On his official visit to Mexico, Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, urged Mexican businessmen to take a look at what Costa Rica has to offer, to consider Costa Rica in their investments.
The Costa Rican foreign trade office, Procomer, signed a deal with its Mexican counterpart, Proméxico, with the objective of fomenting stronger trade relations between the two nations, increasing co-operation and exports.
“As you know, tomorrow (today) we will face in the field. Many Costa Ricans have come to Mexican soil, whispering the Mexican ranchera that says: “y volver, volver, volver…” (and back, back, back). But if tomorrow (today) we are contenders, the day after tomorrow will play again on the same team. The day after tomorrow, we will work together to ensure development and progress of our nations. The day after tomorrow, we will continue looking for better ways to protect our people from a devastating world economic crisis that we have created, but which affects us with particular cruelty by our commercial links with the United States. The day after tomorrow, we will again be two brotherly nations and you, the national teams of our private sector, in charge of ensuring greater exchange between Mexico and Costa Rica”, said Arias to his audience.
Arias added that now, more than ever, both countries should exchange goods or end up exchanging problems and exporting people.
The Costa Rican president invited the Mexican businessmen to understand the benefits of Costa Rica to invest, a country with no army, with a high level of education of its people and a country who loves peace and one of the most open economies in Latin America and the oldest democracy in the region.
Valentín Diez Morodo, president of Comce, told the audience that despite a free trade agreement between Mexico and Costa Rica, Costa Rica only buys 5% from Mexico and sells it only 8% of its exports.
Arias said that many governments of Latin America have steered away free trade and direct foreign investment, with the rhetoric of anti imperialism and self sufficiency.
“The few countries were we believe in the benefits of free trade, we have to be heard. We have to deepen our economic ties and demonstrate, even though in a time of international crisis, it is better to walk together than separate”, said Arias.
