Costa Rica announces 64% progress on its 'mega-prison'

Costa Rica's ambitious "mega-prison," designed to combat rising organized crime, is nearing completion with 64% of its construction finished, according to government officials.

Inspired by El Salvador's controversial prison model, the facility, officially named the Center for High Containment Against Organized Crime (CACCO), began construction in January. It is slated to hold 5,100 inmates and carries an estimated cost of $35 million. The project is being built adjacent to La Reforma, the country's main penitentiary, as Costa Rica grapples with historically high homicide rates, with nearly 900 deaths annually, largely attributed to drug trafficking.

President Laura Fernández announced her intention to organize visits for students from high-risk neighborhoods to witness the conditions within the mega-prison, aiming to deter potential young offenders. Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar also revealed that inmates at CACCO will wear distinctive orange uniforms. These uniforms, to be produced by female inmates at the "El Buen Pastor" women's prison with donated materials from private companies, are intended to improve security, facilitate searches, and eliminate the illicit trade of clothing within the facility.

Aguilar highlighted that the orange uniforms, last used in Costa Rica over five decades ago, symbolize "order, maximum security, and discipline." He emphasized that only maximum-security inmates will wear these uniforms at CACCO. Additionally, the government plans to implement a "Zero Idleness in Prisons" program this year, where non-maximum security inmates will participate in public works such as roadside clearing and park maintenance. President Fernández is also urging Congress to expedite security-related legislation, including a bill that would allow inmates to engage in paid work, with earnings directed towards their upkeep, family support, victim reparations, and personal savings.