by Rod Hughes
The last possible obstacle to the long-planned referendum to approve or reject the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States was toppled yesterday as the Consititutional Chamber of the Supreme Court handed down a verdict that nothing in the trade pact conflicts with Costa Rica’s Magna Carta.
With five of the seven magistrates on the panel assenting, the Supreme Elections Tribunal got the green light to hold the nation-wide vote on Oct. 7 as planned. The referendum has been in the works since President Oscar Arias and Congress voted to approve the binding referendum and the Elections Tribunal (independent from any of the three branches of government) set about its plans. (See previous article in this newsfeed.)
So far the main impact of lobbying voters has not been felt greatly, although a great deal of misinformation has been disseminated by supporters and an unusually vehement (for this country) opposition to CAFTA.
The Constitutional Chamber decision may also clear the way for passage of 13 important bills in Congress intended to clear up descepancies with CAFTA in current laws. President Arias, a firm supporter of CAFTA, says the reform laws would be necessary to modernize Costa Rican business even if CAFTA is killed off by a no vote in the referendum.
The propaganda for and against CAFTA will undoubtedly become fiercer as the referendum nears and viewers of local television channels will undoubtedly grow sick of hearing about the treaty in countless commercials by the time the vote rolls around, just as they do of presidential elections. Unlike the presidential elections, the Tribunal will not even try to monitor the campaigns for truth in advertising. At any rate, their power to do so has already been clipped by the Constitutional Chamber on the grounds of freedom of speach.