VZCZCXYZ0019
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0589/01 0731732
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141732Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4522

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000589 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
TREASURY/IET/FLORA DJAVADKHANI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR LARRY WESTFALL AND GENARO 
MARTINEZ 
 
REF: DEPT OF TREASURY 091648Z MAR 06 
 
¶1. Embassy San Jose is pleased to grant country clearance to 
Larry Westfall and Genaro Martinez, Treasury Advisors who 
will be in Costa Rica on TDY assignment from March 26 to 
April 8.  The purpose of this visit is to work with officials 
from the Ministry of Finance on the Tax Administration 
Project. 
 
¶2. Post understands assistance is not necessary.  Maria 
Villanueva, Economic Assistant, is the assigned Control 
Officer and she can be reached at Embassy number 
(506)519-2419.  The Embassy after-hours emergency phone 
number is (506)220-3127. 
 
¶3. Upon arrival in country all TDY visitors are to make 
contact with their Embassy Control Officer for information 
regarding a security briefing. 
 
¶4. Accommodations:  Post understands hotel reservations will 
be arranged by the traveler.  Please be advised that hotels 
in San Jose require a minimum notice of 72 hours if canceling 
or changing reservations.  Travelers must notify the hotel or 
Embassy 72 hours in advance if schedule changes.  Hotels will 
assess a one-day charge if they do not receive advance notice 
of cancellation or changes.  Prior to arrival travelers are 
to provide the RSO office the required information for TDY 
registration/emergency contact, which is hotel and/or point 
of contact information. 
 
¶5. Transportation: The only taxis available at the airport 
are the Taxi Aeropuerto orange taxis found outside the 
arrival hall.  Tickets for the orange taxis are sold at a 
ticket booth located immediately outside the arrival hall 
exit doors.  Fares (payable in U.S. dollars or local 
currency) vary according to destination but the cost of a 
standard orange taxi ticket to the Embassy is $12, to the 
Intercontinental Hotel is $14 and to downtown San Jose is 
$12.  Vans are also available at increased cost.  If you miss 
the ticket counter or otherwise need assistance with orange 
taxi service, the company has an individual posted curbside 
from where the orange taxis are dispatched.  Taxi Aeropuerto 
also offers pick-up service and transportation to the airport 
for departing passengers.  Reservations can be made 24 hours 
a day by phoning (506)221-6865. 
 
Elsewhere in San Jose, licensed taxis are considered safe 
when using standard security precautions.  Licensed taxis 
have a yellow triangle on the door, an identification number, 
a taxi light on the roof of the car, and generally have 
working meters.  Ask if the meter is functioning before 
entering the cab.  If the meter is not functioning, the cost 
of the fares should be negotiated prior to entering the cab. 
Licensed taxis are also easily obtainable from hotels. 
 
Unlicensed cabs come in all shapes and sizes and should be 
avoided. 
 
¶6. Public Affairs:  Please note that the Public Affairs 
Office is the Embassy's designated point of contact with the 
press.  If visitors have been scheduled for press events by 
local partner organizations or others, please inform the 
Embassy's Public Affairs Office.  Should   visitors be 
approached by the press with questions or a request for an 
interview, they should refer the press to the Embassy Public 
Affairs Office.  In short, post requests that visitors not 
speak with the press before consulting with the Public 
Affairs office and they can be reached at 506/519-2287. 
 
¶7. Threat assessment/local conditions: All official visitors 
must travel with passports, preferably official or 
diplomatic.  Without these documents, travelers lack official 
status in the eyes of the Costa Rican Government.  During 
this time of heightened security alerts, all travelers should 
consult the department's website for the latest public 
announcement travel warnings at www.usembassy.or.cr or 
www.usembassy.or.cr/osac.html. 
 
Costa Rica is currently rated as a "high" crime threat post. 
The increasing use of violence during the commission of a 
street crime is a threat to all visitors.  Travelers are 
urged to exercise caution, as in any large city.  Local law 
enforcement agencies are not up to U.S. standards and have 
limited capabilities.  Jewelry should not be worn on the 
streets.  Large amounts of cash should not be displayed.  The 
downtown area of San Jose should be avoided at night because 
of the increase of criminal activity that occurs in this 
area. 
 
Credit card fraud and credit card "number skimming" is a 
 
rapidly growing crime.  Visitors should not use debit cards 
and should check their credit card accounts frequently. 
 
Visitors are advised to avoid unofficial moneychangers who 
may offer better rates but who often trade in counterfeit 
currency.  The present rate of exchange is approximately 499 
Costa Rican colones to one dollar.  Accommodation exchange is 
available at a comparable rate at the airport. 
 
Visitors should exercise caution if they will be driving in 
Costa Rica.  The combination of poor road conditions, erratic 
driving, and pedestrian and animal traffic on the roads make 
driving very treacherous.  Costa Rica has one of the highest 
accident rates per automobile in the world.  The Embassy 
strongly recommends against driving outside of the San Jose 
area at night.  Vehicles should not be left unattended or 
packages left visible inside them. 
 
Costa Rica is an earthquake zone and periodically experiences 
significant tremors. 
 
Visitors should be careful not to eat peanuts or products 
made from peanuts grown in Costa Rica because they may harbor 
aflatoxin, which is suspected in the causation of liver 
cancer. 
 
¶8. Laptops:  Please be advised that State Department 
regulations prohibit installation or use of privately-owned 
computers in any State Department building.  Visitors must 
notify the Regional Security Office in advance if they intend 
to use U.S. Government-owned portable computers in the 
Chancery. 
 
¶9. Mandatory Personal Security Training:  Effective January 
1, 2005, all American personnel traveling to post for 30 days 
or more at an overseas location under COM authority must 
complete appropriate overseas personal security training 
prior to travel.  It is the responsibility of the sponsoring 
office to verify that this training has been completed as 
outlined in State cable 66580, dated 25 March 2004. 
LANGDALE