Jeff_Costa_Rica

Expect some disruption to travel if you plan to be in Costa Rica over the dates of May 3-4. (Might be a good time to head to the beach or the rainforest and stay put.) Major protests have been announced in conjunction with a visit by Barack Obama those two days. They're not protests against him -- he's very highly thought of in Costa Rica -- but against the Costa Rican government as it hosts a summit between Obama and Central American leaders. Plans have been announced for protesters to block the Caldera highway between San Jose and the Pacific coast as well as impeding access to San Jose and Liberia airports. This is on top of the normal traffic congestion that such an event would cause.

Just FYI ...

costaricalover

Thank-you, once again, Jeff, for valuable information.
I have reported the above poster's comments to
Fodors.

RAC

There are plenty of reasons to complain about the government--what are these protestors upset about?

Percy

Yes Iam crurious also as to why and what do the protestors want.?

Latitude9Lisa

Even after reading this, I'm still perplexed myself : )
http://insidecostarica.com/2013/04/1...plan-protests/

Percy

Jeff it seems like the unions and left wing party memebers are protesting about Obama.

Why?
Obama is a Democrat,supposely left leaning,so why protest against him ?

tully

From the link at the article, as I understand it, they are protesting because the Mexico drug war, poverty, Palestine/Israel et al is Obama's fault. Sounds like some news stations here in the US

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Oh, I really didn't want to start a political discussion. I posted this more to give a heads-up to anybody traveling in Costa Rica those days.

Here's the thing about protests in Costa Rica: There might be an announced cause, but everyone else with every other axe to grind shows up and participates too. The announced causes for these protests are: 1) taxi drivers protesting that the government doesn't clamp down on unofficial taxi drivers; 2) residents who still don't like the new Pacific Highway because they have to pay high tolls; and, 3) other residents protesting improvements in the highway between Alajeula and San Ramon, because that will become of toll highway too. Those are the three main groups organizing here. The link Lisa posted is another group who has said it will join in, but I think that one is only a small part of it. There will be other groups too, and it'll be this catch-all event that protests anything and everything. I really think the underlying intent here is to embarrass the government as it hosts this big event.

Percy

Thnaks Jeff, that is what I was thinking also ,to embarrass the government.

(Hi tully )

Kinkazote

It seems you did start a political discussion. Or at least open the door to one. I bet whoever responds to Tully will get deleted by the management. I will self delete.

Percy

I am not making any political comments.

Thanks Jeff.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Here's the important part: If you'll be in Costa Rica on those dates, this is what you might be up against. I plan not to go anywhere.

volcanogirl

Thanks for the info.