Costa Rica Inaugurates Mega-Prison Inspired by El Salvador's Security Strategy

Costa Rica, long known as a peaceful nation in Central America, has inaugurated a new mega-prison designed to combat drug trafficking and organized crime. The High-Containment Center against Organized Crime, with a capacity for 5,100 inmates and a cost of $35 million, is directly inspired by the security strategy of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.

President Laura Fernández inaugurated the facility on Wednesday, which emulates El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT). Bukele's approach has dramatically reduced murders in El Salvador, but it has also drawn accusations of human rights abuses during a state of emergency that has led to the imprisonment of over 91,000 people since 2022.

Costa Rica's embrace of this hardline security model follows similar trends in other Latin American countries, including Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. This shift in strategy is partly influenced by the perceived success of Bukele's crackdown and a growing concern over escalating crime rates.

A Shift in Costa Rican Security Policy

For decades, Costa Rica served primarily as a transit zone for drugs moving from South America. However, the country's extensive coastline and jungle terrain made it an attractive hub for Mexican and Colombian cartels. The U.S. State Department noted in a 2025 report that a new cargo terminal in the Caribbean port of Limón had transformed it into a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Europe, and also detected fentanyl distribution within the country.

Currently, major cartels such as Mexico's Sinaloa and Jalisco, Colombia's Clan del Golfo, and Venezuela's Tren de Aragua—all designated as terrorist organizations by the United States—operate within Costa Rica. Local cartels have also proliferated, according to Vanda Felbab-Brown, an organized crime researcher at the Brookings Institution.

The increased presence and rivalry among these groups have fueled local gang conflicts, leading to a surge in homicides. In 2023, Costa Rica recorded a record 907 homicides, a figure acknowledged by the government to be largely driven by organized crime. This rise in insecurity, though still less severe than in Mexico or Ecuador, became a primary concern for Costa Ricans and a key issue in the recent election.

Regional Inspiration and Public Support

Costa Rica's former president, Rodrigo Chaves, sought guidance from Bukele, bestowing him with a diplomatic honor and sending his security minister to visit the CECOT. Bukele, in turn, provided the design for the new prison to the Costa Rican government. Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa opened a similar facility last year, and Honduras and Peru have also announced plans or made trips to study El Salvador's model.

The shift towards a more punitive security approach appears to have public backing in Costa Rica, with many citizens expressing fear and support for measures that isolate criminals. "I think it's good that they're building a prison and isolating the criminals," said Carlos Ávila, a business administrator.

However, experts like Felbab-Brown caution that the long-term reactions of criminal gangs and society remain to be seen. She also noted that mass arrests on the scale seen in El Salvador might face political and intelligence-related challenges in Costa Rica.

Beyond the new prison, Costa Rica has taken other steps to combat crime. In 2025, a constitutional reform allowed for the extradition of Costa Rican citizens for drug trafficking and terrorism offenses. High-profile arrests have been made in recent months, including that of the country's most wanted drug trafficker, Alejandro Arias Monge, known as "Diablo." Additionally, investigations have been launched into over two hundred police officers.

Costa Rica also maintains strong ties with the United States, participating in initiatives like the Shield of the Americas, which involves maritime patrols, and agreements to receive deported migrants.