When I spent time in Costa Rica, I heard the story of how that small country came to be.

People who were being persecuted one way or other, made their way into that area. Except for natives of the area, there were only a few people of Spanish decent because it was too mountainous. So it was sort of a safe haven for people to live.

To this day, the citizens don't put up with BS from their Politicos. They know there's corruption, and hiring of cronies and friends, so they simpley vote in a new party every election.

Costa Rica has NO army ( lots of police forces), has the only 'peace university' in the world, and still, to this day, allows neighboring dictators/fleeing ex leaders, to seek safe haven in their country.

One thing I've been meaning to bring up. I keep reading how PDVSA has to put out bonds to raise money to pay off its many creditors. That there's no money to modernize, or keep up the social programs.........Where the heck is all the billions borrowed from Russia and China? $16 billion from China, and I think it was a total of $8 billion pledged from Russia. I have not heard of any billion dollar projects boing announced, or debts actually settled. So where is it going? Into the stock market? Chavez trying to make more with his billions before he doles it out? Or, is it slowly being squirrled away in a hole somewhere, in some country, for a future time?

Pen