Back to mobile site

Costa Rica President: U.S. forces would help national security

September 4, 2026 1:52 PM EDT

Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez and pro-government lawmakers arrive to file a complaint against four Constitutional Chamber justices, alleging judicial misconduct after a ruling they denounced as a "coup d'état," in San Jose, Costa Rica, August 3,

By Alvaro Murillo

SAN ‌JOSE, Sept ​4 (Reuters) - ​Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez said on Friday that U.S. ground operations ‌in the Central American nation would be ⁠good for national security, while emphasizing that nothing concrete ‌was in the works ‌with Washington and any such move would require legislative approval.

"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 told Reuters in an ​interview, when asked about the possibility of U.S. ground operations on Costa Rican ​soil.

A right-wing populist who ‌took office in May, Fernandez campaigned on a hardline anti-crime platform and ⁠vowing to restore order in Costa Rica, a country that has seen a spike in drug ⁠trafficking and violence in recent years. The homicide rate hit ​a record 17.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, double the rate of a decade ago.

Fernandez said she is ‌not considering requesting from Congress a state of emergency or suspending ‌constitutional guarantees in order to address a wave ⁠of violence fueled ‌by drug trafficking ​and organized crime.

(Reporting by Alvaro Murillo; Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Emily ‌Green)



Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

You May Also Be Interested In





Related Categories

Reuters