Costa Rica’s Fernandez says potential US ground operations could bolster national security

Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez said Friday that potential US ground operations in Costa Rica could benefit national security if focused on combating transnational crime, drug trafficking and terrorism.

“It would obviously be very good for national security if it were about pursuing a common objective against transnational crime, transnational drug trafficking, transnational terrorism,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez stressed, however, that there are currently no concrete plans for US ground operations on Costa Rican soil.

The president took office in May after campaigning on a hardline platform against crime as the country grapples with a sharp rise in drug trafficking and violence in recent years.

Costa Rica has become an increasingly important transit point for drug trafficking, particularly cocaine shipments moving from South America toward the US and Europe.

The country recorded a record homicide rate of 17.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, according to Reuters, roughly double the rate recorded a decade earlier.

Fernandez has made combating organized crime a central priority of her administration as authorities face growing pressure from drug-trafficking groups.

Despite the rise in violence, Fernandez said she is not considering asking Congress to declare a state of emergency or suspend constitutional guarantees.

Costa Rica abolished its military in 1948 and has no standing army, relying instead on civilian security forces.

The country has nevertheless maintained security cooperation with the US, particularly in combating drug trafficking and organized crime.

The Trump administration has also expanded cooperation with governments across the region as it seeks to disrupt drug-trafficking networks and address security threats.

Fernandez’s remarks suggest her government would be open to a greater US security role in Costa Rica if aimed at addressing transnational threats.

She did not provide further details on what a potential US operation could involve or whether Washington had made a formal proposal to deploy ground forces in the country.

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