"Marea Roja" Inundates San José
As promised, yesterday taxi drivers took over the streets of downtown San José and other small communities to pressure legislators into passing the law that would eliminate the "porteo".

The Marea Roja or Red Tide was made up of some 800 taxi that left the area around the newspaper La República, led by Edwin Barboza, president of the Foro Nacional de Taxistas (taxi association), making their way to the Legislative Assembly building.

Other groups blocked or slowed traffic on the General Cañas highway into San José, the area around Plaza de Sol and various areas around the downtown area. At least 3.500 taxi drivers flooded the area of the Legislative Assembly building.

The same, on a small scale, was reported in towns around the the country, as those taxi drivers who could make it to San José decided to let the public know of the displeasure with the lawmakers.

For more than seven hours the Marea Roja positioned themselves in front the Legislature, with signs, megaphones, chants and drums, protesting against the "porteo" and of course adding to the protest, the usual discontent with the annual automobile revision system.

Vehicular movement in downtown San José was slow to a standstill in some parts. The Policía de Tránsito (Traffi Police) did their best to control traffic that was in many cases bumper to bumper, worse than normal San José traffic.

At issue is the decision last week by a number of legislators to scrap the proposed law that would eliminate the "porteo" - informal taxi services - following a protest last week by porteadores.

Porteadores are those who provide door-to-door service for an exclusive clientele and do not pick up fares on the street like the taxis, and not confused with "piratas" who are illegal taxis.

Taxi drivers want to eliminate the porteo saying it cuts into their livelihood, while porteadores say they have a right to offer their services and do not compete with taxis.

The Legislature scrapped the Ley 3248 last week when porteadores protested against its passing and this spurred the action by taxi drivers yesterday, who want the law passed.

Barboza and other taxi association presidents met yesterday with Ricardo Toledo, Juan José Vargas, Carlos Benavides, José Miguel Corrales and other legislators from the different political parties except the Movimiento Libertario. Barboza told his group that there is a possibility that they will win enough support to get the legislation passed during the current session.

The president of the taxi association declared the protest a success and thanked the more than 300 bus drivers who came to support and took part in the caravan with the taxi drivers.

By 5pm the protestations ended and San José began to return to normal.

Taxi drivers say they were promised that the legislation will be presented by next Monday. If not, they promise to take to the streets again.