President Laura Fernández evacuated after explosion in Costa Rica's Crucitas

On 19 June 2026 President Laura Fernández was evacuated after a loud explosion was heard while she was on a field visit to Las Crucitas, a mining‑impacted area in northern Costa Rica near the Nicaragua border. The president, wearing a protective vest, was pulled to a vehicle by her armed security detail, checked under protocol and said she was fine. No members of the presidential entourage were injured, though a deputy required medical attention for a health issue.

Authorities have not yet identified the source of the blast, stating it could have been a firearm discharge, dynamite, or an explosive used by illegal gold miners (“coligalleros”) active in the region. A police sweep of the area is underway.

The incident underscored the ongoing crisis of illegal gold mining that causes severe environmental damage and heightened insecurity along the border. President Fernández used the occasion to urge the Legislative Assembly to approve a mining‑law project aimed at regulating extraction and improving security, noting that the current illegal activities funnel gold into Nicaragua. Panama’s government expressed solidarity with Costa Rica following the event.

The president reiterated that she remains safe and called for continued cooperation between security forces and lawmakers to address the illegal mining problem and its associated violence.