The Southern Command of the United States Army announced a new cooperation package for Costa Rica, which includes the delivery of four scanners to inspect the cargo passing through the country’s ports.
This announcement was made during an official visit to Costa Rica this Friday, where representatives of the Southern Command met with President Rodrigo Chaves at Casa Presidencial.
Commander Laura Richardson, leader of the military body, provided detailed information, confirming the assistance of the State Department and the Senate for the project.
In addition to supplying the machines, the United States government will provide the necessary additional infrastructure and training for the security forces operating the scanners.
Regarding the logistics of the scanners, Minister of Security, Mario Zamora, mentioned that after Holy Week, in April, a technical visit will be made to finalize details.
The equipment will be installed in Japdeva, Caldera, Peñas Blancas, Tablillas, and Paso Canoas. Minister Zamora also pointed out that priorities will be determined after this mission review.
“A technical collaboration phase involving both the United States Embassy in Costa Rica and the Southern Command is now beginning,” he said.
The Chaves Robles administration considers the placement and use of these control devices essential to combating the growing drug trafficking.
This announcement comes at a crucial moment, given the recent revelations of a significant decrease in drug seizures, particularly cocaine, within the country. On multiple occasions, authorities from European countries such as Spain and the Netherlands have reported discovering drugs hidden in shipments from Costa Rican ports, often concealed within products such as fruits to evade detection and facilitate transport.
