Stop-Traffic Listserver Archive: [Stop-traffic] Costa-Rica

Subject: [Stop-traffic] Costa-Rica
From: Salamon Alapitvany (salamon@tiszanet.hu)
Date: Thu Jan 18 2001 - 14:41:17 EST

We were sent this article, but we would like to try and find the original source. Is it a hoax or is it a real report and has there been any rebuttal from Bruce ?

The president's estimation of the number of underage sex workers seems very low. Has anyone been able to document that there is more than 30 underage women in prostitution in Costa Rica ?

Also how are they defining child sex workers in Costa Rica, are young women aged 15-18 considered children or does child sex worker mean a prepubescent girl or boy ?

South America:
--------------------------------------------------------

31st December 2000

_President slams US media over child sex claims_

President Miguel Angel Rodriguez's government, enraged
by a series of international media reports alleging a
child-sex industry in the country, has criticised
campaigning groups and the U.S. news media for falsifying
statistics in what he calls a concerted effort to damage
his country's image.

"The truth is that this subject has me furious,"
Rodriguez said recently. "Now is the time when all
Costa Ricans must unite to defend the dignity of this
country."

Rodriguez has criticized many of the stories in the
past, but the latest - broadcast Dec. 8 on ABC's 20/20
and shown Dec. 18 in Costa Rica with Spanish subtitles
- caused the president to call a series of strongly
worded news conferences.

Rodriguez and his cabinet members have accused ABC and
other news media of falsifying statistics on the
numbers of underage prostitutes.

His government says Bruce Harris, a child-welfare
advocate, is masterminding an international campaign to
vilify Costa Rica.

Monica Nagel, the justice minister, added that by
publicizing Costa Rica's alleged juvenile sex trade,
Harris was encouraging pedophiles to visit.

"What we need is Harris working in Costa Rica, not
promoting sex tourism and defaming the country... He
just says these things to raise money for his group,"
she said.

President Rodriguez has even threatened to send a
formal diplomatic note to the U.S. government. He has
stated that there are no more than "20 or 30" underage
prostitutes in Costa Rica.

--------------------------------------------------------

****The Salamon Alapitvany works for the right of all women to make informed choices and believes that such choices should be respected and supported by others.*****

South America:

--------------------------------------------------------

31st December 2000

_President slams US media over child sex claims_

President Miguel Angel Rodriguez's government, enraged

by a series of international media reports alleging a

child-sex industry in the country, has criticised

campaigning groups and the U.S. news media for falsifying

statistics in what he calls a concerted effort to damage

his country's image.

"The truth is that this subject has me furious,"

Rodriguez said recently.  "Now is the time when all

Costa Ricans must unite to defend the dignity of this

country."

Rodriguez has criticized many of the stories in the

past, but the latest - broadcast Dec. 8 on ABC's 20/20

and shown Dec. 18 in Costa Rica with Spanish subtitles

- caused the president to call a series of strongly

worded news conferences.

Rodriguez and his cabinet members have accused ABC and

other news media of falsifying statistics on the

numbers of underage prostitutes.

His government says Bruce Harris, a child-welfare

advocate, is masterminding an international campaign to

vilify Costa Rica.

Monica Nagel, the justice minister, added that by

publicizing Costa Rica's alleged juvenile sex trade,

Harris was encouraging pedophiles to visit.

"What we need is Harris working in Costa Rica, not

promoting sex tourism and defaming the country...  He

just says these things to raise money for his group,"

she said.

President Rodriguez has even threatened to send a

formal diplomatic note to the U.S. government.  He has

stated that there are no more than "20 or 30" underage

prostitutes in Costa Rica.

--------------------------------------------------------