Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [18]
The war polarized Costa Rica. From conservative quarters came a loud call to re-establish the military and join the anticommunist crusade, which was largely underwritten by the US Pentagon. In May of 1984, more than 20,000 demonstrators marched through San José to give peace a chance, though the debate didn’t climax until the 1986 presidential election. The victor was 44-year-old Oscar Arias Sánchez, who, despite being born into coffee wealth, was an intellectual reformer in the mold of Figueres, his political patron.
Once in office, Arias affirmed his commitment to a negotiated resolution and reasserted Costa Rican national independence. He vowed to uphold his country’s pledge of neutrality and to vanquish the Contras from the territory, which prompted the US ambassador to suddenly quit his post. In a public ceremony, Costa Rican school children planted trees on top of the CIA’s secret airfield. Most notably, Arias became the driving force in uniting Central America around a peace plan, which ended the Nicaraguan war and earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
In 2006 Arias once again returned to the presidential office, winning the popular election by a 1.2% margin, and subsequently ratifying the controversial Central American Free Trade Agreement (Cafta).
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COSTA RICA TOMORROW
Costa Rica held free and fair presidential elections in February 2010, which were supervised by the Organization of American States. The victor was Oscar Arias Sánchez’ former Vice President Laura Chinchilla, who won just under 47% of the vote, thus retaining the political power of her center-right National Liberation Party. Chinchilla campaigned on similar economic platforms as her political mentor, namely the promotion of free trade and further increased access to US markets. However, critics argue that these aims do not protect small farmers and domestic industries, which have struggled to compete with the recent flood of cheap US products.
Prior to his re-election, President Oscar Arias Sánchez founded the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress; on the web at www.arias.or.cr.
Unlike Arias, Chinchilla is a staunch social conservative who is diametrically opposed to legalized abortion, same-sex marriage and emergency contraception. In a striking departure from her political mentor, she has pledged to fight against proposed legislation that would strip Costa Rica of its official Roman Catholic designation and establish a secular state.
Costa Rica will most likely continue its reign as the global pioneer in sustainable development, providing a model in which economic and environmental interests are complementary. But it is not without some contention. Conservation and ecotourism are administered by two powerful bureaucracies – the Ministry of Environment & Energy (Minae) and the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) – who frequently clash. There is also a widening gap between the motives of the San José–based eco-elite and the concerns of the rural residents, who still use the land to survive.
The success of the ‘green revolution’ has created a new concern, namely the need for sustainable tourism. The increasing number of visitors to Costa Rica has led to more hotels, more transportation and more infrastructure upgrades. This tourist-driven encroachment on the rainforest inevitably places stress on the fragile ecosystem that people are flocking to see. However, although Costa Rica is certainly not without its problems, it is one of the few countries in the region where environmental issues are given a proper forum for discussion as opposed to mere lip service.
TIMELINE
11,000 BC The first humans occupy Costa Rica and populations quickly flourish due to the rich land and marine resources found along both coastlines.
1000 BC The Huetar