Abstract
An area of 2 000 Km2 covering the topographic sheets of Abra, Caraigres, Candelaria and Río Grande was studied from a structural point of view. The faults were outiline, the maximum compressionswere measured and the dips were statisticly analysed.
The area was affected by folding, faulting and tilting caused by S-N compression active from Cretacic to present time. The faults are strike-slip type faults. Tilting of the Candelaria basin ocurred in the verge of the Miocene-Pliocene limit between the faults Jaris and Candelaria. It caused high angle E-W overthrusting faulting.
Regarding the relationship between magmatism and compression, it is considered that a rejuvenation of the subdutionhave ocurred and caused a displacement of the magmatic arc.
The stock of the Escazú Intrusive acted as tectonic barrier causing the energy of the compression is dispersed by faults located SE and SW of the Intrusive body, and producting simple shear to the SW of the stock.