Costa Rica Opens Cacco, Its Largest Maximum-Security Prison
Costa Rica
Mayela Lopez/Reuters
What Happened
What Happened
Where Sources Agree
- arrows_inputNew Mega-Prison Inaugurated: Coverage broadly notes the inauguration of Costa Rica's High-Containment Center Against Organized Crime (CACCO) on October 14, 2026, at the La Reforma complex, which provides capacity for 5,100 inmates, according to official government announcements.
- arrows_inputSalvadoran Prison Model Adopted: Initial reports confirm Costa Rica inaugurated its largest maximum-security prison, the High-Containment Center Against Organized Crime (CACCO), which emulates the design of El Salvador’s CECOT, with a capacity for 5,100 inmates, according to official government statements.
- arrows_inputHomicide Surge Drivers: Outlets concur on the primary drivers of recent violence, noting a record 905 homicides in 2023 largely linked to disputes among criminal groups over drug trafficking routes, according to judicial data.
Where Sources Disagree
- arrows_output2023 Homicide Figure Discrepancy: Reports vary slightly on the total 2023 homicide count, with some sources citing 905 deaths while others report 907.
- arrows_outputPrison Construction Cost: Reports regarding the new prison’s construction cost vary slightly, with some sources citing $34.5 million, while others report a total of $35 million.
Timeline
October 31, 2026 Upcoming
First Transfers Scheduled End-October: Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar said the first transfers to CACCO will take place at the end of October, with officials giving differing estimates for the initial phase (Aguilar initially cited 2,500, later estimates near 2,100).
October 14, 2026
CACCO Inaugurated by President: On Oct. 14, 2026 President Laura Fernández inaugurated the High-Containment Centre Against Organized Crime (CACCO), a five-module facility near San José with capacity for about 5,100 inmates and built from plans donated by El Salvador’s CECOT; the facility did not receive inmates that day and the government described it as central to its anti-crime strategy.
October 10, 2026
Rights Concerns and Probe Intensify: After a ministry video showing transfers sparked criticism, the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture said CACCO should not begin operating and the Attorney General opened an investigation into Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar, who denied mistreatment in an Oct. 10 statement.
Perspectives and Debates
Does Costa Rica's Bukele-inspired megaprison represent a security strategy or a turn toward repression?
Summary by Ground AI
Sources
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Timeline
October 31, 2026 Upcoming
First Transfers Scheduled End-October: Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar said the first transfers to CACCO will take place at the end of October, with officials giving differing estimates for the initial phase (Aguilar initially cited 2,500, later estimates near 2,100).
October 14, 2026
CACCO Inaugurated by President: On Oct. 14, 2026 President Laura Fernández inaugurated the High-Containment Centre Against Organized Crime (CACCO), a five-module facility near San José with capacity for about 5,100 inmates and built from plans donated by El Salvador’s CECOT; the facility did not receive inmates that day and the government described it as central to its anti-crime strategy.
October 10, 2026
Rights Concerns and Probe Intensify: After a ministry video showing transfers sparked criticism, the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture said CACCO should not begin operating and the Attorney General opened an investigation into Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar, who denied mistreatment in an Oct. 10 statement.
