Joe and Jill Biden visit Costa Rica

Photo taken by Ronald Reyes from the Tico Times

U.S. Vice President, Joe Biden, along with his wife, Jill Biden, arrive in Costa Rica on March 29th. They took this trip to meet with Central American leaders and discuss issues such as immigration, drug trafficking, environmental issues and the progressing "Good Friend Policy" that is currently being put into play.

The "Good Friend Policy" is a play off of the "Good Neighbor Policy" that FDR piloted years ago.

While Biden was spending his time meeting with the Central American leaders, Jill Biden was spending her time in a 3rd grade classroom. Mrs. Biden has her doctorate in education and she has taught English as a second language. “She loves being in a classroom,” Courtney O'Donnell, Biden's communications director said.

“In this world, we are all in the same boat, and the captain of that boat is named Barack Obama, and, frankly, I hope that this captain guides us in the right path, because the entire world is expecting him to guide us,” Costa Rica President Oscar Arias said.

Vice President Biden asks for "Patience and Forbearance"

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U.S. Vice President, Joe Biden, recently visited Costa Rica to hold a meeting with Costa Rican President, Oscar Arias.

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During this meeting they discussed the struggling economy that Costa Rica is dealing with right now and along with that they discussed the U.S. economy. Biden asked for "patience and forbearance from Arias. Biden said that "it cannot work for Latin America unless our economy begins to grow." He was talking about funding. However, Biden increased funding for the nation by $45 million.

Did you say bailout?

Is planting trees really going to help boost the economy? Twenty-three year old Edwin Sequeira, president of the youth reforestation cooperative thinks so.

The Costa Rican government has recently issued a Labor Ministry program. This program is designed to aid the young entrepreneurs. According to the Tico Times, there are 1.5 million Costa Ricans between the ages of 18-35. Out of these 1.5 million people, 360,000 are not enrolled in college nor do they have a job. The government has a plan to decrease the unemployment rate by providing $100 million to these young Costa Ricans, however, there is a catch.

This is not a bailout! This money will not be sent to the Costa Ricans directly, they must work for it. This money is planned to help 150 of these Costa Ricans in starting their own businesses. The government believes this will boost the economy.

Sequeira will be setting up a tour office in Bijagua de Upaia and will be heading tours of the area. This job will bring youths together to help preserve the environment. He plans of planting 2,500 trees in the area.

“We're also going to incorporate the environmental aid factor into our tours,” said Sequeira. “We'll allow tourists to plant a tree themselves, as well as providing information about climate change in Costa Rica." (Robertson, Tico Times).

This got me thinking, how are these young people going to be able to run a business with only a high school diploma? The National Cooperative Council has already agreed to help the youth with their endeavours. They plan on assisting them with financial problems along with paperwork and any other knowledge they will need to begin their business.

President Oscar Arias believes that this will really work. “The crisis has affected everyone worldwide, countries big and small, rich and poor,” said Arias. “But it will be the countries who protect and support the ambitions of its citizens who will be the first to leave this crisis behind.”