The Government of Costa Rica presented a formal request that “urges” Uber and all other similar technological platforms that enable public transportation service in the country to “abandon its operation in the country until a revision or modernization of the existing legal frame that regulates the remunerated transportation of people is completed”.

This was the response of the government to the continual demands of the red taxi services that want Uber and all other similar platforms to stop operations in the country.

“Transportation services in all its modalities are a source of employment and represent a social and economic solution for thousands of families. With this in mind and understanding that the new technologies bring up challenges to the governments, we are looking into a comprehensive solution that allows us to solve the taxi drivers’ situation in an innovative way and in benefit of the users”, stated Rodolfo Méndez Mata, Minister of Transportation.

In response, Uber, under the slogan “our trip continues”, stated that they will continue operating in the country, and asked the government to allow their participation in the discussions that seek to modernize the current legislation. The company also stated that the more than 22,000 drivers that work with them cannot stop working and receiving income while they wait for the government to regulate the service.

Andrés Echandi, General Manager of Uber for Central America, explained that the company is legally constituted in Costa Rica and has shown the Government in several occasions their willingness to participate in discussions regarding their regulation.

“We invite the Government to listen to the different parties, since we know it is possible to find an inclusive, innovative scheme in the same way that it has been done in multiple regulatory processes in over 132 jurisdictions in the world”, commented Echandi.

Uber has over 783,000 users in Costa Rica, which has made it the country with more market penetration in Latin America and one of the most important markets for the company worldwide.