Archcomix

US Military Escalation in Costa Rica, Human Trafficking Update and Prop 8

Last month saw the Costa Rican government agree (by 31 to 8 votes) to grant a US military fleet unprecedented access to its waters until the end of the year. Up to 7000 Navy personnel and 20 helicopters thus have the right to “to carry out activities they consider necessary for the fulfillment of their mission, which includes wearing their uniforms while exercising official functions”. This is all against the war on drugs, you understand. Nothing whatsoever to do with the ongoing turmoil in Honduras following ex-President Zelaya’s ousting (for more info, go here)  or the larger-scale roll-out of US military presence across Central and South America. Columbia, anyone? Not to mention a recent change of management in the Costa Rican Port Authority:

“The lack of a debate in Congress makes one suspect that they will be operating militarily and not necessarily confined to the drug trafficking operations. Is it a coincidence that ships arrive as a new port management is being put into practice, eliminating the authority of the state agency JAPDEVA (Port Management Board of the Atlantic Coast Development) and its group of unionized dock workers…and preventing any possibility of strikes, work stoppages and incidents in Limón, such as those in Panama? ”

Francisco Cordero-Gené, former head advisor to the Costa Rican legislative assembly during the past two administrations

More on the background to Costa Rica’s uneasy US alliance courtesy of Joe Shanksy at Upsidedownworld. If you’re dubious of the US’s motives in the area and want to take action, then sign the petition here – the chance to do your part (albeit tiny and in e-form) is only a click away.

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My collaboration with Fulbright Fellow Olga Trusova on a comic about human trafficking is now officially out in the open and on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter. Check out our pitch here and help get our comic printed and distributed to raise awareness of this important issue – we’re currently just under a tenth of our goal with 55 days to go. Olga was recently interviewed by the Human Trafficking Project on the background and scope of the project – read all about it here.

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Last but not least, be the first to hear Judge Walker’s decision on the Prop 8 trial tomorrow by clicking here. See below for a comic I originally did in the buildup to the original Prop 8 vote in league with legendary local activists the Raging Grannies. Check out their website here.
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