EUobserver interview with Costa Rican Foreign Minister

EUobserver interview with Rene Castro
European Parliament
Brussels
Belgium
31 May 2011

Q.Under former president Figueres Costa Rica developed a reputation as a sort of Switzerland of the region, an oasis of law and order. Now we are hearing more and more about rising narco-crime and dangers for tourists in your country. Do you think the reputation is still justified?

A.I think the reputation is still justified. But we have to prevent, because we know already that in some countries in our region, crime rates are growing disturbingly and also that organised crime is present very much in countries close enough to us, like Mexico and Colombia, and we have to prevent that those similar patterns will eventually reach Costa Rica. That is not easy to do because we are between these important countries and also we have been receiving some alerts that northern Central American countries, like Guatemala for example, are already saying that they are suffering an increase in violence and an increase in crime and are fighting against organised crime in a way that is really challenging for the government. So we are trying to move, to do the homework domestically, but also to contribute to the regional efforts on preventive action and we will be working more on that.

Q.Are there already problems with, for example, drug-trafficking cartels and kidnapping gangs in your country?

A.Not in that sense, of kidnapping people or the cartels or something. But increasingly we are seeing an increase in the violence of crime and also there is an increasing amount of drugs seized and also we are witnessing an increase in the use of sophisticated techniques like submarines and smaller planes and speedboats coming from the south and passing through the Costa Rican marine or air frontiers.

Q.The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office recently altered its travel advice on Costa Rica to make a specific point about missing people. Do you think this was justified?

A.Well, you know, we are paying attention to this again in terms of prevention. I don't think the country is immune to this and we will pay attention or lose the tranquility and the security for which we are known. At the moment this is still more preventive but unless we act it will be too late. And the sense of urgency is not there. I mean, the perception in the local congress and the people does not reflect the sense of urgency that we in the government are seeing when studying the statistics of what is happening in neighboring countries and when we see the situation and the time frame that affected the other countries.

Q.Are you saying that unless there is action soon, Costa Rica risks losing its good reputation?

A.I would say unless there is action soon there will be no preventive action, there will be a reaction to an increase in organised crime.

Q.Do you think the Costa Rican police force is adequately equipped to deal with these kinds of problems?

A.The Costa Rican police is ill-equipped. You know, it doesn't have proper training. It doesn't have modern techniques. There is no regional co-operation, data gathering or intelligence gathering in the region. We are acting in an isolated form among the six Central American countries, and there is not enough intra-regional co-operation, so it is ill-equipped for the challenge we are projecting.

Q.Do you think there's room for co-operation with outside law enforcement agencies like American experts or British experts?

A.Absolutely. We have co-operation with the Brits in the Caribbean Sea. You know that we hope it will become a binding treaty. That is already signed with the Dutch and the French and the Americans, Guatemala, Belize, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica – eight countries already signed and ratified the agreement to patrol jointly the Caribbean, to act together, to share equipment and to form a front against organised crime. The UK has only expressed the intention of the government to do so, but parliament must still approve it.

Q.A British journalist called Michael Dixon disappeared in Costa Rica in October 2009. Have you heard of his name?

A.I've heard of him.

Q.His family has asked the British police to come and join the investigation because no clues were ever found. Do you support such an invitation?

A.Absolutely. Costa Rica, we, will welcome the co-operation of the police and we will be open to share whatever clues we have and we will not hesitate in opening the door to the specialised and very-well equipped police to work with us.

END