Costa Rica decree on state secrets raises transparency concerns

Costa Rican President Laura Fernández and Security Minister Gerald Campos have declared any information pertaining to the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), the Security Council, and the Elite Force as state secrets. This decision, outlined in Decree No. 45870-MSP, has prompted recommendations for revision to ensure a clearer distinction between different types of information.

Experts suggest that the decree should be regulated to differentiate between tactical and operational information, which might warrant secrecy, and administrative, budgetary, and contractual information, which should remain accessible to the public. The aim is to prevent the obscuring of public debate through opaque information practices.

While the intention may be to protect sensitive national security operations, critics argue that such broad classifications can hinder transparency and accountability. The move could potentially be exploited to conceal information that does not strictly fall under legitimate national security concerns, thereby limiting public oversight and informed discussion.