USS Iowa Jima

Image by Getty Images via @daylife When the US Navy's ship pulled into Costa Rica, it did not need any guns or rockets. Instead the USS Iowa Jima came loaded with Teddy Bears. Navy Medics treated people on board while another group were out refurbishing two Costa Rican schools. Out at sea there are many more US warships and 7,000 marines. Some Ticos do not know what to make of this. Yes the US is their main defender, but they wonder if they are somehow breaching their neutrality with all these warships. They do not fear the US. Their concern seems to be what other countries in the area will think of them. It is a well debated point in Costa Rica.

Related articles by Zemanta

• USS Iowa, BB-61 (nofluffjuststuff.com)
• Nikolas Kozloff: U.S. Marines to Costa Rica: What's Behind the Story? (huffingtonpost.com)

The Costa Rican Astronaut

Image via Wikipedia Did you know that Costa Rica had an astronaut? His name is Franklin Chang, and he is a real hero here. Chang has made seven voyages into outer space. Not only has this inspired a nation, but it has made this agricultural economy of Costa Rica, where only 6 to 7% of the university students study science, start thinking more about science.

Chang is the astronaut and co-director of Ad Astra Rocket Lab. He has plans to use plasma-fueled rockets to rid space of obsolete satellites. Currently there is no way to retrieve satellites once they cease to function. Chang was not expecting Ticos to invest a lot of money in his project, but he has been overwhelmed by their support of this project. One man makes a difference.

Costa Rica-China Relations

Image via Wikipedia Michael Shifter, president of Inter-American Dialogue, does not think that there is anything unusual about Costa Rica’s recognition of China, nor is it odd that China is Costa Rica’s number two trade partner. After all China is the third largest economy in the world right now. He thinks that the conspiracy talk about China wanting to control Central America is unfounded. Most likely China just wants to make money.

China does consider Costa Rica’s recognition as a feather in its cap, and it hopes that other countries will follow suit. China has tried to show appreciation by furnishing Costa Rica with gifts. China’s most elaborate gift to Costa Rica is the 83 million dollar soccer stadium, soon to be finished. The former US ambassador to Costa Rica, Frank McNeil, who also served some time in a post in East Asia, thinks such gifts are legitimate, but he does suggest that in the future Costa Ricans be allowed to work on projects, even if they are gifts. No Tico labor was used in the construction of the stadium. The Ambassador feels that the gift did not help Costa Rica develop because it offered no jobs.