Nicaragua and Costa Rica may start a war over Google Maps
Since the beginning of the conflict on 3 November between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the situation has deteriorated significantly. Although Google corrected the maps and indicated the source of the error, but it was too late. Costa Rica mobilized the police (they have no army), and the Organization of American States unsuccessfully addressed the parties to the conflict.
It all started when the Nicaraguan army entered Costa Rica and camped there, removing the flag of Costa Rica and raising the flag of Nicaragua.
The local general said that this was actually their territory and showed Google Maps as evidence.
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“Look at Google’s satellite photos and see where the border is,” the general said. (He later explained that he simply cited Google Maps as an argument, but they were not the primary source of his knowledge of the location of the border).
It must be said that the general did not risk anything, because Costa Rica has no armed forces at all (such is the country). The President of Costa Rica made a televised address to citizens and urged them to remain calm and not to succumb to provocations.
Google promptly published an official statement and explained that the border shift by 2,700 meters was due to the wrong maps of the US Department of State, which had already sent the updated data, so that Google began to correct the maps. On November 12, the error was corrected .
Meanwhile, Costa Rica mobilized the police and prepared to defend its borders.
On November 13, the Organization of American States addressed the conflicting parties to withdraw their armed forces from the disputed territory. For this resolution voted 22 countries of the OAS, only Venezuela opposed.
The President of Nicaragua (a big friend of Hugo Chávez), meanwhile, said that his troops did not enter the territory of a neighboring state, but simply patrol the border in the fight against drug trafficking. He stated that the OAS does not have the authority to resolve such disputes.
Although the parties have already abandoned links to Google Maps, but the conflict began precisely with this. It will be a shame if a computer error becomes a reason to start a war.
It all started when the Nicaraguan army entered Costa Rica and camped there, removing the flag of Costa Rica and raising the flag of Nicaragua.
The local general said that this was actually their territory and showed Google Maps as evidence.
')
“Look at Google’s satellite photos and see where the border is,” the general said. (He later explained that he simply cited Google Maps as an argument, but they were not the primary source of his knowledge of the location of the border).
It must be said that the general did not risk anything, because Costa Rica has no armed forces at all (such is the country). The President of Costa Rica made a televised address to citizens and urged them to remain calm and not to succumb to provocations.
Google promptly published an official statement and explained that the border shift by 2,700 meters was due to the wrong maps of the US Department of State, which had already sent the updated data, so that Google began to correct the maps. On November 12, the error was corrected .
Meanwhile, Costa Rica mobilized the police and prepared to defend its borders.
On November 13, the Organization of American States addressed the conflicting parties to withdraw their armed forces from the disputed territory. For this resolution voted 22 countries of the OAS, only Venezuela opposed.
The President of Nicaragua (a big friend of Hugo Chávez), meanwhile, said that his troops did not enter the territory of a neighboring state, but simply patrol the border in the fight against drug trafficking. He stated that the OAS does not have the authority to resolve such disputes.
Although the parties have already abandoned links to Google Maps, but the conflict began precisely with this. It will be a shame if a computer error becomes a reason to start a war.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/108252/
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