Costa Rica fears "invasion" of illegal miners due to Nicaragua's concessions to China

Costa Rican President Laura Fernández voiced serious concerns on June 19, 2026, about a potential "invasion" of illegal miners from Nicaragua. This fear stems from Nicaragua's recent granting of extensive mining concessions to Chinese companies in areas close to the shared border, particularly impacting the Indio Maíz reserve.

Fernández highlighted that an estimated 1,500 to 1,800 artisanal miners, known as 'coligalleros,' currently operate in the Indio Maíz region. She anticipates that these miners will likely migrate into Costa Rican territory once Chinese companies take control of the Nicaraguan mining operations. The president described the situation as a "ticking time bomb" for Costa Rica, emphasizing the urgent need for a solution to prevent a large-scale influx of people engaged in illegal gold extraction.

According to environmental NGO Fundación del Río, Nicaragua has awarded mining concessions covering over 1.27 million hectares, more than 8.5% of its territory, to 19 Chinese companies between 2021 and 2026. These concessions include protected areas and lands inhabited by indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. This expansion of Chinese mining interests in Nicaragua has drawn scrutiny, including sanctions from the U.S. against individuals and companies linked to the country's gold trade.

In response to the escalating issue, Costa Rica is advancing a bill in its Congress to reactivate its own gold mining sector, specifically in areas like Las Crucitas, which is currently plagued by illegal mining. The government hopes that formalizing mining operations through concessions to companies like the Canadian firm Infinito Gold (which previously lost its concession after a legal battle) will help mitigate environmental damage and reduce the approximately $1.3 million monthly cost of security operations against illegal miners. The president herself was evacuated from a site visit due to a distant explosion, underscoring the volatile security situation.