The Costa Rican media ignored the Anti-CAFTA march

anti-cafta

El Sr. Masís de Moravia. by Juliaa (The sign reads “If CAFTA passes we'll be slaves like this donkey.”)

Cristian Cambronero from Fusil de Chispas [es] sums up the blogger perspective on the Costa Rica Anti-Cafta marches in his February 28th post. The media refused to report on the event, and when they did, they insisted on stating that no one had showed up. On some of the blogs he links to there are comparisons of pictures of prior rallies with the newspaper´s tally compared to pictures of this latest march and and the numbers don´t add up. It seems the Costa Rican blogging community took it in their hands to report on what they saw and heard that day. The cited articles are in Spanish:

“Civilian journalism for some. People saying things. The Anti-Cafta march that took place last monday left much to be said…” in Desencantosdesirena (Mermaid´s Disenchantments):

Si en enero había 50 mil en tres cuadras y media y había 23500 en 16 cuadras de marcha, pues la única explicación es que los de la “marea verde” de Arias se multiplicaron… como los votos en la Sala Cuarta, en el TSE y en las encuestas…

If in January there were 50 thousand people in three and a half blocks and there were 23,500 in 16 blocks, then the only explanation is that those in Oscar Arias’ “green tide” multiplied… just like the votes in the Sala Cuarta (Fourth Chamber of the Supreme Court in Costa Rica, concentrating on civil, succession law, labor, and family law), in the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and in the polls

Similar positions can be found in The March´s voice (audio and photographs) in La Foto Salió Movida (“The picture came out blurry”); March that marches against the march in Coyunturacostarica (“Costa Rican juncture”); The “quotable” quotes from the march´s “messiahs” in Labirradehoy (“Today´s beer”); and March against CAFTA in 100alsurdecasiopea (“100 KM south of Cassioppea”).

In Nomelocreo (“I don´t believe it”) :

“…los medios de comunicacion tradicionales (Canal 7,Repretel,La Nacion, ahora también canal 13) quieren tapar el sol con un dedo, insisten en que fueron “cuatro gatos”, que solo fueron sindicalistas, que somos una minoría, que no llego nadie etc.”

“the traditional mass media (Channel 7, Repretel, La Nacion and now Channel 13 as well) wish to cover the sun with their thumb, insisting that only a handful were there, that only the union workers went, that we are a minority, that there was hardly a soul there, etc.”

We see the same frustration within posts like “Massive march against CAFTA” by TLCenespañol (“CAFTAinSpanish”); “Massive march demands the Costa Rican government to desist” in Lopobresdelatierra (“the poor of the earth”); and “A handful” in El voyeurismodexand (“Xand´s voyeurism”).

In Mandagüevo:

“Por otras cosas la verdad no sabemos como sentirnos, la vara fue democrática, tuanis, civilista, discurseada, etcétera. Pero Manda Güevo, Albino desapareció! (…) Los chicos del MEA cada día adoctrinan gente más joven (el pin dice Venezuela es el amigo, el TLC el enemigo o algo así)

“On the other hand we really don´t know how to feel, it was democratic, cool, civilist, debated etc. But come on! Albino dissappeared!… The boys of MEA each day indoctrinate even younger people (the pin says Venezuela is the friend, CAFTA the enemy or something like that)”

“They say we were about 200,000″ in Julia Ardón
and from La Manopeluda (“the boogeyman”):

La marcha tuvo su mérito, eso no se puede negar. Pero desde la óptica de crecimiento y desarrollo del movimiento contra el TLC, hay señales que tienen que tener a los organizadores muy preocupados. Todo parece indicar que el movimiento contra el TLC, lejos de crecer y hacerse más fuerte, se está erosionando cada día mas.

The march had it´s merit, that can´t be denied. But from the perspective of growth and depelopment of the AntiCafta movement, there are two signs which should have the organizers very concerned. Everything eems to point out that the movement against CAFTA, far from growing and becoming stronger, is eroding each day even more.

“Esthetic violence against CAFTA” in JulioCórdoba; “The march in images” in NOTLC (“NOCAFTA”); and, in Estandovivalavíspera (“Being alive on the Eve”):

Claro, hoy en que hasta la resurrección de Cristo está en jaque, pues esos escasos veinti tantos mil eficientemente contados tendrán que hacerse sentir más que 4 millones dormidos.

Of course, today even Christ´s ressurrection is in play, well those scraggly twenty something thousands so efficiently counted will have to make themselves be felt more than the 4 million asleep.

Luismonge added his thoughts to the pile with “Costa Rica lives”, Roberto Gallardo with “Notes on the march” and, from Temas Serios, an “Open letter to Rodrigo Arias”.

Pictures of the march by Eugenio.

6 comments

  • Bonito abrir por aquí y ver la foto que una tomó.

  • […] Editor’s Note: Juliana Rincón Parra has already shown us the extensive opposition to Costa Rica’s ratification of the Central American Free Trade Agreement. However, San Jose-based Roy Rojas was adamant that we also show the support for CAFTA in Costa Rica and its blogosphere. The following post has been translated from its original Spanish. […]

  • […] DR-CAFTA Countries In 2005 what is now known as DR-CAFTA was ratified in the US by a narrow majority.  The Central American Free Trade Agreement would in 2006 include in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala & the Dominican Republic.  Costa Rica was the only member to put this trade agreement to a public referendum, which narrowly passed in 2007, and was signed into law in 2009. Free trade agreements from a liberal economic perspective create employment opportunities, improve efficiency and productivity, reduce costs and are generally good for everyone.  From a more radical or nationalistic perspective they negatively effect the domestic economy, give power, money and resources to foreign investors, create uneven development and contribute to under-development of countries as the power stays with the traditional centres.  As such the DR-CAFTA agreement was hotly debated and generated conflicting viewpoints. […]

  • […] Free trade agreements from a liberal economic perspective create employment opportunities, improve efficiency and productivity, reduce costs and are generally good for everyone.  From a more radical or nationalistic perspective they negatively effect the domestic economy, give power, money and resources to foreign investors, create uneven development and contribute to under-development of countries as the power stays with the traditional centres.  As such the DR-CAFTA agreement was hotly debated and generated conflicting viewpoints. […]

  • […] Free trade agreements from a liberal economic perspective create employment opportunities, improve efficiency and productivity, reduce costs and are generally good for everyone.  From a more radical or nationalistic perspective they negatively effect the domestic economy, give power, money and resources to foreign investors, create uneven development and contribute to under-development of countries as the power stays with the traditional centres.  As such the DR-CAFTA agreement was hotly debated and generated conflicting viewpoints. […]

  • […] When TLC was announced by the Arias government, protests and strikes erupted across the country.  Protest numbers where downsized by the mainstream media, which the larger blogger community picked up on.  Ultimately, the country put TLC to a national […]

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