Hello everyone,
As an expat, your day-to-day life in Costa Rica is impacted by decision-making at the political level in your host country as well as in your country of origin. We would like to know how involved you think expats should be in the political day-to-day of either their host or home country?
Can expats vote during elections which take place in their country of origin? Can you do so online or through embassies/consulates in Costa Rica?
What is the administrative process which has been set up in Costa Rica to enable expats to vote in their country of origin?
To which extent should political life in Costa Rica include expats and their concerns? Should they be more active as a community to make their voices heard?
Are there any precautionary measures to observe during election period in your host country? Any local prohibitions?
Do you keep up with politics in Costa Rica?
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Bhavna
Expat interest in politics in Costa Rica
I wish I could read and understand the espanol spoken here in Costa Rica. The speed of speech and the dropping of syllables off word endings leaves me clueless. But I do wish there was an outlet for gringo questions. Such as what is the government's plan to reduce the number of cars on it's roads and thereby increase the quality of life of it's citizens. Rush hour is a choke hold on the throat of every Tico who has to deal with it.
Why doesn't the government restrict the use of large trucks/semi's/etc on all roads except for use between the hours of 10pm and 6am? That alone would help traffic move at twice its' current rate.
The Costa Rican economy seems to be in a significant recession since 2008 crash. What is the government doing to help business ? Besides pass legislation to tax everybody more and more and more?
I moved to Costa Rica to get AWAY from politics. Politics is not the answer to any question worth asking. Politics is the problem. When the Soviet Union collapsed in the '90s, it was the best thing that ever happened to the Russian people and their close neighbors. (Despite efforts of oligarchs, Russian or otherwise, to loot the country during the Yeltsin turmoil.) Whenever countries have downsized their political establishments temporarily (Chile, New Zealand) they have greatly benefited. When the pro-Statists have returned to power to increase political intervention to previous levels, those benefits quickly went away with the return of new economic crises. The US is approaching a breaking point, where the population is so polarized between those who support the "Golden Golem of Greatness" and those who are out to destroy him "by any means necessary". You think things can't get any worse? Just wait! The financial bubbles can't be pumped up any further, and will soon pop. Then you will see the "wailing and gnashing of teeth". Social "unrest" could lead to a civil war between the two polarized camps. The reason I'm here is that I can't see a return to 1948 happening any time soon. The biggest problem for Costa Rica (which ex-pats can warn about, but not directly affect) is the steady growth of the welfare state with the consequent deterioration of public finances and currency.
If China is there to help the Country. Good. Yet make sure you can pay the loan or $Billions they give you for the Ports, Rail, Roads.
CR can have a Great Boom in Organic Agriculture.
Unions will destroy your Gov, they have ours. Do not let Gov get too big, They do Nothing.
Keep things Regional. As a Passionate People Away be STRONG as a People. This way Gov will Never take all the Country.
Protect the Land, Manage Sustainability. You have 100% renewable, now get 200% and grow the industry and export. Only ship out Secondary products. The more you do in your country the more it makes or gets to keep. Canada is being Robbed.
Trade with good and many countries. If one changes you have others to count on.
Protect the Environment and Children First. Educate ALL, They are truly your future.
Cut a New Shipping Tunnel West to East, for longterm stability.
NO major industrial manufacturing.
adopt more Seniors to provide Golden Years of Retirement.
100K Seniors spending $1K a month will bring in $1-2 Billion a year
CR has a lot to offer. it has a lot to care for. I care for any and all countries, It's one planet and you and I, live on it. 
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