Editor’s note: The views expressed by guest columnists are not necessarily those of The Costa Rica Star, its advertisers, or its staff. 

It’s a great time to be living in Costa Rica – far from the maddening politics dividing the United States of America right now. Although only a 3-hour flight from Houston or Orlando, Costa Rica is a world away from President Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi, Republicans, Democrats and all those people that just can’t seem to get along. No protesters at the airports in San José or Liberia. No hooligans holding up protest signs blocking the highways. None of this political craziness down here, at least not yet, unless you go to a local watering hole and listen to a river of political views of all colors and varying degrees of ‘Oh My God’ wacky.

If you really want to know what the people are thinking go to a local bar and plop yourself down on that stool and listen up. Watch two TVs at the same time – one on CNN and the other on FOX News – like they do at the Beatle Bar in downtown Jacó Beach, Costa Rica. Watch how differently these two ‘respected’ news agencies cover what they consider to be news that everybody needs to know about. Even fake news makes the mainstream news these days.

Take “Ammal” for instance (not his real name). He just got back to Jacó Beach from three weeks in Dubai. There’s a lot of difference between Jacó and Dubai. Yes, he’s a Muslim and he likes to hang out at the Beatle Bar when he’s in town. He’s about 35 years old and sports a full Muslim beard. He talked about how different Muslim life in Dubai is from other Muslim cities. In Dubai women dress like in America and go to nightclubs, listen to loud music and dance the night away. Women are not oppressed in Dubai to the same degree they are in Saudi Arabia, but they are still Muslims, he says.

Ammal likes President Trump, too, because he knows what real the threat of radical Islam is. Ammal is just like the overwhelming majority of Muslims – peace-loving, good people. 

And then there’s the Democrat – the only known Democrat to dwell at the Beatle Bar. He’s a retiree from the US West Coast, a former union boss livin’ the dream in Costa Rica off his nice pension. This Democrat believes that everyone who voted for President Trump has lost their minds and they have all lost touch with reality. Once you get this Democrat talkin’ politics while watching FOX News you are in for the long haul. He likes to yell at the TV when FOX News is on. He can go on and on with facts and information about how President Obama was America’s best president. He thinks President Trump is one-hundred percent unfit for office. Many an eye starts rolling around when the Democrat speaks. But this Democrat is a good man and he speaks his mind.

On the other side is Mr. Extreme – Hugo Hackery is the fake name he goes by. Nobody knows his real name and really, who cares? He’s in his 50s, from the States and he’s completely fed up with Democrats, and pleased as punch that Hillary Clinton lost and President Trump won. He, like the Democrat, can go on and on and on with political talk. Hackery is a pro-political ranter. Once he gets going, there is no end. On and on, beer after beer he rants “Trump this, Pelosi that.”

A few months back, during the presidential campaign, Hackery and the Democrat got into it. Both of them got red-faced and bug-eyed with heated arguing back and forth. Those watching this nutty display could only shake their heads in dismay and move away from the coming carnage.

That night Hackery boiled over and called out the Democrat for a beer-soaked fist fight on the sidewalk out front. This little mess ended when the bar owner threw a bucket of water at them both. These two still don’t talk, but they do “hiss” at each other like pit vipers.

There is quite a parade of characters that hang out at the “BB” and most are as political as the day is long … good people though, even Hackery. Politics is a subject that gets people all riled up and the only thing that stops it cold is a good old-fashioned football game, but coming up Sunday is the Super Bowl and the end of football season, leaving only a few weeks of despair until NASCAR begins racing again in Daytona. Inside the “BB” a screamin’, clawin’ and hair-pullin’ cat fight does the same thing.

As usual, politics will fill the gap with FOX News and CNN going head-to-head as President Trump and the Democrats go head-to-head. What fun it is to watch this political madness on TV from Costa Rica. Just like we to love see the stateside frozen blizzards on TV from this warm, friendly and fun little beach town in Costa Rica that we call home.

About the Author

Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.

Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.