The consul general of Costa Rica in Atlanta, Ana Virginia Castro, died in December, and Alejandra Chaverri, interim consul, says the office here will receive a new appointment when the new presidential administration assumes the country’s leadership May 5.
Ms. Castro, who was the Costa Rican consul general in Atlanta for two terms since 1993, died in a protracted battle with cancer. She was 54.
Ms. Castro was appointed by President Rafael Calderon Guardia and was replaced when a new administration of a different political party came to power from 1994-98. She was re-appointed as consul general by President Miguel Angel Rodriguez, who remains Costa Rica’s president until a runoff election on April 7.
In the Feb. 3 Costa Rican presidential election, neither candidate obtained the required 40% of the votes to win. United Social Christian party candidate, Abel Pacheco, got 38.52% and National Liberation party candidate, Rolando Araya, got 30.96%. Third party candidate, Otton Solis, won the remaining votes. The new president will take office on May 5.
Although there is no commercial office at the Costa Rican consulate here, Ms. Castro was very much aware of trade issues between the Southeast and the Central American country, Ms. Chevarri told GlobalFax.
“Trade is always the most important to foster so that policies continue to the next administration,” Ms. Chaverri explained. “Usually the two major parties in Costa Rica switch back and forth each election.”
The Costa Rican consulate in Atlanta can give basic information about trade and can refer specific questions to the consulate in Miami.
Contact the Atlanta consulate at (770) 951-7025 or consulga@aol.com. Visit www.costarica-embassy.org for more information.