Why getting rid of Costa Rica's army 70 years ago has been such a success

[GatoGordo]

3. We've had some bad recent experiences in Nicaragua

There is a cancer infecting the current political regime, and it has spread down to the local level. Seems they can't get along with ANY of their neighbors, and everyone is their enemy. They hate Ticos especially, perhaps because CR is doing so well economically and politically.

We visit Central America every winter (medical mission work) and Nicaragua isn't a very safe place these days. We literally had to flee across the border into Honduras in the middle of the night when the local alcalde (mayor) stole our building materials (for building a clinic) and held them for ransom. When we refused to pay his bribe to return our material, word got out that we were going to be arrested and charged with some made up crime the next day. The locals got wind of this and got us to the border with what we could carry. When they found us gone, they accused us of robbing the local government offices AND accused our group of trying to kidnap Nicaraguan babies to sell them in the US. Pure class, that bunch. We won't be going back any time soon.

Costa Rica, is WONDERFUL. Pura Vida! I love the Ticos.