by Rod Hughes

In a surprise move, the Citizen Action Party (PAC) has agreed to not obstruct 13 bills to implement the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) from coming to the Legislative Assembly floor for voting. PAC leaders warned that they still would vote against the bills, since the deputies consider them damaging to the country.

The new laws are needed to bring Costa Rican legal procedures governing business into accord with CAFTA provisions. PAC is the chief congressional opposition to CAFTA with 17 members and at first the party said its delegation would use every means to block passage of the reform bills.

The PAC numbers in congress are large enough to keep the Legislative Assembly from having a forum to do business if PAC deputies were absent in a group. This is a favorite blocking tactic, much like a U.S. Senate filibuster. The effect is to paralyze the legislative branch completely. Or PAC could have buried the 13 bills under a blizzard of amendments.

Presidency Minister Rodrigo Arias entered into negotiations with the opposition immediately after the nationwide referendum Oct. 7 approved CAFTA by a narrow margin. PAC leaders may not have relished the negative reputation in the next elections of being the party that froze congress completely and prevented other important business from being enacted.

Among pending legislation are such important bills as an immigration reform and tax measures.

PAC leaders, meeting with President Oscar Arias and members of his cabinet, got agreement of the government to consider certain alterations to one of the bills the opposition considers particularly onerous.