The situation in the Presidential House also got heated. At about 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, the Minister of the Presidency, Víctor Morales Mora, went out to talk with the taxi drivers who were demonstrating outside the building and was practically cornered by complaints.
He did so heavily guarded by Public Force officers and with part of his colleagues.
Taxi drivers say they feel mocked by the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch, as they believe there is a lack of government interest in regulating the Uber operation in Costa Rica.
Morales tried to appease the mood by explaining the situation of the legislative landscape with the project. However, he found more complaints and allegations.
Gilbert Ureña, from the National Taxi Drivers Forum, said they are thinking about demonstrating in front of the house of Ambassador Sharon Day, from the United States. Ureña explained that this measure would respond to Uber being of US capital and – according to his point of view – its operation in the country is illegal.
Uber started operating four years ago. However, there are legal gaps that allow clarifying its operation in the national territory. The application has 22 thousand partner-collaborators and they already operate in a large part of the entire national territory due to the growing discontent of the formal taxi drivers.
Incidentally, estimates made by the Public Transportation Council (CTP) suggest that in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) there are 50,000 drivers providing transportation services between taxi drivers, Uber drivers, and the so-called ‘pirates’.
Currently, the Economic Affairs Committee of the Legislative Assembly is processing a bill proposed by the Executive Branch in January.