Puntarenas submits the carnival and festivities regulations to public consultation

The Municipality of Puntarenas has submitted for public consultation the new Regulation for the Management of Popular Festivities and Carnivals of the Central Canton, which establishes how the organizing commission is appointed, the amount paid in stipends, and the transparency controls that will govern the festivities. The project was approved by the Municipal Council in Ordinary Session No. 194, article 5, subsection A, on August 6, 2026, and is published in La Gaceta No. 192 on Monday, October 12, 2026 (reference IN202601131681). Interested parties have 10 business days to present objections.

The text entirely repeals the 2016 “Regulation for the Commission of Popular Festivities and Related Events” and any previous provision that opposes it. Its objective is to regulate the appointment of the commission and the organization, administration, execution, and oversight of carnivals, patron saint festivals, civic events, and mass activities organized by the municipality.

The consultation is governed by article 43 of the Municipal Code: objections must be submitted in writing to the Secretariat of the Municipal Council or to the email secretariaconcejo@munipuntarenas.go.cr within the period of 10 business days starting from the date of publication. The document bears the signature of Edward Rojas Barrantes, Municipal Provider, and is dated in Puntarenas on August 10, 2026.

Who can join the commission

• Be of legal age, a citizen in exercise of their rights, and a resident of the canton (the majority of the composition).
• Possess recognized moral solvency; technical suitability in administration, finance, or logistics will be valued.
• The mayor, deputy mayors, councilors, and syndics (permanent or alternates), members of the District Councils, their relatives up to the third degree of consanguinity or affinity, nor persons with direct or indirect economic interests in the contracting of the festivities may join.

The Municipal Council will publish an open invitation disseminated through official technological media; applicants must present a resume, a photocopy of a valid ID, and a sworn statement of having no legal impediments or conflicts of interest. The Permanent Commission on Legal Affairs—or a special commission—will evaluate the profiles and submit a list of eligible candidates to the plenary.

Appointments, deadlines, and stipends

The Council will elect the five members by simple majority within a period not exceeding eight calendar days after the closing of applications, and will swear them in at the following municipal session. The carnival commission must be appointed twelve months before the event and lasts for two years; other festivities are appointed between three and six months prior.

Regarding stipends:

• Only the five members of the commission are entitled to stipends.
• The amount is equivalent to 50% of the stipend of a proprietary council member (regidor) of the canton.
• These are only paid during the two months prior to the start of the festivities and one month after; for the remainder of the time, the service is ad honorem.
• A maximum of four sessions per month are covered, and funds come exclusively from sponsorships, auctions, or event profits.

Procurement, liquors, and transparency controls

All procurement shall be carried out under the General Public Procurement Law No. 9986 and its regulations, through SICOP. Auctions will be based on a prior market study, and temporary liquor licenses will be charged in accordance with Law 9047, with stalls located only in the area delimited by the commission and the administration.

In bullfighting activities, compliance with Executive Decree 19183 shall be mandatory, including permanent veterinary medical advice, a secure ring, and insurance policies for third-party damages. The handling of cash is prohibited: all income and payments must be electronic. The financial liquidation shall be presented to the Internal Audit no later than 15 business days after the festivities have ended, according to Law 4286, and profits will go to the Municipal Treasury for communal welfare works, with 20% of net profits allocated to the First District as social compensation.

The commission will publish minutes, agreements, session recordings, links to SICOP, and monthly financial reports on the municipal website, and will hold a public accountability hearing within three months following the event. Failure to comply with the regulations will constitute a serious offense.

The regulations arrive at a delicate moment for the commission: in the same edition, the Popular Festivities Commission (2027-2028) requested the Internal Audit to replace the lost legal books of the 2023 commission. With limited stipends, zero cash, and the mandatory publication of minutes and finances, Puntarenas seeks to ensure that the carnivals—the main tourist and commercial engine of the central canton—are subject to verifiable rules before the next cycle of festivities begins.

Source: La Gaceta, No. 192 of Monday, October 12, 2026, Regulations section (Municipalities), p. 104 (official reference: IN202601131681).