No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveChinchilla touts Costa Rica during New York trip

Chinchilla touts Costa Rica during New York trip

President Laura Chinchilla praised Costa Rica on Wednesday as a guest speaker at the 100th birthday celebration of technology giant IBM in New York. IBM, who announced a $300 million investment in Costa Rica on June 30, has held several events to commemorate the company’s centennial year. The New York-based company turned 100 on June 16 (TT Aug. 5, 2011).    

During her speech, Chinchilla applauded IBM for their technology innovation during the last century before focusing the bulk of her speech on the quality of life in Costa Rica. Chinchilla spoke about Costa Rica’s history, such as the 1948 decision to abolish the military, and lauded the country’s commitment to education and the environment.

“Complex trials lay ahead, many pending tasks over which I, as President, may lose sleep, but it would be a mistake to forget something about Costa Rica: We got the fundamentals of sustainable human development right,” she said. “We got them right before anybody else in Latin America did. That much I know.”

She added that “Costa Rica remains a democratic, prosperous, just, and secure society, at peace with its environment.”

The underlying theme of Chinchilla’s visit, as it has been during all three of her trips to the U.S. this year, centered on attracting investment and promoting Costa Rica as a hub for foreign businesses and trade. The president touted tax breaks offered by free-trade zones, the high percentage of high-tech exports and the government’s willingness to trade with nations around the world.

“Costa Rica’s agreements with its trading partners allow anyone who exports from Costa Rica tax-exempt access to almost 70% of the global economy,” she told the audience.  

Chinchilla weaved IBM back into the speech during her closing remarks:

“I want to invite all of those companies to take part, as IBM already does, in this beautiful project to make Costa Rica a developed country; a country that pays tribute to its past by standing on the front line of progress; a country that views the world not as a threat, but as an enormous opportunity better to project the values that have made it so special.”

Popular Articles

Trump congratulates Pope León XIV, a “great honor” for the US

President Donald Trump congratulated León XIV, the first pope from the United States, in a message on his Truth Social network on Thursday. “Congratulations...

Costa Rica’s High Costs Push U.S. Tourists to Cheaper Destinations

Costa Rica, known as one of the best places for a relaxing vacation is losing middle-class U.S. tourists as costs climb. Higher prices for...

Costa Rica Expat Guide to Ticks and How to Avoid Them

Of the many strange and interesting species that many hope to encounter during their time in Costa Rica, arthropods are generally lower on the...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait

Latest Articles