US EditionCosta Rica Moves Ahead with New High-Security Prison
Costa Rica aims to reduce gang violence and overcrowding by adding 5,100 inmate capacity, increasing prison space by 40%, with El Salvador providing technical support.
- On August 13, Costa Rica announced it will build a new maximum-security prison called CACCO near existing facilities to hold 5,100 inmates.
- The decision follows rising violence, with a 17.2 homicide rate per 100,000 in 2024, and prison overcrowding nearly 30%, prompting urgent reforms.
- Costa Rica’s prison capacity will increase by 40%, adopting designs and technology from El Salvador’s controversial 40,000-inmate Cecot facility, which helped reduce Salvadoran homicides.
- Justice Minister Gerald Campos emphasized the urgency of taking action, warning that failing to do so could lead to the breakdown of the system and increase the likelihood of unrest, including conflicts within, hostage situations, and violent disturbances.
- The new facility signals a shift toward stricter crime policies, carrying regional implications and raising questions about balancing security with human rights and long-term sustainability.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Costa Rica Starts Building Mega‑Prison to Challenge Cartel Power
Costa Rica has begun building a $35 million maximum‑security prison to counter a surge in gang‑related killings and address severe prison overcrowding. The Center for High Containment of Organized Crime (CACCO) will hold 5,100 inmates, boosting capacity by 40%. The design follows El Salvador’s “mega‑prison” model, credited with cutting that country’s murder rate from 18 per […]
Costa Rica embraces El Salvador's iron-fist model as drug violence surges
Costa Rica's decision to build a mega-prison modelled on El Salvador's controversial Cecot facility breaks sharply with the nation's democratic traditions and progressive criminal justice policies.
The Straits Times
Costa Rica to start building massive El Salvador-inspired prison
SAN JOSE - Costa Rica will begin construction this year on a new maximum-security prison inspired by the El Salvador mega-prison at the center of that country's crackdown on crime, Costa Rica's Justice Minister Gerald Campos said on Wednesday. Read more at straitstimes.com.
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