The international accreditation of the ballistics unit Judicial Branch’s Forensics Science Labs of with the ISO 17020 norm and the re-accreditation of the biochemical, toxicology and analytic chemistry units with the ISO 17025 norms convert Costa Rica in a regional model. The strengthening of forensic capabilities improves the quality of evidence analysis, which in turn ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 26 November, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, News, Press Releases
| Tags: Ambassador Sharon Day, Forensics Labs, INL, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, ISO 17020
Forty two new Peace Corps volunteers will work in English Teaching as Foreign Language and Youth Development in Limón, Puntarenas, Alajuela and San José. These volunteers will devote two years of their lives to contribute with Costa Rican growth through their professional experience in linguistic education, psychology, sociology and business administration. Peace Corps has been ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 24 October, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador
| Tags: Tico 36
The Tico Times Brian Davis / Peace Corps Volunteer October 9, 2018 In July 2017, Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) Brian was introduced to Nancy Fitzimons Alvarado, a 1989 Peace Corps Volunteer and the co-founder of the non-profit organization, Bricks to Bread. Brian partnered up with Bricks to Bread with the hopes of bringing a great ...
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By ramirezej | 19 October, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, Press Releases
| Tags: Talamanca
San Jose, September 17th, 2018 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) are conducting in Costa Rica the Intensive Workshop for Lead Leaders in the Fresh Agriculture Products Safety Norm, where more than 60 professionals from 13 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean participate. The main objective of ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 18 September, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Press Releases
| Tags: FDA, FMSA, IICA
San José, September 11th,2018 Today we pay tribute to the more than 3,000 people who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C, on September 11, 2001. We gather to show the world that we will never forget what happened 17 years ago, the day when the entire world ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 13 September, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Press Releases
| Tags: Ambassador Sharon Day, September 11
The Tico Times Katherine Stanley August 9, 2018 Their outstanding academic performance, English fluency, leadership, and interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) have paid off: six Costa Rican students have won a scholarship for technical studies in the United States. María Nazareth Mata Castillo, Valeria Saborío Barquero, Diego Hernández Montero, Maxwell Jornae Pita ...
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By ramirezej | 28 August, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, Press Releases
| Tags: CCCN, CRUSA Foundation
What does a company like Del Monte -based in Costa Rica- need to do to sell its pineapples, bananas and other agricultural products to the United States? The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) works jointly with companies in Costa Rica to ensure that their agricultural exports destined for the United States comply with U.S. requirements. ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 17 August, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador
The Tico Times July 30, 2018 Many Peace Corps Volunteers across the country have the opportunity to work with the Guías y Scouts, including the troop pictured above, which was formed one year ago. Volunteer Xavier helped celebrate with them by participating in various scout activities including learning how to build a tent, build a ...
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By ramirezej | 3 August, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, Press Releases
| Tags: Talamanca
The Tico Times July 23, 2018 Peace Corps Volunteer Collin traveled from his site in Talamanca, on Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast, all the way to the Northern Zone earlier this year to learn more about the functionality of a recently implemented Bricks to Bread oven. He had so many positive things to say about ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 26 July, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, Press Releases
| Tags: Talamanca
Global Undergraduate Exchange Program Thanks to the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGrad), five students from Costa Rican public universities will study one academic semester at a higher education institution in the United States. They will participate in pre-academic English language training, academic coursework, service learning opportunities, professional development workshops, and cultural enrichment activities; and ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 18 July, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, Press Releases
| Tags: Ambassador Sharon Day, Global UGRAD, Global Undergraduate Exchange Program
Peace Corps in Costa Rica Katherine Stanley July 16, 2018 Costa Rican public schools are returning from vacation this week, and many students are still riding high on their successes during June’s educational celebrations. During that month, one of the more active in the Costa Rican academic calendar, Peace Corps Volunteers we see festivals of ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 17 July, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, English Language Learning, Press Releases
| Tags: English Festival
Ambassador Sharon Day Welcome Remarks July 4 Celebration Tuesday, July 3, 6:00 PM President of the Legislative Assembly, Carolina Hidalgo President of the Supreme Court, Carlos Chinchilla Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Epsy Campbell Members of the Diplomatic Corps Representatives of the Government of Costa Rica Ladies and Gentleman Buenas Noches…Bienvenidos todos This ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 10 July, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, News, Speeches
| Tags: Fourth of July
New trees decorate the gardens of the U.S. Ambassador Sharon Day’s Residency. In commemoration of World Environment Day, Ambassador Day and representatives from the Costa Rican government and environmental organizations planted a tree, and discussed Costa Rica’s current environmental situation and the efforts of each country do to protect Costa Rican and the world’s biodiversity. ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 11 June, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Environment, Featured Event
| Tags: debt-for-nature, Tropical Forest Conservation Act, World Environment Day
A group of 17 new Peace Corps volunteers will begin their service in Costa Rica where they will work with communities in Limón, Puntarenas, Alajuela, and San Jose to develop economic opportunities. The group of volunteers, with their varied academic background, will work for two years in the Community Economic Development program, which aims to ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 23 May, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event
| Tags: Tico 35
Caldera, Puntarenas – April 26th, 2018 As part of the security cooperation with Costa Rica, the United States donated a third Libertador 110 foot cutter. Thanks to this third vessel, Costa Rica is now better prepared to safeguard its territory from narcotrafficking, trafficking in persons, illegal fishing and other illicit activities. It also will be ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 26 April, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador
| Tags: humanitarian support, Libertador 110 foot cutter
Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica After months of training, the crew of the two 110 feet Libertador ships donated by the United States arrived in Caldera in command of the vessels. The 44 officers of the Costa Rican National Coast Guard Service were trained how to operate and maintain the vessels. U.S. Ambassador Sharon Day stated that “even ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 26 April, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador
| Tags: 110 feet Libertador ship
The United States and Costa Rica formalized the donation of four UH-1ST helicopters to the Costa Rican Air Surveillance Agency (SVA) of the Ministry of Public Security. With these helicopters, Costa Rican increases its capability to provide aerial support during maritime operations, as well as to provide direct support to the National Coast Guard Service ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 26 April, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador
| Tags: Costa Rican Air Surveillance Agency
Caldera, Puntarenas – Thursday, April 26, 2018 Remarks by Ambassador Sharon Day Island Class Cutter Commissioning Ceremony Thursday, April 26 | 11:00 AM Buenos días a todos: President Solis, Colonel Arias, Colonel Madrigal, Admiral Michel, Deputy Assistant Secretary Glenn, distinguished guests and — most importantly – The commanding officers and crew of the Libertador Class Cutters. ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 26 April, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Speeches
| Tags: Island Class Cutter, Libertador Class Cutters
English teaching and learning The U.S. Embassy signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), committing to work together for four more years in order to strengthen the teaching of English in public schools. The memorandum of understanding includes support for English language development for students, professors and MEP staff with ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 16 April, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, English Language Learning
| Tags: Ambassador Day, English, MEP, TeachHer
The Costa Rican Coast Guard crew sail for Costa Rica on April 3 aboard the two Libertador vessels that were donated to the Costa Rican government by the United States. The crew having been trained by their U.S. counterparts are now in command of these vessels. Costa Rican Coast Guard officers were in the U.S. ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 5 April, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events, Featured Event
| Tags: Costa Rica Coast Guard, Roman Macaya
Deily Alpízar, Melanie Morales, Isaac Oviedo and mentor Brian Paz will travel to the United States in the upcoming weeks to represent Costa Rica in the Youth Ambassadors Program, a unique experience of youth diplomacy that will give to Latin American students and mentors the opportunity to learn about U.S. culture, society and education. The three students from ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 4 April, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador
| Tags: Access program, Youth Ambassadors Program
First Central America Regional Forensic Conference Why does the quality of forensic science matter for the criminal justice? What is the value of having an accredited forensics lab? Why is a DNA database useful? These questions among others were addressed at the first Central America Regional Forensic Conference that took place in Costa Rica with ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 23 March, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador
| Tags: CAPRI, DNA, Forensic Conference, ICITAP
TeachHer Seventeen students from the TeachHer Initiative participated in a special science camp encouraging the study of science, technology, engineering, arts/design and mathematics (STEAM careers). This science camp took students to Ad Astra Rocket Lab and the Science Corner – the U.S. Embassy space at EARTH University in Liberia- where they learned about the development, ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 16 March, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador
| Tags: Ad Astra, Liberia, TechHer
2018 AFS-CRUSA Scholarships Emerson González, Geovanny García, Daniela Lai, Ximena Quesada, Amanda Valdez and Diana Mejías will travel in August to study one academic year at a high school in the United States. The six students from the Science High School System were awarded with the AFS-CRUSA scholarship that CRUSA Foundation and AFS Costa Rica, ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 27 February, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events
| Tags: AFS Costa Rica, AFS-CRUSA, Science High School System
11 years ago, the American Corner opened its doors to the public. Located in the Limon Public Library, residents have access to free information about the United States through books, compact discs, complimentary access to Internet and cultural events. More than 110,000 people have taken advantage of the didactic resources available in the American Corner, ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 22 February, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, News
| Tags: Ambassador Day, American Corner, Limon
The 44 person Costa Rican Coast Guard crew that has assumed command of two 110 feet cutters donated by the United States are receiving special training from their U.S. counterparts at the U.S. Coast Guard shipyard in Baltimore. The training that begin in January and will end in April will prepare the crew to command, ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 14 February, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events, News
| Tags: 1110 feet cutters, Baltimore, Costa Rican National Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard
San Jose, January 25th, 2018 The United States donated three armored vehicles to the Government of Costa Rica to strengthen security throughout the country. One vehicle is destined for Fuerza Publica, another for the Special Intervention Unit (UEI), and the third for the Judicial Police (OIJ). The three four-wheel drive vehicles were equipped in the ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 25 January, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event
| Tags: Fuerza Publica
Baltimore The members of the two crews that will be in charge of the two 1110 feet cutters that the United States donated and already transferred to the Costa Rican National Coast Guard Service already arrived to Baltimore. The 44 Coast Guard officers are in the Baltimore U.S. Coast Guard shipyard for a three-month training ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 24 January, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events, News
| Tags: 1110 feet cutters, Baltimore, Costa Rican National Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard
Perez Zeledon, January 20th, 2018 For two years, 80 students from 12 Perez Zeledon high schools devoted many hours to learning English through the Access English Microscholarship, a U.S. Embassy-sponsored program implemented by the Universidad Nacional. After much hard work, these bright students can now speak and understand English at an intermediate-advanced level. With this ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 23 January, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, English Language Learning
| Tags: learning, Perez Zeledon, UNA, Universidad Nacional
Yuriana Arnesto will be Costa Rica’s first female helicopter pilot. She is currently participating in the basic course for pilots at the Colombian Armed Forces School of Helicopters, thanks to U.S. Embassy sponsorship and the support of a U.S. Southern Command special program. The course lasts eight months. By March, 2018, Yuriana will return to ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 16 January, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, News
| Tags: Helicopter, Pilot, SVA, Yuriana Arnesto
Youth Ambassadors Program A total of nine high school students and one English teacher will represent Costa Rica this year in the Youth Ambassadors program. The first group of six students will travel in January during three weeks to the United States, and will visit Washington D.C.; Marquette, Michigan and San Antonio, Texas. A second ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 10 January, 2018 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, Public Affairs
| Tags: Ambassador Day, San Carlos, Youth Ambassadors
Community College Scholarship Program José Rodolfo Gámez, Génnesis González, Brandon Navarro, Brandon González, Natalie Ulate, Duvan José Ramírez and Jefferson Phillips, graduates from technical high schools, will study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers at community colleges in Orlando, Florida; Reno, Nevada; Appleton, Wisconsin; and Seattle, Washington for two years. The Community College Scholarship ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 18 December, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event, Public Affairs
| Tags: Ambassador Day, BNC, Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano, CINDE, CRUSA
EARTH University – Graduation 2017 Guacimo, Costa Rica – December 8th, 2017
U.S. Ambassador Sharon Day participated in the graduation of 106 students from EARTH University, a university that has been key in producing future leaders in solving some of the most urgent social and environmental challenges of the world. Since the foundation of the university in 1986, EARTH ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 12 December, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events
| Tags: Class 2017
ACCESS 2017 San Jose, December 7th, 2017
U.S. Ambassador Sharon Day celebrated the graduation of 121 students from the English Access Microscholarship and CARSI English programs that the U.S. government sponsors and the Binational Center imparts in Costa Rica. After two years of efforts and dedication, these students graduated with an intermediate advanced English proficiency which allows them to ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 7 December, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, English Language Learning, Events, Public Affairs
| Tags: Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano
10 Costa Rican young entrepreneurs participated in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative for five weeks in the United States to foster innovation, trade and investment in the region. U.S. Ambassador Sharon Day met with this group of entrepreneurs to know more about their experiences in the United States and about their companies in ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 7 December, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Featured Event
| Tags: Ambassador Day, YLAI, Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative
TeachHer San Jose, November 30th, 2017 The TeachHer program was created to encourage adolescent girls to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Design, and Math (STEAM) careers one year ago in Costa Rica.
U.S. Ambassador Sharon Da y celebrated 12 months of trainings, workshops and community service projects with approximately 250 students; Costa Rican First Lady Mercedes Penas; Ministry ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 30 November, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, English Language Learning, Events, News
| Tags: STEAM, TeachHer, UNESCO, Women
Michelle Moya Rodriguez has a gift that she is now formally developing thanks to Girasoles, a project that the U.S. Embassy supports in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste and in Garabito, Puntarenas. “At Girasoles, for the first time, I received a drawing course. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always liked to draw. Only ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 13 November, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador
| Tags: Ambassador Day, Girasoles, Sunflower, Young Women
More than 1200 students from elementary and secondary schools commit to say NO to drugs. During the 11th Red Ribbon Week in Costa Rica, children and young students from Tamarindo, Guanacaste, learned about the harmful effects of drugs, tobacco and alcohol; how to analyze risks and consequences of their decisions and how to resist group ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 3 November, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events
| Tags: Ambassador Day, DARE, DEA, Kiki Camarena, NO to drugs, Red Ribbon, Tamarindo
Costa Rican Forensics Labs are now internationally accredited thanks to support from the U.S. Embassy’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). Now the labs fulfill the ISO 17020 and 17025 specifications for forensics topics in toxicology, chemical analysis and biochemistry, which represent 60 percent of the tasks that the forensics labs in ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 30 October, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events, News, Public Affairs
| Tags: Ambassador Day, Forensics Labs, ISO 17020, ISO 7025, OIJ, Sharon Day
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. During the celebration of the 71st anniversary of the program, organized by the Costa Rican Fulbright Alumni Association,
Ambassador Day had the ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 30 October, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events, News
| Tags: Costa Rican Fulbright Alumni Association, Fulbright Program
Sharon Day presents her credentials to President Solís The new U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica Sharon Day presented her credentials to President Solis today and now begins her official duties as the highest ranking representative of the U.S. Government in Costa Rica. In her meeting with President Solis, Ambassador Day reiterated the United States’ commitment ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 5 October, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Press Releases
| Tags: Sharon Day
Yes, we have a brand new website! Have a look around! The new-look website has seven sections representing broad topics that may be of interest to you. The sections are broken down further into sub-categories to assist you in finding specific information. The Seven Sections are:
Visas – For all your Visa needs and questions.
U.S. Citizen Services – ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 27 March, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events, News
Washington D.C. – March 17, 2017 U.S. Vice President Michael Pence met with Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis at the White House on March 17, 2017. The Vice President praised Costa Rica’s role as key partner of the United States in promoting regional economic prosperity, security, and good governance throughout the hemisphere. The two ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 24 March, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events, News
| Tags: Costa Rica, President Solis, S. Fitzgerald Haney, White House
Alajuela- January 19th, 2017 #GoodNews The U.S. government gave one million dollars to the Ministry of Public Security for the refurbishment, maintenance and spare parts for a King Air F90 plane. The aircraft was seized to drug traffickers and now and thanks to the refurbishment process, the plane collaborates in the fight against drug trafficking, ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 19 January, 2017 | Topics:
Ambassador, Events, News
| Tags: King Air F90 plane, Ministry of Public Security
August 22, 2016 President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with President Solís at the White House The United States and Costa Rica are longstanding close operational and strategic partners in an impressive range of security cooperation activities. We view our support as part of a holistic partnership with the country and its security forces. ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 22 August, 2016 | Topics:
Ambassador, News, Press Releases
| Tags: Presidente Solis, Security
San José, Friday October 9, 2015 Good afternoon distinguished speakers and guests, ladies and gentlemen. I am honored and grateful to be able to join you today. I wish I could say we are all here to celebrate our success, that we have made significant progress toward protecting our journalists and independent media. Of ...
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By U.S. Embassy San Jose | 9 October, 2015 | Topics:
Ambassador, Speeches
| Tags: Haney
