May 1 was Labor Day in Costa Rica as well as an important day in the Costa Rican government and legislative body. Costa Ricaโs Legislative Assembly, comprised of 57 lawmakers, formย a new leadership and new committees in the Assembly.
Lawmakers from the ruling Citizen Action Party (PAC) secured only one of six seats on the Directorate, giving Opposition parties control of Costa Ricaโs legislative Directorate. Social Christian Unity Party lawmaker, Rafael Ortiz Fรกbrega, was elected president of the Legislative Assemblyโs Directorate.
[quote_center]”Public debt is a time bomb”[/quote_center]
President Luis Guillermo Solรญs, elected a year ago, addressed Costa Rica this May 1st, 2015 in his first State of the Nation address.
In the address Solรญs said, โPublic debt is a time bombโ, and that he plans to reduce spending by โก700 billion on a โก8.4 trillion budget.
The president also proposed an additional โก180 billion ($342 million) would be made available for small businesses loans, and that a new jobs program will create 30,000 jobs.
Labor Day March on the Capital
On May 1st, there is also an annual march on the capital as thousands of Costa Rican workers take to the streets of San Jose.
Marchers included union members (from some organizations), political parties, environmentalists, and protesters, looking for improved policies to bring more opportunity to all classes of workers in Costa Rica. The march was peaceful overall.
Costa Ricaโs first Legislative Assembly was elected in January 1825 and later in 1890 was changed to May 1 to match the international importance of May 1st, as Labor Day.
San Jose Costa Rica