The referendum that could end RECOPE’s fuel monopoly won’t take place until after August 2018.
The organization ‘No More RECOPE’ knows that the referendum cannot be held 6 months before or 6 months after the presidential elections, taking into account that a new electoral process will take place in February 2018.
As explained by the group, the collection of signatures to get the referendum started cannot begin until the Official Gazette publishes the approval issued by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE).
After this, the TSE will give us a template with the format of the sheet to collect the signatures. We will have to take hundreds of copies and return them to the TSE so that they seal and sign them,”
explained ‘No More RECOPE’.
Once those signed and sealed sheets are delivered to the movement, they can begin collecting signatures. This process will last nine months.
Each sheet with signatures will be thoroughly checked by the TSE, one by one (name, ID number and signature) and this will take time. Upon completion of counting and verifying them, the TSE shall act and call for the referendum or not,”
said the organization.
One of the most important aspects is the preparation of logistics and strategy that will take place to collect the signatures.
The proposal from ‘No more RECOPE’ requires about 165 thousand signatures. The objective is to break the monopoly maintained by the Costa Rican Oil Refinery for the sale and distribution of fuels.
This, in turn, would force the refinery to share infrastructure with its competitors.