[NYTr] CISPES - Oppose OAS Certofocation of Fraudulent CAFTA Referendum in Costa Rica:

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

CISPES via Upside Down World - Oct 12, 2007
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/938/68/

Protest US intervention and dirty campaign in Costa Rican CAFTA
Referendum

Take action from October 15-20 to demand that 
the Referendum results NOT be certified by the OAS

by the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES)

On October 7 a historic referendum took place in Costa Rica: nearly 75%
of the population came out to vote on whether the country should join
the US-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement
(CAFTA).  The “Yes” vote appears to have won with 51.5% of the total
vote, and yet claims of fraud and irregularities persist.   

The last poll before the vote showed the “No” forces well in the lead
with over 55% of the vote.  However, in the final days of the campaign
the US government stepped in to effectively campaign on behalf of the
pro-CAFTA side; first, the US Trade Representative declared that Costa
Rica could lose its trade preferences should the people vote against
CAFTA, then the White House declared that CAFTA would not be
renegotiated and urged Costa Ricans to vote “Yes”. These comments were
made during the 3 day “blackout period” for campaigning and played a
role in shifting the results – as did previous statements by US
Ambassador Mark Langdale and the fear-provoking, dirty campaign of the
Costa Rican government and right-wing media.  In fact, the claims of
the White House and the USTR are inaccurate because of Bush’s lame duck
status as president and because Congress controls trade preferences.
Nevertheless, opponents of CAFTA were unable to counter the false
statements.

With the results still pending final authorization, now is the time to
take action and demand that the Organization of American States (OAS)
and the Costa Rican Supreme Elections Tribunal not certify the election
results! 

Suggested Actions:

1) Organize an action in front of the local Costa Rican consulate in
your city.  Find out if there is a consulate where you live and where
it is located:
http://www.costarica-embassy.org/consular/consulates/default.htm  

2) Call the office of the Secretary General of the Organization of
American States at (202) 458-3500 and demand that the certification of
the Referendum results be delayed.

Contact the Stop CAFTA Coalition at 202 521 2510 for more ideas and
information about how to organize an action.

More info at: www.art-us.org, www.stopcafta.org, and
http://www.bilaterals.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=13&lang=es