A photo of the Costa Rican national protests taken on Sept. 12, 2018.

A photo of the Costa Rican national protests taken on Sept. 12, 2018.

Excerpts from an article ironically named ‘Breakthrough hope in Costa Rica strike’:

The government and public sector workers in Costa Rica have agreed to enter into talks to bring to an end an indefinite strike that is now in its second week.

The unions, which are protesting against government tax reform plans, released a statement indicating their willingness to negotiate with the mediation of the Catholic church but without suspending the strike, that began on 10 September.

Workers have blockaded roads in different parts of the country, where they have made it difficult to distribute fuel and hit traffic to tourist areas.

On Monday, riot police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of protesters who blocked the entrance to the terminal at the Caribbean port of Moin in Limón, through which most of Costa Rica’s exports pass.

Greivin Villegas, president of the Board of Port Administration and Economic Development of the Atlantic Coast (Japdeva), said that the strike had not affected Japdeva’s activities at the port, “thanks to the inter-institutional coordination with Public Security and shipping companies* and the strategic plan prepared to deal with the strike.”

* Note: Also known as “militarization of the docks.”

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