Costa Rican president signals openness to domestic US military operations | Crime News
Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez has indicated that potential United States military operations within the country’s borders could enhance national security. However, she underscored that any such initiatives would require approval from the national legislature. In an interview published Friday by Reuters, Fernandez clarified that there are currently no plans for US forces to conduct operations in Costa Rica.
“It would obviously be beneficial for national security if it involved a common objective against transnational crime, drug trafficking, or terrorism,” said Fernandez, who took office in May, succeeding her mentor, former President Rodrigo Chaves. Her election followed a campaign focused on rising violence and security concerns in the Central American nation.
Despite her tough-on-crime platform, Fernandez stated she is not considering a state of emergency to tackle these issues. Such declarations typically allow for the suspension of certain constitutional rights to grant police and military forces expanded powers against crime. This model has drawn attention from the measures implemented by right-wing leaders like El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele.
Critics of long-term states of emergency note that these measures should be temporary. In El Salvador, the government has extended its emergency declaration repeatedly since 2022, raising concerns about human rights abuses.
Costa Rica has seen its homicide rate double over the last decade, reaching 17.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023. While this figure remains lower than many of its regional neighbors, the increase, partly attributed to escalating drug trafficking, has alarmed residents.
Fernandez’s comments also reflect mounting pressure from the US to decrease crime across the Western Hemisphere. Since his return to office, US President Donald Trump has sought to expand American influence in Latin America, emphasizing military engagement.
Earlier this year, Trump initiated the “Shield of the Americas,” or the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC), which aims to unite right-leaning leaders in combating drug trafficking. During its inaugural meeting, Trump encouraged Latin American governments to adopt military-led strategies against crime, despite concerns surrounding human rights.
While countries like Mexico have expressed reservations about US military operations on their soil, others have embraced collaboration. In Ecuador, for example, US forces have conducted joint military operations with the government to combat rising crime rates. However, Ecuador’s military has faced accusations of severe human rights violations, including torture and enforced disappearances, raising alarms about the potential for further abuses with US support.
A July report from Human Rights Watch highlighted serious concerns about military cooperation between Ecuador and the US, citing incidents where Ecuadorian fishermen faced attacks, and soldiers allegedly detained and tortured Colombian farm workers during a US-supported raid.
“This security relationship is deepening at a time when both governments have been implicated in significant human rights violations, framing their struggles against organized crime as a war,” the report stated.
These military efforts in Ecuador come after voters rejected a referendum last year that would have permitted foreign nations to establish military bases in the country.
