Well, I thought maybe this was from The Onion, but apparently not:
The decision authorizing the patrol of Costa Rican waters by U.S. warships is being contested by a group of legislators, headed by Gloria Bejarano, who filed an action of unconstitutionality with the Sala Constitucional (Costa Rica's constitutional court).
The legislators believe the authorization that was voted on and granted last week for the entry of 46 naval warships, 200 helicopters, war planes and 7.000 Marines as confirmed by the president of the Legislative Assembly, Gerardo Villanueva, violates Costa Rica's Political Constitution.
Villanueva confirmed that there are errors in the authorization, explaining that the co-operation agreement between the United States and Costa Rica signed 11 years ago was never published in La Gaceta.
The legislators argue in their filing that since the decree was never published it is null and void and in addition was for a 10 year period and would have expired in 2009.
Villanueva, however, argues that the agreement does not have an expiry date and the publication of the decree can be made any time.
Not sure about this site, but it is saying:
The Costa Rican Congress has authorized the United States to send 7,000 Marines and 46 warships to Costa Rica to provide counter narcotics and humanitarian support. However, the opposition alleges the authorization is a violation of Costa Rican sovereignty.
According to some news estimates, this influx of U.S. personnel will also be accompanied by around 6,000 U.S. civilians and will also include some 200 helicopters. The U.S. forces are authorized to stay on the island from July 1 to Dec. 31 "for anti-narcotics operations and humanitarian missions."
Government officials say the force will provide humanitarian assistance by constructing schools and will launch operations to counter narcotics traffickers.
According to a letter sent to the U.S. embassy, "The United States personnel in Costa Rica can enjoy freedom of movement and the right to carry out the activities it deems necessary in carrying out its mission."
Meanwhile, Raw Story is saying:
A committee of the People's Movement political party said the deal turns Costa Rica into a "US protectorate" and brings the country into "a new phase of military occupation," according to the Costa Rican newspaper El Pais.
Costa Rica's Nacion newspaper reported last week that the new agreement will see 7,000 US Marines, supported by 200 helicopters and 46 warships, "enter and leave the country at will." The paper also cited a June 2 letter from Costa Rica to the US declaring that US troops will have "the right to carry out the activities it deems necessary in carrying out its mission."
Inside Costa Rica reports that opposition leaders see the US military force as disproportionately large compared to the problem of Central American drug-running.
I'm not making this up. Some of these sources seem a bit suspicious but if anything I have learned never to be surprised by the actions of our own government. Time to raise holy hell? Don't we have enough banana plantations down there already using cheap labor?