No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveThousands of Costa Rican farmers march on capital for lower property taxes

Thousands of Costa Rican farmers march on capital for lower property taxes

By Vanessa I. Garnica | Special to The Tico Times

An estimated 8,000 producers representing different agricultural organizations and cooperatives from around Costa Rica traveled by bus – many as far as the northwestern province of Guanacaste and the Southern Zone – to meet in the country’s capital and demand from legislators a decrease in rates outlined by an “alarming” tax law.

Costa Rican farmers marched Tuesday morning from San José’s Central Park to the Legislative Assembly wearing traditional cowboy and fedora hats and holding homemade signs requesting lawmakers discuss and approve bill 18,070, which would decrease the current property tax by 80 percent on land used for agricultural purposes.

“We are here today because the current property taxes that are in place today represent a negative and unnecessary load on farmers, and it is impossible to maintain in the long term,” said Adrián Hernández, board member at Coopelibertad, a coffee cooperative representing more than 2,000 coffee producers in Heredia province, north of the capital. “We are not asking to be tax exempted. However, we want to pay what is fair within the agricultural sector.”

Rain did not deter those present at the march. Many huddled together, shared umbrellas and listened to some of their sector’s national leaders speak from a stage built in front of the assembly. Among them was Guido Vargas, president of UPA Nacional, an organization of small- and medium-sized producers.

Vargas, one of the main organizers of the march, said that he hoped not to come back to San José – previous marches against the 2007 tax reform, which set current property taxes, ended unsuccessfully.

“We are hoping to meet with the president of the assembly today to let him know we need his support to pass bill 18,070,” he said. “We want to defend our rights to keep producing on the land.”

Following the daylong demonstration, lawmakers agreed to give the bill priority for discussion on the assembly floor.

Trending Now

Guatemala Makes History as They Face USA in Gold Cup Semifinal Showdown

Desperate to show progress under Mauricio Pochettino, the United States is looking to secure a return to the CONCACAF Gold Cup final on Wednesday...

Costa Rica’s Congress Expands Organized Crime Probe, Summons Ex-Presidents

Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly is intensifying its investigation into alleged links between public officials and organized crime. Earlier today, the Special Permanent Commission on...

An Expat’s Take: 5 Burning Questions About Life in Costa Rica Right Now

Have you been keeping up with the various events taking place in Costa Rica? There is always something interesting going down, and here are...

Costa Rica Faces Scrutiny After Murder of Exiled Nicaraguan Officer

The Costa Rican government is facing growing criticism after the murder of exiled Nicaraguan military officer Roberto Samcam, who was shot to death in...

Costa Rica Identified as Key Maritime Route for Cocaine Trafficking

Costa Rica appears among the main maritime and aerial routes for cocaine trafficking between South and North America, according to the World Drug Report 2025 published...

El Salvador Sentences Ex-Military Chiefs for 1982 Murder of Dutch Journalists

A court in El Salvador sentenced three former military chiefs to 60 years in prison on Thursday for the murder of four Dutch journalists...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica