Case conceriiing Navigational and Related Rights
(Costa Rica v. Nicaragua)
Cnc;taRica's Replies to Questions asked by ,JudgesKoroina, Keith and Bennouna
Costa Rica would answer these three questions as follows. Extracts of the publicly
available texts cited (where notready annexed to the pleadings) aratt~ched.
1
A. Question by Judge Koroma
Can either Party provide evidence as to whether Costa Rican locals and
immigrants usee/the San Juan River in the periocl aroztnd 1858, when the Treal)'
of Limits tvas conèluded, and çan either Party provide evidence as to the nature
and scope <~ tfe subsèquent practice in the use of the river by Costa Rican Locals
and immigrants?
Answer by Costa Rica:
1. The San Juan River provided access to the Atlantic for Costa Rica during the
colonial period.In the post-independence period also, Costa Ricans who travelled to the
east coast of the United States orto Europe used this route. The route, starting from San
José, for example, required first to travet by land sorne kilometres to the Sarapiquf
River, then navigating on the Sarapiquf Riverorne 40 kilometres and then navigating the
San Juan River for some 55 kilometres to the port of San Juan del No11e,otherwise called
1
Greytown.
2. Immigrants and other travellers also used this as their entry route to the interi01·of
Costa Rica. They would ente!"by the Port of San Juan del Norte, navigate the San Juan
Rivet until its junction with the Sarapiquf River and then follow this river until the town
of La Virgen in Sarapiquf. From there they were ti·ansported to the Central Valley of
Costa Rica, where most settlers established themselves.
2
3. Dr. Moritz Wagner and Dr. Carl Scherzer, two German citizens who travelled to
Costa Rica in 1853, described that route as follows:
"The only transit that exists until now between San Jose and the Atlantic
Ocean is c<mied out through the Sarapiqui [river] to Greytown. The
transportation insm:.ùlrowing boats is very cxpcnsive, that is why only few
mcrchandise is dispatchcd through this way. Those are generally valuablc ·
abjects or rnanufacturcd goods that momentarily are missing in the San Jose
Alejandro Bolaii.os, San Juan de Nicaragua. (Nicaragua: Banco Central de Nicaragua. Second
Edition, 1998), at p. 19 (Attacbment l).
~ Mmitz Wagner and Carl ScberzeLa Repziblica de Costa Rica en Centro América. Trmzslation
ji·mn 1heGennahy Pn~f'e Jogeor. Lines (San José:Yorusti Library, 1944), at p. 63 (Attacbment 2). market, which speculators bring in stetm1ships from New York. Instead. the
travelers that transit to Europe oï·the United States. take almost exdusively
this way. During our tenure i.pCosta Rica, a cettain Mr. Forest, from the
United States, made certain propositions to the Government to establish a
regulm·communication by steamships to the port of Sarapiqui in connection
:' 3
with navigation on theSan Juan River". (emphasis added)
4. That immigrants were taking this route to co~) t1eCosta Rica is confirmed,
among others, by a Nicaraguan histmian, who recalled the entry of 200 German
immigrants to Costa Rica through San Juan del Norte. 4 The immigr haad note~ in the
Antoinette from Bremen, arriving in San Juan del Norte on 14 Decembh 1853; this was
the first group of Germtm settlers to come to Costa Rica.
5. ln 1858, when the Treaty of Limits was signed, the San Juan River was already ln
use for the inter-oceanic transportation of passengers on a substantial scale, mainly as a
practical toute between the east ând west cbasts of the United States of Ameriça. This
had prompted NicaraguQ and Costa Rica to sign contracts for the transportation of
passengers.~
6. By the 1870s transoceanic transit via the San Juan River bad practically ceased.
The bombm-dment of Greytown (San Juan del Norte) by the United States in 1854, the
filibuster warund the silting of the bay of San Juan del Norte aftër 1858 contributed to
this outcome.
7. Nevertheless some travellers to Costa Rica still used this route to reach the
1
Central Valley. An example is the arrivai of the Jesuits in Costa. Rica in 1875. At the
time, a number of Jesuits were granted p~mliss tiesnablish themselves in Costa Rica.
7
They travelled from San Juan del Nmte along the Sun Juan and Sarapiquf rivers.
8. Other travellers, like the Gei1mm professor Helmuth Polakowsky, who visited
Costa Rica in 1875, made reference to sm~ù flrms on the Costa Rican bank of the San
Juan River. 8 The only means of communication for the inhabitants of these fanns
evidently was the Smi Juan River. ·
9. Although by the beginning of the 20th century the S<:mJuan River saw its
imp01tance as an inter-oceanic route reduced, it nevertheless continued to be an important
waterway enabling Costa Rican communities in the northern region to comm'unicate with
each othcr and (through its tributm-ies)with the interior.
Ibid (Attachmcnt 2).
4 Alejandro Bo\ai'ios. San Juan de Nicaragua. (Nicaragua: Banco Central de Nicaragua, Second
Edition, 1998),.20 (Attachmcnt 1).
5 Ibid (Attachmen1).
6
NCM para 4.3.9.
Clotilde Obrcg6n Qucsada, La Realida11.me!Ïo: El Colegio de San Luis Gonzaga de Carrago
1869-1956(San José,First Edition: 2006). p. 119 (Attachmcnt 3).
K Elias Zclcd6n Curtin, Viajes por la ReplilJlica de Costa Rica, Volume Il (San José: 1997), nt p. 302
(Attnchmcnt 4).
2lO. The use of the San Jutm as a communication waterway for locé\ltesidents on both
sides of the river can be tr~c beadk to colorùéùtimes. As stated by Costa Rica in its
pleadings before President Cleveland:
"Vasquez de Coronado, who was 'Alcalde Mayor' of Nicaragua and Costa Rica
about the year 1563, reduced to submission <mdplaced un:der the jurisdiction of
the Province of Costa Rica the Catapas Tices and Votos Indians who inhabite9 the
shores of the Lake ofNicaragtm and the banks of the [Desaguadero]."
At this time the San Juan River was not a boundary between the indigeQ,ouscommunities
1
that inhabited its banks. The San Juan River constituted their main means of
communication, between themselves and with other indigenous groups such as the
Miskito lndians on the Atlantic coast.
11. In the 1850s, indigenous communities still existed along the river. Travellers
10
often described their small boats. ln addition, small settlements had emerged on both
banks of the San Juan River. 11 The San Juan River was the otùy way that afforded those
settlements communication between themselves and with the interior of Costa Rica.
12. Costa Rican boatmen and liparians continmùly used the San Juan River as a
12
wate1way during the 20th century. A Nicaraguan witness claimed that during the 1960s
he worked on the River transpmting fuel and goods between communities and that at the
time "there were a few Costa Ricam; and Nicaraguans who navigated the river. .. to
transpmt goods from one community to ttnother." 13 Another Nicaraguan witness claimed
thnt
"[t]he principal and most frequent use of the river by Costa Ricans dul'ing this
entire period, from 1960s to the 1980s, was by the local population that lived in
the small settlernm1tsin Costa Rica's territory. They navigated the river in their
14
smull boats as part of their daily lives."
13. The fact that Costa Ricans have navigated on the San Juan River from before
1858 to this day was confirmed by Nicaragua in its R.ejoinder. lt stated then:
"Although Costa Rica has not used the San Juan River as she initially envisioned
- to carry ber coffee and other products to European marketc;- her vessels have.
in fact, navigated the river continua11yover the past 150 years 'con objetos de
comercio'." l:(emphasis added)
9 Pedro Percz Zelcdôn,ArgumenT on the Question of the Vlidit)' of rlze Treary of Limits !JeiWeen
Costa Rica and Nicaragua (Washington D.C.: Gibson Bros., 1887), p. 33, CRM Complete Annexes,
10lume 3.
Moritz Wagner and Carlo ScherLer,La Repû!Jlic:ade Costa Rica en Centra América. Translation
jh;m tlze German/JyProfessor .lorge A. Unes(San José: Yorusti Library, 1944), at p. 55; sec also p. 59
(Altachmcnt 2).
11 lhidp. 62 (Attachment 2).
1
' CRM Annexes 91. 92, 93, 95, 96, 103, 106ami 108: CRR Annexes 67 (a) und (b).
IJ NR Annex 65.
14 NR Annex 75.
15 NR para 4.12.
314. In fact civil nayigation on the Sari Juan has been primarily for purposes of
communication, mostly between different parts of Costa Rica.
Q~~ti oynJudge Keith:
On the assumption that Costa Rica's right of navigation under Article VI of the
1858 Treaty does extend to the carriage of passengers, must the passengers or
someone on their behalf rnake a payment for the carriage to the operator of the
vesselfor the carriagetojczllwithintlurtright?
Answer by Costa Rica:
15. The answer to the question is no. The fact that the passengers or someone on
their behalf must pay the operator of the vessel for thecm1i~ is sufficient to bring the
voyage within the scope of Atticle VI, but it is not a necessary condition for the exercise
of the rightof navigation.
16. The perpetua] right of free navigation for the pm·poses of commerce set out in
Article VI of the 1858 Treaty includes cmriage of persons as well as carriage of goods.
The words "con objetos de comercio" are intended as words of expansion and not
limitation - and this is truea fortiori if they are interpreted to mean "with articles of
trade".
17. As a matter of fact, tl1eexercise of the right of navigation by transporting persons
or by navigation on their own has been accomplished in a wide vadety of ways. These
include:
(a) transpott of passengei"sby boatmen, inàÎnly from Puerto Viejo (Sarapiquf),
1nreturn for payment; 16
(b) transpmt of passengers by tourist companies from Puerto Viejo
17
(Sarapiqu:f) to Tortuguero or Ban·adel Colorado, in return for payment;
(c) navigation by persans (mostly but not only 1ipadans) on lheir own boats
for different pm.·poses (work, visiting relatives or ftiends, shopping,
carrying goods to market, visiting fm·ms,taking children to school, etc);
(d) transportation of children to school by boatmen, usually in return for
payment of a small sum of money by thcir parents or for payment by
Ministry of Public Education, but sometimes for free;19
(e) transpmtation of goods, including trade goods, both bctween Costa Rican
villages and with Nicm·aguanvillages such as San Juan del Norte; 20and
If> Sec for example CRM Annexes 84, 85, 86, 87, 91, 103 and 238. Sec nlso CRR Annexes 51 and
5:2.
17 Sec for cxample CRM Annexes 95, 96, 223. Sec also NR Anncx 73.
18 CRM Annexes 108 and 235; CRR Annex 50; and NR Anncx 75.
1'1
Sec for cxample CRM Anncx lO1.
4 (f) transpo11ation of public officiais to deliver essential social, he<:ùth,
education and security services to 21pmians of the Costa Rican bank of the
River,.either on public or hired boats.
18.. For the purposes of the exercise of the perpetua] right of free na0ation under
Article Vl,itdoes not matter whether persoüs being tnmsported have themselves paid the
boatman or someone else has done so, or whetber they bave been transported for free or
in exchange for other services. The right of free navi·gation under Article VI of the
Treaty is not conditioned on such aayment~
C. Question by Judge Bennouna:
When itadoptee! measures.for the regulation o.fnavigation on the San .Juan River,
clidNicaragua, each tme, inform am/lor con:~ C olttRica in advance?
Answer by Costa Rica:
19. Nicaragua has neither informed nor consulted Costa Rica in advance on any
measures or charges imposed on Costa Rican navigation on the San Juan River. In fact,
the Nicaraguan Government did not infonn Costa Rica of the application of those
mensures even after they were implemented.
20. The first measure imposed by Nican~g inuem,·ly1994, was the estabUshment of
22
a US$5 toutism card charge to pas$engers navigating the San Juan on Costa Rican
vesse\s. Costa Rica found out about the measure when Costa Rican boatmen and
passengers complained of it and the Costa Rican press reported this charge was being
23
imposed. Costa Rica subsequently protested the imposition of the charge mid following
this protest, there was conespondence between Costa Ri.caand Nicaragua concerning the
24
charge.
21. A second measure established by Nicaragua was the prohibition of police
5
navigation carrying their service arms, which was imposed on4July 1998.2 Costa Rica
was not consulted. The only notification Costa Rica received was by means of a low
ranking Nicaraguan Army soldier who crossed to26he Costa Riean side of the River and
told a Costa Rican police officer of the prohibition.
20 Sec foexan1plCRMAnnexes87,91, 92, and103;sec alsoNRAnnex65.
21 Sec for cxampCRM Annexes 52, 88, 89, 90, 94, 98, 99, 102,105, 150, 166, 167, 168,
236, 237, and 239. SecCRRsoAnnexes 49, 55, 56, and 57.
22 CRM paras 5.31.-5.53.
23
24 CRM Annexes 123 and 124.
SecNCM Anncx 41and CRM Annex 48.
~ CRM paras 5.109-5.136.
26 CRM par5.110 andCRM Anncx240.
522. In August and September 1998, Nicaragua began to prevent the transit of other
7
Costa Rican public servants.Z This measure was not communicated by Nicaragua, nor
was there any prior consultation with Costa Rica regatding this meq.sure.
11
23.. ln 1999 Nicaragua also stmted to impose navigational timetables on the River.2
This restriction was not notified ih advance to Costa Rica, nor was Costa Rica consulted
aboutit.
24. ln 2001 Nicaragua imposed a number of other measures which further restticted
Costa Rican navigation on the River. Among these, itestablished the pbligation to stop
and register at every Nicaraguan Military Post and to pay for a Departure Clearance
Certific<1te, which at the time cost $25 for <1one-way trip on the River, tûthough the
29
amount has varied throughout the years. lt also estaplished other charges such as
immigration charges for entering and leaving ù1e San Juan River. 30 It was only in
Nicaragua's Rejoinder that Costa Rica came to le31n the source of some of the measures,
namely the Militaty Action Plan of 5 July 2001.
25. In 2005, immediately after Cos~ Rnica filed its Application, Nicaragua imposed
the obligation to can·y passpmts and obtain Nicaraguan visas as a condition to navigate
32 33
the River. Italso imposed the prohibition on riparians t34fish for subsistence purposes
and imposed an obligation to, fly the Nicamguan flag. Nicaragua' s resttictions were
extended to Costa Rica's health and social workers who needed to transit the r\vèr to
provide essential services to 35e loc<ùcomrnunities, and these restrictions resulted in the
suspension of such services. Nicaragua did not communicate or consult with Costa
Rica on any of these measures.
26. In 2006, Nicm·~t egtblished a requirement that Costa Rican health and social
workers wl10 need to transit the River to provide their services to local communities
request permission :in writing from the Nicaraguan Embassy for navigation on the
River.36 Nicmagua did not communicate or consult with Costa Rica on this measure.
27. At around this time, Nicaragua stmted li.miting the places on Costa Rican territory
thatC osta R1can pub 1cservants 37 an trave ers 38cou Idv1s1t;on occastons 1t con 1t10ned
fue amount of time a Costa Rican traveller could stay in a Costa Rican riparian
CRM paras.5.97-5.98.
28 CRM paras.5.73-5.77.
29 CRM paras.5.19-5.28.
CRM paras5.46-5.53.
NR Annex48.
CRM paras. 5.58-5.67.
CRM paras.5.142-5.143.
CRM paras.5.83-5.91; CRR 4.53-4.55.
CRM para. 5.101.
CRR paras. 4.26-4.41.
37
)R CRR para. 4.38
CRR para. 4.42.
6community. 39 Nicaragua did not communkate or consult with Costa Ricà on these
measures.
19March 2009
J9 CRR para.4.44.
7 List of Attachments
Attachment 1
Alejandro BolafiosSan Juan de Nicaragua (Nicm·agua: Banco Central de Nicaragua,
Second Edition, 1998),.20 (extracts)
Attachment 2
Moritz Wagner and Carl Scherzer,. La Republica de Costa Rica en Centra América,
translation from the German by Professor Jorge A. Lines (San José: Yorusti Libnu·y,
1944),pp. 55, 59, 62 and 63 (extracts)
Attachment 3
Clotilde Obreg6n Quesada, LaRec:ilicde un sueilo: E( ColegioSaneLuis Gonzaga de
Cartago 1869-1956, (San José:fu·stedition, 200p.119(extract)
Attachmeut 4
Elias Zeled6n Cartin, Viajes poRep~lb /eCcosta Rica, Volume Il
(San José:1997),p.302 (extract)
8 Attachment 1
Alejandro Bolafios,SanJuande Nicaragua
(Nicaragua: Banco Central de Nicaragua, Second Edition, 1998), p. 20 (extracts)
English translationy Costa Rica TRANSLATION
Alejandro Bolanos, San Juan de Nicaragua
(Nicëmtgua: Banco Central de Nicaragua, Second Edition, 1998), p. 20
"The 70 kilometers carnage road between San Joséand the Sarapiquf will be conner..:ted
with boats that will travel for 40 kilometers in this river, and from there, with the
steamships of the Compafifa del Tn1nsitode Nicaragua in the San Juan River, [travelling]
55 kilometers more to San Juan del Norte...
'The ship Antoinette,from Bremen, arrived to San Juan del Norte on 14 December 1853,
with the first contingent of 200 German settlers to Costa Rica. The majority of the
settlers stayed in the Central Plateau [Meseta Central], while 35 of them moved to
Puntarenas."fr"·
~·
~.·
i.
t
~'
1.
r
~.·
.
1 .~•i
r'... ··;,:.
li
I ,
r..
l.
"':,·· .: .
,·.
.' .::• .·.:.·:.,='
P·gJ
\.· .:
:ALEJAND RBO .OLA lNEYO :SR
Segunda Edici6n • Sept. 199B
2.000ejemplares
lComercial3H.SAguapar Derecho,·,Re.etvados
.·:.'"
Copyright 1998 Alejandro B6laG $eyeor. ~
. ., ·,j
'1
·.·.:.
ISBN 1-877926-22-1
Impre Nsiar'g1,1~
:•''
Î
[,
;··
'.
r..
!
'
Alejandro Boiaiios Geyer
Apartado Postal# 92
Masaya, Nicaraguar--·
~~~
lï
~i
f
20 f
~
Costa Rica tiene lOO.OQhabitantes, de los que ~·
revoluciôn, las de C{)sta Rica 'hablan solo de l:
s6lo 10.000son indios. Al presentesu comercio prosperidad y progreso. La siguiente es dpica W
escasiexclusivamemeconInglaterra, en barcos de muchas ottas: f.:
ingleses;pero existe el graveinconveniente de
q"tielos embarques van todos por el Padfico y
NOTICIAS DE COSTA RICA. - En una carra
la larga ruta del Cabo de Homos. El afio proveniente de dicho im:eresantepals, fechada
pasadoexport6 150.000 quintales de café,$6 en San José el 4 de noviembre, se nos
el quintal puesto a bardo; como10.000cueros
de res;cantidades considerablesde madreperla, comunica que la naciéncontinua prosperando.
macleradeNicaraguay zarzaparilla... en total, Se anuncia una buena cosecba de café.Los
ingresos del Ésrado este aiio sobrepasaran los
alrededor de $1.000.000 El gran $500.000, y el gobierno se afana en cornpletar
inconveniente de la repû.blica es la falta de la construcci6n de los hospitales de Punta
comunicaci6n con el Atlantico, que le
ahorrana la larga traves1a par el Cabo .de Arenasy SanJosé y el nuevoPalacioNacional.
Ya estâ construida la Universidad, y las
Homos. ... Al Presidente lo eligen por seis energfas de este puebla laborioso se encausan
aiios, y al Congreso, que lo integran diez ahora a mejorar las vfas de cornunicaci6n....
diputados, por tres anos. No existe deuda Por el Atlantico se espera en noviernbre el
pûblicani extranjera ni doméstica.
arribo de gran cantidad de emigrantes
alemanes, algunos de ellos artesanos. El
El gran inconveniente de la falta de gobierno les brînda todo estfmuly auxilio a
comunicaci6n con el Atlamico da el impulsa los nuevos colonos, pues conocea cabalidadla
inicial a los designios costarricenses de necesidadde avanzar con el esp!ritu de la era,
apoderarse de la ruta de Nicaragua. La yes evidente que ha tomado elliderazgo de la
debilidad de ésta, asolada por las luçhas civilizaci6n centroarnerîcynque se propane
fratricidasy el apoyo de su socio comercial, conservarlo. ~~
~·
Inglaterra, le abren enseguida el camino a Costa ~·
Rica para apoderarse del rfa San Juan y del .. ;
Gran Lago de Nicaragua (esbozado arriba). 1853: Costa Rica se prepara f'
Simultanee con las maniobras diplom<hicas de ·~;
para la guerra de conquista ~
Molina que en 1852 forjan la Convencion .:.'•
Crampton-Webster, se abre un camino de los EL BARCO Antoinette, de Bremen, llega a San ~
cafetales costarricenses al do Sarapiqul. Lo ·!;:
Juan del Norte el 14 de diciembre de 1853 con ~~
construye "una compaiifa formada par los elprimer èontingente de 200 colonos alemanes T
principales terrateniemes del pafs, y abrid. una para Costa Rica. La mayor!a se queda en la ~·
importante comunicacion con San Juan del
meseta central, pero 35 se va n a Puntarenas. ,.·,_
Norte que facilitad. el comercio de Costa Rica Dichos colonos proveen de va1iosos ari:esanos y .
con Europa y los Estados Unidos, v.fael Atlan mednicos a la emprendedora naci6n y ademas R:
tico".32 El camino carretero de 70 kilometras
suministran tecnolog1a europea maderna a la f'
entre San José y el Sarapiqu1 conectani con Milicia y al cuerpo de artilleda. Porque, llena r
embarcaciones que viajaran 40 kilometras en de paz y prosperidad, Costa Rica se prepara sin r.
dicho do, y de ahf con los vapores de la embargo para la guerra. Par ley, todos los (..
Compaiiîa del Td.nsito de Nicaragua en el rio
varones de 15 a 60 anos de edad esran i
San Juan, 55 kilometras mas hasta San Juan del enrolados en la Milicia, obligados a prestar t
Norte. Mientras las noticias de Nicaragua servicio activa cuando se requiera a menas que
constamemente destacan los horrores de la 1
los ampare una exenci6n legal. En 1849, las Attachment2
Moritz Wagner and Carl Scherzer, LeiRepâblicade CostaRica en CentraAmérica,
translation from the German by Professor Jorge A. Lines
(San José:Yorusti Library, 1944), pp. 55,59,62 and 63 (extracts)
English u·anslationby Costa Rica TRANSLATION
Moritz Wagner and Carl Scherzer,La Repûblica de Costa Rica en.Centro América,
translation from the German by Professor Jorge A. Lines
(San José:Yorusti Library, 1944), pp. 55, 59, 62 and 63 (extracts)
Page 55:
"The half-indians that passed by in bongos had a very s~mdgrough aspect, enough to
believe them capable of any elime ..."
Page 59:
"Today we went back from the Juanillo to the main dver. Many canoes, called bongos,
provided with palmleaves roofs for the passengers and handled crewed by naked Indians,
splashed in fl'ontof us. Most of these ctmoes came from Granada or were headed in that
direction, and transported passengers merchandise."
Page 62:
"At eleven we tmived, finàlly, to the mouth of the Sarapiquf. Oh bath banks of the San
Juan river therere open cabins with petforated cane walls and roofs made of dty palm
leaves. These are inns for steamship passengers.e of these, on the Nicaraguan bank,
is the propetty of a German; the other one, on the Costa Rican bank, belongs to the same
Don Alvarado that had rentedus the boat and the sailors in Greytown."
Page 63:
''Theonly transit that exlsts until now between San Jose and the Atlantics carried
out through the Sarapiquf [river] to Greytown. The transportation in small rowing boats
is vety expensive, that is why only fewmerch~m dsidiseatched through this way.
Those are generally valuable abjects or manufactured goods that momentadly are
missingin the Stm Jose market, which speculators bring in steamships from New York.
lnstead, the travelers that transit to Emope or the United States, take almost exclusively
this way. DUiing our tenure in Costa Rica, a ce1tain Mr. Forest, from the United States,
made cenain propositions to the Government to establish a regular communication by
steamships to the portf Sarapiquf in connection with navigation on the San Juan River". i;\ •' ....
.:;i• :.:r.
,. ~,:)~~~~.~~~~·4.·
"1·y;;, :( .;',J.: :T~ut'EÀ'ORUS't:l f
'·. ':D.Ir· e~~·~r.'~"jndt~·?
Fublk~eia.·No ;'.•
--
f! ..",··',l.
;":·
.h·if ',:
x:}
.,
..,, :.·::·f ·tjtC<o·J. tr~Rte :tiJ~:1Jl:~.llctrt
.j': ·':,
ltlrCe11: J44tt.é,'icl
..:.
'.'
.·~
:IFf.r ~C.al#qf~~.c,JoQA.IL1ao~~sor~qd
'.\dr( ErneJ, Wenyreh:qJo:DA.l~olëra
{l'
..,{{'·
·Î.
.,arenn. B~: punztl lu ë.~up-et p•f·it:con:lrado:!(:on tudn segnrid.ad.<'(ln
urw cste Hh~Iuu.ierapunliagudn. ]!.;palo att·.u f.1vkiiClrsla.(âsn'ra ~
del~~t dedal.u.s .hos; lu yen{a )' la d:~n l:'\evd~ lm·nprc.t·~ d. ;;.,·lt)n
tl•):ntlc efiJost:hucv1Y.del (llldO tInn.. .] rni~nr,)tmlmiio de loi,.de
paJoma y .:;.on reduHdoOen un nwntl}n m~ enm.tcnHan, gen.erulnn;ntc.de
tH:hetrtu cicn y h.uRia nuis.
Nos .U(.'Q'SÜUlclŒpué$ •tle h.r:th-orl<)t,'tlÜe(:{:{HUll u.ano .Ymm
~~en faugal, d-elmjo·delos.palos de lus r.cnl(JIS; nut..h~)mJH · c.lh<1sian
fijado en la ar-e;u.ap.rov de1umr:sc'bij.t1yrde tda cnoe'btdaptH·a gaa
rc.c~rn doaf.rl}siJ,Jes Hm'ius.
Dc.':ll~ü. porft1H.ùll-'s,por cmnpl-etoel pals y -ec.a.r.c ;hiu~te.r
h~ù,itan tensvmo$ ve.lnrthu·ante J1tnoche.,•·el-c>'alunon a ntt·oTt~
niamos aqu:eiJa'l.··unpr·t:.·nsden pC;~li -<ne.·m'üsidos que l:'apodt~rn.n
en un paÎO!üopic~ dlltodo ll(>Yi que~paoa su primer vinw en l;af%pcsum.
No lo e;ahî'nt1dt~fijn,pern por haH:u·ntlt-f\{~f'~ \.n..ia,h!m'illrJlt.Lna
visita u.odu.t'll'tl de a(•sparlt-trC(D.C.tJ.o hien ·d n.sülto tle un.Ï-t~f!:ua:r
sed.ientod·e !:l.angNJ{t:t<u·dc, dcspuésde haber vivitl-o yviaj.ado1hu·anl~
mO.S tiempo en Œ((JS pu'i~a ,t~~'l'I:'tmn abp.raânadt•>seehcs tm J,.,
sciYa, se ·t•1e mw th; s'l tnisn·yGe bu.rla .de aquclp·et<düll.tlh!·e td<:~·
novicio; .~ede_saf( lostpelgr'o-.qu~a~.s~ts ataprinc:ipioht f.E.tntrnJlay,
~n rea1idadhasüUlt p":t"rs:.en-la s-ekay CücodrHus en cl ngun~ r••·o8'1Jll
anirna.leLlmidos que ltHsc .att·' f!<tc:l'ta lus honïhrcs; 1:1-"U~lpttrici6u
infLutdtrnfl8 hien ·a:-:spanaotoda~ lns hesili e:u~i.Ùdtped.aFr::U1C!mlcntc
t.emti\rl1mucho mu-s {jUea h.JCU.!ldrupedoshustil-esll.ll\'Ï$ÎÏllOdLlrtW
tle11a.ti l'~~'tmyeMes~uin.ari Lo.I.tedi()-imUos t)Uepas.aLnn en lw:ngos
l.eti n ~t-p.:t.obae..tall&'tlvu yjudo, para pndcr crDt~d (::ptes de
ctU1lquie~ri.mt ~lU:paret~ Ùlei{Œ, :tLCCc;&:wll:Hllu rnayor p.N.'>c.<uH.:h.1n
hasüt rœpet:: .tn...t:~!: JH"'{llpc:a~fi.Lal:\opinion e~ lu!:> nwdida&~
n't()difir.a1n:h;tarde tamhién en C:..>tlS·pct muu; pnrntn s.euf.•ti.cla
p~r.;;;u dastUCC:lÎJcohanlÎ;ly la ixuhtle~ dtd aJs mrtivc;tS,. rmi::; <Jll·"-s"u
htmdad, Jt.':.'ilmpèOillCI.eCrlll)CHC'{!$ dcdr, ']UC h.."th:tl(:-elCtetnt)l'
de una vigo:ro::rc::.i&t ecmtc.~~ -delü~"h··t~~rsal.".iu.
Cna.$ 8em.ana::mrls l.at·deeuan.dunot.amns laeonlïnnza que reÎ.Wlun
todas p.a•· de:Cu~·t :ic<.t }elcaraet: iw.ïn:i\!J (leJput~h ~ltng m:~>S
tmnhrJunoc:a disf'nttnt·dl'. unf:'ll<:tr<HHjtlilen cl vivar:,y <~suh,<~S'll't
{~ntr lcmbt·es tld todn dc.:H·on(H.!.S.o~>t·eimnos del p~tpe rdleuli, qu,e
b..al..iamo.s <.ksernpcen.las ui'ÎlldelS r:ÎS.an .Juan t.hmdejup;:.'i de ~ttn•l-!:1
c·!:ntindn.:;. nt >ct~u·m..- dtdpu~wl:o. y pi,;;lu:hu..~aioe; d icute.:;..
Sc .!min:itlH d~ cn:pll8eHioen los ll'(Îpi tS d~ocorl.l:;;imdunwi6n _:
cagi no e:xisteni la a.ur·or:t urr<!l>v ock·~cr·ti 1{1;;olpnnienh: mm<·.<.l
prl)duce ;lH{ttpot· rc.f•·~tc •e ~n (Ji~l.<{!ellos bcUI:!:{Ïiy brillmt<:N
d'netq o~u:;~ adnlirau tan frt~(~uenlt i'1•l:nZOllle.del 1\nrle.En !".<:;tc
e<tmpanwnto ;nr~ a.e•,~nia ienoJptl la.t"j<.Tept'lsl·:d<: lnstm-dt< ~-n"'
\orle .-\tn( ~r~1e1:.ÎnHIH~;; \p(:>:urPH.:<n;:allillLtnuhe.;rod-t:.del 59-
no'\'LCIOen-c1 pa1sü:-opi qu·~ .l'C"e-:,l,teaullid{.i.maginat:Htnl!mnc..-ntt•
ilnh:mdespeH~l: c-m(~ t5rn;;(jagwu·e:s)y pumn!l (le; am1cn~eriemw;;~):
l"' ,;. 1! .. '
pe,--estos nü sc<)yen.<Hflt:üll~tect.lct y~NmLStnunc.nse dejan \'1·,.~~n-
'ü;a!·~J el'lleno n-ulladoCJSmw de los mmnîl'eros nuis{:nmuo ;:tna ~·o~t.a
Mitmtnl de Cen1:rQAm{~rh:tl.
H<Jy regr.t:.s.nndel rl:o.Juaillo nl p:ri.ndp1. i\·Incha•·mli>tl1111-
nu~d ac:•ngospro'l.··istasie.chosde palma pm·a lf)ptl!>Hjerny nipuLHlm;
pm· indio.;;;. desnudoJHI!Saha:n ch.ap,,tenn-c.lo fa·euo'i!>olrLél mH)'OI'
parte ~Jeellaa vc:nintt de (;mnado i.ban paritnll:i y eowlu<{iarmsaj) c•·:)~
merca<lerf.asHaèÏ ~uedin .di nst detu\imol:l dclnntcde um1 ehj>Za situadtt
en tl.rlugnr-elevndo t'le l.a or ill a y ro..deenmgnHkos b~m.::mc d.n•o;;;
dm~to Sh.t~.er lü visiüJmic.mtr.Hyo n1e pas(~; pm;· oa 1wil1l' tllw;;rrue.
Ln<!pu~C: Ae:Iecnh-ia cstf.than hechas dett~OD d!tU·.Oul',>qm..e.l:tvl\(h1~
en clsue.lol iiej.a.ban interstitle algunaspülgadn El:td~. (',.. tpi~nha
(hsmente cuhie.rto de hojaa <le pa.lmen1. LU<Sha'bitn<klstr~Sp iot:~o.;nH'Jl
(:8tHl\'tH.ÏrChumedü Blm.)solo fa hUln<~I CfC.YiJnù dt~ ~1rr-i phr al'!SO
cu:id.nn m.::i>:teeho que de las pared( l:8.ë1 interiDr se me.c:i~~ nna
h~1m~t ua' l.lurda &efiorade odgen Œpnnul; tenia put':<!<1 acornl>Ü1~ll~i.~n
mulüe.olor,mi-e.mtr.aque lttf>at·tsuperi(IIde su cucrpo, ·conforme al u;;o
dd pafs slo qued.abu rnedin cu!Jierlir.lunar (::.l'Uhlaru:amuy ~St'.fiti.Hhl;
aus pies desnudo$estaba:nmctidos ·en d-eglmte$ z.rtpntu-s de ehaNnltHH't:dn
!ru;.tid eni(::!.no•elad, G(H\•sulinùo muchaclw de tliezIUtn!ile e<lml.
. Tamhién cll ~meta bumws ncgocios; losl:.wte{Jl.pal(':ll::;4lutcn6n w~ne.~
rahnente à!:J.U.nUt~tr olrnros ea:rnhi.n:ttm hi·;woy hucvo.sde:tm-tugu
po·r hennosüH I.Hmanos tpte, i:olg.ah-de los tidJnlest~npt.."E-adr~1cimns.
SUl;Yt.':$ tÏnslis>5,rleccH.:iny·v'[vo.rc-1.~lg ahe.uan.d~ la!:ilnu:hm;
bormigas, de: txn·cl e.unte"s~"e~ o.osquitcnJse ·t!Xlendisnbn: ln<:illllil.
D<:6pu .e~.Œhe•· t:rn<:ado vfver·efL·asede cortcsia,eontiuw.un li.Hl~~'.>ro
viajc por üldo.
Avtmzandr) drJarr-ihà,I;I lreHc;de la vegctacit'ino~ pureCÎ::Lmi.vi~~
rotis imponet.l.Muy. (:Crea dela ot'i.Lpulul ~oiH·eel.suf!ln hiime(lofl-l?
{;ucntci:nentecaït.dt~uzt'k ~ivestt·e;jtUltOahos: que se -cnnm•c·lw!'Hliltl
enr-ornas tm l.n partJe nrr.ihaorLm la ~Jril {cu rln.Sc h~vm1ta~ h,~11hn··
ellt a~uella «-lnuraHu.,veg,elalJcn.sny cxi:.r.nordinariumcnfrondo~ tte.
cnxacteriz,en e~"> •·aoe.sde latitudl.t1sriheraticlc~ ros.Lor'! n.~;:anit~mr.Jo;;
pttt•.dc.u .upintt.r&t-:: mn.y<JIdensidad y r:n li'l~nttl'l'i"!'cpw C'llel
interi{rrde ln 6-elval.:lu~C~{:~OF.' tlan.lcr,y ht humedud ~~u peran !'""
d :.J.ddn carb6uü:oetcplantn!-:'>en <lŒcnmymgidt)tillefot·m.aun<ti\u:nt.•l(•
alimcnl.l.tcp~u· gai~.<ill yü•~~o.a.;11'nl:~;flHUI\!i.l111j<liël.e;;.pc:t:ie-,.
emnhian cona.tantc.t ynteun;tcuno~ :a:ven arholt'ly ;ubu~h· :e-:l-
mi.e.n1.a •.:sre.unidosen gruptis.La8 i'nrmp ai~nL.n·e -ol;IJnhi;:nllt'J,':
v.ari.udaahur'<~e.Y{:n pi:Hnnet·ocon hojn:shrill~tn Hlt·t lti.t:.rarhH
l'C&.:e «ote ~n-;cx.pn:sit')n alegn: ligt~r ".c.h:za,aon1h:lec :.1~11il
c~~m t~.l.cu1:h;e.t·nw fcrc:, ) alta.ntim'•="Htk la,e~JH.' t,nilll::. - 62
largos ·r.:rl.hospre.nsile':',calvasuc.gr.ns su~ r~.r se.1ü·•.d0. <~•1n.'1
El negro, qu~ .c hah]a adelantndoa trnvés·rllu~~~.:;p wssiudî,:.ah.a p-or
se~· 1l:tlS"li domJe.cls monos, 1.~uhïc p1·rtJnsUnjç, g:dt.almy dwr
labnn a Cfrnsi:dernhlaltura; trataba:mn:de dcsli:4u o rnu(~8icnetl>s.tt
meoto posible.;pero los nmnos nos dh·isaro;n}' e.m1wcmlict·ol1an~tim•ln,
.saltarulc~o enormes bl'ineos de un :1:rhul a otLos pcrseguiJnùs <.mn la
rap.iide<}tiC lo·Oh~tik uelttles ruJélfJot~t· Ami:c:.c:n.Uel.primm·
dru un 1nono eu e.I mou1ento de ~Sal ttars;pr<~dp ·itt~<'Chstepic~S
luŒi.atthnjt~t ~g'.fU.a111\J:i rticütï:i:ifiJrièrnithcridn,~·ita üisc
m•ento y sc escnn.dtôcr~t. lns~lianns.I..rSenu1s l.t:ûe:m de )JI f)i~rnilin
gritat•uny huy(!rcm cot\ cnonness:altosl~: ('.amhiür•u~ft ~t.e': :lllc)
xiruo.sltrhol ag~ ,s C(mgos que uo lwhi.amos ''tsto hastentnw~C c~son
wJa llfuerz:ade sus. potcntcsvuee ~ec; lmJn.1~ 1egro opinaba {{UC no
vallan un tiro po.rquca naJle le gu..<?ta(~omérsc l1o):a9,.1rsotroa ;sfj]o
nos import.ahn la caza. puee.r)laprim.erut:Jlccrlde tnonf•S tJlprc~H:nnhl.
Junnr .l~.ju penctrnnt·del neg1·o ùe....cupdruero <pu.nt:t:da lns congos
en au verde csc.ondihil\lic;ornpunerd'iS[Jaro dos tire·ertern:do~ eongos
fucr.·m'lhc:dJomol'i:almcmtcEstos .a.r!'oU.ay;1nen ogonia,lîtt~Ùv .xtr-e
n~idnd d{~lf\Urabüs prcnsilc.convulsivaJn-entcalredt~o rlnla r<lnlôy
pc1·num·ecieronat1n tUl(>f;.ineo min'ttcolganrdode eiJa.. Perlnl:l fu.ertc'!S
mûsc!.Lios ùer~-t th~-C.lJoj.oorn~i}HK~ y·h~ monos muertr.l(~ayer cm1
fue:rte t~trépi Hu(cr.n ahurn tam.bién- }o:s congot·es:tantepero por
dc-apc(lidaullaron todavia mft:sho·rrflrOSàJXHm)' I:Iliro;jat•cmGnllllÎJ
tÎrllsuludo, algun.ns. ramillsec.as.
E,.<;ttts c•mgo;; centToame.riescodh;tin.gucne,>;pedfkmnemt:ech~ lo:J
nwnoo auB..!H1on.moreno-<~w. :.:uSmt.AJsérh::a.1~1 gua:riha(t\'ly<:etes
seniculus)de los bt)SC{U.de lasGuaytt1ta"es a!go mils gr.nndd·(t:lm· nHt\'5
O.SC.lTI'Hev.a \lrta httrnegra e.n la h.arbilDur:mte e.l via:tt~;nbt dmo;;
quitarles Lapi.e,l; pe.ro tuv1mr1ue ·arro,i<tal rio unte.s de terrnhwrd
tntbajo1 dt;.•-S- upo{dtr~nsnportnble )' sc pudrierouprrmto .uwtus.<dd
fuert c.or. La t.':.U.:!ddc::n-ngo tiepor Jo (lcm.6satU1 fn.~. ll.u:vt,
re-pugnante;la desilei'tpor ·C.so hMtalos·ntisuws indiü.s~olop.11·e:hue
no,<; !i<!rvieornol•~eh ;u'ltpea.~ .latlu sigui•:ntep·e-'><~ egro ~~(~:n
ella en cl Sm·.npitplf nlgunpl!>~m u:.henH.-:>olyïsn~1rosfsi.mos.
A las ,onee llegamos, por fin,11la de!:lemhocadur-<h~S l~t..ap icJui.
mnbzl5 {lrillns .dS.t.ut .he.e enc:uen·tre~thaïi uhi;:as. con fHII'e•.de::;
c.a.ûpcrfontt ylt:tos:de. lwjasseca ~e palmer< S~n.dh.~ pEr.;zul.ns para
lo.;pa.:tajet·rle. ]nvapore.<;. t.Tnc.{~I.. eH$ta ul'illniearagiit ~:l~,:~.
propiedttd de. un ::dem:!iulaotra,en l.n>r·iHaGIJI:lt<·en:ipcec:,eet:~tl
nli.srnodon Ah-arad{) que no;;h~ahfaah1ui !.adn lH.te.y lns rn.arttHP ~lir<'l;;..
·Grcvto\'<"D. An1bP'}snd{:.ros .C::..'itahanvthabl.anee,·nHiolm; e.nnt.Îtl::l:S
y d~epc <leimodol pt' nn ,purJin1üet.ln 11cl, :i cue~11uw:-"rEl
p;llidn mayoe•lonw•le Alntnu.lp(.~d prt o po(!o que tenia,precim;fllntr:l~;
tkos;, no~ cp1itopm· lln pnl11 u1 •h11ary rnt~Hu pur Lm hu(~\ ·iolreal(diedücho krett:zery pot· un pedazo d.e d.uJcIJUcCwtle en lasc·iwla d!~::l,
lo nli'Ît'in1crt:a me~io d6lar.
Aqul solo ~( ahlan hedw pnens abrase,n elliO!!l<BJHH'Ll1Cnnutj.::nl
fit·;nlzahan .s oj:g;g:i~g<tu .ltvvi$taq~iMt.i- n pt"-è.rc•lu g~·an
1
di(rsudt~lu~e·lv puen -l!tl.tltda ln c.u.t·c-neU:tahs.leconfort se nil-1u.lt.~
un Ctlliinsnpo:rtflhl)'' dturmcnto ,(le. lrn.n:s.qtti.aücm:ispa•·eet~-=~
dima insalulwe: >~ es .asegur noh <bot.nnteqf,Jlos convllh~"i d-i<.:~ute.::;
Grcyto\\-'H vienea V(~t nyu.-ps~u·curm·se <le laconsecuep Jdn!a5 ic
hJN:.s.Amhos hotelcrusSi;osien:t>.por 1()d<mtu.s~dl gürat~ aiJs pfa!~.~jc.
r(fsJe. C<.llifm·tplepagan pot• tmap!~(tu eoiit;tun <h'ilar pu·(':...le..
G•Jntinuamo...'tk~pu désmw hreve. estmla ·en lnd1M::nde dnn Ah·it
r:u.l(llUCB>ÜOviajc.Els~u·.ap1Ï 11<iUnÎ sono l.a mHmi de 1a andnm'l ~tel
Sim .Juan; su l:tg1:~~o.bro y .sa;1fresc.u. Sn eolnr Ju ral.est~1e ~iccnn
cs vc,t'de. A prindpinsde La estndon lluviosad .t-1gua sc puuiurhia:la
m·dlt<\ que Llevnconei~ povient:.prohahlcnumte d~ traqüitogn:;r(arCon,
hJ-,s-pequeiio:s Vti.pores norte.amc6eque rmmticnen el t:rfifientreMn
bos oc~.nn ytque Hevan ttlos viajt~ tëis:irnÏIJtnse,put~d lcgar hasta
la tl~..eernbo ddcnSnutrnJul.La nuvegadon tld r'lolüi~mo por medio
de ntpnr, es :ütHlH1stantcpl'f)blcmaticno:se.h:-~ heh(> todn:v Îxâlro~~ncs
prt~.e conilssosda. Lu .nltl.n.riagHade.pcn dm·~t~Hm lto d-(las ll.ttüa&
y t~b'sinetida a mudws l~lmh ioLttsdiûcultatled-e laJ-un·t~g .m niùu
de todoii! rnodf'1s, n1aydurnntê h.1 er.;taciôn ssôlo· vapot·cs mu~tngo8-
tc,.;;, cun <:almlornâ.xi:n•le vcintcpulgada'.5, !:lccapar~ de-nsumtcnr~r
el 6c,rvlci.El proi,Iem(lelettw:n~g<t d<lltwrapÎ<[lllJWr me(l.!dl!'.vapü
rw:;. es de nnb:iimporhmda p.m· ~<>$-t:ilIUt:.:!hay·que l:i!soml rnJ.nH.~
la indolendadel Gohi~!r epteno. ha dado un paao scrio (l-<"a~soke :!f.le
problema. II.a: a:oriano dispo.nc.\ espnî~ de Utlpuerto aecesih c1{~b
eostn delAt.liinticl\·ljJf.un lugarde ~-.twl tnj'J~ypdigro:..:e.x.plH:~:;to
a t•>do.s lrF.S pc-lldelsNon.-:sty a una rontpicntcth!. terriblYiüll:ml...
Hn.stu ahm·ano cxi.,;le ninguneumunicadôn por t.ic.retm Lirnôn.Ho-~.:.;1~
del Tort.lpc:rtc-needt~ht~(: t Nu, .-a Gr.n.mHlnt[t:m((âU~d<a d·ema.;;b.\o
lejclde las.altiplane iclieht~l-tel~u.staHka. H:l tî.nitnînsil:n<Jll.t~
e::da hatn.aht.n·e.nt n~n .Jus<y;d Ot~f.. At.l1tint eÏ fe(tîn,!ttnn ét~
~lt nrtl:pic.ph~sta Grt~)·to wln.ran.sp( eH'phe~quenu ~nu.:-s t•·eml~
r{;fiu1tn ea ri::;irtt•,:tp~dl:!padlanpQr este l;andnisc5lo poa~Il\el·t~~~
ded-<1#. Se. trge.ncrnlmente(lt-,-objetos \'aliC.(fUÎptt.{Jntmlufaelur.tr;
qm~ fultnn pm· -moment1.1-en elnJc.a·cJde Sa.n .Jn&.JUC lo~c~per:uhul.ut·es
traen enVlliHHr.'tlesde !\'neva YorLos Yiajc:ros·~n<unbi(l({tH1:·\lt~en
.n Ent·opa o a los J~utdo lHiclt'•s, ton.1.an c;a.o;;icxr:lu,esteenmirw;
un ~~kt· F(est. ~h!los FJi:Jt.Cnk{,,shizo •.lurantnucst1·perllHIJWllt.'i.l en
C:nstnllieapro-pn~ici clJert:.d:.s al gnL·icrnopn1·ae~t.ahle lca:ec'
numk.n.d<)nregul.ur<leVUJ10· hasts el muelle de Sar·api(jlyl<.'en~tn:tt~H!·
:d.•5<.~ a naveg.udf'len el rio &m Juan. ("')
(•) Scgûc1el c<mtratlc.'llÎa JYForestquecomt:nz<:;;uVlliJ Cdprilrt·ero
ùe ~net·do 1135-1-:peroIta\'egacidel Sarapiquporvapore o,habla Cltl(h'I.DÙ!il
aciu en 1855. J
Attachment 3 \
Clotilde Obreg6n Quesada, La Reçtlidad de un suefio: El Colegio de San Luis Gonzaga de
Cartago 1869-1956, (San José:first edition, 2006), p. 119 (extract)
English translationby Costa Rica TRANSLATION
Clotilde Obreg6n Quesadp, La Realidad de un sueiio: El Colegio de San Luis Gonzaga de
Cw1ago 1869-1956 (San Jo~é f:sl edition, 2006), p. 119 (extracl)
"... the Jesuits were in San JuanNort hey thus rapidly decided to move to Costa
Rica, through the San Juan River and the Sarapiquf. Let us hear what the Jesuit Rafael
Pérezsays in lhe third volume of his work:
(.. ) and they decided to enter wilholit mak.ing any noise,tlir enemies
would not heur their presence lmtil theyd reached the cüpital; thus, they
travelled uphe San Juan .Rjver to the mouth of its tributary, the Sarapiquf, and
through lhis [river] they probed Costa Rica up to the point where [the river] is
navigable, and then travelled by land on the less frequented "'
.
.
r .
··~
g
f
~
ti
['
hl
f
fi
ii
l!
373.7286
f 0-13r0bregôn Quesada, Clotilde
t: La reaHdad de un su!:!i'iElCo!egio de San Luis
Gonzaga ! Clotilde Obregôn Quesada. --1a. ed.-
San josé, Costa Rica C. Obreg6n Q. 2106. ;..
350 p. ; iii23x14 cm. '
ISBN: 9977-12-895-2
1. Colegio San Luis Gonzaga-Historia. 1.Tftulo
!'
PrimeraEdiciôn 2ü06
© Reservados todos losderechos.
Hecho el dcp6sitode ley.
Prohibitbla reproducô6n lotal o parôal cualquiermedio existente
sinla autorizaciônexplicity escrita de los autores.
Estematerialpuede serdtado siempre que se de el respectcrédito.
6 El Colegide San. Luis Gonz.aga de Carü.1869-/956
RR. PP. }esuitas con el objeto de que puedan dedlcarse a fa
educaci6n de la juventud: con presencia del parecer dado
por la H. Comjs;ôn permanente, a quien se pasô el asunto
en consulta, en el cuaf se manifiesta: que aunque n-wy
tespetable11sin duda la mayorta del Congreso consignada en
el Art. 3. del acta de 5 de julio de este mistno afio, taiacta
no es ni por su forma" ni por su esencia un n1andato o
prescripciôn que ligue al Poder Ejecutivo, qu~en camo el
que mas impuesto de las necesidades de la repûbJicEJ y de la
conveniencia de adoptar ciertas rnedidas, estâ en plena
potestad de obrar en el sentido que mejor le p.arezc.a (...)
Y mâs adelànte el documente anadi6:
Considerando, que si bien el soberano Congreso tuvo
en cuenta la opiniôn de una parte de la Sociedad para no
creer conveniente el ingreso en el pa.Îs de fos PP. de la
Compafifa de jesus,. tampoco es de d~spreciar a e
manifestada par un gran numero de ciudadano qus~ /ejos
de repugnar fa entrada de aqueilos religiosos, la soiicitan,y
que habrfa influido en $(.animo, para modificar la opiniôn
que entonces expres ôe~acuerda; que respecta a los tres
religiosos de faCompafi.Îa de )esûs que h·ab(an entra do en el
pals, y que se tiene noticia que se haJ!an en él, no se les
ponga obstâcufo ni inconveniente para que perm.anezcan
en la Republica, dândose cuenta con todo al Congresa en
sus prôximas sesiones ordinarias. (7)
En realidad, los jesuitas estaban en San juan del Norte; por
lo tanto n:'ipidamente determinaron tras!adarse a Costa Rica, vfa tos
rîos San juan y SarapiquL Oigamos lo que dice el jesuita Rafael
Pérez en el tercer tomo de su obra:
(•..) y determinaron entrar sin ningun ruïdo para que sus
enemigos no se apercibieran de su presencia hasta que les
vieran en la capital; al efecto.l' subieronel rfo San juan hasta
la desembocadura de su afluente el Sarapiquf y par este se
internaron en Costa Rica hasta donde es na vega ble, tomando
después por tierra el camina menas frecuentado. !ban
ade/ante los PP. Espana y Caceres y afgunas jornadas atras el
Padre Castaneda, a quien se uniô el P. Camilo de Koninck,
designado posteriormente para aqueffa empresa. Fue grande
119 Attachmettt 4
Elfas Zeled6n Cm-tfn,Viajes por la Repz1blicade Costa Rica, Volume Il
(San José: 1997), p. 302 (extract)
English translation by Costa Rica TRANSLATION
Elias Zeled6n CartJn, Viajes por la Repûblica de Costa Rica, Volume Il
(San José: 1997); p. 302
''...The Colorado was traversed up to the San Juan river.
In both the Nicaraguan as well as in the Costa Rican side, there are small ranches here..." [
t
1
!
1
~
t
1
l
1
1
1
[
1
1
t
1 VIAJES POR LA
REPÛ:BUCA DE COSTA R.ICA,:2
<!;)EliasZeled6n Cartin
Jefe editorial: Juan Frotos Verdesia
Ministerio de Cultura, Juventud y Deportes
Editorial de la DireŒi.6nd~ Publîcadones
Museo Nadonal de Costa Rica
Pr61og0:Fernando Gonzalez Vâsquez ~·
Dlseno de portada:
Correcci6n de texto: GeorginaSibaja Quesada. y Juan Frutos Verdesia
Primerà edid6n: 1997
t
Tirada: 500 e;emplares
\ Impreso en la Imprentq Nacional
Hecho cl dep6sito de Ley
'
917.286
\ V598v Viajes porla Republicdè Costa Rka1SelC<:-
cion de ElîZehadôrtC.artipr6l. de
Fernando Gon.ullez yasquez1.cd. ·-San
l ]t'n: Minlsterde CulturJuv~nt ud
Deportes, EditoriallaDitëeêl6n do
Publkadones :Musco Nacional da Costa
Rica,1997.
v.:il.fot., mtt28cm.
Contcnïdo: v. 2. Frantzius-Ho(fmann-Po
lakow.5ky.
ISBN 9977-59v106·7
1.Costa RiΠ- D<.oscripcyovlajcs. 2.
Co~t Raica - HistoriL Zck'Ciôn Cartfn, Elias.
Il. Titulo.
DGB/M' 96-24
ADVERTENCIA:
L:iconfonnidad con la Ley N" 6683 de Derechos de Autor y Derechos
Conexus es prohibida la reproducci6n, trél.nsmisiôn,grabaciôn, filmacir)n
total o parei al del contenido de esta publicaciôn median te la apllcncron de
cunlquier sistema de repmdLJcciôn, induyendo el fotocopiado. La vintn
ci6n a estaLey por parte de ctwlquier persona ffsica o juridicaserasan
cionaùa penalmente.
6
•;:.,.,.. para la navegaci6y habriande ser deshechas; Loqupodtianlcanzarse
con poco co:sto, extrayendo los t-roncos deilrbo1es que se en elavado
fondo del do. El Col.orado recorridhasta el rfo San Juan.
Tanto del lado dNk~lra cotomdd deCosta Ricahny aquf pe·
queiias hadend.as. A la vuelta se us6 el Cano Bravo. El regreso desdc la
ald~ deaTortugucro hasta Limôse hizo pie.Elgobern< d;c~quolr
costa, en una longitud de cuarenh• miestacubiertadeenormes y es
pes()s cocales quhastalafechahan sidototàlme dnsp~ovechados.
De Parisminaa Agua Dutceabunda la palma real fm. Lahojasson muy
propias para cubrir los tccyoduran tomo unos trèintann~ .ûn en
San )uan del !\orte muchm: tcchos estan cubiercojl c11ns. Etndns
estasaguas,cercadelmar,secapturaellvfanati(Tncfu:clwmanatu::). En
Mrmnli estos basques los ttrbolen de hule estân casî destroz.ados. debido <limodo
como los explotnn los hul<•dts~icaragua. Estos recogedores incons
cientes,sangnm hastn los arbnle:-;pequeicnnstaid~~acerse deunas
pocas onzds de gorna.Hasta aguî !,1muyînteresantrclaci6n del sei'lor
BalbaneroVargas, al que la Clenciageogrtifica debe estar agradectda. ·1n
toda darido.demuestrn61que no faltan vias ngu<1gue facilitl<c~
p1otacîôn de lils riqut:!zasmaLkrt;.>t'adse la costa este de Costa [{ica.
Por decrelo del26d~abril de 1886 disp~ lafunda.cionde una
poblaci6n,que llt:-v<1lnombre d~•<lrazu»,a la orllla izquierdrioel
ColOl'ado, cerŒ dlncostadd CH.:éanotlAntico. y se asignLierras del
Estado n loril deecha del rio Saluan.para los pobladores (hasta 10
ki16met cuoci:dos-,de:~ i!de.-;embncadur,) del C<~rl Los.es
embocadura delColor.1do!:ha~îitar<l igualmentparapuerto,ysc de-
:;o2
Written response of Costa Rica to the questions put to the Parties by Judges Koroma, Keith and Bennouna at the end of the public sitting held on 12 March 2009