In addition, the Nicaraguans have destroyed what is considered an almost religious thing in Costa Rica, the environment.

The only question at this time is what are we going to do and are willing to do about it?

I have read the comments in three different Websites and three newspapers and none have even tried to offer a solution, except some off the wall comments as well as arbitration. But arbitration takes both side, and both parties need to agree to respect the results which I find, based on that country´s history, is willing to do only in the event it comes out on the winning end.

What we need is a real solution without war and without losing sovereignty.

Are we to be provoked into a shooting match which makes no sense because they are far better equipped and trained than Costa Rica? Calling in help from other countries makes less sense because, at this time, there is not a true national threat. (Only an uninhabited island.)

What we cannot permit is to allow Nicaragua, under any excuse and circumstance to continue dredging while depositing sediment on our soil, damaging a protected environmental zone and then expropriating even two inches of our nation.
It is a case of give them an inch and they will take a mile which has been the Daniel Ortega credo since taking office.

Costa Rica, playing by the gentlemen's rules prefers going to the Organization of American States as a remedy. To some, many, this is little more than a jaw boning elite debate club whose power is in its opinions rather than action. In short, what is the OAS going to do? At best, this group might influence other countries to reduce or eliminate altogether foreign aid and foreign investment to Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the hemisphere just behind Honduras, and that would really get Ortega's attention.

If Nicaragua is looking for a fight, it would call upon Chavez in Venezuela and that would bring in the troops from the USA and Colombia to counter the resistance.

I don´t think Ortega is ready for that, but I expect it has crossed his mind.

His high-end socialist allies such as Venezuela, Bolivia, even Peru are not willing and able to meet their own rhetorical commitments they have made on just about every social and economic level.

As we say in Costa Rica, “Pura Paja” meaning not as strong as BS but stronger than “baloney”.

Cuba…never. This is a country trying its best to get out of the socialist ring who has admittedly and openly said that its brand and the Soviet Union form of communism does not work anymore, if ever.

To suggest that Daniel Ortega, who has amassed a personal fortune of his own, is himself communist is nonsense. He has and always will be the supreme capitalist but unlike ex-dictator Anastasio Somoza, he is willing to share some of his spoils with the populace in the name of socialism and that keeps him in power with the correct tag line. When things get edgy, he creates a diversion and that is working right now as Costa Rica is on its heals figuring out what to do next.

I suspect legally Nicaragua can change the direction of River San Juan but not if it changes the boundary lines of sovereignty. That is an infringement and we cannot permit that to continue under any circumstance.

Our options are to contain Nicaragua which are limited and we can only hope that Ortega will respect the OAS´s decision. He won the rights to the River San Juan in the World Court and since it does not belong to Costa Rica, Nicaragua can do what it wishes with the water. However, it cannot harm the south shore which is our soil as is Isla Calero which has always, on all maps, been considered a part of Costa Rica.

The only pressure is money. Something Nicaragua dearly needs and might not get if she persists in this folly.

Politically there will soon be enough blame to go around for everyone. However, for the moment, I hope all expats are in solidarity with Costa Rica and collectively we do not want to see one shot fired. A peaceful solution is the only acceptable solution that makes sense.


*John Holtz is the Executive Director of the Center for the Studies of Modern Management http://www.modernmanagement.org/ and can be reached at: jrh@modernmanagement.org.