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Costa Rica President: U.S. forces would be beneficial for national security
Fernandez said any U.S. deployment would target transnational crime and need legislative approval, with no plan currently in place.
On Friday, Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez said U.S. ground operations could benefit national security, while emphasizing that no concrete plans exist and any such action would require approval from Congress.
Campaigning on a hardline anti-crime platform, Fernandez took office in May following a spike in violence; the homicide rate hit a record 17.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.
President Donald Trump has pushed to expand military influence across Latin America through the "Shield of the Americas," or Americas Counter Cartel Coalition , launched earlier this year.
While Mexico has balked at U.S. military presence, Ecuador has accepted operations; however, Human Rights Watch warns this collaboration risks fueling torture and enforced disappearances.
Fernandez stated she is not currently considering emergency declarations to suspend constitutional rights, rejecting the model popularized by Nayib Bukele of Salvador to combat organized crime.
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