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Google Maps Blamed for Nicaraguan Invasion of Costa Rica
It all began when Nicaraguan military commander Eden Pastora sent a group of troops into a region around San Juan Lake, near the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Upon arriving, the soldiers promptly set up camp, and began tearing down Costa Rican flags that had been inexplicably planted in Nicaraguan soil. Turns out, however, that the flags were there because the region in which the soldiers were stationed was not Nicaragua, but Costa Rica.
Pastora, you see, had been misled by Google Maps, which had given an inaccurate representation of where the border actually was. Instead of doing some routine military maintenance in their own region, Pastora's men had inadvertently invaded their neighbors. Oops. Pastora immediately acknowledged the mistake, but that didn't stop Costa Rica's President Laura Chinchilla from going on national TV last night to urge her citizens to "be calm and firm, amid the outrage that these events provoke within us." (Check out the full story from Costa Rica's La Nacion in Spanish, or in Google translation.)
A Google spokesperson told La Nacion that the company couldn't explain the source of the error, or where the Nicaraguan commander found the map. As Search Engine Land points out, though, Pastora could've avoided this snafu by using Bing's map service, which provides a substantially more authentic rendering of the region. Moral of the story: If you want geographic accuracy, use Bing. If you want geopolitical acrimony, use Google.
Comments
15
Subscribe to commentsKeith J. MohrhoffNov 8th 2010 9:48AM
The fact that the Nicaraguan troops were able to enter Costa Rica at that point totally unchallenged means one of two things: A) Costa Rica does not REALLY care about that part of its territory or B) No state of distrust exists between the two nations that would warrant a defended border. In either case, an innocent mistake that was at worst embarrassing for both countries. Mexican troops cross our border (we'd like to think by accident) all the time--we don't call it an "Invasion".
frankNov 8th 2010 4:09PM
@Keith J Mohrhoff
Most countries don't defend every inch of their border, its too costly. At most you'll have a customs post at the most used crossing points.
JonathanNov 8th 2010 9:43AM
This is so stupid. Blaming google because of their mistake. Next thing you know they will be blaming mcdonalds for their heart attacks. You make your own choices. It's the commanders fault for not checking multiple sources for the actual line.
wackyanimationNov 8th 2010 4:01PM
@(Unverified) too late about mcdonalds.
chckpopeNov 8th 2010 3:51PM
What a bunch of BS, if you click on Google Earth it gives you a full real life snap shot of the region and any soldier worth his salt won't depend on either of these sources anyway. Of course this sounds like it was a trash detail anyway so who cares where they pick up garbage. I wouldn't use Bing because it's crap, so try and BS someone else.
BarbaraNov 8th 2010 9:51AM
That is dumb! They should use their own maps. Gov't maps.
Keith J. MohrhoffNov 8th 2010 10:17AM
@Loden: Yes, one would think that Rand-McNally might've visited the region at least once?
CooperNov 8th 2010 10:15AM
What kind of freakin' military uses Google or any other internet map to plan an exercise? Also, like the poster above noted, this was hardly what you'd call an "invasion." More like a bunch of lost soldiers with a dangerously slack commander. . .
Keith J. MohrhoffNov 8th 2010 10:24AM
@(Unverified): I guess it just seems cooler to use technology. GPS or LORAN, anyone?
frankNov 8th 2010 11:31AM
@Keith J Mohrhoff
LORAN is dead.
Keith J. MohrhoffNov 8th 2010 4:59PM
@(Unverified): The largest undefended boarder in the world is the NorthWest border between Canada and the U.S.. This is so because there is enough trust between our Nations that neiither is concerned the other will spontaneously annex territory of the other. However, most countries patrol remote border areas enough to prevent the unchallenged incursion of a sizeable military force. Were we talking about 3 men and a herd of goats, okay, that could slip through unnoticed. But this reflects a mutual a lack of concern.
BeemerNov 8th 2010 11:32AM
Pastora is a former guerilla leader and was based in the area. He knew what he was doing. The border in that area is very remote and hardly populated. Nicaragua intends to punch a canal through to the ocean. Hardly an innocent mistake. It is a land grab at the very least.
Keith J. MohrhoffNov 8th 2010 5:14PM
Taking land is easy. Holding it is another matter entirely. From the tone of the article, it doesn't seem that this was a "land grab" else, the offending party wouldn't have been so quick to acknowledge their mistake. Were this a "land-grab" you might expect more foot-dragging, justifcation and argument.
BeemerNov 8th 2010 7:32PM
@Keith J Mohrhoff
Not a land grab? Then why are there Nicaraguan troops on land that belongs to Costa Rica, a country with no army? Treaties in place set the border at the southern bank of the San Juan river. Don't justify your comments based on a very poorly written article.
SingapuraNov 11th 2010 9:06PM
Borders are sooo 20th century. Let's get rid of those stupid artificial things and cooperate.