San José, Oct 18 -- Costa Rican unions and social organizations confirmed their participation in a national strike against the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, currently being evaluated in Congress.

According to Jorge Coronado, representative of the Coordinadora de Lucha contra el TLC (Coordinator of the battle against the FTT) the central theme of the massive protest will be the immediate withdrawal of the treaty from legislation and projects to apply an agreement on telecommunications and security.

Coronado added that work will be stopped on the 23rd and 24th this month, in primary and secondary schooling, Social Security, the Electricity Institute and other areas of public services.

Also participating in the demonstration will be farming sectors, rice producers, environmental, indigenous, student and women's groups, he added.

Part of this work stoppage, he pointed out, will be a march that will begin in several points of the capital ending in the Legislative Assembly headquarters to deliver a proclamation against approval of that trade measure.

The union leader affirmed that it will be a large civic demonstration in defense of national sovereignty that will demonstrate the pacifist and civil conviction of Costa Ricans.

The Coordinadora anti TLC stressed that the government of President Oscar Arias has closed all spaces for dialogue and tolerance and has been relying on arrogance and militarism to attempt to push through the treaty in any way possible.