An Uber driver in Bogota. Wikimedia Commons On Friday afternoon, the controversial private transportation mobile app Uber began operating in Costa Rica with a stern warning by President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, who explained that his administration will increase vigilance on the roadways for the purpose of catching and issuing infractions to Uber drivers. According to a news report filed by Carlos Mora of online news daily Costa Rica Hoy, President Solis has issued special orders to the Transit Police, whose officers will be on the lookout for vehicles and drivers that may be providing the Uber service. As reported by The Costa Rica Star earlier this year, Uber was expected to face strong opposition and barriers to entry in our country: Based in San Francisco, Uber is a smartphone app and personal transportation service that is both notable and notorious. As a business, Uber is a wildly successful company that seems to have not limits in relation to its commercial ambitions; however, its freewheeling plans for expansion have resulted in a number of private lawsuits, protests, licensing issues, as well as allegations of sabotage and interfering with press freedom. Controversy notwithstanding, Uber would probably run into strong oppositions by the numerous co-op businesses that operate the iconic red taxi fleets around Costa Rica (including the orange taxis at the airport and the more informal “porteadores”). In countries where Uber has attempted to sidestep licensing, the ensuing discontent has not been pretty. Costa Rica is not the only Latin American market where Uber has faced a hard time. Last month in Sao Paulo, military police officers were ordered to stop Uber from operating in that metropolis. A few weeks ago, a demonstration against Uber in Mexico turned violent and left damaged vehicles and even injuries. Although President Solis is a major supporter of foreign investment in Costa Rica, he has not shown Uber any love. This Uber disapproval was called out by Legislator Otto Guevara, leader of the Libertarian Movement in Costa Rica. On the eve of Uber’s launch, Legislator Guevara mentioned that he planned to sign up as an Uber driver and put his privately owned vehicle to work, mostly as a display of defiance. President Solis stated that he does not think Legislator Guevara would be immune from being cited and fined by Transit Police officers if they catch him operating an Uber car.
Uber Costa Rica launched on the weekend, however has experienced a very difficult start with government regulators going public about their concerns, and the police and taxi drivers targeting Uber drivers. Costa Rican President Solis has publicly expressed his own concerns over how Uber is operating in the country, and has gone on record as being unsupportive of Uber and "its disregard for regulatory policies". 4 of the initial 10 Uber cars in the country were vandalised by taxi drivers and seized by the police over Friday.