are given Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off, but it will

come off their vacation time. Saturdays and Sundays government offices are

normally closed.

Fernando Trejos, Ministro de Trabajo (Labour Minister), said "Thursday and

Friday are legal holidays and any worker - public or private sector - who is

expected to work on those days will be paid double the normal salary".

The Ministerio de Trabajo has made a toll free line available to employees

and employers who are not clear on the holiday rules. Callers can call

800-TRABAJO or can visit any of the 32 offices the Ministry has in the

country for a full explanation.


*Florida fugitive captured in Costa Rica:

[World News]: By LES KJOS WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.,, March 16 : A man who fled

from the Palm Beach County, Fla.,, courthouse on the last day of his

manslaughter trial in 1998 has been arrested in Costa Rica.

Ken Cojocar, 34, a former machinist from Royal Palm Beach, Fla.,, was working

at a sports gambling business in San Jose, Costa Rica, when he was arrested,

the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Wednesday.

Cojocar was convicted of drunken-driving manslaughter in the deaths of Alice

Tyler, 46, and Heather Durkin, 15, in a head-on collision in Jupiter, Fla.,,

in 1996.A U.S. Marshals Service task force and State Department agents began

looking for him in 2003. They were getting close a year ago, when Cojocar was

mentioned on "America's Most Wanted" and he began lying low again.

They finally caught up with him Tuesday.

"It's a magnificent day," Assistant State Attorney Ellen Roberts said."I can

hardly wait to see him."


*Costa Rica Police Storm Besieged Bank, Nine Dead
Thu Mar 10, 2005 03:36 AM ET

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - A bungled bank raid in Costa Rica that

erupted into a bloody hostage crisis ended on Wednesday when the only robber

left standing gave himself up to police after a day of shootouts that left

nine dead.

The man was one of four or five robbers whose heist at the Banco Nacional in

Santa Elena northwest of the capital went awry when a security guard shot two

of them dead on Tuesday night.

The remaining robbers then took more than 30 people hostage, demanding

$40,000. An assault by heavily armed police failed and left one officer dead.

Television showed at least two bodies crumpled outside the bank for several

hours during the standoff. It was not clear if they were some of the five

hostages killed or hostage takers.

The only robber left eventually gave himself up, security officials said.

"It was possible to disarm him without having to offer anything," said

security minister Rogelio Ramos.

The robbers released about half of the hostages on Wednesday morning. By the

end of the siege, 19 bystanders had been injured, half of them by gunshot.

It was unclear how another of the robbers died, and police said a fifth

culprit may have escaped unseen.

The ordeal, parts of which were broadcast live on television, shocked Costa

Rica, an orderly country that is generally less violent than neighboring

Central American nations, where youth gang crime is rampant.

But the country's reputation was tarnished last year by corruption scandals

and a hostage incident when a policeman shot himself and three other people

inside the Chilean Embassy after learning he was to lose his job.


*Costa Rica: A bird lover's paradise

Nature Notes column by Beverly Overmyer

I've been described by those who've known me for decades as an "advertiser's

nightmare." Since I was a teenager, I could recite or sing every slogan or

theme song popular on the radio or television. The problem was then -- and

remains today -- that I seldom remember the business, product or show that

the jingle touted.

Recently when friends asked, "How was your Costa Rica trip?" I immediately

answered, "You should go."

I don't know what business urged customers to visit their store, but the

slogan seemed a perfect reply.

I had mentioned to my son (I don't remember this either) that we'd like to go

to Costa Rica sometime because there were so many birds there that we'd never

see otherwise. Last year we were surprised with an itinerary for a 12-day

trip to top birding spots in the tiny central American country tucked in a

Costa Rica bird book at our birthday party.

When questioned by friends, family and co-workers, we'd tell everyone what a

special place Costa Rica is to visit, not just for the birds but for the

country's efforts to save their rain and cloud forests and the natives' and

lodge owners' genuine affection for Americans even though our Spanish was

sorely lacking.

I remembered different highlights of our trip when I talked to different

friends.

Elaborating on my first answer, I'd tell fellow birders that on the first day

at Chacon Mountain Lodge with our guide Martino, we'd seen 31 species that

we'd never seen before. (And heavy winds made it a "bad birding day.")

For our gardener friends I'd tell them they should go to see the magnificent

flowers and other vegetation. My husband mentioned that there was something

growing on every available surface in the forests and on the roadsides.

Looking out our hotel window at midnight in a light drizzle, I was astounded

to see a 10-foot-high solid wall of purple, orange, red and purple

bougainvillea stretching along the side of the hotel as far as I could see.

Our guides were amazed that calla lilies growing wild along the roadsides

were the feature of pricey wedding bouquets here. Even familiar garden

annuals like impatiens and hydrangeas grow here to giant sizes in the warm,

moist air.

I tell my artistic friends about the incredible color and folk art decorating

every available surface that isn't covered with flowers. We were driven from

one lodge to another enjoying the colorful houses and stores and buses

crowding San Jose and the countryside.

The bird guide at the resort on the Pacific Ocean took us to the nearby Costa

Rican village where murals adorned the school, houses and day-care center for

the resort workers' children. He explained that the small mirrors in one

village mural allowed the visitor to become part of the picture.

For the people who are more interested in exotic, furry mammals than birds, I

whip out the pictures of the pacas, agoutis and coatis feeding close to the

lodge's terrace at dusk and sunrise. Some of these animals, as well as some

large black wild turkeys with bright light blue bills, are endangered and

protected by the resort owners. Some exist nowhere else.

One of the guide books promised a really close-up look at huge iguanas in the

treetops that could be photographed from the bridge at treetop level.

In the midmorning sun, a yard-long orange fella basked in the sun amid the

clicks of dozens of tourists' cameras.

This critter looked fierce, unlike their smaller cousins that wandered into

the outdoor dining room to be fed their lunch banana by the waiters -- again

to the delight of the tourists.

If anyone asks or not, I tell everyone about an amazing experience on the

plane ride home over cloud-covered Indiana. Out of the plane window shined a

round rainbow with the shadowed silhouette of our plane in the middle. I took

it as a sign that we'd land safely and return to Costa Rica, which was indeed

the gold at the end of several rainbows we'd marveled at during the two weeks

in the cloud forests.


*COSTA RICA’S NEW AMBASSADOR TO OAS

Costa RicaFeb. 25 2005

Press Release - Organization of American States

Ambassador Javier Sancho Bonilla, presenting credentials today as Costa

Rica’s new Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States

(OAS), renewed his nation’s commitment to the regional Organisation and the

inter-American system as well as to the defense and promotion of human

rights, democracy and hemispheric security.

The new envoy delivered his accreditation letters to Acting Secretary General

Luigi Einaudi, conveying greetings from President Abel Pacheco and Foreign

Affairs Minister Roberto Tovar. The brief ceremony at which Ambassador Sancho

Bonilla presented credentials followed private discussions he held with

Ambassador Einaudi.

In welcoming the new envoy, the Acting Secretary General noted Costa Rica’s

contribution to the hemispheric agenda. He made particular mention of the

Central American nation’s longstanding leadership on the defense of human

rights, the promotion of democracy and in “the quest for sound

inter-Americanism based on the dignity of democratically-organized

countries.”

A career diplomat, Ambassador Javier Sancho Bonilla has held a variety of

senior positions prior to this appointment, including as Director General of

Foreign Policy with his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and as

Ambassador in Brazil, Korea and Thailand. He has represented his government

at numerous international conferences, including as head of delegation to the

Conference of National Coordinators of the Rio Group, held in Santiago,

Chile, in March 2001.



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