Costa Rica Considers Salvadoran-Inspired Response to Crime Surge

Costa Rica, traditionally known for its laidback environmental tourism, is now facing a surge in violence prompting President Rodrigo Chaves to introduce tough new legislation to combat crime, drawing inspiration from El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele. The proposed measures include increasing jail sentences for minors, allowing extraditions, and extending the use of preventive detention. While some oppose the shift towards a more hardline approach, others see it as necessary to address the spike in homicides driven by gang warfare among cocaine traffickers and exacerbated by social discontent and unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic.