President Carlos Alvarado delivered a message of hope as Costa Rica and the world welcomed the new decade.
In a video shared on official social media pages, President Alvarado, alongside First Lady Claudia Dobles, said the Costa Rican government will focus on reducing socioeconomic gaps and “leaving no one behind” in 2020 and beyond.
“The individual effort of each person on this earth and the joint effort of a united country to move forward will make 2020 a great year of well-being for our country,” President Alvarado said.
Watch the entire address below (in Spanish):
El 2020 será un año de bienestar y esperanza. El esfuerzo individual de cada persona de esta tierra y el esfuerzo conjunto de un país unido para salir adelante hará que el próximo año sea un gran año de bienestar para nuestro país. ¡Feliz 2020! pic.twitter.com/4GfqdFn0m0
— Carlos Alvarado Quesada (@CarlosAlvQ) December 31, 2019
Here is an English translation of the speech:
President Alvarado: This year is coming to an end. It has been a year of a lot of work, of difficult moments but also of joys. It has been a year in which Costa Rica has made efforts and sacrifices, but it has done so to establish a solid foundation and to be better.
First Lady Dobles: This year, many of our athletes, scientists, artists, activists and businesspeople were recognized on a national and international level. The country was recognized by the United Nations for its achievements in environmental activism and leadership in the fight against the climate crisis.
President Alvarado: As a country, we have recovered fiscal stability, and as a result our confidence and ability to grow further. This year, we achieved important things like limiting luxury pensions and launching plans to rescue people with high debts. Also this year, we saw the conclusion or advance of many infrastructure projects. …
For a second year in a row, we have registered a drop in criminal activity and the homicide rate, and we should continue establishing security and peace.
First Lady Dobles: In this 2019, working with public banks, we managed to provide better access to housing for the middle class. We also managed significant advances in the process to modernize and make more robust our public transportation, promote mobility with zero emissions and approach the decarbonization of our transportation sector.
President Alvarado: In the last five months, the economy has begun its reactivation, as indicated by the National Bank. This route, in 2020, must take us to reduce unemployment, the country’s principal challenge. In 2020, it must be a year of a lot of work, but one in which we begin to see the fruits of that labor.
The year 2020 will be a year of renewed hope, when we’ll work as a country to reduce unemployment and reduce gaps in education, health and access to opportunities.
First Lady Dobles: We’ll dedicate 2020 to reduce socioeconomic and territorial gaps in Costa Rica. We’ll break the knots that stop our advance as a people, leaving no one behind.
President Alvarado: The individual effort of each person on this earth and the joint effort of a united country to move forward will make 2020 a great year of well-being for our country.
On our part, with much affection and love, we wish you a Happy New Year 2020.
