Those opposed to the free trade treaty with the United States have several options on when they can vent their distaste. And visitors to the downtown have several days when they  should plan on traffic jams due to protests.

The next serious demonstration will be Friday when the so-called Festival Cultural Ecologista NO AL TLC takes place at the Plaza de la Democracia starting at noon. Elsewhere in the city Friday the Comisión Nacional de Enlace, an anti-free trade umbrella group, will be kicking off another protest that eventually will end up at the  Plaza de la Democracia.

Oct. 8 through 10 will see a  Seminario Alternativa Estudiantil, a series of teach-ins for some 130 student leaders representing some 100 educational institutions. The topic of discussion will be an alternative development model
other than the free trade treaty. This even will be free to students and sponsored by the Asociación Nacional de Empleados Públicos y Privados at a location in Heredia.

October 23 and 24, conveniently a Monday and a Tuesday, have been designated as two days for a general strike by workers in the public sector. In addition to workers in all sectors of the economy, organizers are actively reaching out to gays and lesbians, according to promotional material.

Promoters said they want the general strike to cover the entire country from border to border and from coast to coast.

Meanwhile in the Asamblea Legislativa the Comisión Permanente Especial de Relaciones Internacionales y de Comercio Exterior continues to hear testimony on the treaty. Although President Óscar Arias Sánchez says he hopes to see a final vote on the treaty in December, lawmakers are discussing the document in detail.

Monday, Eugenio Trejos, president of the Consejo Institucional of the Instituto Tecnológico, appeared. He said Costa Rica would be at a disadvantage under the treaty and presented lawmakers with a copy of an analysis of the treaty made by the school. He said the document was no mere treaty but something that would affect the political, economic and social life of the country.