Costa Rica seems ready to follow El Salvador’s lead in fighting crime. With murder rates soaring, President Rodrigo Chaves is looking to replicate President Nayib Bukele’s aggressive anti-gang policies.
Earlier this month, Chaves honored Bukele with Costa Rica’s highest diplomatic award, praising his crackdown on criminal gangs. The two leaders toured one of Costa Rica’s largest prisons, where Chaves discussed the growing crime problem.
In 2023, Costa Rica recorded over 900 homicides—a grim record. This year’s murder rate is expected to match that number, according to the Associated Press.
The crime wave is tarnishing Chaves’ reputation while boosting Bukele’s popularity among Costa Ricans. “If governments are to protect rights, they must first safeguard the right to life,” Bukele said, defending his hardline measures in El Salvador.
Costa Rica, long known for its thriving tourism and global services sectors, remained largely untouched by drug gangs until COVID-19 struck. Job losses during the pandemic pushed many into the underworld, Reuters reported.
Drug trafficking is now rampant. Political tensions with Honduras and Nicaragua are hampering regional security cooperation. Reports suggest over 200 hitmen work for criminal gangs in Costa Rica, with illegal proceeds exceeding $4 billion annually.
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Publish date : 2024-11-20 03:46:00
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Author : theamericannews
Publish date : 2024-11-24 04:10:22
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