The result was a manifesto of ten main points that is now being distributed to base organizations throughout the country. Perhaps the most striking outcome of the assembly are the signs that the movement is becoming increasingly aware of its potential and of its character as a unified movement. Thus, more permanent structures were established in the form of a Coordinación Nacional made up of two representatives from each of the participating movements. Eugenio Trejos was elected to head the Coordinación. Delegates also voted to strengthen the Patriotic Committees and create a national communications network to facilitate the spreading of information. The following is a summary of the most important decisions taken:
1) Reject the result of the referendum because of structural and media fraud
2) Take all the necessary actions to study, educate about, and fight the Agenda de Implementación on the national, regional and local level.
3) Demand the renunciation of deputy Fernando Sanchez, as well as the magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the five judges of the Sala IV (constitutional court) that supported the TLC, and the 73 mayors that fought for the TLC with public money. The movement also demands the expulsion of the US ambassador.
4) Pressure the deputies in favor of the TLC and the Agenda inside and outside of the Congress with the necessary actions.
5) Support the deputies who are against the TLC and the Agenda with all means necessary.
6)Take up the following immediate actions:
Define a resistance strategy with coordinated and simultaneous actions at all levels, beginning with the first on November 7.
Commit to opposition to the plans regarding the opening and concession of semi-public instutions. Defend and back up the social and economic institutions which make up the base of solidaric and inclusive development model, among them the CCSS (social security), the ICE (electricity and telecom), the INS (insurance), and the JAPDEVA (infrastructure and ports of the Caribbean).
Boycott the companies that supported the TLC and/or were involved in the fraud.
Demand an end to the repressive actions against workers who are part of the Movement of the NO.
Demand a reform of the referendum rules to ensure the protection of the constitutional rights to equality of divulgation of information and use of public resources, as well as the right to non-interference from foreign actors.
If you ask yourself as I did, what “coordinated and simultaneous action beginning Nov.7” means, I think that this vagueness demonstrates the decentralized nature of the movement, basically asking the base to do whatever they can and are willing without exposing itself to repression. The Costa Rican government has passed a serious of laws that are intended to criminalize the kind of public resistance displayed in the Combo del ICE conflict in 2000. Perhaps the most prominent is Law 4573, which makes it a punishable crime to hinder the flow of traffic – a very convenient way to arrest demonstrators. The police has been demonstratively recording images of protestors during demonstrations. Police officers in full gear stand on elevated platforms and film everything that goes on. From my conversations with activists, I get the idea that the movement is preparing for active attempts of repression and wants to a) minimize the possible attrition of activists, and b) not play into the hands of the law enforcement and security apparatus. Watch for the next blog entry to read more about this.
Secondly, the regarding the pressure on deputies who support the TLC and the Agenda, the main website of the NO has begun to post images and names of those deputies with humorous and at times pretty mean descriptions of their role in the process causing Independent (recently split from the Movimiento Libertario) Evita Arguedas to express worries for her safety with great media resonance during one of the legislative sessions last week. To see them, click on the No TLC link.
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