El referéndum de las calles: Lucha social y reforma del instituto costarricense de electricidad (Costa Rica 2000)

this article presents a situation analysis on the social struggle developed in 2000 because of the attempts to reform the instituto costarricense de electricidad (“combo” ice). the first part seeks to understand the dynamics of social actors. it is analyzed the way in which actors who rejected reform, as well as those that supported its approval, joined themselves into the struggle. it is also analyzed negotiations that finished social movement of protest against “combo”. in second part attention is paid to the “comisión mixta”, with seat in the legislature, created to prepare a new draft law on the ice. it also discusses how “social representation”, included in the “comisión mixta”, sought to remain connected to social sectors opposed to reform.