Taxi unions in Costa Rica protested in the streets on Tuesday and Wednesday this week requesting that the Government takes actions over Uber services.

The government was clear that they will continue the dialogue with the representatives of the taxi unions as long as the roadblocks and protests that affect the transit in the streets stop completely.

“We can not allow that the free transit of Costa Rican citizens is affected, we must guarantee their security and that they can get to their homes without road blocks. The Government always has the will to listen and search for alternatives, but will not accept the liberty of transit to be affected in any way”, stated the Minister of Public Works and Transportation, Rodolfo Mendez Mata.

Finally, close to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, the Government and the Taxi Union’s representatives reached a ten-point agreement.

In this agreement the government reconfirms its commitment to respect and guarantee the compliance of the Law that regulates the remunerated transportation of people and to “find a solution to the problem of transportation of modality “taxi” that will guarantee a quality service for the citizens, efficient, and safe”.

The Minister of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT), Rodolfo Mendez Mata and other representatives of MOPT will oversee the negotiations to find an answer to the problems faced by the public transportation in modality “taxis”, Mendez will receive the support of representatives of other Ministries involved.

To reach agreements that satisfy all parties involved the government will maintain an open dialogue with representatives of the Taxi Unions and will organize the necessary meetings that will allow Taxi Unions to lean about the implications of services like Uber in areas such as fiscal matters.

The government also informed that as of this Thursday, July 5, the actions against illegal forms of people transportation will be intensified.

Taxi Unions request that Uber is not allowed to offer services in the country, while the government is seeking an agreement that will satisfy all parties involved.