Costa Rican Debt 2nd Only To Israel's

COSTA RICAN DEBT 2ND ONLY TO ISRAEL'S

During a panel discussion on U.S. policy in Central America, March 23, sponsored by the Latin American Solidarity Committee, U-M biology professor John Vandermeer spoke about the effects of U.S. aid on Costa Rica.

"Costa Rica has now accumulated a debt that is second only to Israel's, that is per capita," he said. "Right now, Costa Rica is so dependent on U.S. aid that President Oscar Arias... is forced into certain political actions by the threat of the U.S. withholding economic aid."

When U.S. aid is threatened, Vandermeer said, "Arias immediately faces strikes by workers, closing of plants and certain segments of universities. He is dependent on U.S. aid just to keep their economy afloat. That puts the Costa Ricans in a position of being blackmailed, and routinely blackmailed, I might add."

During a trip to Washington D.C. last month. Arias publicly expressed his support of the new round of U.S. aid for the contras. This position was in direct contradiction to the August 1987 Esquipulas II plan which Arias authored and to the Central America Peace Accords which he signed along with the other four Central American presidents.