The community of Nosara will celebrate Independence Day amidst an organization marred by confusion, fear over insecurity, and last-minute changes.
The Nicoya Regional Directorate had suspended the lantern and Independence Day parades in Nosara “due to the growing wave of violence.” The patriotic festivities were to be held “within the institution,” and the only activity outside of the schools would have been the torch relay.
This was outlined by the principal of Santa Teresita School in Nosara, Alice Canales, in a letter sent to the student community on August 22, which later circulated on social media. The regional director of Nicoya, Clara Espinoza, also confirmed this to this medium on two occasions, on September 2 and 5.
“The activities will always be carried out with that same civic spirit (…) the only change is that we will do it within the schools. This is to safeguard our student population due to a series of unfortunate situations that have occurred because above all, we are responsible for the safety of our children, youth, and the entire student community,” she expressed in an audio message via WhatsApp.
Canales sent the circular two days after a double homicide occurred in the community. This incident raised the number of murders in Nosara to 10 so far this year, making it the district with the highest number of cases in Guanacaste, according to statistics from the Judicial Investigation Agency (Spanish acronym: OIJ).
The decision unsettled the community, who shared diverse opinions on a post on a Facebook page of the district. “I don’t see the point, why would they cancel such a beautiful family event, which is held once a year in the morning,” wrote one Facebook user. “If they made that decision, it’s because with the investigations, they must have important information. If the Nosara community doesn’t organize and take key actions, it will only get worse,” said another.
However, there was a lack of clarity and consistency in the MEP’s statements. Despite Clara Espinoza reconfirming to The Voice on September 5 that activities outside of the schools would be suspended, the principal of Santa Teresita School had sent another note to the community on September 2 stating that the festivities would proceed as usual. The school’s Facebook page even published the schedules for the activities.
It wasn’t until Wednesday, September 11, that Clara Espinoza, the regional director, told The Voice that the decision had been changed and that the activities could be held on the streets of Nosara. According to her, the change was due to “coordination with the National Police and the Nicoya Municipality” measures to ensure the safety of participants. When The Voice asked about the specific measures taken, she admitted she was not aware of them.
“Following all the uproar from that circular and the community’s dissatisfaction, we made a coordinated effort with the local government, with Mayor Carlos [Martínez]. Through him, we coordinated with the Ministry of Security,” Espinoza stated.
More police?
After speaking with Espinoza, The Voice also consulted Larson Alemán, the deputy regional director of the National Police in Guanacaste, on September 11. Alemán confirmed that there would indeed be a special operation in the Nosara district but denied any coordination with the MEP or the municipality.
“This preventive measure for these festivities is national, and the National Police has been planning it for months. It’s no different in Guanacaste (…) For all patriotic events, the National Police deploys extra resources,” Alemán commented.
On that day, at 8 p.m., Martínez sent a letter to the Minister of Public Security, Mario Zamora, requesting “to count with security for the Independence Day celebrations in Nosara on September 13, 14, and 15 of this year.”
The following day, September 12, Erick Calderón, the Director of Operations for the National Police, responded to the mayor, stating that the police had coordinated with the educational centers to provide support during the activities. The document also mentioned that the area would receive additional police reinforcements.
In the case of Santa Teresita School, Principal Canales indicated that the school itself reached out to the police to request their assistance.
Canales celebrates that the youth and their families can finally celebrate Independence Day in the streets. “The people showed they have a voice, and it was the people who pushed for the parades to return through pressure on social media,” said the principal, celebrating the opportunity for the youth and families to celebrate in the streets, even though fear still remains.
“They always live in a state of alert, of threat, because even before we as teachers realize it, they themselves come and tell us: ‘They killed someone right next to my house, I heard and I saw.’”
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