Costa Rican president signals openness to U.S. military operations on home soil

Costa Rica’s president has opened the door, at least in principle, to U.S. military operations inside the country, while stressing that no such deployment is currently being planned.

In an interview published on Friday, President Laura Fernandez told Reuters that American operations could serve Costa Rica’s national security interests if they pursued a shared goal against transnational crime, drug trafficking or terrorism. Any measure would require approval from the national legislature, she said.

“It would obviously be very good for national security if it were about pursuing a common objective against transnational crime, transnational drug trafficking, transnational terrorism,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez, a right-wing populist who took office in May, succeeded her mentor, former President Rodrigo Chaves. Security and rising violence featured prominently in the February election. Although she campaigned on a tough-on-crime platform, she has said she is not currently considering a state of emergency.

Such declarations typically suspend constitutional rights while granting police or the military wider powers. El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has popularized that model, but critics say emergency measures should remain temporary. El Salvador has kept one in place since 2022, extending it dozens of times.

Crime has become a leading concern for Costa Rican voters. The country’s homicide rate doubled over the past decade, reaching 17.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023. The rate remains lower than in many countries across the region, but the increase has alarmed residents and has been partly linked to expanding drug-trafficking activity.

Fernandez’s remarks also come amid growing U.S. pressure to reduce crime across the Western Hemisphere. Since returning to office for a second term, Donald Trump has sought a larger U.S. role in Latin America, including through military engagement. Earlier this year, he launched the Shield of the Americas, also known as the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, to bring regional right-wing leaders together against drug trafficking. Trump has encouraged governments to adopt military-driven crime policies despite human-rights concerns, while countries including Mexico have resisted the prospect of U.S. forces operating on their territory.

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It would obviously be very good for national security if it were about pursuing a common objective against transnational crime, transnational drug trafficking, transnational terrorism.