The government took steps Thursday to deflate the general strike that free trade opponents plan for Monday and Tuesday.

The major step was a decree signed by President Óscar Arias Sánchez to strengthen the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad, the telecommunications monopoly. The agency known as ICE is one of the major sources of strength for trade treaty opponents and workers fear what might happen if the company has competition..

Arias issued a presidential decree because a proposal to do many of the same things is tied up in the Asamblea Legislativa. The idea is to free ICE from some financial requirements and permit it to act as a private firm might do in the face of competition. In addition, ICE can contract its own debts and refinance existing obligations without going through government agencies. This will allow ICE to borrow a total of $435 million this year and next.

The decree also affects Radiográfica Costarricense S.A., the retail Internet provider, and the Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz. Both are ICE subsidiaries.

The decree also creates a fund to provide access to telephone service for persons who do not now have it. Previously ICE paid for this.

In the second step to blunt participation in the two-day general strike, Arias released a letter he sent to union leaders in which he asked them to use only half the street for their marches. That way, he said, they will not block traffic.

Of course, blocking traffic is the whole idea. But the letter from Arias puts the unions on notice that they will be blocking free passage, which is a right of citizens. It may presage criminal action. And it is at least a maneuver in the public relations war.
Union leaders anticipate a big turnout Monday and Tuesday. The goal is to shut down the country and put a show of force on the streets.