President Alvarado responds to apparent call to arms against Costa Rica’s government

The President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, ordered on Tuesday an investigation into the origin of a video released on social networks in which a group of men dressed in camouflage suits issue a call to take up arms against the government.

“I have instructed the security and intelligence authorities to carry out studies and an investigation into a video released yesterday [Monday] that openly attacks our democracy and our constitution,” Alvarado told reporters Tuesday at Casa Presidencial.

In the video, one of its members identifies the group as the Patriot Front July 7 (FP7J), a previously unknown group. The images show a dozen men with their faces covered, several of them armed, for a little more than three minutes.

The message says that Alvarado “betrayed the country, betrayed all Costa Ricans.”

“We have taken the decision to rise up in arms and we will not give up,” says one of the men. He adds, “We call on the National Police to join this revolutionary crusade for the benefit of the most needy”.

The President indicated that “the appropriate measures will be taken to identify, investigate and punish those responsible.”

The video was published after several days of social upheaval last week, when groups of students, truckers, fishermen and trade unionists demonstrated against the new value added tax (VAT), among other causes.

“I call on all the forces of this country […] to repudiate violence in our country, which is our common home, and to categorically reject this anti-democratic message and violence,” Alvarado said.

He also noted that his administration takes the message of the video, which calls for the resignation of the president and deputies, “with all appropriate seriousness.”