Costa Rica’s government has allowed its once-pristine reputation to be dragged through the mud of lawlessness, corruption, and incompetence. The country that once stood as an oasis of peace in Central America is now a paradise lost to crime. And while Costa Ricans have long seen this decay unfolding before their eyes, it took an exposé from Le Monde—one of the world’s most respected newspapers—to force the nation’s leadership to reckon with reality. Instead of defending the people, Costa Rica’s government has let criminals take over its streets, ports, and institutions.
Costa Rica’s Self-Inflicted Crime Epidemic
Costa Rica’s collapse into a haven for drug traffickers and organized crime did not happen overnight. Nor was it imposed from the outside. It was a direct result of decades of negligence, weak governance, and an unwillingness to confront the growing influence of cartels.
Le Monde exposes how Costa Rica is no longer just a transit point for drugs; it has become a key exporter of narcotics to Europe. The figures are damning—88 tons of cocaine from Costa Rica have been seized in European ports since 2019. The cartels are not merely passing through; they are operating within, embedding themselves into communities, bribing officials, and solidifying their hold over key infrastructure.
Costa Rica’s government has not just failed to stop this crisis; it has refused to acknowledge its severity. The police force is underfunded, overwhelmed, and technologically outdated. The judicial system is bogged down in inefficiency. Rather than mobilizing serious reform, the Chaves administration has instead chosen to downplay the crisis and attack journalists who expose the truth.
Rodrigo Chaves: A President in Denial
Le Monde does not mince words about President Rodrigo Chaves, calling him a “populist president” who would rather silence critics than face reality. His dismissive response to skyrocketing homicides—flippantly stating that criminals are just “killing each other”—is a shocking display of indifference to the terror gripping the streets.
Instead of leading the fight against organized crime, Chaves has spent his time engaging in political theater. His meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, a leader infamous for his human rights violations, was nothing more than a spectacle designed to distract from the government’s inaction. Costa Ricans do not need performative politics; they need a leader who will prioritize their safety over his public image.
A Record-Breaking Surge in Violence
Costa Rica has officially hit rock bottom with the highest homicide rate in its history—17 per 100,000 inhabitants. This is not a spike in crime; it is a systemic collapse of law and order.
Criminal organizations have taken advantage of weak border security, outdated law enforcement tactics, and a government more interested in optics than solutions. Police remain under-equipped and underpaid, left to fight a war they cannot win with the resources they have. Meanwhile, the spread of fentanyl threatens to add a new layer of devastation to an already crumbling security landscape.
Le Monde lays bare the truth: Costa Rica is not prepared to fight back. While Panama has doubled its police force despite having a smaller population, Costa Rica continues to operate with a weak and ineffective security apparatus. This is not just mismanagement; this is gross negligence at the highest levels of government.
The Economic Cost of Government Failure
Costa Rica’s leadership is not only failing its citizens—it is failing its economy. Tourism, one of the nation’s most vital industries, is already feeling the effects of growing insecurity. Reports of violent robberies, murders, and drug-related crimes involving foreigners are beginning to tarnish the country’s reputation on the global stage.
Costa Rica’s appeal as a destination has always been tied to its image as a peaceful and safe country. That image is now crumbling, thanks to government incompetence. The financial toll of this crisis will not just be felt in tourism but in businesses, property values, and overall economic stability. Yet, despite this looming disaster, Chaves and his administration remain in denial.
Costa Rica Must Act Before It’s Too Late
The Le Monde report is not just a wake-up call—it is an indictment of Costa Rica’s governance. The world sees what the Chaves administration refuses to acknowledge: this country is on the brink. Costa Rica can either act now or continue to spiral into lawlessness, risking its standing as a democratic and prosperous nation.
If Costa Rica is to have any chance of reversing this decline, immediate action must be taken:
- Massive Security Overhaul – The police force must be strengthened, properly funded, and equipped with modern tools to combat organized crime.
- Judicial Reform – Cases must be processed faster, with stricter penalties for drug trafficking and gang-related violence. The revolving-door justice system must end.
- Border Security Must Be Taken Seriously – The government must invest in maritime and aerial surveillance to prevent Costa Rica from being used as a drug pipeline.
- Tackle the Root Causes of Crime – Education, employment programs, and social initiatives must be expanded to cut off recruitment pipelines for gangs.
- Confront the Fentanyl Threat – The government must treat fentanyl as an imminent crisis before it devastates communities and law enforcement agencies.
- Hold the Government Accountable – The public must demand transparency, effective policies, and real action—not just media spin and excuses.
Costa Rica’s Future Hangs in the Balance
The Le Monde report should serve as a turning point. Costa Rica can either wake up and reclaim its nation from crime and corruption, or it can continue its slide into chaos. But let there be no mistake: this crisis is not the result of outside forces. It is the direct consequence of political failure, bureaucratic incompetence, and an unwillingness to act.
Costa Ricans deserve better than a government that makes excuses while criminals take over their country. They deserve leaders who fight for their safety, not their own political survival. If Costa Rica does not change course now, it will not be long before it is unrecognizable from the paradise it once was. The world is watching, and history will remember those who allowed this to happen.
Costa Rica’s security crisis is not just a failure of local governance—it is a consequence of insatiable drug demand from North America and Europe. If wealthy nations weren’t fueling the narcotics trade, Costa Rica wouldn’t be drowning in cartel violence. The country has become a battleground, not because of its own consumption, but because it serves as a key transit hub to satisfy foreign appetites for cocaine and other illicit substances. Ironically, many expatriates living in Costa Rica contribute to the problem, indulging in cheap, readily available drugs and further embedding criminal networks into the local fabric. Until the global demand shrinks and accountability is placed on those who perpetuate the trade, Costa Rica will continue to pay the price for a crisis it didn’t create.
