President Obama in Costa Rica - Schedule & about WHY Obama is in Costa Rica (for the Conference of Heads of States/Presidents of Central American Integration System • Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana) - May 3-4, 2013

Presidential Summit of the
CENTRAL AMERICAN INTEGRATION SYSTEM (SICA)

SUMMARIES•ARTICLES ON OBAMA'S VISIT AND THE SUMMIT:

TicoTimes.net/Obama-in-C.R/News-Briefs/Obama-promises-renewed-ties-with-Central-America-on-first-of-2-day-summit_Saturday-May-04-2013

WhiteHouse.gov/blog/2013/05/04/president-obama-s-visit-costa-rica (they fail to mention the importance of this meeting as wel as WHY he was REALLY in CR over the weekend!)
(Did you know it's been over 16 years since a U.S. president has visited Costa Rica??)

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica has set up a

LIVE FEED
https://conx.state.gov/costa-rica

and
Whitehouse.gov/live
But so far nada!   What am I doing wrong??  And I'm not finding times on anything.

ABOUT  THIS CONFERENCE of the
Central American Integration System •
Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana

WHERE and WHEN:
Costa Rica  -  Friday and Saturday - May 3-4, 2013

ATTENDEES:

These conventions are made up of Heads of States/Presidents from member countries.  Attendees will be the Presidents from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua (wow - when was the last time a president of Nicaragua was in Costa Rica??  It will be VERY INTERESTING as well with a U.S. president/Obama being in attendance!!!), Panama, and Belize as well as the presidents for associate member country the Dominican Republic, U.S. President Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

WHY:

Participants are expected to discuss ways to boost security, immigration in Central America and promote economic development, as well as other issues.

The U.S. Embassy in San Jose said recently that Obama will participate in discussions "on the efforts to promote economic growth/trade and development in Central America, and regional collaboration on U.S. CITIZEN SECURITY," and it's been reported he will be discussing immigration TO the U.S. (there are MANY Costa Rican's living illegally in the U.S. [I wonder what will be discussed about all the U.S. citizens living legally OR on Tourist Visas in Costa Rica???  Hmmmmm])!!!

The Costa Rican government is also planning on talking with him about immigration issues, climate change (yeahhh the U.S. currently has a president that GETS/believes that climate change exists), disaster preparedness, and clean energy!

ABOUT SICACentral American Integration System •
Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana:

SICA is the economic and political organization of Central American States created to coordinate the regional integration process, including the process of political, economic, social cultural and environmental integration and to promote democracy and respect for human rights throughout the region.

It's member countries are Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, and Belize.

The United States is involved with SICA as a Regional Observers along with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru.  Extra-Regional Observers include the Republic of China, Spain, Germany and Japan.  Associate Member Countries are Dominican Republi

LATEST SICA ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Among SICA's latest accomplishments is the decision by its Central American Security Commission to earmark nearly 20 million U.S. dollars to combat violence against women in the region. The project, approved in late April, 2013, is to be financed with funds provided by Holland and Finland.

Earlier in April, 2013, SICA countries agreed to standardize penalties against transnational crimes to better fight organized crime, including trafficking in illicit drugs, weapons and human organs.

MORE ABOUT SICA:
sica.int
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_American_Integration_System 

SOURCES:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_American_Integration_System 

China.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2013-05/03/content_28719656.htm 

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A.M. Costa Rica photo  Foreign ministry will greet Barack Obama with large Costa Rican colors and a small U.S. flag
Nation focuses on afternoon arrival of Barack Obama
Source:  AMCostaRica.com Costa Rican officials are mounting an aggressive security program to guard U.S. President Barack Obama and to a lesser degree seven other heads of state today. Obama is supposed to arrive today at Juan Santamaría airport about noon from México on Air Force One. The presidential limo will carry him along the General Cañas autopista and the Circunvalación to Casa Amarilla, the foreign ministry on Avenida 7 opposite Parque España. The refreshment table already was set and waiting Thursday afternoon. A large banner with the Costa Rican colors had been hung just east of the main These are showing up. entry. A small U.S. flag was in evidence, too This is where Obama will meet with president Laura Chinchilla. There was a concentration of police there Thursday, and metal barricades were stacked on the sidewalk. Obama and  Ms. Chinchilla are expected to walk from Casa Amarilla to the Centro Nacional de Cultura a half block away about 4 p.m. for a press conference. Later there is a dinner of all the heads of state in the Teatro Nacional. The conference is expected to be dominated by the Washington media who traveled with the president. That usually is the case. And the issues raised may not be about Latin America. Costa Rican officials and U.S. Embassy personnel are encouraging persons here to avoid the downtown and watch the Obama arrival on television. The staff at the embassy has set up a special feed for the arrival at the foreign ministry. It is https://conx.state.gov/costa-rica. Access to the park and the area around the foreign ministry will be restricted. Police already obtained lists of residents and those who work in the area. The Instituto Nacional de Seguros gave its workers in the metro area a holiday. The headquarters is adjacent to the foreign ministry. As in México Thursday, Obama is expected to concentrate on economic issues. That is expected to be the major topic here. Of course, a possible change in anti-drug strategy also is a possibility.	A.M. Costa Rica photo  Metal barricades are stacked up ready for use. The environmental group Oilwatch issued a statement that said Obama had a hidden agenda to promote the concession of Mallon Oil Co. of Denver. The firm has been fighting for 10 years to exercise its rights under an exploratory drilling concession. Typically heads of state would not get involved in such issues. A few posters telling Obama to go home appeared in the park Thursday, but police managed to tear down some. Obama in México . . .HERE! The same group of youngsters who were involved in a disturbance at the legislature Wednesday are now free from detention. Anti-American leftists have said they would march at 3:30 p.m. down Avenida Secunda. That street is well within the restricted zone, so another confrontation is likely. One reason for Obama's visit with the Central American heads of state is to generate support for the proposed immigration bill that his administration is promoting. All the Central American nations have significant numbers of illegal immigrants in the United States. Saturday morning Obama will be meeting with the heads of state at the Antiguo Aduana on Calle 23. Most have countries that are members of the Sistema de Integración Centroamericana. Obama is due to depart the airport at noon. Costa Rica will have more than a thousand Fuerza Pública officers and members of other organizations in the field today. Highways will be blocked when Obama will be using them.  That includes the General Cañas from the airport to San José The national emergency commission declared a low-level alert for the Obama visit. The alert covers the cantons of San José, Alajuela, Belén, Escazú, Montes de Oca, Curridabat and Goicoechea.

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