Taxi drivers protest Uber in San José
Members of the Union of Costa Rican Taxi Drivers (UTC) will march Wednesday to demand that courts block the ride-hailing service app Uber in Costa Rica. Leaders are calling on taxi drivers to gather at 9 a.m. in front of the National Oil Refinery in Calle Blancos, northeast of San José. From there they will march to the San José Administrative Court in Goicoechea.
Wednesday’s march is the latest in a series of demonstrations from official taxi drivers. Protests have been staged in front of Casa Presidencial, at President Luis Guillermo Solís’ house, and along major highways and in downtown San José.
Union secretary general Rubén Vargas said he will ask the Administrative Court to order the government to rule Uber services illegal. The organization will also ask the court to immediately halt the operation of Uber here, pending the issuing of a final ruling on its request.
Taxi drivers also are planning on taking the demonstration to downtown San José. Vargas said that after delivering the petition at the Administrative Court, a group of drivers will go to the Supreme Court and stage a “honk-in” protest. The demonstration is specifically aimed at a complaint filed last year by two Libertarian Movement Party lawmakers who support the legalization of ride-hailing services like Uber.
Uber launched operations in Costa Rica last August, and taxi drivers since have staged street demonstrations against it that escalated in several clashes with Uber drivers and their customers.
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