Public transportation

Uber Costa Rica gleefully flouted the country's laws governing taxis Friday afternoon when the ride-hailing service went live at 4:00 p.m.

Vice Minister of Transport Sebastián Urbina told La Nación that any cars operating with Uber would be considered “pirates” and could face fines of ₡99,000 (roughly $185) and lose their plates.

Traffic jams and blockades likely will return to Costa Rica's roads as private chauffeurs, or porteadores, announced they will resume protests next week. Unlicensed taxi drivers, or piratas, may join the demonstrations.

An audio recording of a conversation calling on private chauffeurs, or porteadores, to intimidate Traffic Police officers started circulating on social media this week.

The new station will be the terminal for bus routes from San José to Puntarenas, Guanacaste, Alajuela, Heredia and Nicaragua.

A street vendors’ union is collecting signatures to file a lawsuit at the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court to stop the actions.