https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Costa-Rican-Indigenous-Rights-Defender-Shot-15-Times-Killed-20190319-0002.html
I think the most disturbing part of this story is how the police didn't arrest the kidnappers in the earlier incident. That basically told them they can do whatever they want without consequences from authorities.
Sadly this fits into a larger pattern across all Latin America where indigenous leaders trying to protect their people's land are being killed by land developers and mining companies, often in cahoots with local police and government to steal these people's land. Hundreds have been killed this way in the last few years. Now it seems to have spread to Costa Rica.
I hope Carlos Alvarado takes this seriously. I think most of us expats came here because Costa Rica is (or was) a very peaceful place, so very unlike other countries where someone can get shot down in the street for speaking out against a corrupt government. The rapid rise in the muder rate in Costa Rica is threatening it's reputation as a peaceful and safe place. Something really needs to change here.
I think the most disturbing part of this story is how the police didn't arrest the kidnappers in the earlier incident. That basically told them they can do whatever they want without consequences from authorities.
Sadly this fits into a larger pattern across all Latin America where indigenous leaders trying to protect their people's land are being killed by land developers and mining companies, often in cahoots with local police and government to steal these people's land. Hundreds have been killed this way in the last few years. Now it seems to have spread to Costa Rica.
I hope Carlos Alvarado takes this seriously. I think most of us expats came here because Costa Rica is (or was) a very peaceful place, so very unlike other countries where someone can get shot down in the street for speaking out against a corrupt government. The rapid rise in the muder rate in Costa Rica is threatening it's reputation as a peaceful and safe place. Something really needs to change here.
