Let’s start out this political-opinion column with a challenge. The last column in this space, like many others in the past, has generated a sizable number of comments and replies from readers of The Costa Rica Star. The record to date is over 65 comments and replies on a single column. These comments overtime have been overwhelmingly negative toward the right-of-center writer who – by the way -- ...

Staff changes at the White House, reorganizing the Republican National Committee and Make America Great Again Campaign 2020 taking shape are signs that President Donald Trump is in full-steam-ahead mode to win a second term as President of the United States. The Trump Train is putting the pedal to the metal. President Trump announced last week that White House Chief-of-Staff Gen. John Kelly aft...

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Epsy Campbell, presented her resignation to this position this afternoon at the Legislative Assembly; Campbell will continue in her position as Vice-President of the Republic. Campbell has been questioned for her decisions to name people to positions with a certain closeness, relation or affinity to her and who apparently did not fulfill the requierements establ...

Air Force One -- back from the G20 Summit of world leaders – arrived Monday October 3rd to Ellison Field near Houston to pick up the body of former President George H.W. Bush died Friday November 30th at his home in Houston surrounded by family and friends. He was 94. Soon after the 41st president passed away it was announced by the White House that President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania...

After three months of strike, the labor unions of the education sector lifted the movement and will go back to work Monday, December 10, for the remaining 4 days of the 2018 school year. Even though the fiscal reform was already approved by congress on second debate and the Labor Court ruled for a second time the strike of educators as illegal only one of the labor unions, SEC, had already retu...

President Carlos Alvarado and the Minister of Sports, Hernán Solano, announced the donation of the Chinese Government of approximately 11 million dollars, this to be used for the update of the security systems of the National Stadium and other projects. The Government confirmed a contribution for the participation of Costa Rica in the Olympic cycle with a transfer of over $915 thousand from the...

After 86 days of striking, the National Association of Public Employees (ANEP), headed by Albino Vargas, decided to cancel the strike, this after the fiscal reform was approved by the Legislative Assembly. Last week, the Costa Rican Educators Union (SEC) had also chosen to go back to work. Labor Union leader Albino Vargas, was, however, very clear in stating that they will go back to the str...

There is a strong effort underway in the British parliament to remove Prime Minister Theresa May from office and then conduct a second referendum vote on the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? The British people already voted last year to exit the EU, but the pro-EU forces cannot accept the vote and they are fighting tooth and nail to remain in the EU despite th...

The fiscal reform was finally approved in Costa Rica, after receiving in Congress 34 votes in favor and 17 against during the second debate. After two governments attempted and failed to move forward with a fiscal reform and after more than 80 days of strike movements opposing the plan, the approval finally came the afternoon of this Monday, December 3. The fiscal plan intends to bring econo...

Costa Rica offered to host the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 25) that is scheduled to take place December, 2019, after Brazil withdrew due to budget problems. The sites for the Conference of the Parties (COP) is usually defined three years in advance for the country to have enough time to organize the event; the 2019 event was supposed to be hosted by Brazil, however...

The Constitutional Chamber gave green light for Congress to vote on the fiscal reform, the Labor Court ruled for a second time the strike of educators as illegal, but the biggest labor union of the education sector, the National Association of Educators (ANDE) decided to maintain the strike while members of the Costa Rican Educators Labor Union (SEC) chose to go back to work, and APSE the third la...

Remember all those Democrats running for the U.S. Congress during the recent midterm election that promised again and again they would not support Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to once again serve as Speaker of the House? Now that a sudden dose of reality has set in most of them have turned tail and now say they will support the 78-year-old Pelosi who has been a liberal California Democrat for decades....

The Labor Court of the Second Judiciary Circuit of San José, deemed the strike affecting the education sector in Costa Rica illegal; this is the second time the movement is declared illegal, in this occasion it was judge Victor Orozco Zárate who was in charge of the sentence. The strike of educators against the fiscal reform that began in September 10 and is going on 80 days, was first declared...

In the wake of California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire in that state’s recorded history, political enemies joined hands  as President Donald Trump toured areas in and around Paradise, Ca. – a town of 27,000 residents – that was burnt to a crisp. Homes, businesses, government buildings, fire and police stations, churches, hospitals and schools were all gone with the scorching hot winds...

The National Liberation Party (PLN) presented a bill in Congress that proposes the creation of a new holiday in the country, December 1, in commemoration of the Abolition of the Army. The initiative was supported by the Government, “The abolition of the army is one of the most relevant political decisions in our almost 200 years of republican life, it is an essential part of our national identi...

The Labor Unions in the education sector are the only ones that remain on strike since September 10 protesting the fiscal plan. They will meet this Monday to evaluate their options after the resolution of the Constitutional Chamber which gives green light to congress to vote the fiscal reform in second debate. After more than two months of strike, time in which they have continued to receive th...

The Constitutional Chamber in Costa Rica (Sala IV) gave, the evening of this Friday, November 23, its resolution regarding the fiscal reform project; the judges concluded, unanimously, that they did not find vices in the procedure or form of the project giving green light to Congress to vote it in second debate. The resolution of the Constitutional Chamber provides the green light for the pr...

“It would be wrong of me to be concerned of my popularity when Costa Rica is living such a complex context, I am here to resolve the problems that Costa Rica has, and that’s what I’m doing”. With those words, the President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado referred to the results of a recent survey carried out by the Center for Political Studies and Investigation of the University of Costa Rica (C...

Among last week’s political developments that received little attention from mainstream media is the “First Step Act” a bipartisan criminal justice reform plan spearheaded by President Donald Trump that offers some convicted criminals a way out of prison with Christian redemption and forgiveness the driving force. According to the International Center for Prison Studies, the United States of Am...

A small group of Hondurans living in Costa Rica gathered in front of the US Embassy the evening of Wednesday, November 21 to demonstrate their support to their countrymen who are part of the migrant caravan that intend to enter the United States. The group is formed by close to 30 people gathered in a peaceful manner. Police officers and security of the US embassy are also present to ensure ...

For the next two years a dark and uncertain future awaits the United States of America as a new round of U.S. House and U.S. Senate investigations swamps the swamp in Washington. Just as soon as the new recruits that swung the U.S. House back to Democratic control take the oath of office in January the fireworks will begin on both sides of the isle. For the Democrats their singular goal remains...

Monday November 19th the Appeals Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of San Jose annulled the previous sentence that had declared the strike of employees in the education sector illegal, and sent back the process to the Labor Court for a new analysis. The strike of workers in the education sector which began September 10 was declared illegal on October 9, most educators of public schools have ...

This week the Constitutional Chamber (Sala IV) in Costa Rica approved  the decision of the Government to put a limit of 2.7 million colones (approximately $4500.00 USD) to luxury pensions where some currently reach close to 12 million colones (approx. $20,000.00 USD) gross amount. “Luxury pensions” are those received by retirees that did not contribute the necessary quotes to receive the amount...

The Social Security Services (CCSS) in Costa Rica were interrupted several times this year due to labor strikes, the most recent movement which began September 10 was considered illegal by the Costa Rican Labor Courts in a resolution from October 1st; however, a previous movement which affected the services back on June 25 was just resolved by the labor courts and also deemed illegal. The sente...

Predictably the day after the midterm election President Donald Trump issued walking papers to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions who had become virtually useless after his surprise recusal soon after he took the oath of office. Sessions removed himself from anything related to his participation in the president’s 2016 campaign including Russia/Trump collusion and Hillary Clinton’s numberless leg...

Judge Victor Manuel Orozco from the Labor Court of the Second Judiciary Circuit of San Jose declared the labor strike of employees at the Judicial Branch legal. Judge Orozco considered that there were not enough proofs that the strike indeed affected an essential public service, he also considered that the strike was carried out in a peaceful manner. As with all the other sentences, now ther...

During this week appeals to the declarations of illegality regarding the labor strike in several institutions have been resolved by labor Judges in favor of the labor unions, going back on the initial sentences and declaring the strike legal. This is the case of the labor strikes that affected the state refinery, Recope, the Costa Rican institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AYA) and the Child Welf...

Diversity won at the midterms. More women – conservative and liberal -- will serve in the U.S. Congress than ever before. The results show there will be more ethnic representation in Congress than ever before. There will be less ‘old white men’ running the legislative branch of government than ever before. That’s really the big takeaway from Tuesday’s national midterm election. For the next two ye...

Just as soon as you’d think the midterm election couldn’t get more controversial – wham – ending birthright citizenship gets thrown on the table with a loud echoing thud. This debate over birthright citizenship goes right to the heart of the immigration problems now being encountered at the southern border of USA and Mexico. In an absolute classic -- President Donald Trump move – he’s taking ai...

Let’s start something big -- Pam Bondi for U.S. Attorney General – to replace the more than likely out going U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. There’s been a lot of speculation about who President Donald Trump might nominate for U.S. Senate confirmation to head the U.S. Department of Justice after Sessions bows out with a resignation or gets fired but his demise will happen shortly after the mi...

Now we have a fake serial bomber to deal with. The FBI scrambled and quickly arrested a suspect accused of sending 14 fake pipe bombs through the snail mail U.S. Postal Service to offices and homes of current and past Democratic leaders and supporters from California to Washington, DC. Clearly this is domestic terrorism obviously brought about by a far-right-wing extremist with misguided suppor...

The district attorney’s office is investigating the acts of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Vice-President of the country, Epsy Campbell, in regards to “irregular” designations made over the past weeks. The situation came to light after media outlets released the information of Campbell’s decision to name people to positions with a certain closeness, relation or affinity to her. Camp...

A bill promoted by Congressman Carlos Ricardo Benavides from the National Liberation Party (PLN) would ensure that those who participated in strike which were declared illegal get the corresponding deduction of salaries received during the days on strike and would also facilitate the application of penalties in the case of illegal activities such as road blocks. Currently, the Labor Procedural ...

According to data by the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce, the labor strike that began on September 10 and is still ongoing today affecting the education sector, caused economic losses to 76% of the businesses in Costa Rica. “The Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce considered since the beginning that this strike was unnecessary and even when protesting is a right, promoting chaos and paralyzing esse...

The Costa Rican Government assures that they will use any and all legal actions to compensate and recover the losses and damages caused by public employees that participated in the labor strike in those institutions in which the movement was declared illegal. The labor strike that began back on September 10 is maintained today mostly by the education sector. “We respect judicial decisions, but ...

A second caravan of Central Americans – mostly Hondurans – is headed for the Mexico/USA border in an apparent staged confrontation to occur just before the 2018 midterm election Nov. 6. Mexico should stop them all at their southern border with Guatemala and keep them from entering Mexico and prevent this purely political display from happening. This new caravan is the second border showdown thi...

During the Organization of American States (OAS) Assembly that took place on Friday, Costa Rica’s delegate Rita Hernández condemned in her speech the actions of Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega in violently repressing the protests against his government, actions that have left over 350 deaths according the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (CIDH). The statements of Hernández bothere...

Everywhere you look there’s President Donald Trump packing them in at rally after rally, TV news interviews one after another and touring Hurricane Michael damages in Florida with First Lady Melania Trump who also just did a revealing and rare TV interview with ABC news. Why all the visibility? The national midterm election is only three weeks down the road. Early voting is under way in many st...

Back on September 25, judge Ileana Castillo Porras had ruled the strike "illegal" for employees of the Santa Ana Municipality; the labor union presented the corresponding appeal and today Judges José Adrián Calderón, Juan Carlos Segura and Manuel Rodríguez gave their resolution leaving firm the decision of illegality for these workers, however, the Municipality will not be able to collect the sala...

Edgar Mora, Minister of Education (MEP), affirmed that a total 556 employees of the Ministry of Public Education that were supposedly on strike protesting the fiscal plan, took advantage of the situation and traveled out of the country on vacation. According to Mora, all of these employees are identified, and MEP has confirmed they register migratory movements between September 9 and October 8 ...