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Costa Rica: ‘We Are All Karina’ Campaign for Dismissed Vice-Minister

Categories: Latin America, Costa Rica, Citizen Media, Digital Activism, Photography, Politics, Protest, Women & Gender

Men and women are getting their picture taken with hand-written signs stating, “We are all Karina” to show support for the Vice-Minister Karina Bolaños, who was dismissed [1] after a video where she appears in underwear speaking to an undisclosed lover surfaced. Karina was black-mailed for years regarding this video, and once she stopped paying, the video was distributed to media and social networks, leading to her dismissal by President Laura Chinchilla.

The campaign aims to raise awareness about the situation of Karina Bolaños, who has the Costa Rican social network sphere asking: why has a female vice-minister been dismissed for something of a purely personal and intimate nature that is not related to her job ,while male ministers and other male government employees who have been denounced for mistakes and unethical (or corrupt) behavior have held the President's support.

On the Facebook page for the movement  [es] more than 2500 people have liked it in less than 7 hours. And more than 150 pictures [2][es]have already been added as well.

The picture that seemes to have started the movement was posted by blogger and photographer Julia Ardón, who for the first few hours manually added the pictures into an album on her personal facebook. Now they are being added to the official group page by each  supporter.

Blogger and Photographer Julia Ardón in solidarity with Karina [3]

“We are all Karina” Blogger and Photographer Julia Ardón stands in solidarity with Karina Bolaños

There is also a march being planned [es]  [4]for Saturday, August 11 to demand the restitution of the ex Vice-Minister:

Este próximo 11 de agosto, Costa Rica se va las calles a decir Tod@s Somos Karina! No al machismo en Costa Rica, no más atropellos a nuestras mujeres y no más abusos de este gobierno! Desde el Parque Central hasta Casa Presidencial daremos la cara los que unimos al movimiento Tod@s Somos Karina, toda mujer costarricense merece respeto, tu madre, tu hermana, tu tía, tu abuela y tu vecina! Los esperamos a las 09:00 am! Exigimos la restitución de la Ex Viceministra!

This coming August 11th, Costa Rica will take the streets to say We are all Karina. No to male chauvinism in Costa Rica, no more outrages against our women and no more abuses from this government! From the Central Park to the Presidential House all of us who have joined the movement We are all Karina will show our faces. All Costa Rican women deserve respect, your mother, your sister, your aunt, your grandmother and your neighbor! We hope to see you there at 09:00 am! We demand the restitution of the Ex Vice-minister!