Costa Rica calls off Central America meeting due to ‘complications’

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias has called for a suspension of a meeting between heads of state within the Central American Integration System (SICA), which was originally scheduled for Dec. 8 and 9.

According to a memorandum released by the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, Arias cancelled “because of the complications presented in the nature of the pro tempore presidency… and the difficulty of the preparatory work.”

During Arias´ half-year term as head of SICA, he has only called one regional meeting, and that was under the guise of the 11th Tuxtla Summit in July. According to SICA´s Web site, it´s been the longest the Central American presidents have gone without meeting since 1995.

The Costa Rican Foreign Ministry didn´t go any further in explaining “complications,” yet analysts suspect it has some to do with the Honduran crisis and rejection of a court ruling involving SICA´s judicial arm, the Central American Court of Justice.

Calling the court “pathetic” and “irresponsible,” Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno said his country never ratified the terms of the court and therefore would not recognize its ruling.

The rotating presidency passes to Panama at the beginning of the new year.