Calle de la Amargura Businesses "Clausurado" Over Rat Problem
The well known street in San Pedro known as La Called de la Amargura that is home to a dozen or so bars that has become a "partying" not only for nearby university students but the public in general woke to a massive closings by the Ministerio de Salud (Health Ministry).

The street located several blocks east of the Mall San Pedro has been plagued by rats, foul odors and strewn garbage on the sidewalks and street for some time. Residents as well as business owners of the area have been calling on the Municipalidad de Montes de Oca for some time for a clean up.

The problem got worse when the local news television channels followed up on complaints and aired a series of reports showing rats running free and the sidewalks and streets littered.

That is when the Municipality and Salud got interested in the problem and began to listen closely to the complaints. Salud officials stepped in to warn business owners to clean with proper fumigation and the proper handling of refuse.

That was 15 days ago and nothing was done.

Yesterday, the Municipality took out the orange tape and closed various businesses, including Fotos Fuji and the Librería Guilá (bookstore), along with a number of bars and a pizzeria.

The closings affect a number of businesses that will remain closed until they comply with the health ministry order. However, the closings don't affect the entire street and for many, business is as usual.

Juan Branes, owner of the Librería Bautista, is upset at the municipal officials. "It appears illogical that a number of the businesses closed are no dealing with food and not contributors to the problem", said Branes.

The other owners who were shut down had similar sentiments, even those who sell food are complaining that the problem is really that of the Municipality who doesn't provide regular and frequent garbage pick up. Juan Luis Quiñónez, owner of Monster Pizza, is pretty upset because he got closed down just as he was about to get all the paperwork necessary to demonstrate his compliance with the Salud order.

The others are upset with the Mayor of Montes de Oca, Sonia Montero, who they say has done nothing to solve the problem and has not listened to their complaints until now.

The business owners say that the problem goes beyond their individual locations. The entire area has a sewer problem and a breeding ground for rats and that the repair and maintenance of the sewers squarely belongs to the Municipality.

Montero defended her position by saying that the Municipality has to comply with the orders of the Ministerio de Salud and shut down the offending businesses who were duly notified of their failure to comply to health standards and now must comply before they can re-open.