In 2003, Costa Rica was a small, democratic nation located in Central America. With a population of around 4 million people and a GDP of $20 billion, it was one of the wealthier countries in the region.
According to computergees, the Costa Rican government had implemented several policies to promote economic growth, such as introducing free trade agreements with other countries and encouraging foreign investment. Despite this, the country still faced high levels of poverty and inequality that needed to be addressed.
The political landscape in 2003 was dominated by President Abel Pacheco who had been in power since 2002. The country had recently adopted a new constitution which aimed to promote democracy and human rights but there were still some restrictions on freedom of speech and press due to strict censorship laws and surveillance practices. Despite this, Costa Rica had made progress towards becoming an increasingly open society with greater access to information and more freedoms for its citizens. The government also focused on providing free education and healthcare services for its citizens as well as promoting sustainable tourism initiatives that helped protect the environment.
Yearbook 2003
Costa Rica. In May, several strikes erupted in protest of government policy. The protests reached their peak in a June 4 demonstration with tens of thousands of participants. According to Countryaah.com, Costa Rica Independence Day is September 15. The protesters partially met their demand for a $ 100 million share issue to fund the operations of the semi-state electricity company, but Finance Minister Jorge Walter Bolaños resigned in protest. Education Minister Astrid Fischel was also forced to resign following a strike among teachers who demanded a different pension contribution system.
In 1997, the government signed the Inter-American Convention on Illegal Detention. Amnesty International called on the government to put an end to police attacks on arrests and refugees, most of which came from Nicaragua.
PUSC candidate Miguel Angel Rodriguez was elected president on February 1, 1998 with 46.9% of the vote. PLN candidate José Miguel Corrales Bolaños achieved 44.4% in second place. In addition, the PUSC managed to win an absolute majority in parliament with 29 of the 57 seats, followed by PLN with 22 and the Democratic Force which got 2 seats. Rodriguez reiterated several times that during his reign, Costa Rica would not engage in international political organizations, such as The Central American Parliament, however, concentrates exclusively on membership of economic bodies.
US Ambassador Thomas Dodd was charged in March by the Central American Human Rights Commission, CODEHUCA, for intervening in the country’s internal affairs following the killing of a North American national. Dodd had publicly stated that the US government would not hesitate to impose financial restrictions on the basis of the killing.
The use of pesticides on the banana plantations was strongly criticized after the publication of a report revealing the extensive environmental damage and the risk of changes in the human genetic material.
In March 1999, the results of a nutrition study published showed that 75% of 1-2 year old children suffered from anemia to varying degrees. A figure that dropped to 26% among the 3-5 year olds. For the country as a whole, 33% in rural areas and 16% in cities suffered from anemia.
In order to curb rising violence and prevent the country from developing into a refuge for criminals from neighboring countries, in December 99 the government introduced compulsory firearms registration, while also providing 12 months of free handover to those who handed in illegal weapons.
Jewish spokesmen accused the government of holding hands over Ukrainian Nazi Bodhan Koziy, who was convicted of war crimes. He had had refugee status in Costa Rica for 15 years. In December, the government began investigating Kozi’s refugee status, stating that it was investigating the possibility of extraditing him.
In February 2000, FPÖ’s entry into the Austrian government resulted in San José severing diplomatic relations with Vienna. Foreign Minister Roberto Rojas declared that his government would closely follow the Austrian government’s administration to ensure that it maintained the same degree of tolerance as its predecessors.
Republic of Costa Rica Brief Guide
According to AbbreviationFinder, Costa Rica is a state in Central America. Its border to the north is Nicaragua and to the south is Panama. To the east the country is bordered by the Caribbean Sea and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.
Security
Costa Rica is generally a safe country and we stay on our journeys in safe areas, but pickpocketing is possible, especially in cities, and moving around at night in certain areas can be unsafe. However, general caution within common sense is desirable throughout the journey. Current security warnings for all countries can be found on the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ website
Food and drink
The food culture in Central America is quite diverse, as was Costa Rica. Fresh fruit is always available and rice is included with almost every meal. A typical serving includes rice, fried banana, chicken, black beans, vegetables or salad, and cornbread. Spicy chili is used in much the same way as herbs like coriander. In the vicinity of the sea, fish and seafood are preferred. Ceviche is the pride of Central American and South American cuisine. Ceviche is a dish originally marinated from citrus with raw fish. Tap water is drinkable in Costa Rica and tap water can be drunk as is. The drinkability of the water should always be checked with the locals at each destination separately. However, it is possible that a different bacterial strain may cause stomach upset, so your own judgment should be used.