Costa Rica’s Supreme Court has halted land clearing being undertaken in connection with a controversial gold-mining project as state prosecutors investigate whether the country’s president, Óscar Arias, overstepped his powers by authorizing the work. Acting on a complaint filed by two environmental organizations, the court on Oct. 20 ordered the suspension of tree removal occurring along the San Juan River, near the country’s northern border with Nicaragua. Prosecutors, for their part, are studying an Oct. 17 decree Arias issued with Environment Minister Roberto Dobles that declared the open-pit mine to be in the “public interest” and “of national convenience.” The decree also authorized the company sponsoring the project, Canada’s Infinito Gold, to clear 471 acres (191 has) of tropical forest as a first... [Log in to read more]