Legislator Proposes Free Internet Access To All In Costa Rica

Source:  Inside Costa Rica

Legislator Rodolfo Sotomayor of the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC) believes that making access to the internet free of charge to everyone in Costa Rica will “improve social, cultural, economic and technological development of all”.

As such, Sotomayor has proposed to amend Article 67 of the Constitución Política (country’s Constitution) to make access to the internet universal and at no cost.

To make the amendment to the Constitution, the legislator proposes a new law to establish the way the government would make internet access free and available to everyone, which would take effect not later than six months after the change is made to the Constitution.

Article 67 of the Magna Carta indicates that “the state shall ensure the technical and cultural preparation of workers”.

Sotomayor said that his proposal would introduce to the Constitution changes in technology and would serve to reduce poverty by allow the population to access social networks and make use of the technology, which guarantee better living conditions.

The Sotomayor proposal complements a “recurso amparo” (appeal) made to the Sala Constitucional last October by lawyer Erick Briones, who is asking the Constitutional Court to order the state (government) to provide countrywide wireless internet access.

The Briones actions says the state is violating the human right to communication and information and by not making access to the internet to all, creates a gap between the have and have not.