SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Costa Rican President Laura Fernández said Friday that potential U.S. ground operations in the country could strengthen national security efforts against drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism.
"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," Fernández said. She stressed that no concrete plans for U.S. ground operations are currently in place.
Any deployment of foreign forces would require approval from Costa Rica's legislature. Fernández did not elaborate on what a potential operation might involve or whether Washington had formally proposed deploying ground forces.
Fernández took office in May on a campaign focused on addressing rising crime rates. Her administration has made combating organized crime a priority as authorities face pressure from drug-trafficking groups.
Costa Rica has become a key transit point for cocaine shipments moving from South America to the United States and Europe. The country recorded a homicide rate of 17.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, roughly double the rate a decade earlier.
Despite the violence, Fernández ruled out declaring a state of emergency or suspending constitutional guarantees.
Costa Rica abolished its military in 1948 and has no standing army, relying on civilian security forces for defense and law enforcement. The country maintains security cooperation with the United States focused on drug trafficking and organized crime.
The Trump administration has expanded security partnerships across Central America to disrupt drug-trafficking networks.
