Violence Took
Control Of Protest by Porteadores Who Will
Be Back On Friday
What was to have been
a peaceful protest of "totuguismo" by the
porteadores (informal taxi drivers, turned
into road blocks and confrontation between
protestors and police who had to use tear
gas and anti-riot squads to return control.
The Fuerza Pública was criticized for using
force, an action that ha rarely been seen in
Costa Rica, to break up the blockade of the
Zapote rotonda.
The Porteadores began their day early with
the intent to show the country what they say
the government has been doing to them,
taking away their livelihood in an about
face after promising legislation that would
allow them to work without reprisals.
Although
is unclear who took the first swing,
a group of militant porteadores got
into a melé with police. Ten police
officers were injured, one suffering
a major fracture, as well as a
number of porteadores went home with
cuts and scrapes resulting from the
scuffle.
Anti-riot police were called into action
when traffic was completely chocked
off around the Zapote rotonda and the Circunvalación.
The
informal cabbies began their protest
around 6am this morning in the area
near Casa Presidencial,
demonstrating against the government
whom the say has done a turn about
face on them, after promising that
the porteo would be allowed to
continue.
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Firing tear gas into the crowd and
double row of vehicles, police were
able to re-open at least one lane of
the Circunvalación.
The Policía de Tránsito was also
called in to to intervene, bringing
in more traffic officials and tow
trucks to open up the roads.
By 1pm the streets
were clear of protestors, as the porteadores
moved to the legislative assembly building.
In Rohrmoser, the area around the private
home of president Oscar Arias was completely
closed off in prevention of the protest.
However, not all portaeadores condoned
yesterday's violent action by a few. The
majority of the porteadores took to the
streets, slowing down traffic in key areas
like the airport, with no reports of
violence or confrontations with police.
Another group, who did not take part in the
protest, denounced the actions of their
counterparts, saying that the situation
should be resolved peacefully.
Following yesterday's turbulence, the
portaedores vowed to be back on the streets
this Friday.
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