Costa Rica to Build Large New Prison as Homicide Rate Triples
President Laura Fernández vowed to construct a new mega-prison and said her hand would not tremble in tackling gangs. The announcement marks the latest Latin American country turning toward El Salvador-style measures amid a regional surge in violence linked to cocaine production.
SemaforCosta Rica’s President Laura Fernández vowed to build a new mega-prison, becoming the latest Latin American leader to draw from El Salvador’s model of mass arrests and huge detention facilities. Fernández said her hand would not tremble when it came to tackling gangs. The pledge comes as violence in Costa Rica has skyrocketed in recent years.
Costa Rica’s homicide rate has tripled from the start of the century. The country was long held as one of the few Latin American countries devoid of large-scale organized crime. Violence is rising across much of Latin America over a surge in cocaine production.
Chile and Ecuador have vowed to mimic El Salvador’s approach to crime. El Salvador’s approach to crime has included mass arrests and huge detention facilities. Semafor reported that Fernández made the vow in her first weeks in office as the regional trend accelerates.
The announcement was published May 12, 2026 at 8:33am EDT. Fernández spoke directly of her resolve as she outlined plans for the facility.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
4 events- 2026-05-12 08:33am EDT
Semafor publishes article detailing Costa Rica President Laura Fernández vow to build mega-prison
1 sourceSemafor - 2026-05-12
President Laura Fernández states her hand would not tremble tackling gangs and announces mega-prison plan
1 sourceSemafor - 2000-2026
Costa Rica homicide rate triples from start of the century amid skyrocketing violence
1 sourceSemafor - Recent years
Violence rises across Latin America linked to surge in cocaine production; Chile and Ecuador vow to mimic El Salvador approach
1 sourceSemafor
Potential Impact
- 01
Construction of a new mega-prison in Costa Rica would represent a major shift in the country's long-standing approach to crime and incarceration
- 02
Further alignment of Latin American countries with El Salvador's crime policies could accelerate regional trend toward large-scale detention infrastructure
- 03
Potential for mass arrests similar to El Salvador model could significantly alter prison populations and gang operations in Costa Rica
Transparency Panel
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