FLORIDA anglerScott Rickertcaught a blue marlin,a striped marlin anda sailfish aboard theFlamingo II withskipper GeneWatson on the secondday of thePresidential ChallengeTournamentlast week – the firstGrand Slam ever reported in the competition,which also includes annual tournamentsin Panama and Guatemala.This year’s event was held at OcotalResort.Rickert was top angler for the June 27,28 and 29 event, but despite Rickert’sunprecedented slam, his three-man team“Rip, Roaring & Ready,” which includesJames Cambridge and Peter Schroeder,finished in third place, according to tournamentdirector Joan Vernon.Team USA led by Bill Easum andteammates Dale Siddall and ToddWeatherly held their first-day lead (asreported in this column last week) to winthe tournament, trailed by the Guatemalanteam Picapleitos, with Margie Adams,Vernon and Henry Riggs-Miller, whofinished second.All three teams scored 1,200 points.The winners were decided by which teamaccrued its score earliest in the competition.In the compteition, sailfish scored 100points and marlin 200 points.The top boat went to the Permit III,with Capt. Chepe Santana, at 1,500points. It was trailed by RichardChellemi’s Gamefisher II in second with1,300.The Flamingo II came in third placewith 1,200 points with Capt. Watson atthe helm.Vernon said sailfish were not as abundantthis year as in the past, but the redtide, which has plagued anglers up anddown the coast, was no longer evident.That indicates some good fishingcoming up over the next couple ofmonths.For more info on the tournament, andupcoming events, see the Web site atwww.preschallenge.com.I did not get a single call or e-mailfrom skippers or boat operators on thePacific or Caribbean last week.Since they normally let me knowwhen fishing is good, and ignore me whenit’s bad, that doesn’t bode well!For more info on fishing or assistance inplanning a trip to Costa Rica, contact Jerryat jruhlow@costaricaoutdoors.com orvisit www.costaricaoutdoors.comSkippers, operators and anglers areinvited to e-mail or call Jerry with fishingreports by Wednesday of each week. Callor fax: 282-6743 if calling from CostaRica, or through the e-mail addressabove.

THOUGH government officials are threatening toreplace them, Costa Rica’s 89 air traffic controllers saidthis week they will continue a strike they began June 26,which halted the use of radar at the nation’s airports formore than a week.Costa Rican air traffic has continued normally,according to government officials, since 28 foreigninterim controllers took over operations just after thestrike began (TT, July 2).The Costa Rican controllers, on strike because ofsalary differences with the government, had said thelack of radar and the fact that the replacements were not familiar with Costa Rica’s geography hadput many flights “in grave danger,” andcited one case in which two planes reportedlyflew within 150 feet of each other onthe central Pacific coast.THE 28 foreign controllers were notenough to run all the nation’s control towersand the radar, Civil Aviation authorities said,but on Tuesday nine additional controllersarrived to operate the radar systems at JuanSantamaría International Airport, the country’smain airport just outside San José, andthe nation’s radar control center in Alajuela.Leonardo Guillén, a spokesman for theAir Traffic Controllers Union, told The TicoTimes the nine controllers were provided bythe Mexican Armed Forces and were likelythe same used to fill in during a strike in theDominican Republic four months ago.However, Carlos Sevilla, of theDepartment of Civil Aviation’s TechnicalSecurity Committee, said though some arefrom Mexico, the nine came from variouscountries and none are military personnel.ALL of the interim controllers are beingpaid $150 a day by the Central American AirNavigation Agency (COCESNA), a not-for profitcompany that provides aeronauticalnavigation and security support to CentralAmerican countries. The agency is fundedprimarily by airlines that pay for theagency’s services, and the Costa Rican governmentclaims the agreement with theagency could go on indefinitely.The striking controllers have focusedon what they claim is a lack of safety atCosta Rican airports, while governmentofficials have maintained everything isoperating normally.The striking controllers went as far assending a letter to the U.S. FederalAviation Administration (FAA) requestingintervention.However, the FAA will likely not involveitself in the situation, said WilliamShumann, a spokesman for the organizationin Washington, D.C., because the FAA doesnot involve itself in civil aviation operationsof foreign countries. He also said somethingas short-lived as a strike would almost certainlynot affect Costa Rica’s safety category.THE striking workers are demanding asalary increase of 35% above certain CivilAviation Inspectors who currently earnmore than the controllers – something theyclaim was promised them in 1994.Public Works and Transport MinisterJavier Chaves said last week that the controllersare asking for a raise 35% abovenew categories added to Civil Aviation in2000, which would more than double thecontrollers’ current salaries – something hesaid is not negotiable.The closest either party came to negotiatingthis week was one botched attempton Monday, about which the governmentand the controllers offer stories that differgreatly.President Abel Pacheco said duringTuesday’s Cabinet meeting that it appearedas though Ombudsman José ManuelEchandi had falsely told both parties thatthe other had an offer. When both partiesarrived without an offer, the President said,the meeting ended abruptly.“Personally, I have nothing against theOmbudsman. My impression is that sometimeshe likes to politick a lot. That cancause Costa Rica problems,” Pacheco said.HOWEVER, Echandi told The TicoTimes that he had organized the meeting withthe intention of acting as a mediator, but laterreceived word that the President had toldChaves that he did not want the Ombudsmanto mediate between the two parties.“The President did not want me to bethere,” Echandi said. “I think it’s a personalproblem he has with me.”The Ombudsman’s annual report,released in early June, contained scathingcriticism of Pacheco and his administration,emphasizing the government’s lack of transparency.The Pacheco administration attemptedto discredit the report immediately after itsrelease by saying Echandi was waging apolitical campaign (TT, June 18).UNION spokesman Guillén said thatwhen the controllers arrived at the CivilAviation Administration’s office in SanJosé to negotiate Monday, there was a notefrom Echandi apologizing for his absenceand explaining that the President had askedthat he not mediate. He said the controllersleft because they considered it impossibleto negotiate without a mediator.In addition to the controllers, 36 CivilAviation personnel working in theAeronautical Information Services andFlight Planning offices are on strike,Guillén said, bringing the total number ofstriking workers to 125.CHAVES this week threatened toreplace all the workers if the strike isdeclared illegal by a judge.Labor Ministry representatives last weekfiled three official requests now being handledby a San José judge asking that thestrike be declared illegal. Though JudicialBranch representatives said the judge wouldlikely rule on the matter Monday or Tuesdayof this week, no decision had beenannounced by press time yesterday.Government officials have also saidthe striking controllers may find themselvesmissing their paychecks soon.Guillén said the controllers have notbeen daunted by the talk of no pay or thepossibility of being fired.“We know this is a tactical movement– they are trying to intimidate us,” Guillénsaid. “They are waiting until payday to seewhat we’ll do with no money. It will be asurprise for them.”GUILLÉN said representatives fromthe Internal Workers Front (FIT), a unionof the Costa Rican Electricity Institute(ICE), stepped forward to offer the supportof their organization, as did the Union ofPort Workers of Limón.Ricardo Segura, a FIT spokesman,confirmed the organization supports thestrike, and said FIT representativesplanned to meet with controllers late yesterdayor today to discuss a joint strategy.Guillén said port workers’ union representativesin Limón were planning a several-hour, symbolic halt in work to expresstheir support for the controllers, but did notsay when that would take place. The TicoTimes was unable to confirm this withunion representatives.THOUGH the airports are operatingwith radar now, passengers interviewed byThe Tico Times Wednesday at JuanSantamaría said they were frightened bythe prospect of landing without radar andwith a reduced number of controllers.“It’s a little nerve racking,” said DarinHinson, a 26-year-old teacher from theUnited States here to surf with friends.However, no one reported noticing anyabnormalities during their landing at JuanSantamaría.“No planes whizzing by or anythinglike that,” said 28-year-old Jared Petty, partof a visiting missionary group.

THE future of the widely discussed and much-delayedtax plan is now in the hands of the seven justices of theConstitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV).Legislators cannot vote on the tax package until theSala IV issues a ruling on whether some actions taken duringthe legislative process are constitutional.Meanwhile, top government officials and internationalorganizations, including the International Monetary Fund(IMF), this week reiterated the urgent need to approve thetax reforms to reduce the country’s spiraling fiscal deficitand ensure future economic stability.THE Sala IV last week accepted an unconstitutionalityaction submitted in June by legislative deputies JoséMiguel Corrales of National Liberation Party and GerardoVargas of Citizen Action Party.This is the first time in the country’s history that an unconstitutionalityaction has been filed against a bill that is stillbeing discussed by the Legislative Assembly, according toCorrales – although it is by no means the first time the two-year-old Permanent Fiscal Reform Package has faced hurdles.In the unconstitutionality action, Corrales and Vargasallege then-president of the Legislative Assembly MarioRedondo, of the ruling Social Christian Unity Party, violatedthe Constitution by acting with secrecy and without therequired approval of two-thirds of lawmakers last Marchwhen he interpreted an internal regulation with the intentionof speeding up discussion of the tax plan.IF the Sala IV upholds the claims made by Corrales and Vargas, all changes to the tax planmade since March would be annulled.Losing the results of the past four monthsof work could result in the plan’s demise,according to some experts.Corrales and Federico Vargas, head ofSocial Christian Unity’s legislative faction,both said they hope the Sala IV willresolve the matter quickly.“WE expect the Sala, taking intoaccount that this is an issue of nationalimportance and considering the problemsit’s causing for the administration andpublic services, will rule on it soon,”Federico Vargas explained. “We can’t tellit how to rule because it has autonomy.But it must issue a ruling before it’s toolate.”Corrales agreed on the need for aquick ruling, adding that the purpose ofthe action is to ensure the country’s lawsare respected, not to “hurt anyone” orobstruct the project. However, he notedthe Sala IV has, in some cases, taken upto five years to resolve unconstitutionalityactions.Although the Sala IV has no timelimit to evaluate matters of unconstitutionality,Judicial Branch spokeswomanSandra Castro said she expects the matterto be given top priority because of itsimportance.Before the high court justices issue aruling, they must hold hearings duringwhich the Government Attorney’s Officeand Redondo will be asked to testify.Third parties interested in the matter willbe given a chance to argue for or againstthe action.FEDERICO Vargas defended Redondo’sactions, which he called “necessary”and the only way to overcome the“obstructionist tactics” of deputyFederico Malavassi and other legislatorsof the Libertarian Movement Party aimedat derailing the plan.Since January, the government anddeputies from the three major parties haverepeatedly clashed with the Libertarians,accusing them of purposely obstructing thetax plan. The Libertarians on several occasionshave made clear they adamantlyoppose the project (TT, Feb. 20).In recent weeks, the Libertarians haverun ads on national television warningviewers of the dangers of the tax plan.The ads are meant to counteract governmentpropaganda that stresses the plan’simportance.Although the government has openlychallenged the Libertarians to reveal whohas been paying for the ads, they have notpublicly revealed their source of financing.FEDERICO Vargas said lawmakerswould continue to work on the tax planwhile Sala IV rules on the matter.“The bill’s procedure is not being suspended.The only thing being suspendedis the final act – voting on the project,” heexplained. “In the meantime, the commissionwill continue to process reformmotions. This project is of great importancefor the country and will continueforward.”On Tuesday, President Abel Pachecoonce more warned of the dire consequencesthe country would face if the taxplan is delayed yet again.“We are living in a state of crisis,”Pacheco said during his weekly Cabinetmeeting. “An increase in [public-sector]salaries, which workers deserve, is coming.The discussion of a new budget forpublic universities is also coming.“…Some people have asked us to savemore money, but we’ve saved and tightenedour belts all we can,” he explained.“If we want to continue to live like we doin Costa Rica, we need the wealthy tocontribute more.”Pacheco said most Costa Ricans,including the rich, understand the needfor a permanent fiscal reform, and heaccused a small rich elite of conspiringwith the Libertarians to stop the reforms(TT Daily, June 18).The President also stressed the planwould benefit the poor, who would payno taxes.FIRST proposed 27 months ago by acommission of former finance ministers, thePermanent Fiscal Reform Package aims toincrease government revenues and permanentlyreduce the fiscal deficit by creatingnew taxes and improving collection of existingtaxes (TT, Dec. 5, 2003).Since then, the plan has been studiedand reformed by several legislative commissions,which have consistently failed tomeet deadlines to put the plan to vote.In February, Finance MinisterAlberto Dent announced he would cut¢72 million ($171.4 million) from thebudgets of 15 ministries and severalsocial programs if legislators did notapprove the plan by the end April.Lawmakers failed to meet the deadline,which was extended until the end ofMay. The deadline was later extendedindefinitely (TT, April 16).THE tax plan is in its final phases. It hasmade it out of the legislative commissionand has been transferred to the floor of theLegislative Assembly (TT, June 11).Deputies are now debating the final reformmotions before putting it to vote.Last month, Dent said he expected theplan to be voted on by the end of July.On Tuesday, Federico Vargas said heis optimistic it would be put to votebefore the end of August.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – As Costa Rica continuesto befuddle and infuriate foreigners withits plans to legislate strict new residency requirements,Nicaragua appears to be putting outcookies and milk as a welcome gesture.By unanimous vote of 64-0, Nicaragua’sNational Assembly this week approved the newTourism Law, which, among other things, simplifiesresidency requirements for expatriates.The law passed Wednesday will institutionalize thecountry’s budding tourism sector and streamline residencyprocedures under the authority of the NicaraguanTourism Institute (INTUR).“We have seen the experience of Costa Rica (withforeign residency), and we want to do something different.We are going to open all the doors; we will neverput in jeopardy the person who wants to come live herewith a monthly check of $400,” INTUR’s Ian Coroneltold The Tico Times this week.TO apply for residency in Nicaragua, foreignretirees over 45 must prove they receive monthly pensionchecks of at least $400.In Costa Rica, the Legislative Assembly is debatinga bill that could potentially raise the minimum residencyrequirement for retirees from the current $600 to$3,000 a month – an amount that would preclude most people, critics charge (TT, June 11).Coronel says INTUR is studying proposalsto offer greater incentives to wealthierresidency applicants in Nicaragua, butexplains they hope to “open all doors” withoutshutting out lower-income hopefuls.INTUR is also opening a new, multilingualPublic Attention Office in Managuato answer residency questions and facilitateall paperwork – free of charge.The office, scheduled to open inINTUR’s downtown office next month,will put “a human face on residency procedures,”Coronel says.ABOVE all, the new law aims to providean institutionalized professionalism tothe tourism sector, which is identified inArticle 1 as a developmental priority forthe country.Designating tourism as a “generalinterest” to Nicaragua is considered importantbecause it is backed by lawmakersfrom both the conservative LiberalConstitutional Party and the left-wingSandinista National Liberation Front – twoparties that traditionally can’t agree onwhat time lunch is.One of the biggest boosters of the lawis Sandinista hardliner and president of thecongressional tourism commission TomásBorge, the number two party leader behindsecretary general Daniel Ortega.The backing of the Sandinista leadershipprovides continuity to the tourism sectorand foreign-residency requirements,even if the former revolutionary partyreturns to power in 2006 (TT, July 2) – aprospect that still worries investors whoremember the land confiscations during the1980s.THE 96-article law, which took threeyears to draft and includes input from privateand public sectors, is a progressive and thoroughdocument that will act as umbrella legislationfor the tourism industry.Although not intended to be an “incentivelaw,” it clearly lays out the rights andobligations of the government, tour operatorsand tourists – including the elderly andtravelers with special needs.The law also spells out the importantrole that entertainment and nationaltourism play in the developmental role ofall citizens, regardless of income level.Chapter Seven of the law calls for thepromotion of what it calls “SocialTourism,” or cultural and recreationalactivities for low-income Nicaraguan citizensin a country where 50% of all familieslive below the poverty line. The law createsmechanisms to encourage tourismoperators to gear activities toward theimpoverished national market.THE law also aims to take a lot of theguesswork out of choosing a restaurant,hotel or tour operator by implementing anew rating system for all companiesinvolved in the tourism sector.Using a system similar to the internationalfive-star rating system used forhotels, INTUR will begin issuing integratedratings based on facilities, cleanliness,service, food quality and accounting procedures,among other considerations. Theestablishment’s rating will be displayed ona plaque in a visible area.“Tourists come here and eat atMcDonalds because they don’t know aboutany of the local restaurants. This willchange that,” Colonel said.TOURISM businesses will also benefitfrom the new legislation, INTURinsists.The new law calls for an increase in theministry’s budget – currently based on percentagesof income generated from tourism– and stipulates that 60% of its annual budgetwill be spent on marketing and promotion.Increased promotion, such as the recent$150,000 ad campaign on CNN (TT, May21), will translate into more profits for theprivate sector, INTUR says.The law also qualifies all tourism-relatedbusinesses as part of the “industrial sector,”making said companies eligible – forthe first time – for reductions in electricityand water bills.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Floodingand landslides caused by heavy rains lastweek in the northern department of Matagalpaand on the Atlantic left 25 dead andsent more than 2,280 people into state-runshelters, according to local press reports.Various mudslides on the deforestedMusún Mountain in Matagalpa, 220 kilometersnorth of Managua, killed morethan two-dozen campesinos – mostly children– and displaced more than 1,000people to area shelters.Meanwhile, river flooding in theindigenous-populated northern Atlanticport town of Prinzapolka, about 90 kilometerssouth of Puerto Cabezas, affectedsome 27 rural Indian communities anddisplaced some 10,000 people to higherground, according to the daily El NuevoDiario.The newspaper’s correspondent in theisolated region of the country reportedthat some people were left stuck in treeswithout food.

“OBLIGATORYAutoInsurance,” alsoknown by itsSpanish initials,SOA, has a premiumpainlesslytacked onto theroad tax paymentyou make everyDecember in orderto get your windshieldsticker(marchamo) forthe following year.The SOA covers personal liability – itpays if you hurt, kill, or maim a third partywith your car – but the amount of coverageis so grossly insufficient that I recommendyou consider SOA as just another tax. Youhave no control in reducing the premium,because it’s determined by superior knowledge,anyway!The cost of supplementary auto insuranceis the point of this article. Several factorsare taken into account to determine thepremium:IS the car owned by an individual orby a corporation? Auto insurance shouldbe in the name of the legal owner of thevehicle, as appears in the NationalRegistry. Auto liability is cheaper (not bymuch) for cars and pickups owned by individuals,compared to vehicles owned bycorporations.AUTO Liability: How much coverage?In general terms, buy as much liabilityas the National Insurance Institute(INS) allows your agent to sell you. Therationale: the amount of insurance is determinedin an inflationary currency, thecolón. For example, if you were to wipeout a cyclist today, it would probably bethree-five years before the courts wouldfind you guilty and sentence you to indemnify(via INS) the cyclist’s bereaved family,and they would determine the awardbased on the purchasing power of the colónat the time of sentencing. As you have nocontrol over what inflation will do to thecolón over time, get as much auto liabilitycoverage as you can – it is cheap, anyway– as you don’t want to be underinsured atthe time an award has to be paid.The cost of direct damage coverage foryour car (collision, overturning, theft, fire,etc) is based on two things: which coveragesyou want and the value of your car.WHICH coverages: There is no hardand fast rule. I have had clients with a verydecent-looking Mercedes or BMW tell methat they only want liability, because if “thatold thing” were totaled or stolen they’d justgo out and buy another one – like changingshoelaces! I also remember a poor brotherwith an elderly Volkswagen Bug whobought full coverage, and I realized that ifhis car were lost, he’d have to save his penniesfor two-three years before he could buya replacement. So remember the old insurancerule – insure against events, which, ifthey were to happen, you would find yourselfhard pressed, financially, to overcome.VALUE of your car: There is no official“Blue Book.” INS says that you, theowner, must determine the value at whichto insure your car, and instructs you to baseit on market value. (The Costa Rican market,of course.) If you recently bought thecar, no problem, you paid the market price.But if you imported a used car or have hadyour car in Costa Rica for some time, thenwhat? You can look up values in ads forsimilar cars in the classified section of LaNación and shave a tad off, as peoplealways advertise their cars for more thanthey are hoping to get! Or you can ask yourfriendly insurance agent, who has a computerized“advisory” list of values of vehicles.(This list, a tool recently provided byINS, is not infallible, but it’s pretty goodmost of the time.) Another resource is theInternet: check www.crautos.com.Now we come to the nitty-gritty. Theonly one who can change the insured valueof your car is YOU, dear reader. Your agentcan’t do it and INS won’t do it – withoutyour signature on the appropriate form. Soif you realize that your car is insured for avalue greater than market, get in touch withyour agent. Policies can be modified anytime except when they are in the graceperiod for the renewal, so try to time thechanges nicely – just before renewal time –because getting premium money back fromINS will bring grey hairs to all concerned.NO-claims bonuses. These are in incrementsof 5% every six months. Rememberthat INS auto insurance goes in six-month“bytes.” For the first four 6-month periods,you get no bonus. The premium for the fifthsix-month period should reflect a 5% discountor bonus. The sixth premium shouldhave a 10% discount, and so on. No-claimsbonuses peak at 40%. If you have a claim,INS may reduce your bonus, eliminate italtogether or – in extreme cases – apply asurcharge for reckless driving. The nittygrittyonce again: check your premium, asINS doesn’t always do a good job of applyingthe bonuses, and doesn’t provide youragent with the means of checking up onthem wholesale.Contact David Garrett at 233-2455 orinfo@segurosgarrett.com. The purpose isto give the reader a better understanding ofinsurance in Costa Rica. The opinions andviewpoints expressed are those of thewriter and do not necessarily represent theofficial position of the National InsuranceInstitute (INS).

TEGUCIGALPA (AFP) – Soccerplayers on Honduras’ National Team thisweek lamented the resignation of internationallyfamous coach Velibor “Bora”Milutinovic, who quit after complainingthat the media has treated him like a criminalfor receiving such a high salary andfor his poor record as head coach.The Serbian-born coach’s resignationhas quickly dampened players’ hopes ofqualifying for the 2006 World Cup inGermany.“This is a very difficult situationbecause [Bora] had brought a goodprocess here. With his resignation, we aretaking a step backward,” said nationalteam player Junior Izaguirre.When Bora took over the coaching jobin Honduras last year, he made known hisintention to take Honduras to the World Cupin 2006, for the first time since the country’sonly other World Cup appearance in 1982.During the past 20 years, Bora hastaken five different teams to five consecutiveWorld Cups: Mexico (1986), CostaRica (1990), the United States (1994),Nigeria (1998) and China (2002).But since taking over the Hondurasteam, Bora has been blasted in the nationalpress for receiving a salary that wasrumored to be as high as $75,000-100,000a month, in addition to a $2 million signingbonus.Under Bora’s direction, Honduras hadonly won one of its last nine “friendly” matches,drawing more criticism from the press.The Honduran Soccer Federation hasnamed Raúl Martínez and Juan CarlosEspinoza as interim coaches, as the teamcompetes for one of the three regional qualificationspots for the 2006 World Cup.

SAN SALVADOR (AFP) – TheSalvadoran police this week arrested sixgang members – two of them minors – fortheir alleged participation in the murder ofGrupo TACA airlines’ former presidentFederico Bloch, who was shot to death inhis car outside the capital April 26.“We have detained those responsible forthe death of señor Federico Bloch,” informedpolice commissioner Ricardo Meneses,who added that the former TACA presidentapparently had some sort of friendship withthe two 16-year-old suspects.“In the process of the investigation,we discovered that there was a relationshipbetween the victim and the twominors, with whom [Bloch] had had apersonal quarrel knowing that they weremembers of a gang [Mara Salvatrucha],”Meneses said.According to the police investigation,local cell leader Juan Carlos Alfaroordered Bloch’s assassination.The 50-year-old ex-president ofTACA was found dead in his car on themain highway in the municipality ofNuevo Cuscatlán, 10 kilometers west ofSan Salvador, near the exclusive residentialneighborhood Quintas de Santa Elena(TT, April 30).Police are not discussing possiblemotives.Official statistics show that membersof Mara Salvatrucha and rival gang M18have committed 70% of the 1,040 homicidesin El Salvador during the first fivemonths of this year.El Salvador’s provisional anti-ganglaw expired last Sunday, before PresidentAntonio Saca was able to pass his controversialnew “super strong hand” anti-ganglegislation (TT, June 18). The Presidentassured Salvadorans this week that thegovernment would not leave them unprotectedfrom gang violence, despite theexpired law.

GUATEMALA CITY (AFP) –Guatemalan President Oscar Berger thisweek admitted his government is havingdifficulty curbing the recent wave of violentcrime that has left more than 700dead – including 250 women – during thefirst six months of his presidency.“I didn’t realize the problem was soserious (before taking office Jan. 14),” Bergersaid in an interview with the local press.Berger compared his role thus far ashead of state to that of “fireman,” ratherthan “President.”“We have had to put out fires anddetain them from spreading through thecountry. We have only been closing upwounds and tying veins to cut off thebleeding,” the President said. “We arevery worried about violence. In this countrywe have 250,000 youth who belong togangs.“Without trying to sound like adefeatist, I can say that it is very difficultto control the situation of security,”Berger lamented.The President, who campaigned onpromises to crack down on gangs andstrengthen citizen security, insisted it isstill too soon to judge if his administration’srecently implemented heavy-handedsecurity policies are working or not.“This is a problem you cannot resolveovernight,” Berger said.