No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsCrimeOutraged citizens protest in Costa Rica in support of stabbed good Samaritan

Outraged citizens protest in Costa Rica in support of stabbed good Samaritan

University students and other groups on Thursday tacked poster board on a wall outside Calderón Guardia Hospital, in downtown San José, and asked people to write messages of support for Gerardo Cruz Barquero, who was brutally stabbed Wednesday night just days after a video he took of a man apparently trying to shoot video up a woman’s skirt went viral on social media.

Pedestrians soon filled the wall with messages such as “Hang in there Gerardo,” “Stop Macho Violence,” and “Thank you Gerardo!” Other messages urge harsher punishments for perpetrators of sexual harassment.

Cruz, 22, made headlines worldwide earlier this week after he posted a video on his Facebook page confronting another man who he caught recording video with his cellphone up a woman’s skirt.

Cruz’s mother Ana Patricia Barquero said Thursday afternoon that her son was stabbed on his way to a relative’s house where he was supposed to give an interview to Channel 6 Noticias Repretel.

He received several wounds to his chest and has already undergone two surgeries. Calderón Guardia’s medical officials reported Cruz’s current condition as “still critical.”

Cruz has one child and his wife Carolina Zúñiga is five months pregnant. He is currently in the hospital’s intensive care unit, while various relatives remain outside the medical center awaiting updates.

Groups of protesters remained in front of the hospital Thursday afternoon and called the population through social media to attend at least two public demonstrations and vigils in downtown San José on Thursday and over the weekend.

Police say they can’t confirm whether the attack on Cruz was related to the filming incident. They have no suspects yet.

https://www.facebook.com/1663426560571606/photos/a.1663440580570204.1073741828.1663426560571606/1663435507237378/?type=3&permPage=1

Tico Times photographer Alberto Font contributed to this story.

Trending Now

Guatemala Backlash Grows after Escape of Imprisoned Gang Members

The escape of 20 “high-risk” gang members from a prison has sparked a political crisis in Guatemala, with criticism of President Bernardo Arévalo and...

Costa Rican President Brushes Off Surge in Homicides

President Rodrigo Chaves has again brushed off Costa Rica's mounting security problems, labeling them as misunderstandings in a recent interview. Speaking on FOX Noticias,...

Expat Guide to Bilingual Schools in Guanacaste Costa Rica

When my wife and I moved to Costa Rica we were gloriously young and childless. Needless to say, childhood educational options were absent from...

Bolivia Elects Center-Right Leader Amid Crisis

Bolivians on Sunday elected a pro-business center-right senator as their new president, ending two decades of socialist rule that have left the South American...

Tourist Numbers Dropped in Costa Rica During 2025’s First Seven Months

Costa Rica's tourism took a hit in the first seven months of 2025, with visitor numbers dropping compared to the previous year. By the...

Costa Rica National Stadium Renamed INS Estadio in Historic Deal

The National Stadium, a key landmark in La Sabana Metropolitan Park, now carries a new title after a sponsorship agreement. Yesterday, the venue officially...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
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