Anti-Riot Police
On Alert For
Protests By
Porteadores
If you were one
of the thousands
arriving or
leaving Costa
Rica or just
visiting the San
José airport
yesterday and
saw anti-riot
police standing
by on the main
road into the
airport, no
cause for much
concern, they
just there just
in case the
porteadores
decide to
protest and
block the
streets.
More than 800
officers of the
Fuerza Pública
(police),
including
anti-riot squads
and Tránsitos
(traffic police)
are on full
alert for
possible
blockades as
threatened by
the informal
taxi drivers.
The areas of
attention by
authorities are
the Aeropuerto
Juan Santamaría
(San José
airport), Plaza
Víquez and La
Lima de Cartago,
following
rumours of
possible
protests by the
porteadores.
The union
representing
some 11.000
porteadores
announced this
week protests
and blockades to
pressure
legislators who
will be voting
next week on a
bill that would
remove the word
"person" from
the law
regarding the
porteo, which
would
effectively make
it illegal for
the informal
taxis to
operate.
The porteadores
union, although
have not
threatened
violence, there
is the
possibility that
emotions can
easily escalate
and nerves flare
to possible
violent acts as
has happened in
the past.
The sub-director
of the Fuerza
Pública, Pablo
Bertosi, said
that his
officers and
support groups
are on full
alert for any
reason.
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