Wednesday, October 3, after 24 days of labor unions’ strike, the tension was present in the streets. Several incidents were reported where the public police were forced to intervene to guarantee the security and free transit of the rest of the population.

Early in the morning the Director of the Calderon Guardia Hospital in San Jose reported that a group of protesters had blocked the roads of access to the laundry area of the medical center; authorities at the hospital documented the situation and requested the presence of a public notary to file the minute of what transcended.

Just a few minutes later, in San Jose, another group gathered outside of the National Theater where President Carlos Alvarado was taking part along with other members of the government in an official act. The President had to be escorted out while strikers yelled insults and uttered threats, two of the protesters threw objects with the intention of hurting the President, they both were arrested. (Video Below)

A team of La Nacion newspaper reporters also reported that a group of strikers prevented their coverage of a road block in Barrio Tournon, at the entrance of Route 32, apparently, a journalist and a photographer covering for the newspaper were pushed and threatened by several protesters. In fact, the photographer affirmed that a formed labor union leader, Fabio Chaves, told him “You better leave, because I am going to let the rest know that a team from La Nacion is here and you are not going to have a good time”.

In Caldera, Puntarenas, the public police force had to resort to the use of tear gas to remove a road block that was impeding the transit of cars and even tourist buses. Six people were detained.

Another road block in Route 32 that affected transit to and from the docks and from the state refinery (RECOPE) facilities also required the intervention of the police. One person was arrested.