Costa Rica During the Global Recession: Fiscal Stimulus with Tight Monetary Policy

This paper shows that, in spite of a reasonably sized fiscal stimulus package, Costa Rica’s economy continues on a downward path, partly because fiscal policy is being offset by a tightening of monetary policy. The paper notes that the International Monetary Fund has insisted that Costa Rica’s monetary policy remain tight due to worries over inflation targets and a perceived risk of a balance of payments crisis. However, the author notes that the IMF could help prevent a balance of payments crisis through the provision of a credit line of foreign currency, as it has done, for example, in Mexico – a vastly larger economy. The paper also examines the government’s macroeconomic policies in recent years, prior to the world recession, to see what alternative policies might have done better.Costa Rica, IMF, stimulus

Middle to Late Miocene Contractional Deformation in Costa Rica Triggered by Plate Geodynamics

Contractional deformation in Costa Rica is usually attributed to the subduction of the aseismic Cocos Ridge. In this work, we review the evidences for contraction in the middle to late Miocene, prior to the arrival of the Cocos Ridge at the Middle America Trench. We find that the Miocene phase of contractional deformation is found in all of Costa Rica, probably extending to Nicaragua as well. The widespread distribution of this event requires a regional or plate geodynamic trigger. We analyze the possible mechanisms that could produce the onset of contractional deformation, using the better known case of subduction orogeny, the Andes, as an analog. We propose that a change in the direction of the Cocos plate since ∼19 Ma led to a change from oblique to orthogonal convergence, producing contractional deformation of the upper plate.Fil: Mescua, Jose Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Porras, Hernan. Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: Duran, Patrick. Universidad de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: Giambiagi, Laura Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: de Moor, Maerten. Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: Cascante, Monserrat. Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: Salazar, Esteban. Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería; ChileFil: Protti, Marino. Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica; Costa RicaFil: Poblete, Fernando. Universidad de O’Higgins; Chil

Niche breadth and overlap of Sphagnum species in Costa Rica

Niche breadth and overlap values of Sphagnum species in Costa Rica are similar to those reported for Sphagnum-dominated peatlands in North America. Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. and S. sparsum Hampe have the broadest niche breadth of the common species in Costa Rica. Although S. sancto-josephense Crum & Crosby has a relatively narrow niche breadth, it is one of the most common species along with S. magellancium and S. sparsum in the Sphagnum habitats of Costa Rica. Niche overlap is high among species with the exception of S. platyphyllum (Braithw.) Warnst. which is found in habitats that are rich in iron. The pH, conductivity, and concentrations of Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, K, and P of Sphagnum habitats in Costa Rica are similar to those reported for páramo habitats in South America

Competiveness of Latin American Exports in the U.S. Banana Market

U.S. banana demand differentiated by country of origin is estimated using the generalized dynamic Rotterdam model. Results indicate that dynamic factors play a significant role in determining the allocation of U.S. banana expenditures across exporting sources. Of particular interest is Guatemala’s increased share and Costa Rica’s decreased share of U.S. banana supply. A number of factors explained why Guatemala replaced Costa Rica as the leading U.S. supplier in 2007. (1) Guatemala is the least expensive source on average. (2) Habit persistence, adjustment costs, and other dynamic factors favor Guatemala’s exports. (3) Given increases in the relative price of Costa Rica’s bananas, the price competition between Costa Rica and Guatemala is highly significant. (4) Bananas from Costa Rica are highly responsive to own-price while imports from Guatemala are more price-inelastic. (5) Heavy rains and fluctuating temperatures in Costa Rica have decreased banana production and exports.bananas, imports, demand, Latin America, United States, Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade, F14, Q11, Q13, Q17,

Metallurgy In Costa-Rica

Anthropolog

Trade liberalization and foreign direct investment: an applied general equilibrium model for Costa Rica

This paper quantifies the welfare impact of unilateral trade liberalization and computes the optimal tariff structure for Costa Rica in the presence of trade-policy-induced international capital flows and foreign capital taxation. For this, an applied general equilibrium model integrating trade, capital flows and international capital income taxation is used. The model has been calibrated to a 1990-91 data set for the economies of Costa Rica and a group of OECD countries. In the model, foreign capital income is taxed by host countries and the tax-credit system operates in foreign investors home countries. Results for Costa Rica show that complete trade liberalization ends up being welfare-reducing, as it leads to an outflow of capital and loss of tax revenue which more than offset the efficiency gains from an enhanced resource allocation. The optimal tariff structure for the Costa Rican economy turns out to be a mixture of import tariffs and subsidies, though of a relatively small level

Winter 2019 BUCK-I-SERV to Costa Rica

STEP Category: Service-Learning and Community ServiceThe Buck-I-Serv and Outdoor Adventure Center service trip to Costa Rica was a 10-day fully immersive experience into Costa Rica's rich culture through providing meaningful service to the town of Brujo, Costa Rica, interacting with homestay families, and participating in various high-adventure activities. The trip is part of the Service Learning and Community Service category. While in Costa Rica we worked with the organization Autentico Adventures to help improve the Brujo community, working 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. building a new fence, mixing concrete, doing stucco, and much more. The housing during the trip included a home stay, cabins, beach home, and even a cave! The trips total cost was $3,250 and included all transportation, meals, and activities (such as waterfall repelling, white water rafting, hiking, cliff jumping, and surfing).The Ohio State University Second-year Transformational Experience Program (STEP)Academic Major: Neuroscienc

South-South Migration: The Impact of Nicaraguan Immigrants on Earnings, Inequality and Poverty in Costa Rica

More than half of those who emigrate from developing countries move to other developing countries, yet there have been few studies of the impact of this South-South migration. In this paper, we examine the impact of migration from one developing country, Nicaragua, on the labor market in another developing country, Costa Rica. We find little evidence to support the hypothesis that Nicaraguan migration to Costa Rica was an important factor contributing to falling earnings, increased inequality or stagnating poverty in Costa Rica.Costa Rica, earnings, Latin America, migration, inequality, poverty

A History of Nonviolence: Insecurity and the Normative Power of the Imagined in Costa Rica

Crime, violence, and insecurity are among the most important social topics in contemporary Costa Rica. These three issues play a central role in the media, politics, and everyday life, and the impression has emerged that security has changed for the worse and that society is now threatened permanently. However, crime statistics do not support this perception. The paper thus asks why violence and crime generate such huge fear in society. The thesis is that the Costa Rican national identity—with Costa Rica constructed as a nonviolent nation— impedes a realistic discussion about the phenomena and their causes, and simultaneously provides a platform for sensationalism and the social construction of fear.Costa Rica, violence, crime, national identity, public discourse