By Katherine Stanley, Tico Times Staff

Strikes by unionized workers, including teachers, health-care workers, employees of the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) and others, are likely to cause delays in traffic and public services today and tomorrow as they protest the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA), under consideration in the Legislative Assembly.

Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias has estimated the strikes will force 89,000 patients to cancel appointments, postpone 1,160 surgeries, and leave the country’s approximately 900,000 elementary- and high-school students without teachers. Union leaders, who say thousands of people are ready to express their opposition to the controversial trade pact, aren’t denying these claims, though they say all protests will be peaceful.

President Oscar Arias sent an open letter to union leaders late Thursday instructing them that although the National Police will ensure their right to protest on the streets, demonstrators can only use half of any given thoroughfare, leaving the other half for “the free transit of citizens.”

In the letter, he reiterated his support for activists’ right to make their message heard, but urged protestors to minimize the inconvenience to other Costa Ricans.

According to strike coordinators, protestors in San José will gather Monday morning at four points – the University of Costa Rica (UCR) campus in the eastern suburb of San Pedro, in front of the La República newspaper offices in Barrio Tournón, in front of the ICE building in the western neighborhood of La Sabana, and, in the south, by the Pacific Railway Station and the Y Griega rotonda – and march “between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.” to the Legislative Assembly downtown.

Officials have advised drivers to leave their homes 90 minutes early in order to be sure they reach their destinations on time.

The statement from strike coordinators warned participants that the government may infiltrate the protests with people paid to incite acts of violence.