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[BatiGOOOOOOL]

First, sorry about the topic, it should read "I really hope most canadians(or anyone else) don't believe this"

OK, let me explain.

I live in Costa Rica. Yesterday, around 3 P.M. there was a bank kidnapping in a rural area called Monteverde. This place is well known for all of its tourists attractions. Anyway, the kidnapping is not the reason why I'm making this thread, because I'm pretty sure none of you guys care. What I'm writing for, is to comment about something a canadian said to a newspaper.

This guy was on his way to the bank to exchange some dollars, I think. When all of a sudden around 50-100 meters away from the entrance, he spotted a guy wearing a ski mask and camouflaged. Then here comes what amazed me... he actually said he wasn't surprised when he saw the man, because he considered it normal, for Central America, to see a man with a mask standing right there in front of a bank. Seconds later the shooting started, it got ugly and the surviving robbers decided to kidnap the 20-something people.

A couple of hours ago everything ended with 5 dead hostages, 1 dead special unit agent and 3 dead kidnappers. Only one kidnapper remained alive and he is supposed to be from Nicaragua(as are all the dead ones).

Anyway, is this the kind of image canadians or anyone around the world, has of this area? Especially from a country like Costa Rica, well-known for its pacific stances and not having any kind of military forces?

I mean, where the fuck could you consider normal seeing a guy dressed in camouflage and a ski mask? Seriously, I was really puzzled after reading this. It's like some people, or at least this guy, believes we live in some kind of Guerrilla occupied zone.

 

[android]

Nah he was probably just trying to act tough or was in shock. Or he's a dickhead. But I do think Hollywood has created a picture of guerilla fighters and kidnappers in countries south of the US.

 

[Mike Works]

I don't think we have any sort of standard image for Costa Rica. I hear Costa Rica, I think palm trees. That's about it.

 

[BatiGOOOOOOL]

I don't think we have any sort of standard image for Costa Rica. I hear Costa Rica, I think palm trees. That's about it.

Not much, but definitely better than ski mask guy.

 

[pnjtony]

Drug lords in all white suits!

 

[Azih]

He mighta gotten confused, ski masks aint all that uncommon up here when it gets cold.

 

[calder]

Thanks to working next to the travel health clinic the only things I think of about when I hear Central or South American country names are Hep A, malaria, typhoid, and sometimes Yellow Fever (but mainly for Brazil and Peru).

And while Costa Rica might be much less violent, I can understand how someone not from the region would have had their opinion of Central America as a whole formed by news reports in the 80s and 90s and they might think that a dude in fatigues outside a bank wouldn't be that odd. Don't know why he didn't think the mask was a bit alarming, but honestly for a lot of ppl they see anyone in camoflague they immediately assume he's in the army and probably guarding the bank. Here in Canada for example you don't see bank robbers dressed up in Woodland Pattern #2 ready to slip into the bush after their crime.

 

[BatiGOOOOOOL]

I guess you have a point Calder. Apparently, this group was formed by members of the Sandinista army from Nicaragua.

This small town is surrounded by a lot of mountains. So they had planned to rob the bank and lose themselves among the mountains. That's why they were wearing the camouflage.

 

[FightyF]

Or it could be an American pretending he's Canadian. You get that a lot.

 

[Richiban]

I hope not all Costa Ricans think this:

 

[BatiGOOOOOOL]

I hope not all Costa Ricans think this:

Heh, I doubt it. When I think Canada, I think of really cool cities, great people and lots of empty land.