Letters from the Robert Portman, United States Trade Representative and from the US Embassy are being used to provide unions with evidence that the CAFTA pact must go through as is, or be rejected as is.  The letters urge Costa Rica to approve the pact as soon as possible, as well as the accompanying legislation.

“What I ask the unions is that in our representative democracy we are going to dialogue with civil society, but in the end, it is the Assembly that must decide.”  said President-elect Arias.  Then he played another card in a meeting with the Limón unions by naming Francisco Morales as the Minister of Labor.

Abundaron sonrisas, incluso de sindicatos como JAPDEVA, de Limón, que, pese a reiterar su rechazo al TLC, se mostraron dispuestos a dialogar. Arias prometió una comisión para analizar los problemas de Limón.

At the meeting, these union leaders denied a rupture with ANEP and ICE groups, who refused to visit Arias’ house. “We respect them, but they don’t necessarily represent our movement”, said Rolando Coto, of the Central Bank union.