Costa Rica News – The diplomatic relations between Nicaragua and Costa Rica were strained again, after Managua requested the International Court of Justice in The Hague navigation rights on the Colorado River, and the Costa Rican government announced that it will continue with the construction of a road parallel to the San Juan River.
Eden Pastora, the former “Commander Zero” of the Sandinista Front, who is delegated by the government to conduct the dredging in the San Juan River, said in statements to the press that the government of President Daniel Ortega has asked the international court for permission to navigate the Colorado River, as a matter of equity.
“This government of Daniel Ortega applies the logic of what is good for the goose is good for the goose’, if they can navigate in our waters, why we cannot sail in the waters of the Colorado and also San Juan river” said Pastor.
In November 2010, Ortega announced that he would ask navigating the Colorado on the same terms and conditions on which Costa Rica can navigate the river San Juan de Nicaragua.
On Monday, the government of Costa Rica accused Nicaragua of practicing an “expansionist policy” with the request made to The Hague for navigation rights on the Colorado River, as part of a territorial dispute.
“We reject this claim abuse of Nicaragua which is a manifestation of its expansionist policy that has led us into conflict with its neighbors,” said the Nicaraguan Costa Rican Foreign Minister Enrique Castillo.
The government of Costa Rica announced it will resume from Thursday the work of “maintenance” of the road parallel to the river San Juan.
Minister of Public Works and Transport, Pedro Castro, said a construction company will continue with a work that had been suspended after alleged corruption in the process accusations.
The 160-kilometer road has been denounced by environmentalists Nicaraguans as harmful to the river San Juan by sediments.
Costa Rica began to build this road in late 2010 and Nicaragua sued through The Hague for the environmental damage to the river San Juan basin.
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
