The cattle boom of 1960s and ‘70s was promoted by the Government, U.S. Aid programmes, International Banks and corporations.
Mid-1970s – Beef exports double as local beef consumption declines by 41%. As El Salvador, economic growth means starvation for the locals.
1980 – the Local Gallup Office publish a poll. Approximately 1 million people cannot afford a minimum diet, let alone clothing, education or health care. 42% of Costa Rica’s soil shows signs of severe erosion. Top soil is Costa Rica’s primary export says Vice Minister of Natural Resources.
1986 – Arias’s Civil Guard violently repress a peaceful demonstration by landless campesinos. Many serious injuries.
1988/9 – U.S. military aid goes up 15% and 13% respectively.
1990 – Elections – 2 candidates. Virtually identical pro-Business programmes and supportive of U.S. policies. CODEHU (Costa Rican Human Rights Commission) reports torture, arbitrary arrest, harassment of campesinos and workers. Dramatic rise in illegal detentions and arrests.
Arias, the U.S. favourite, receives $50,000 from Miami-based fishing company identified by U.S. congress as a drug trafficking operation. Militarisation of Police and Security Forces. These are trained in U.S. (Georgia) and Taiwan Military Academies, and also in U.S. bases in Panama, and also by the El Salvadoran Army, Guatemalan Special Forces and Israeli Secret Police.
Costa Rican Special Police (the OIJ) use underground torture chamber with electric shock treatment.
“The psychological profile of the Police has changed as a result of the military training… we cannot talk any more of a civilian Police Force. What we have now is a hidden army” (CODEHU).