Costa Rica

Costa Rican workers protest IMF austerity talks; Two Haitian students die in jobs protests

Workers Struggles: The Americas

13 October 2020

Workers set up road blocks across Costa Rica over government talks with the IMF while at least two university students in Haiti have died during protests over lack of job openings for graduates.

Costa Rican government imposes ban on political strikes

By Andrea Lobo, 5 September 2019

Thousands of public sector workers, including teachers, doctors, nurses, electricians, trash collectors and others went on a national strike on Tuesday to oppose this historic attack on democratic rights.

Strikes in Chile, Costa Rica and Honduras

Teachers struggles erupt across Latin America

By Andrea Lobo, 8 June 2019

The response by the ruling class to the resistance led by teachers has been the same everywhere: the claim that there is “no money” and police state repression.

After 89 days, trade unions sell out historic strike in Costa Rica

By Andrea Lobo, 14 December 2018

It was the longest strike in Costa Rican history, marking a new stage in the growth of the class struggle and revealing that the treachery of the trade unions knows no bounds.

Costa Rican public-sector strike enters third week

By Andrea Lobo, 25 September 2018

The response of the ruling class to a coming economic avalanche has been to prepare the largest economic plundering of the working class in Costa Rican history.

Fascists stage pogromist march against Nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica

By Andrea Lobo, 22 August 2018

Fascist thugs marched on Saturday in several major parks and avenues armed with knives, bats and Molotov cocktails to attack Nicaraguan migrants.

“We’ll be austere… strict… rigorous”

Costa Rican president threatens workers with renewed social attacks during inaugural address

By Andrea Lobo, 12 May 2018

Alvarado, a former local marketing executive for the transnational P&G, delivered the kind of “talk” normally given by a tactless manager to workers facing a mass layoff.

Mass May Day protests in Costa Rica ahead of inauguration of right-wing government

By Andrea Lobo, 4 May 2018

The outgoing president warned of coming social explosions in his farewell address to Congress.

After election, Costa Rica’s ruling party announces austerity-driven “National Unity Government”

By Andrea Lobo, 4 April 2018

Polls indicated Costa Rican workers are desperately seeking an alternative to the traditional parties, their pseudo-left apologists and the ongoing austerity policies.

Thousands of teachers strike as Costa Rican unions suppress struggle

By Andrea Lobo, 7 September 2016

About 5,000 workers marched last week against the government’s austerity measures, even as the union leaderships are sabotaging their struggle.

Forty thousand public sector workers strike against Costa Rican government

By Andrea Lobo, 3 May 2016

Workers spoke to the WSWS in opposition to a set of government reforms attacking their incomes and democratic rights.

Costa Rica closes its borders to Cuban migrants

By Andrea Lobo, 31 March 2016

The tensions between Central American governments have exposed the fragility of three decades of supposed economic, political and social integration.

Washington’s mediator in Honduran coup

Who is Oscar Arias?

By Bill Van Auken, 11 July 2009

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias has been promoted in the US media as the ideal choice for mediating a settlement between the ousted Honduran president and the leaders of the military coup that overthrew him.