Anger in Costa Rica over deal to ‘invite’ 46 US warships

[Judi Lynn]

Anger in Costa Rica over deal to ‘invite’ 46 US warships
By Daniel Tencer
Sunday, July 11th, 2010 -- 3:40 pm

Costa Ricans suspect 'ulterior motive' in permitting large numbers of US troops

Opposition leaders in Costa Rica are up in arms over an agreement between the country and the United States that reportedly allows 46 US warships and 7,000 US Marines to enter the country as part of an anti-drug effort.

According to several Costa Rican news sources, the government there signed an agreement with the US last week to extend an 11-year-old cooperative program aimed at eradicating the maritime drug trade.

But opponents say this year's deal differs from previous ones in that it allows US warships to enter the country. Previously, opponents say, only US Coast Guard vessels were allowed to enter Costa Rican territory. The new agreement expires on December 31 of this year.

A committee of the People's Movement political party said the deal turns Costa Rica into a "US protectorate" and brings the country into "a new phase of military occupation," according to the Costa Rican newspaper El Pais.

More:
http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0711/anger-costa-rica-deal-invite-us-warships/

LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4460705

[Judi Lynn]

1. Costa Rica to Allow US To Send Troops

Costa Rica to Allow US To Send Troops
July 06, 2010
Knight Ridder

Costa Rica has granted the U.S. military a six-month window to bring 7,000 Marines, five planes and 46 warships into its territory to help stem the flow of drugs northward.

The Central American country has increasingly become a target for drug traffickers as intelligence and law enforcement agencies have cut off other routes through Mexico. Without an army and with long coastlines and poorly guarded borders, Costa Rica is vulnerable to drug cartels using well-refined transportation mechanisms and the latest technological equipment, security experts say.

Some Costa Rican legislators voiced concern about the authorization, saying it gives the United States a "blank check" to use its territory and threatens the nation's sovereignty.

According to a letter from Costa Rican Public Security Minister Jose Maria Tijerino, specific requests to dock or unload U.S. military ships must be submitted to the country one month in advance.

http://www.military.com/news/article/costa-rica-to-allow-us-to-send-troops.html?col=1186032310810

~~~~~
Costa Rican Govt Approves US Occupation
Thousands of US Troops to 'Fight Drugs'

In another example of the growing militarization of the war on drugs, the Costa Rican government has given the US permission to launch an invasion of up to 7,000 Marines, ostensibly to “fight drugs.”

The vote was extremely controversial in Costa Rica’s legislature, with several MPs arguing that it gave he US a “blank check” to occupy the nation and was a threat to its sovereignty. Costa Rica has had no military of its own since its abolition in 1948.

Preceded by decades of on-again, off-again violence, the lack of a military has actually served the nation quite well over the past 62 years, and Costa Rica is one of the few nations in Central America not to face any violent uprisings or brutal dictatorships. The nation even celerates a holiday, on December 1, called Military Abolition Day.

Indeed, it appears that the only reason the nation is in America’s sights at all is because it is geographically so narrow, and an occupation of it could provide a convenient choke-point for blocking drugs from South America reaching Mexico and eventually, the United States, by land.

Under the terms of the agreement, US troops “will enjoy freedom of movement and the right to carry out any activities needed to fulfill their mission.” In addition to the ground troops, the US will be deploying 46 warships and hundreds of helicopters.

http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=31218

[Judi Lynn]

2. Legislators Appeal To Constitutional Court To Stop U.S Warships From Entering Costa Rican Waters

Legislators Appeal To Constitutional Court To Stop U.S Warships From Entering Costa Rican Waters

The decision authorizing the patrol of Costa Rican waters by U.S. warships is being contested by a group of legislators, headed by Gloria Bejarano, who filed an action of unconstitutionality with the Sala Constitucional (Costa Rica's constitutional court).

The legislators believe the authorization that was voted on and granted last week for the entry of 46 naval warships, 200 helicopters, war planes and 7.000 Marines as confirmed by the president of the Legislative Assembly, Gerardo Villanueva, violates Costa Rica's Political Constitution.

Villanueva confirmed that there are errors in the authorization, explaining that the co-operation agreement between the United States and Costa Rica signed 11 years ago was never published in La Gaceta.

The legislators argue in their filing that since the decree was never published it is null and void and in addition was for a 10 year period and would have expired in 2009.

Villanueva, however, argues that the agreement does not have an expiry date and the publication of the decree can be made any time.

The agreement signed in 2009 establishes a joint patrol of Costa Rican waters by the United States and Costa Rican Coast Guards.

Last week the United States, as is customary and required under the agreement, filed for authorization of the U.S. warships and personnel, that would be under the control of the Costa Rican Coast Guard, to enter Costa Rican waters to combat drug trafficking in the country and the region.

http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2010/july/09/costarica10070911.htm
Costa Rican newspaper

[Zorro]

3. Costa Rica Becomes Hub of Drug Cartels

<snip>

Costa Rica has gone from being a bridge for drug trafficking between South and North America to becoming established as a warehouse and trading center for drug cartels, from which the authorities have seized 92.7 tons of cocaine and $17 million in the last 3½ years.

“In this part of the world we are privileged by nature and the climate, but it is also the drug route from south to north, and of money from north to south,” Security Minister Janina Del Vecchio said in her annual activities report.

She said that Costa Rica is no longer just a transit area for drugs.

Now, according to Del Vecchio, “traffickers come here and store the drugs, and they don’t even have intermediaries – Colombians come and leave the drugs and Mexicans come and pick them up.”

<snip>

More at: http://laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=349013&CategoryId=23558

Apparently Costa Rica recognizes it has a drug trafficking problem.

It would not be surprising if some of the local vocal opponents to a US presence are on the payroll of the narcotraffickers.

[EFerrari]

4. That makes no sense. Narco traffickers flourish wherever we go.

[Flatulo]

5. I expect this will work about as well as all our other interdiction efforts in the War on Drugs (TM)

Legalize the stuff and tax the hell out of it.

Have we learned nothing from Prohibition?

[Judi Lynn]

6. US Marines to Costa Rica

US Marines to Costa Rica

Submitted by WW4 Report on Tue, 07/13/2010 - 19:01. Costa Rica has granted the US military a six-month window to bring 7,000 Marines, five planes and 46 warships into its territory to help intercept north-bound narcotics. The permission, granted by a 31-8 vote of the Legislative Assembly on July 2, allows the US to use the country's territory through Dec. 31. Some legislators voiced concern about the authorization, saying it gives the US a "blank check" to use the nation's territory and threatens its sovereignty. Public Security Minister José María Tijerino said specific requests to dock US military ships must be submitted one month in advance. (Tico Times, July 5)

http://ww4report.com/node/8836

[Judi Lynn]

7. Costa Rica Congress OKs US warships

Costa Rica Congress OKs US warships
Tuesday, 13 July 2010 14:25
Written by {ga=latinamerica-press}

Costa Rica´s National Assembly on July 1 gave the green light to allow 46 US warships and 7,000 marines to enter the country´s waters to monitor for drug trafficking. Opposition immediately said they would challenge the measure.

Military presence in Costa Rica, which abolished its army in 1948, is a thorny issue, and opposition lawmakers and activists said allowing the United States into the country would threaten Costa Rica´s sovereignty.

But President Laura Chinchilla, a former public security minister who promised to increase funding for anti-drug and crime programs and took office on May 8, said that it is necessary to fight drug traffickers, who are increasingly using Costa Rica as a storage and shipping point to for cocaine from the Andes northward to Mexico and ultimately, to the United States.

With 39 of 57 lawmakers present, the measure passed 31-8.

The permission is based on a decade-old bilateral counter-drug trafficking agreement between the United States and Costa Rica, but criticism against the US military presence in recent years led to sending the agreement to lawmakers for approval.

The agreement will be valid from July 1 to Dec. 31 of this year.

Less than a week after the measure was passed, the opposition Social Christian Unity Party, or PUSC, issued a complaint with the Constitutional Court to declare the it unconstitutional.

“By having US military forces in joint-patrol activities, based on what the agreement expressly establishes, the Assembly is authorizing foreign military participation in police actions, which is expressly prohibited by the constitution,” said the PUSC in a statement.

More:
http://www.eurasiareview.com/201007134957/costa-rica-congress-oks-us-warships.html

[Zorro]

8. The Costa Ricans have spoken

They recognize there's a problem, and they appreciate US assistance.

[EFerrari]

10. More militarization of police work. Another constitution violated.

Thom finally reported this today.

[Judi Lynn]

11. It's great hearing that Thom did that. It definitely does violate their constitution

just as the forcible kidnapping of Honduras' elected President Zelaya violated Honduras' pathetic constitution, too.

Apparently none of that matters when corporate interests are at stake.

[Downwinder]

9. US Military Surge in Costa Rica May Fan Regional Tensions

By Jamie Way
Special to The Narco News Bulletin

July 14, 2010

http://narconews.com/Issue66/article4162.html

[Judi Lynn]

12. Wow. This is a great article. Good information. Thanks. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

13. Costa Rican Govt Approves US Occupation

Article posted Jul 09 2010, 8:09 PM

Costa Rican Govt Approves US Occupation
Thousands of US Troops to 'Fight Drugs'

In another example of the growing militarization of the war on drugs, the Costa Rican government has given the US permission to launch an invasion of up to 7,000 Marines, ostensibly to “fight drugs.”

The vote was extremely controversial in Costa Rica’s legislature, with several MPs arguing that it gave he US a “blank check” to occupy the nation and was a threat to its sovereignty. Costa Rica has had no military of its own since its abolition in 1948.

Preceded by decades of on-again, off-again violence, the lack of a military has actually served the nation quite well over the past 62 years, and Costa Rica is one of the few nations in Central America not to face any violent uprisings or brutal dictatorships. The nation even celerates a holiday, on December 1, called Military Abolition Day.

Indeed, it appears that the only reason the nation is in America’s sights at all is because it is geographically so narrow, and an occupation of it could provide a convenient choke-point for blocking drugs from South America reaching Mexico and eventually, the United States, by land.

More:
http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=31218

[naaman fletcher]

14. This is about panama.

Revolution is brewing, we are gettimg ready to secure the canal.