REPRESENTATIVES of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights toldThe Tico Times yesterday they willannounce on Monday the verdict of thepress freedom case regarding La Naciónreporter Mauricio Herrera.If the court rules in Herrera’s favor, itwould oblige Costa Rican legislators toinitiate massive reforms to Costa Rica’scurrent press freedom laws.Herrera was convicted of libel inCosta Rican courts in 1999 for reportingthat a European magazine had linked formerCosta Rican diplomat FélixPrzedborski, on whom he had conducteda series of investigations, to Italian mafiaactivity.Costa Rica’s Constitutional Chamberof the Supreme Court (Sala IV) rejectedan appeal Herrera submitted in 2001,but the legally binding Inter-AmericanCourt accepted his case last year (TT,April 2).

ELECTRICITY bills will soon be18% higher in homes around the metropolitanarea, the Public ServicesRegulatory Authority (ARESEP)announced this week.ARESEP approved the rate hike formore than 370,000 National Power andLight Company (CNFL) residential customersin San José, Tibás, Guadalupe,Escazú, Santa Ana, Montes de Oca,Moravia, and Desamparados, according tothe daily La Nación.Various rate hikes were also approvedfor municipalities and other agencies.According to ARESEP, the rate hikesaverage to an increase of 14.42% for CNFL,which will allow the company to compensatefor the increased price of energy fromthe Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE).The prices will go into effect oncethey have been published in the officialgovernment newspaper, La Gaceta.

THE annual pilgrimage has begun.The faithful will come together fromaround the country this weekend in anannual journey to the old colonial capitalof Cartago. The object of their devotion isCosta Rica’s patron saint, its belovedNuestra Señora de los Angeles (Our Ladyof the Angels).Tradition holds that on August 2,1635, Juana Pereira, an indigenous girl,found a dark-skinned statue of the VirginMary. She hid it in her house, only tohave it reappear at the rock where shefound it. Twice she took the statue to thelocal priest, and twice it returned to thesite.The priest interpreted the event as asign that the then-segregated city ofCartago should be integrated, and achurch be built on the site. La Negrita, asCosta Ricans affectionately know the statue,sits high above the altar in a 1926Byzantine-style basilica a few blocks eastof the town center. Many attribute miraclesto her.Some 1.5 million pilgrims are expectedto make the romería (pilgrimage) thisyear, the majority timing their arrival forSunday night. Expect lane closures on theFlorencio del Castillo Highway, the principalroute used by the pilgrims, betweenSan José and Cartago. Police and RedCross workers will staff several aid postsalong the way.

GUANACASTE – Last month the firstdozens of what will be 10,000 womenbared their shoulders for an experimentalvaccine against Human Papillomavirus(HPV). The virus is the primary cause ofcervical cancer, and this northern Pacificprovince has one of the highest rates of thatcancer in the world.Called the Guanacaste Project, thesevaccinations are the final phase in aninvestigation that began 11 years ago. It isfunded by the U.S. National CancerInstitute and carried out in conjunctionwith the University of Costa Rica, theINCIENSA Foundation and the HealthMinistry. The drug is manufactured byGlaxo SmithKline Biologicals.Four clinics are now open; three moreare expected within the next few months.There, health workers are administering asix-month series of shots to 20,000 womenover the next six years. Half receive theHPV vaccine, the other half receive anover-the-counter Hepatitis-A vaccine asthe control group.“We were going to use a placebo, but itis not ethical, we thought, so we decided touse something that benefits people – in thiscase, Hepatitis-A, which is common in theregion,” said Dr. Concepción Bratti, one ofthe lead for the project.THE vaccine is directed against twotypes of HPV – type 16 and 18 – that togetheraccount for 70% of cervical cancers in theworld. It has been tested on nearly 700women in Brazil and the United States,according to the main U.S. investigator, Dr.Allan Hildesheim, and similar vaccineshave been used on thousands of women.The Guanacaste Project will determinewhether the vaccine helps the body fightthe virus better than how the body wouldfight it naturally.Guanacaste was chosen for its highincidence of cervical cancer. HPV, which isusually sexually transmitted, does notalways cause cancer, but it often triggers itin women from developing countries (seebox). Those countries do not have theresources to test women regularly, andoften women are diagnosed with cancerwhen it is already in advanced stages.THE high incidence of cervical cancerin Guanacaste has several causes. Dr. AnaCecilia Rodríguez, one of the three primaryresearchers for the project, said the firstcause is an historical predisposition toinfection.Also, for cultural reasons and the lackof clinics near their homes, women did notundergo exams as often as they shouldhave. And there were problems with thequality of the samples taken during theexams and the follow-up of the results.Now, Rodríguez said, after informationcampaigns, th opening of more clinics, andimprovements in examination procedures,women take exams more regularly andthey are better handled by clinic personnel.The region was chosen as the test sitenot only to help stop the spread of thevirus, but also because Costa Rica has agood registry of cancer rates, so it is easierto study, Hildesheim said.WOMEN ages 18-25 were interviewedand asked to participate in thestudy voluntarily. Each clinic has privateoffices for screening interviews to determineif the volunteers are eligible. Factorssuch as pregnancy at the time of thescreening, a hysterectomy, and allergies toprevious vaccinations can bar somewomen from the test.Those who can participate learn aboutthe procedure through a video, pamphletsand discussion with the project’s staff.They know before beginning the treatmentthat they may receive Hepatitis-A vaccinesinstead of HPV vaccines, though duringthe test, they will not know which they arereceiving.They are also told of the possible sideeffects,which can include fatigue,headaches, or fever, that generally dissipatewithin 24 hours after the injection.Should anything go wrong, the women aremedically insured before they begin theshots. A 24-hour medical service phoneline available to the participants as well(800-DOCTORA).Should the drug prove effective, at theend of the study those who received theHepatitis-A vaccine can opt to take theHPV vaccine, and vice-versa.Though there is concern about using adrug on people here that is consideredexperimental, Costa Rican health officialsand scientists involved in the projectallay those fears, and some said theywould prefer to use the drug here thanother places.Dr. Bratti wrote in an article publishedin the Pan-American Journal of PublicHealth, “We believe the women were willingto participate in the study not only fortheir own safety, but also in the hope thattheir efforts would guide the way toward adiminished risk of cervical cancer for thefollowing generations.”Using a vaccine could bring cancerprevention into the scope of the wallets ofthose from developing countries.Screening systems such as those in place inNorth America and Europe, for example,are too expensive to implement in poorcountries.THE project could also have someeconomic benefits. Dr. Rocio Sáenz,Minister of Health, pointed out that it willbe an important source of employment for120 people from different disciplines.Sáenz is also aware that the vaccinecould save lives. She said cancer is thesecond highest cause of death in CostaRica, that there are 8,000 new cases everyyear, and in 2003, 3,405 Costa Ricans diedof the disease. In that year, more than oneCosta Rican woman died every three daysfrom cervical cancer, she said.“I’m sure that the results of this newphase of research will be encouraging andwill contribute greatly to the prevention ofa cancer that has affected millions ofwomen around the world. Especially poorwomen in developing countries.”What Does the Vaccine Do?THE vaccine for Human Papillomavirusis a protein that mimics the formof the virus. It is not capable of infectingthe body, but it makes the body react toit as if it were the virus.The immune system generates antibodiesto defend against the invadingprotein that is actually harmless. Then, ifthe real virus should ever enter, a highernumber of antibodies are ready todefend against it.In a past test published in the NewEngland Journal of Medicine in 2002, of1,533 women ages 16-23, none contracteda persistent infection, while 41women in the control group contractedthose infections.What is Human Papillomavirus?HUMAN Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseasesin the world, according to the U.S. National Institute of Allergies and InfectiousDiseases. More than 100 types of HPV have been identified, of which 40 are sexuallytransmitted and most often affect young people who recently became sexually active.In Guanacaste, more than 20% of women 25 years old and younger are infected,according to the results of the first phases of the Guanacaste Project. Some people whohave the disease may not have any symptoms; others develop genital warts of varyingdegrees of severity.In some cases the body fights off the virus on its own. In others, the warts requiretreatment, such as with creams or clinical procedures such as cutting and laser removal.HPV has been associated with cervical and vulvar cancers in women, penis cancerin men (a rare cancer) and anal cancer. Factors that could cause the virus to trigger cancerare the number of pregnancies a women has had, smoking, the use of oral contraceptivesfor more than five years, other sexually transmitted diseases and genetic characteristics.According to the Pan-American Journal of Public Health, 466,000 new cases of invasivecervical cancer are reported in the world every year, most in developing countries.The highest incidence rates worldwide are in Latin America, the Caribbean, SoutheastAsia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Two hundred thousand women die from the disease everyyear.It is difficult to protect against the virus. Condoms are not effective because the wartscan occur outside the areas protected by condoms, and the disease cannot be detectedby simple blood tests, according to Dr. Rodolfo Herrero, head of the research team forthe Guanacaste Project.

A small country like CostaRica cannot afford to be excludedfrom global commerce. It musthave a proactive trade policybased on seeking permanenttrade agreements with its maintrading partners, according toChilean Interior Minister andVice-President José MiguelInsulza.While serving as Chile’sForeign Minister during the late 1990s,Insulza played an active role in definingChile’s foreign trade policy, which has centeredon the negotiation of free-trade agreements.Insulza visited Costa Rica on Monday asa guest of the Foreign Trade Ministry(COMEX) to give a conference on Chile’sexperience negotiating free-trade agreementsand entering the global marketplace.He was here during Tuesday’s tragedy at hiscountry’s embassy (see separate story.)“FREE-trade agreements are likebridges,” Insulza explained. “They areplaced by the government, but are used byprivate citizens. The government does notexport, but it is responsible for creating theright conditions that make it possible for privatecitizens to export.”Trade agreements help cement traderelations between countries by providingcompanies and investors with an addedsense of certainty and security. These conditions,along with a good business climate,lead to increased trade and investmentbetween the countries that sign trade agreements,Insulza said.Insulza said he is pessimistic about theimmediate future of multilateral trade negotiations,namely the stalled Free-Trade Areaof the Americas (FTAA) and the DohaDevelopment Round of the World TradeOrganization (WTO) negotiations. Giventhe slow pace of multilateral forums, Insulzarecommended Costa Rica take the reins andmove forward in negotiating bilateral andregional trade agreements.Based on Chile’s experience enteringfree-trade agreements, Insulza predicted theCentral American Free-Trade Agreement(CAFTA) with the United States, ifapproved, would benefit Central America,increasing its exports to the United Statesand attracting additional foreign directinvestment to the region.Insulza also said it would be beneficialfor Central America to negotiate a free-tradeagreement with the European Union (EU).CHILE is often cited by economistsand policymakers as an example of how arelatively small country can achieve significanteconomic growth through anexport-based development model. Onrepeated occasions, top Costa Rican officialshave called Chile a role model CostaRica should strive to emulate.Chile began opening its markets andconcentrating its efforts on exports in thelate 1970s and early 1980s — nearly adecade before the idea caught on in the restof Latin America. Having this head startgreatly benefited the country, Insulza said.The export-based development modelled to unprecedented economic growth duringthe 1990s. Chile cemented its model bynegotiating permanent trade and investmentagreements with the majority of its neighborsand trading partners.Today, Chile has signed various types oftrade and investmentagreements with 47 countries representing80% of its trading partners.Chile has signed and implemented free tradeagreements with the United States,Canada, the European Union (EU), everycountry in Latin America with the exceptionof Panama and the Caribbean Communityand South Korea, among others. The countryis also in the process of formalizing itstrade relations with Japan and India.THE main objective of Chile’s tradepolicy has been to consolidate and improveaccess to foreign markets for its products.Insulza warned of the dangers ofdepending on unilateral trade concessionand the need to replace them with reciprocaltrade agreements. Most Central Americanexports enter the United States duty-freethrough the Caribbean Basin Initiative(CBI) and the Generalized System ofPreferences (GSP), unilateral trade concessions.Central American exports to Europebenefit from EU’s version of GSP.Costa Rica’s main objective during theCAFTAnegotiations was to consolidate CBIprivileges. To eliminate the uncertainty ofGSP and unilateral trade concessions, exportershave asked the government to negotiatea permanent trade agreement with theEU in the near future (TT, Oct. 17, 2003).THE problem with these types of preferencesis that they are not permanent andcan be revoked at any time by the governmentsthat award them. Reciprocal tradeagreements consolidate these privilegesand make them permanent, providingexporters and investors with greater certainty,Insulza explained.To make the most of its trade agreements,Chile has striven to improve itsinternal business climate by eliminatingunnecessary procedures and requirementsand reducing transaction costs. An openeconomy, a good business climate andpolitical and social stability are essential inattracting foreign direct investment, whichin turn creates jobs, he said.However, trade policy needs to beimplemented in such a way that it allowsthe government to retain its autonomy andauthority in regulating economic activities.While it may seem like a paradox, findinga balance between globalization and stateregulation is essential, he explained.FOR Costa Rica to continue to succeedin the global market and make the most ofthe opportunities created by the free-tradeagreements it has signed, it must continue todiversify its export base, offering new productsin addition to those it is already successfulat exporting, Insulza said.Insulza also said it is essential to ensurethat small and medium businesses haveaccess to affordable credit. The countrymust develop qualified human resources byinvesting in science and technology andmake the investments needed to improve itsinfrastructure, especially its shipping ports.

NO new teachers will be hired, no newschools will be built, no new guards will behired to protect the country’s nationalparks, and investment in infrastructure willbe reduced to a bare minimum in 2005…These are just a few of the governmentprograms and expenditures that will be cutor eliminated under the 2005 budget, unlesslegislators approve the Permanent FiscalReform Package, a tax package they havebeen debating for the last year and half.Finance Minister Alberto Dent onTuesday presented a rough outline of whatnext year’s budget will look like. The proposedbudget takes drastic measures tolimit government spending.“Since we have no certainty that thefiscal plan will be approved during the nextsix months, it would be irresponsible toincrease spending,” Dent explained duringTuesday’s weekly Cabinet meeting. “Forthat reason, we are preparing the budgetunder the assumption that the fiscal reformwill not be approved.”The proposed budget, which will be submittedto the Legislative Assembly on Sept.1, will total ¢1.4 trillion ($3.19 billion) —slightly less than 10% more than the 2004budget. However, taking into account inflation,which is expected to reach 11% thisyear (see separate story), the budget willincrease by practically zero, Dent explained.“The country’s economic stability willnot be negotiated,” Dent said. “This is not theeasiest solution, but it is the responsible one.”THE cost-cutting measures will cancelthe Public Education Ministry’s plans to hire2,000 new full-time teachers and build 75schools, high schools and teleconferencing styleschools in remote areas next year.Under the proposed budget, no institutionwould be allowed to hire additionalemployees. Salary increases for publicemployees aimed at compensating forinflation would be dramatically reduced.Essentially, funding for all governmentprograms, including basic infrastructure,would be frozen at current levels,and in some cases cut.All “non-priority” expenses such astrips, representation, receptions and food atgovernment institutions will be cut by50%. These measures will not apply atofficial functions organized by CasaPresidencial, the Foreign Ministry and theForeign Trade Ministry (COMEX).Through the measures, the governmenthopes to finish 2005 with a primary surplus(not including interest payments on thedebt) equal to 1.7% of the country’s grossdomestic product (GDP). This wouldreduce the fiscal deficit to an amount equalto 2.5% of the GDP, lower than the 2.9%the government hopes to achieve this year.The submission of the Central AmericanFree-Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with theUnited States to the Legislative Assemblyand a $350 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) tomake the country more competitive inpreparation for CAFTAare also conditionedon the tax plan’s approval (TT, July 23).HOWEVER, if the tax plan isapproved before the end of 2004, socialspending will be resumed, Dent said.The tax plan would provide the governmentwith additional revenues equal to2.56% of the GDP.Under this scenario, an amount equal1% of the GDP or approximately ¢95.8billion ($218 million) would be set asidefor social programs. The fiscal deficitwould also be reduced, dropping to justover 1% of the GDP.The fiscal plan would significantlyreduce the rate at which Costa Rica’s debtincreases. In 2005, only 6% of the budgetwould need to be financed through bonds,compared to 24% in 2004.DENT denied the austerity measuresare a sign the government has given up onthe tax plan.“We haven’t thrown in the towel,” hesaid. “We’re just being realistic. We haveour feet on the ground and will continue toprotect the country’s stability.”Dent admitted the tax plan faces anuphill battle. On the floor of the assembly,the tax plan faces 1,250 reform motions,1,000 of which were issued by members ofthe Libertarian Movement Party.Even if they finish debating themotions, legislators cannot vote on theplan until the Constitutional Chamber ofthe Supreme Court (Sala IV) rules on anunconstitutionality action filed last monthagainst the plan. Last week, the GovernmentAttorney’s Office recommended theSala IV uphold the action.“We’ll fight until the last day for thetax plan,” Dent promised. “But if it’s notapproved, people can rest assured thatwe’ll protect the country’s stability.”

IT will be a while before more cellphone lines become available in CostaRica.The Comptroller General’s Office lastweek failed to approve the sale of600,000 new second-generation GSM cellphone lines to the Costa Rican Electricityand Telecom Institute (ICE) by Swedishtelecom firm Ericsson.Originally, ICE planned to have thenew lines up and running by March ofnext year. However, the Comptroller’sOffice had 28 objections to the contractICE and Ericsson signed last month.The Comptroller’s Office is requiringthe contract include guarantees the systemthat will work properly. Since its debut inDecember 2002, ICE’s GSM cell phoneservice, which was purchased fromFrench telecom firm Alcatel, has frustratedcustomers, with inadequate service andreduced coverage.The Comptroller’s Office also questionedhow Ericsson was awarded thecontract.Last week, President Abel Pachecofired two ICE board members, who traveledto the Czech capital of Prague lastOctober with Ricardo Taylor, Ericsson’stop representative in Costa Rica. Theboard members and Alvaro Retana, ICE’ssub-manager of telecommunications, wereon an official trip to a telecommunicationsconference in Switzerland.The three officials left the conferenceearly to travel to Prague on what theylater described as “personal business”(TT, July 23). Two months after the trip,Ericsson won the bid.Comptroller Alex Solís said the mentionof the Prague trip was just an observationand did not influence the institution’sfinal decision on the contract.Pablo Cob, Executive President ofICE, said the Comptroller’s observationswere positive and would benefit customers,but admitted they would delay thenew lines from going on the market.Ericsson, through a press statement,said it would work to improve the contractin a way that is acceptable by theComptroller’s Office in the shortest timepossible.

IT was raining.It had been rainingfor as long as I couldremember, in reality,probably three days.Wake up in the rain,go to work in therain, come home inthe rain.The continuouslydreary skies werereflected in mymood. I longed for asingle moment of thesun warming the back of my neck.I arrived home that particular day at 6p.m. after twelve hours at the office. I wastired – tired of the constant ringing of thephone at work, tired of Ticos, tired of CostaRica. All of the reasons that I had originallymoved here were far from my mind.My clothes needed washing. My wifehad moved back to the states three monthsbefore with promises of frequent visits. Leftto my own devices, my inherent laziness hadslowly taken over. I never perform anydomestic chores until the consequencesdrive me grudgingly into action.I take out the trash when it stinks, washthe dishes when the sink is too full to use,sweep the floor when I can’t stand the feelof the grit on the soles of my feet.AND I do laundry … yes, you guessedit, when there are no clean clothes left towear. I am forced to carry the clothing andsupplies down the stairs outside to the commonarea and to the odd, inconvenientmachine that patiently awaits.Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful tohave been provided with the use of thisdevice. But when you are already longingfor your nice, soft bed and the blissfulrelease of sleep, the tediousness of theprocess can push you into despair. Take thehose from the wall, fill the washer withwater, run for 15 minutes, drain the soapywater, take the hose from the wall, refill forrinsing, run for another 15 minutes, drain thewater, move half of the clothes into the spinnercompartment and spin for a few minutes,hang clothes on clothes line, move rest ofclothes to spinner and then hang on the line.Then you must wait an average of twodays for them to dry, as IT IS RAINING.Memories of the simple two-step processrequired in the First World flooded my brain.Finally, the task completed, I climbedthe stairs and quickly assembled and hungrilygulped down two cheese and olive sandwiches.Then I walked into the bedroomand flipped on the light, intending to fallquickly into bed.FOR a few moments, I was literallyfrozen in horror. There were perhaps 30small brown worm-like creatures crawlingabout on top of the sheets. Self-pity slammedinto me like waves on a rocky shore.I rarely experience jealousy, but thethought of my wife in a cozy, temperaturecontrolled NON-infested apartment inNevada drove me deeper into despair. Withsmall whiny noises in the back of my throat,I grabbed a heavy paper insert from the middleof a magazine and began franticallyscraping the insects into the floor.It was then that I noticed all of the semitransparentwinds scattered about. It seemsthat the little monsters had landed on the bed,shed their wings, and commenced to look formembers of the opposite sex to breed.Within minutes of the removal, severalmore appeared as if by magic. I found thesource of this plague a few days later. Theywere eating the window frame.AFTER disposing of the new visitorsfrom hell, I scanned for additions for maybefive minutes. The thought crossed my mindthat I could take advice from the “I saw anold lady that swallowed a fly” nursery rhymeand invite in some lizards and frogs as temporaryroommates. But also rememberingthe disastrous results usually achieved whenmankind messes with Mother Nature, Ipushed these ideas from my head.I switched off the light, and after 20 minutesof brushing imaginary creepy crawliesoff my body, fell into a deep sleep.About two hours later, the phone began toring; it’s loud warbling an assault to the coreof my being. I climbed up from the depths ofunconsciousness and staggered to the phone.“Alo,” I mumbled.It was my wife, calling to give me a verybrief update on a family disagreement.Although the call did not last long, it wasenough to propel me back into self-pity.AFTERWARDS, “I have to get up at 4a.m.” ran in a continuous loop in my mindfor perhaps an hour. Finally, I slid off into afitful napping state. Only moments later (orso it seemed) the alarm clock began itsincessant demands.I stumbled into the kitchen to start thecoffee maker on its task of creating the wonderful,life-giving fluid. Then I stepped overto the front door and swung it open to greetthe new day. It was raining.Kevin Huey is a native of Atlanta, Ga.who moved to beautiful Hatillo with his wifeCynthia. He now works as a computer supportcall center agent in Santa Ana. Heplays bass in Rockustico, and guitar withBruce Callow.

THERE may be a new sound to add to the cacophonyof cheers and honking horns on or off the soccer field: acha-ching chorus of cash registers. Maybe the new fanswill take to cackling, as well.Las Brujas (Witches), a renamed and relocated andnewly outfitted team that laid claim to the posh southwestSan José suburb of Escazú will try to break financialrecords as well as game records.The base of the team is the struggling GuanacasteSports Association from the northern Pacific province,refreshed with star players from other Costa Rican clubsand international players from Brazil, Uruguay andSlovakia.Nearly one month ago they left the coast, changed theirname to Las Brujas in a nod to Escazú’s age-old handle, theCity of Witches, and began kicking balls around the stadiumthere under head coach Fernando Sosa. In mid-Augustthey should be able to prove what they’re capable of intheir first game in their new disguise – which does notinclude pointy hats.A slew of teams seem to do little but give the country’stwo greats, the Alajuelan Sports League, called LaLiga, and the Saprissa Sports Club, something to do whenthey are not playing each other. The talk among the playersand Las Brujas’ higher-ups is that they plan to changethat, if not this year, then soon. They also plan to changethe way sports are sold in this country.“I know the football (soccer) business is a big business,but here in Costa Rica it’s not big,” said StefanoSgarlata, the team owner from Italy. “We are trying to puttogether a club with the same idea as in Europe. It is acompany, not just a club, so we think it’s a good business.”THE difference is that the team does not just entertainon the field. It will throw public parties and host autograph signingevents, players will make scheduled appearances innight spots and schools around San José and in an Internetchat-room, and its performance onthe field will be a vehicle to promotea Las Brujas brand of products.None of that will make a differenceif the team can’t score goals thisseason, but neither the players nor thecoaches seem worried that they won’tdo well.With just a few weeks of trainingbehind the newly remodeledteam entering the firstmatch of the season, teamcaptain Vinicio Alvaradoexpects to rank among thefirst-place teams inthe first division.“We can beatthem,” he said, referringto the Tico soccer kings laLiga and Saprissa. “We have two yearstogether and we have hired good players fromother teams.”He has been with the team for the past twoyears when it was in Guanacaste, coming onboard when Sgarlata bought it. Last year the antiquatedversion of the team took fourth place in the first division,an encouraging rank for the team that is now freshly invigoratedwith new talent.THREE players for Costa Rica’s national team play forLas Brujas – Bernie Peña, defense, Alexander Jara, goalie,and Rodrigo Cordero, forward, who alsoplayed in the 2002 World Cup.“The conditions have improved”since the team left Guanacaste, Alvaradosaid. “We’re better paid, we have sponsors,good equipment – now we canfocus on playing, not worrying aboutgetting paid or anything else.”Head coach Sosa, from Uruguay –one of the people who give the team itsinternational flavor – sees a vast differencebetween the team when it was in Guanacaste and nowthat it is in Escazú.“It’s better in all respects – good raw material (theplayers), good sports equipment,” he said. “InGuanacaste, we didn’t have enough – the players had tobuy their shoes, there were no goals, cones. Here we haveclothes for training and the things we need. We’re workingto get the same rhythm we had last year with the newplayers. I’m content.”TEAM captain Alvarado agrees that the team has cometogether well.“In the soccer aspect we play well, the team is veryaggressive and knows what it wants,” hesaid. “People see the team favorably. It’sa big commitment we have to them – wecan’t fail.”Vicente Rosela, a forward from SanJosé’s northeast suburb Moravia said, “Idon’t want people to have the slightestdoubt that we will fight and that we willwin matches to put us in the highestranks.”The English-speaking Brazilian playersstruggle through Spanish, but Leandro Gobatto, a forwardfrom Sao Paulo, said he has not had any problemadjusting to Costa Rica.“I feel like I’m home,” he said. In spite of that instantcomfort, he said he would like to play in Europe after the coming season with Las Brujas.HIS wish may come true. Team owner Sgarlata is a FIFA(Fédération International de Football Association) agentresponsible for 90% of the sales ofCosta Rican players to other teamsabroad – mostly to Europe, Asia andMexico, Sgarlata said.He bought the Guanacaste team twoyears ago when it rose from second divisionto first.“The idea of the team is to promoteplayers,” said Antonio Moyano, sportsdirector for Las Brujas. “When they dowell here, Stefano will sell them to othercountries.”Moyano has been in soccer fordecades, having come to Costa Ricamore than 30 years ago from a professionalcareer as a forward in Madrid tocoach here. Now he leaves the coachingto others, but remains as a consultant, recommending whichplayers to buy and which to sell.TO help ensure their success and the flow of fresh talent,Las Brujas maintains a league of young players, ages 14-20,who could fill its ranks some day. Carlos Blanco, theUruguayan coach of the Junior teams, issued a call for youngplayers through radio and television spots in late June. Hehas since pared down the 250 applicants to 20 for his firstcategory team. Then he will fill three more categories, basedon the kids’ ages, with 20 kids each.“They are good quality players, they have good technique,but little sense of sacrifice,” he said. “We have toingrain the concepts of sacrifice, characterand dreams.”The kids and the players are not justa potential wildcard in the battlebetween the country’s established greatteams, they will be vehicles for promotinga product line.“We’re definitely trying to dothings differently,” José Pablo Rivera,the creative director, said. “We’re lookingat it as more than a football team –we are trying to combine football withentertainment – breaking away fromthe usual.”BEFORE its first game the teamalready had a Web site, a long line ofofficial sponsors and a list of officialproducts that will be sold in CasaBrujas stores in shopping centers throughout San José and itsoutskirts.“Foreigners are becoming fans of the team,” Rivera said.“They see it as something different, more merchandising,better image. And possibly an English section on Web site.”To appease the foreigners’ tastes, Las Brujas sells seasontickets, rather than single tickets to each game. It is also developingan affiliates club – a card that fans buy to earn discountsat designated restaurants, clubs, stores, enter exclusive pageson the Web site and earn cheap or free game passes.For info and ticket purchases, call 800-BRUJASFC(800-278-5273), or visit the Web site at www.brujasfc.com