COSTA Rica boasts more than 10,000different plant species.An area of Argentina three times thesize of Costa Rica boasts one: geneticallymodified soy.This reality is changing the face of notonly Argentina’s economy, but also thecountry’s society and culture, Argentineanactivist Carlos Vicente told Costa Ricanstudents, professors, farmers, and unionleaders at a conference held last week atUniversidad Nacional (UNA) in Heredia.Vicente is part of the non-governmentalorganization GRAIN, which promotesagricultural biodiversity. GRAIN membersfrom around the world visited Costa Ricato encourage citizens and policy makers tobe cautious about genetically modifiedorganisms (GMOs) as the country establishesa National Framework in Biosecurityto regulate the new technology.Although GMO cultivation in CostaRica is presently limited to less than 600hectares (1,500 acres) for seed research(TT, April 2), scientists are attempting tocreate a banana resistant to the devastatingblack sigatoka disease.Proposals are also before the Ministryof Agriculture to grow GMO crops for animalfeed.GMOS, also known as transgenics, arecrops genetically modified by scientists toexhibit certain traits, such as disease orherbicide resistance.“Our question is not just the science oftransgenics, but the culture of agriculture,”Vicente said at the July 15 conference,Threats to Biological and Cultural Diversity.Transgenic soy first appeared inArgentina in 1991 and is now grown on 14million hectares (54,000 square miles).The majority of this crop is RoundupReady Soy, created by GMOs biggest corporation,Monsanto. The soy was geneticallymodified to be resistant to Roundup, anherbicide sold by Monsanto. Problematicweeds – and all other species – are thereforekilled without affecting the soy.“This has had a terrible effect on the biodiversityof our agriculture,” Vicente said.Furthermore, soy production hasreduced the agricultural labor force –requiring only about one worker per 500hectares (1,200 acres).“We have seen a brutal expelling ofworkers to the cities,” he said. “Milk andgrain production has been totally displaced.”The Argentinean government has setgoals to increase the soy crop by 1 millionhectares (3,800 square miles) peryear, Vicente said.CORN is part of Mexico’s eating culture,and it too is threatened by GMOs,conference attendees were told. Cross-pollinationfrom transgenic corn is eliminatinglocal varieties, with dangerous repercussions,said Mexican Aldo González, whorepresents the Sierra Juárez de OaxacaUnion of Organizations.For more than 6,000 years, indigenousin Mexico have grown corn. Farmers haveadapted hundreds of species to grow in thecountry’s various climates and elevations.Still, Mexico began importing geneticallymodified corn from the United Statesin the 1990s under the North AmericanFree-Trade Agreement (NAFTA).In 2001, researchers from theUniversity of California at Berkeley discoveredMexican corn varieties were being“contaminated” by corn grown from thetransgenic imports, meaning their geneticmaterial was altered.Asurvey of the country in 2003 revealednine states had contaminated corn, someexpressing unusual physical characteristicslike exposed roots, four-meter-long stemsand corn cobs with only one grain of corn.“The Mexican government has notdeveloped a single policy to stop this,”González said.“The whole of humanity is at risk,” hecontinued. “In 1970, in the eastern UnitedStates, a fungus attacked corn crops. Toeradicate this pest, researchers went toMexico and found a variety resistant to thefungus. We need these varieties.”ZAMBIAN Lovemore Simwanda,who is head of the Zambian FarmersUnion, said despite serious U.S. pressure,Zambia rejected requests to grow or eatgenetically modified crops. Eighty percentof the country’s population is comprised ofsmall-scale farmers.In 2001 and 2002, experts predicted aserious food crisis for southern Africa,including Zambia. Approximately 4.2 millionpeople were predicted to die.“Our good brothers said ‘we don’twant 4.2 million people to die,’ so the U.S.Food Aid program offered us a loan oftransgenic grain,” Simwanda said.Debate over whether to accept the loanrevealed the country was not at risk of thefood shortage some suggested. The countrydecided to reject the offer.FEEDING the world’s hungry is oneof the biggest myths of GMOs, GRAINdirector Henk Hobbelink said.More than 90% of commercial GMOsare soy, corn, canola and cotton. Most aregrown for exportation or animal feed, notlocal consumption. The vast majority aregrown for herbicide or insect resistance,rather than characteristics more appropriatefor developing countries, like poor soilconditions or drought, Hobbelink said.More than 90% of these crops aregrown in the United States, Canada, Chinaand Argentina.“It is the United States and Canada whoare trying to convince the world to acceptthese seeds,” he said. “And they are almostall coming from one company, Monsanto.”RATHER than buckling under U.S.pressure, Zambia has created its own policyon transgenics.“We are trying to be proactive and notreactive,” Simwanda said. “We are holdingforums in schools and universities, assessingand monitoring the gene flows in thesouthern Africa region. And in the past fewyears we have grown a surplus with conventionalfarming.” Simwanda suggestedCosta Rica do the same.“You need to make sure all stakeholdersare part of the discussion,” he said.Costa Rica is in the process of creatingits own comprehensive approach to transgenicsthrough the National Framework inBiosecurity. The framework is expected toresult in legislation regarding handling andimport/export of GMOs.Although the framework is still inworking form, coordinator Alex May saidit includes provisions to require labeling onall products that include transgenics, aswell as regulations regarding where andhow transgenic crops can be grown.Nevertheless, GMO opponents inCosta Rica have called for a 10-year moratoriumon transgenic crops while theirpotential effects are studied (TT, April 23).

PRESUMED a flight risk, OsvaldoVillalobos, brother of the man who operateda multimillion-dollar high-interest loan operationthat closed in late 2002 after a policeraid, has had his preventive prison orderextended until the end of August.In jail for more than a year and a half,during which he was under house arrest fortwo months because of poor health (TT, Feb.13), Villalobos has not yet been formallyaccused of a crime. Before the extension, hispreventive detention order would haveended April 28.Meanwhile, his brother Luis EnriqueVillalobos is still wanted by Costa Ricanauthorities and International Police(Interpol).Police have so far failed to track him,though he is listed on Interpol’s Web site aspossibly dangerous, an international fugitivewanted on charges of fraud, money-launderingand illegal financial intermediation (TT,Dec. 24, 2003).LUIS Enrique and Osvaldo Villalobosran a high-risk investment business called“The Brothers” and a currency exchangehouse for at least 15 years. The bottomdropped out on the unregulated business afew months after police raided it in July2002.The Canadian Royal Mounted Policetold Costa Rican officials they suspected thetwo of laundering drug money from Canada.Investigators raided the brothers’ officesand Osvaldo’s home on July 4, 2002, seizingdocuments, computers and more than$300,000, sparking panic among the 6,000-plus investors who had loaned “TheBrothers” a minimum of $10,000 apiece inexchange for monthly interest returns of 2.8-3% (TT, Nov. 14, 2003).After the business closed in October2002, Luis Enrique disappeared andOsvaldo was taken into custody.Some investors had deposited their lifesavings in the business. Prosecutors frozeabout $7 million in funds deposited inaccounts linked the “The Brothers,” JudicialBranch spokeswoman Sandra Castro said.WHILE no one can say with accuracyhow much of clients’ money is missing,some say as much as $1 billion may havevanished when the business shut down.Prosecutors sent requests for informationto banks in 169 countries seekingaccounts in the name of the Villalobos brotherswithout any luck, Castro said.Castro told The Tico Times last week the$7 million were unfrozen in late January andstashed in an account of the Penal Court ofSan José at a bank whose name was not disclosed.The money will remain there, shesaid, until after Osvaldo’s trial or release.Though the money is “unfrozen,” theinvestors cannot touch it, rather, it willremain in the bank collecting interest, Castrosaid.She also said it is unclear whether theinvestors will be able to collect the interest itis earning now.

THE government’s top legal expertsthis week sided with legislators who havequestioned the way in which congressionalleaders attempted to speed up passage ofthe much-delayed tax plan upon which thegovernment has conditioned many of thecountry’s most urgent projects.Undeterred, President Abel Pacheco onTuesday once more said he will conditionfunding for rural roads, the hiring of additionalguards at the country’s nationalparks (see separate story) and the submissionof the Central American Free-TradeAgreement (CAFTA) with the UnitedStates to the Legislative Assembly (TT,July 16) on the approval of the tax reforms.Pacheco also downplayed the importanceof the Government Attorney’s Officeannouncement.“IT’S somewhat disconcerting, but itdoesn’t worry us much,” said Pacheco duringhis weekly cabinet meeting. “The recommendationsmade by the GovernmentAttorney’s Office are not binding. What worriesus is the final decision by the justices ofthe Constitutional Chamber of the SupremeCourt (Sala IV). However, I don’t think thiswill weigh heavily on the Sala’s decision.”Pacheco said the report has limitedimportance because Adjunct GovernmentAttorney Farid Beirute, the highest-rankingofficial in the Government Attorney’sOffice, did not sign it. Beirute, who was onvacation when the report was prepared, hassaid he stands behind the report.Last month, Sala IV accepted anunconstitutionality action filed by legislativedeputies José Miguel Corrales ofNational Liberation Party and GerardoVargas of Citizen Action Party.The action alleged then-president ofthe Legislative Assembly Mario Redondo,of the ruling Social Christian Unity Party,violated the Constitution last March whenhe interpreted an internal regulation withthe intention of speeding up the tax plan’sdiscussion (TT, July 9).Until the Sala IV issues a definite rulingon the unconstitutionality action, thetax plan cannot be put to vote. Althoughthe Sala IV has no time limit to evaluatematters of unconstitutionality, it is expectedto give it top priority because of itsimportance.In the first step of the toward making adecision, the Sala IV asked theGovernment Attorney’s Office to conducta legal study on the matter with recommendationson how the court should rule.In its report, the attorney’s office recommendedthe Sala IV declare Redondo’sactions unconstitutional.Although the seven justices of the SalaIV are not required to follow the governmentattorney’s pronouncement, the reportcould influence their decision.If the Sala IV upholds the claims madeby Corrales and Vargas, all changes to thetax plan made since March would beannulled, further delaying the tax plan,which is already two years behind schedule.REDONDO this week also downplayedthe importance of the report.“Where there are three lawyers, thereare always five legal opinions,” Redondotold The Tico Times. “The report isrespectable, but the GovernmentAttorney’s opinion is one of many that theSala IV has to look at.”REDONDO said he and a group ofdeputies from several parties would arguetheir side before the Sala IV today.Redondo defended his actions, callingthem necessary and the only way toovercome the “filibustering and parliamentaryterrorist tactics” used bydeputies of the Libertarian MovementParty to delay the tax plan, which theyadamantly oppose.Redondo said Costa Rica’s solidaritybaseddevelopment model is at stake in thiscase. The future of Costa Rica’s publiceducation and health-care services dependson the rapid approval of the tax plan, hewarned.Expressing confidence the unconstitutionalityaction will be struck down,Redondo said he had other “possibilities”that would make it possible to move theplan forward in case the Sala IV annuls allthe changes made to the tax plan sinceMarch.Libertarian deputy FedericoMalavassi alleged the GovernmentAttorney’s report dealt only with the firstin a long series of mistakes made byRedondo to impose the tax plan on thecountry.As soon as the Sala IV issues a ruling,he said, the Libertarians will file anotherunconstitutionality action againstRedondo questioning other measures hetook to speed up the passing of the taxplan last month (TT, June 11).FIRST proposed in 2002 by a commissionof former finance ministers, thePermanent Fiscal Reform Package aimsto increase government revenues and permanentlyreduce the country’s spiralingfiscal deficit by creating new taxes andimproving collection of existing ones(TT, Dec. 5, 2003).Costa Rica’s fiscal deficit for the firstsix months of this year was equal to 1.21%of the country’s gross domestic product(GDP) – within the government’s target ofless than 3.5% of the GDP for the entireyear. In 2003, the fiscal deficit was equalto 4.1% of the country’s GDP, according tothe Finance Ministry.The deficit remains a major source ofconcern for the country’s economic stability.The 15.1% increase in governmentrevenues reported during the first sixmonths was overshadowed by a 15.8%increase in interest payments on thecountry’s debt, according to the FinanceMinistry.Agustín Carstens, deputy managingdirector of the International MonetaryFund (IMF), while in Costa Rica last week,urged the country to pass the tax plan toreduce the fiscal deficit.He said the government could graduallyreduce the amount of the annual budgetused to pay interest on debt andincrease the amount of money availablefor the country’s social programs (TT,July 16).

SOME Costa Rican opponents of theCentral American Free-Trade Agreementwith the United States (CAFTA) are raisingred flags over the trade agreement’sapparent asymmetrical legal standing inthe United States and in Costa Rica.Under U.S. law, CAFTA, like otherbilateral and regional trade agreements theUnited States has signed, is not a treaty, butrather a congressional-executive agreement.Federal laws have the same legalstanding as trade agreements and, for thatmatter, international treaties.However, under Costa Rican law,CAFTA is an international treaty, and ifpassed would have a higher legal standingthan all domestic legislation. The rank ofinternational treaty is second only to thecountry’s Constitution.All Costa Rican legislation, except forspecific “non-conforming measures” mentionedin CAFTA, must be compatible withthe agreement.IN the United States, all federal legislation(including federal laws, internationaltreaties and trade agreements) is on thesame hierarchical level. Future federallaws enacted after CAFTA could even,under certain circumstances, contradictCAFTA, according to Joel Trachtman, professorof international law at the FletcherSchool at Tufts University in Boston,Mass. U.S. federal legislation is basedon the “last-in-time” rule. Under that rule,the most recent federal law to be enacted isthe first to be applied.This apparent asymmetry has outragedmany opponents of CAFTA, who cite it asanother reason why the trade pact is unfairand should be rejected.“This is a valid concern,” saidManrique Jiménez, an expert in CostaRican constitutional law and co-author of arecent book on discrepancies betweenCAFTA and the Costa Rican Constitution.“We are faced with an asymmetric legalreality.“One of the main principles of internationallaw is equality among the partiesthat sign a treaty, as independent states thatshare the same status on the internationalstage,” he explained. “Theoretically speaking,this equality exists, but in political andeconomic practice, it doesn’t.”TRACHTMAN says he believes theimportance of this difference is beingexaggerated.“It’s true that this distinction exists, butit doesn’t seem to bother any of our tradingpartners,” Trachtman told The Tico Times.“It’s highly unlikely that the United Stateswould violate its obligations in a way thatwould harm other CAFTA partners withoutoffering some form of legal remedy.“I think the critics focusing on this differenceas a reason for opposing CAFTA arepursuing the wrong kind of issue,” he said.The difference in the legal rank ofCAFTA in the United States and its rank inCosta Rica is based on differences in howtheir respective legal systems interpret andenforce international law.Costa Rica, along with most countriesin Latin America and continental Europe,possess a “monist” legal system, asopposed to a “dualist” one like the UnitedStates has.Under monist legal systems, there isonly one system of law, which containsboth international and domestic law. Afterbeing approved, an instrument of internationallaw becomes part of the country’slaws.Under dualist systems, there are twoessentially different legal systems thatcoexist side by side and operate in differentspheres of action – international anddomestic. As a consequence, internationallaw agreements are not necessarilyenforceable internally in countries withdualist systems.This, however, does not mean that suchcountries are exempt from fulfilling theirobligations under international treaties andagreements.Possessing a dualist system has notstopped the United States from entering theWorld Trade Organization (WTO), theNorth American Free-Trade Agreement(NAFTA) or bilateral trade agreements,Trachtman noted.TO pass in the United States, CAFTA,as congressional-executive agreement,requires approval by a simple majority inboth houses of Congress. Internationaltreaties, on the other hand, require a two thirdsmajority in the Senate and aren’tvoted on by the House.This distinction is made because tradeagreements have revenue and spendingimplications. Any government action withsuch implications requires the approval ofboth houses of Congress.However, the approval of a trade agreementis just as binding as the ratification ofan international treaty, according to ConnieVeillette, an analyst in Latin Americanaffairs for the Congressional ResearchService (CRS), who was in Costa Rica lastweek to take part in a seminar organized bythe Legislative Assembly and the U.S.Embassy.The next phase for CAFTA is its secondsigning, this time with the addition ofthe Dominican Republic (TT, May 28, July16). After the signing, the PresidentGeorge W. Bush will have 60 days to submitto Congress documentation on CAFTAthat mentions potential changes that mayneed to be made to U.S. laws.However, the President is not obligatedto introduce the CAFTA bill to Congress atany time (see sidebar).“THERE is no time limit on when thePresident has to introduce a trade agreementbefore the Congress,” Veilletteexplained. “It’s a political decision that isnot provided for in the law. It’s his prerogative.However, it’s almost certain CAFTAwon’t be submitted until after theNovember election.”Veillette said she could not predict theoutcome of CAFTA’s eventual vote. Shenoted that the outcome is far from decided,given that most legislators have not beenfollowing CAFTA and remain undecidedon the matter.“I believe most members of Congresshave not focused on the details and provisionsof CAFTA,” she explained. “Whilesome members are predisposed in favor oragainst trade, most don’t hold a firm opinion.”In the past, Central American tradeofficials and business leaders have saidthey would focus their pro-CAFTA lobbyingactivities on the “undecided majority oflegislators”, whom, they hope, can be convincedto support CAFTA.U.S. Legislative Process for Trade AgreementsPRESIDENT George W. Bush,through the Office of the U.S. TradeRepresentative (USTR), can negotiatetrade agreements through the Trade Act of2002, a revised version of the Trade Act of1974, commonly referred to as the “fast track”or Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).Congress can only approve or reject (notmodify) trade agreements negotiatedunder TPA.During the negotiating process, theUSTR is required to consult with theCongressional Oversight Group – a specialcommittee made up of high-rankingmembers of both Houses. The TPA willexpire in June 2005, although it can berenewed.Here’s the process a trade agreementsuch as the Central American Free-TradeAgreement with the United States(CAFTA) must go through:1) President submits bill of the tradeagreement to Congress.2) One day later, the bill must be introducedin the House and Senate by a memberfrom each chamber that will serve asits sponsor.3) The agreement will be sent to thecommittees in charge of studying it — theHouse Ways and Means Committee andthe Senate Finance Committee.4) The committees have 45 days tostudy the trade agreement. The bill is thensent to the floor to be voted on, regardlessof the committee’s findings.5) If the trade agreement calls for revenueprovisions, the Senate will have 15additional days to study it.6) Each chamber has 15 days to putthe trade agreement to vote. A maximumof 20 hours of debate (divided evenlybetween opponents and proponents) isallotted to discuss the agreement. Amotion to reduce the debate time can bepassed.7) A simple majority must approve thetrade agreement in both houses. TheHouse votes first, followed by the Senate.8) Since the agreements voted on bythe House and the Senate are identical,the agreement isn’t sent to the ConferenceCommittee.9) If approved by Congress, the agreementis sent back to the President, whocan sign or veto it.

THE Costa Rican Investment Board(CINDE) expects total foreign directinvestment to Costa Rica to reach $450million this year, in part because of therecovery of the world economy.Companies already established hereare expected to invest an additional $65million, according to CINDE.

A class of 130 women graduated froma government program of job-skills traininglast week, joining the ranks of thousandsof Costa Rican women who havecompleted the lessons.“We are thankful for the support providedby this program because it hashelped us feel capable of doing whateverwe propose to do and to exceed our ownexpectations,” said Zulia Vindas, a representativeof the class.Called “Growing Together,” the programis directed toward women with lowincomes and is a joint effort between theMixed Institute for Social Aid (IMAS),which funds it, the National TrainingInstitute (INA), and the NationalWomen’s Institute (INAMU).“We are convinced of the necessity forlabor in our country and of the importanceof pursuing work options for the well beingof women,” said Fernando Trejos,executive president of IMAS.This year alone, 2,284 women haveundergone training in the program that, in2004, cost IMAS ¢152 million($347,440). Of those women, 1,056 tookcourses in technical training and/or academiceducation and sought help findingjobs and applying for loans.The others completed courses in “personaland collective strengthening,” whichincludes such subjects as citizenship,political rights, sexual and reproductivehealth, gender identity, life without violence,leadership and organization, andlabor orientation.Since 1999, 24,518 women have graduatedfrom the program.

THE slow and obstacle-lined processnecessary to obtain construction permitsand commercial licenses causes corruptionwithin municipal governments ofCosta Rica, according to the Foundationfor Sustainable Development (Fundes).Parties needing permits and licensesoften speed up the process by bribingauthorities or constructing without permission,the daily La Nación reported.As it stands, somebody who wants toopen a business needs on average 77 daysand five to seven visits to the appropriatemunicipality to receive a license. In comparison,in the United States or Canadathis process takes around four days,according to Fundes, which is helping 16municipalities in Costa Rica simply thisprocess.Much of the problem lies in the factthat people often have to perform thesame actions repeatedly, such as give fivedifferent departments same the documents,Fundes regional director GeovannyCastillo told La Nación.The process is further burdened by alack of documents or manuals explainingthe process, Castillo said. Of every 10people in a line at a municipality, onlythree have all the documents they need inhand.Ombudsman José Manuel Echandisaid his office receives many complaintsabout the arduous process of obtainingmunicipal permits.

SPANISH airline Iberia hasannounced it will transfer its LatinAmerican hub from Miami InternationalAirport to Panama City and GuatemalaCity on Oct. 1.Originally, Iberia had considered SanJosé’s Juan Santamaría InternationalAirport for its hub. However, the countrywas ruled out because it was consideredtoo expensive and does not offer enoughconnecting flights, the daily La Naciónreported.Iberia plans to reduce the number ofdaily flights between Madrid and Miamito one and plans to begin daily non-stopservice to Guatemala and Panama.The airline’s connecting flights fromMiami to San José, San Pedro Sula(Honduras), San Salvador (El Salvador),Managua (Nicaragua) and Cancún(Mexico) will be replaced by flights onpartner airlines, such as American Airlinesand Grupo TACA.Al Romeu, manager of AlterraPartners, the firm in charge of administratingJuan Santamaría, said negotiationsto create a non-stop flight betweenMadrid and Costa Rica began in 2002.Alterra, the Costa Rican TourismInstitute (ICT) and the Panamanian governmentpresented a plan to Iberia for anon-stop flight from Madrid to San Joséthat concluded in Panama.However, the airline asked the governmentsto help it reduce the $6 million inlosses it had projected for its first year ofoffering the flight.Citing its fiscal deficit, the CostaRican government said it could not providethe resources and the deal did not gothrough, Romeu said.

COSTA Rica’s top professional and amateurgolfers were at their best last weekend during CopaValle del Sol Real Intercontinental’s third edition at theValle del Sol golf course in Santa Ana. Colombian professionalAlbert Evers and Costa Ricanamateur Giovanni Brenes won the localmid-season classic, which featured 120competitors.Evers, a 46-year-old veteran, had agreat performance over the two daysthis competition lasted at the facilitieslocated west of San José.He shot 71 and 70 for a 3-under partotal of 141, defeating Costa RicaCountry Club’s Juan Marín by fourstrokes.“I had a wonderful weekend,”Evers said ecstatically. “Right now myswing is at its best in many years. Itgave me the opportunity to enjoy asuperb ball striking. I am very satisfiedbecause I was able to play consistently over 36 holes.”The Colombian pro, who works at Cariari CountryClub as an instructor for amateur talents such asGloriana Soto, Antonio Bruna, Daniel Batalla, Manueland Jaime Jiménez, received the best part of a $2,000purse.BRENES, winner of the amateur’s cup, had a netscore of 141 strokes to defeat Dietrich Eppe by onlyone stroke.“It is great to win in an event like this. I have beenpracticing very hard over the last few weeks and it paidoff,” said Brenes, 41, who picked up golf only threeyears ago.The final day of the tournament was far from beinga walk in the park. The players started under heavy rainthat made things very difficult for most of them.Conditions improved over the day, and they were luckyto end up playing under Santa Ana’s hotsun.“Thanks to the good level of competition,every year this event gets better,”said Carlos Rojas, the tournamentdirector. “We see it as an opportunity tothank our clients and golfers for theirsupport throughout the yearFor Valle del Sol, the only publicgolf course that operates in the CentralValley, 2004 has been a great year. TheCosta Rica Open, which gave thecourse international acknowledgment,is atop the list of 11 golf events heldhere during the first half of the year.THE 7,011 yards par-72 coursewas completed eight years ago by theBrazilian consortium Habitasul.“When this project began there were very fewgolfers in Costa Rica,” said Leonardo Pinto, Habitasulgeneral manager, “and some people wondered if wewere taking an unreasonable risk. Now golf is a muchmore popular game here and we are very proud of ourcontribution.”Results of the Copa Valle del Sol Real Intercontinental TournamentProfessionals1. Albert Evers 71-70-141 (-3)2. Juan Marin 71-74-145 (+1)3. Christian Morera 69-84-153 (+5)4. Alejandro Duque 73-81-154 (+6)4. Christ Edholm 73-81-154 (+6)Amateurs (Net Score)1. Giovanni Brenes 1412. Dietrich Eppe 1423. Juan Velez 1444. Alejandro Madriz 1465. Luis Paredes 147Amateur’s CategoriesCampeonato Category1. Giovanni Brenes 1412. Juan Velez 1442. Thimothy Gergen 144A Category1. Dietrich Eppe 1422. Alejandro Madriz 1463. Rolando Salazar 149B Category1. Luis Paredes 1472. José Herrero 1503. Nixon Delgado 150