Costa Rica’s President Fernandez Open to US Military Actions Against Transnational Crime

Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez has indicated that allowing United States military operations within the country’s borders could yield significant national security advantages.

However, she noted important caveats. In a recent interview with Reuters, Fernandez stressed that any such measures would need legislative approval from the national congress.

She further clarified that there are currently no active plans for US forces to operate on Costa Rican soil.

“It would obviously be very beneficial for national security if it involved pursuing a shared objective against transnational crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism,” said Fernandez, a right-wing populist who assumed office in May.

Fernandez succeeded her mentor, former President Rodrigo Chaves, following a February election where rising violence and security concerns in the Central American nation were pivotal issues.

Although she campaigned on a tough-on-crime platform, Fernandez stated she is not currently considering declaring a state of emergency to address the issue.

Such declarations typically suspend fundamental constitutional rights, granting police and military forces enhanced powers to suppress violence.

This approach has been widely popularized by El Salvador’s right-wing president, Nayib Bukele.

Nevertheless, critics argue that emergency measures are intended to be temporary, not permanent. El Salvador has maintained an emergency declaration since 2022, extending it dozens of times.

Crime has emerged as a primary voter concern in Costa Rica, where the homicide rate doubled over the last decade, reaching 17.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.

While this rate remains lower than many other nations in the region, the increase—partly attributed to heightened drug trafficking—has alarmed many citizens.

Fernandez’s comments also highlight the growing pressure from the United States to combat crime throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Since beginning his second term, US President Donald Trump has sought to expand American influence across Latin America, particularly through military engagements.

Earlier this year, he launched the “Shield of the Americas,” also known as the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition (ACCC), to unite right-wing leaders in the region to tackle drug trafficking.

At the inaugural meeting, Trump encouraged Latin American governments to adopt a military-driven approach to crime, despite human rights concerns.

He has also executed and threatened military operations in sovereign nations under the guise of fighting crime.

Some nations, such as Mexico, have resisted the prospect of US military forces conducting operations on their territory, citing Washington’s historical record of interventions and rights violations in the region.

Conversely, other countries have shown more willingness. For example, US forces have recently collaborated with Ecuador’s right-wing government to lower crime rates.

However, Ecuador’s armed forces have faced accusations of crimes like torture and enforced disappearances, abuses that experts fear could be exacerbated by US support.

A July report from Human Rights Watch cautioned that the military cooperation between Ecuador and the US has already produced dire consequences.

Ecuadorian fishermen have reported being attacked at sea, and in one instance, Ecuadorian soldiers allegedly detained and tortured four Colombian farm workers using mock executions, beatings, and electric shocks.

That incident reportedly occurred during a border raid conducted with US backing.

“The two countries’ security relationship is deepening at a time when both governments have committed serious human rights violations driven by their insistence on framing their confrontations with organized crime groups as a form of war,” the report states.

These raids occurred after Ecuadorian voters rejected a referendum last year that would have permitted foreign nations to establish military bases in the country.

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