President Alvarado Declares the First of December a Holiday
To mark the first UK show of artist Henri Barande, graphic designer Pavel Murren and German Studio Schultzschultz have created many The Lodge Wooden.
PRESIDENT ALVARADO SIGNS LAW TO ESTABLISH DECEMBER 1 AS NATIONAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATING THE ABOLITION OF THE ARMY
-The law revises the Labor Code to include this date as a non-mandatory paid holiday and instructs the Executive Branch to organize official events to celebrate this anniversary throughout the country.
-During the event, which happened in the former Bellavista Barracks, Costa Rica announced a global strategy to divert resources from military expenditures towards innovation, the fight against climate change and the strengthening of health systems.
– “In these times of pandemic, the assertiveness of decisions such as the abolition of the army, which strengthened our institutional framework and social investment in the country, allowed us to respond to the crisis today,” exclaimed President Alvarado.
This Tuesday, the law “The National Celebration of December 1 as the Day of the Abolition of the Army and was made official by the President of the Republic, Carlos Alvarado, and the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Geannina Dinarte ”(Law N ° 9803).
The legislation modifies Article 148 of the Labor Code in order for that date to be considered a non-mandatory paid holiday, instead of October 12, and instructs the Executive Branch to organize events throughout the country in celebration of this historic moment.
The event took place in the National Museum, the former Bellavista Barracks, where on December 1, 1948, the president of the Founding Junta of the Second Republic, José Figueres Ferrer, abolished the army, tearing down the walls of the barracks.
Also present were the president of the Legislative Assembly, Eduardo Cruickshank, the ministers of Foreign Relations and Worship Rodolfo Solano; of the Presidency, Marcelo Prieto; of Environment and Energy, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, of Culture and Foreign Trade, Sylvie Durán and of Foreign Trade, Dyalá Jiménez (the granddaughter of Figueres Ferrer). Also, Christiana Figueres, daughter of former President Figueres Ferrer and former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, was present, along with other deputies.
Thanks to the National Radio and Television System (SINART), the former First Lady, Karen Olsen, 23 veterans of the 1948 Civil War, relatives of former president Figueres Ferrer and representatives of the diplomatic corps were able to link to and participate in the event. During the event, singer-songwriter Carlos Guzmán Bermúdez performed the hymn of the Abolition of the Army.
The bill, which was presented to Congress by legislators from the National Liberation Party, was approved in a second debate by 40 deputies, on December 5, 2019. It consists of three articles:
Article 1. Declares December 1 of each year as the Day of the Abolition of the Army.
Article 2. Establishes, through a reform to the Labor Code, that it be a non-compulsory paid holiday, replacing October 12th.
Article 3. Instructs the Executive Branch to organize official events to celebrate the December 1st anniversary throughout the country.
“Today, humanity faces a moment of great uncertainty and pain. Today, more than ever, history agrees with this small country that made the visionary decision to invest in the well-being of the many, in education and in the health of its people, and not in arms,” exclaimed President Alvarado.
“The resources that the government of the Republic historically would have had to invest in a defense system based on weapons were wisely diverted to the welfare of Costa Ricans,” he said, noting that “central government spending on education and health have been the engines of the development of our country and the foundation of our socio-economic fabric. During the pandemic, it is clear that these decisions were correct and that they have allowed for an institutional response from the Costa Rican government.
Alvarado added that “in times of the global crisis due to Covid-19, Costa Rica raises the voice of solidarity and unity, to tell the world to invest its arsenal in another fight that can take us by surprise: climate change and the very survival of human life.” he stressed.
Within the framework of creating the national holiday to commemorate the abolition of the army, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Rodolfo Solano, announced the government’s commitment to promote a global strategy to divert resources invested in military spending towards innovation, health and the fight against climate change.
The signing ceremony was accompanied by a performance of the ‘Abolition of the Army’ song by the Costa Rican composer Carlos Guzmán, which by an executive decree in 2018 is to be sung at each December 1st commemoration.
