Costa Rica prosecutor discusses DEA cooperation and extradition efforts

Costa Rican Attorney General Carlo Díaz has announced that the second phase of joint missions between Costa Rica and the DEA will prioritize the capture of “invisible drug traffickers.” These individuals are described as successful businesspeople, professionals, or politicians who use their public visibility to mask direct links to organized crime.

Díaz highlighted the country’s capacity to extradite citizens to the United States as a milestone in combating transnational crime, noting that six individuals have already been extradited with 25 additional processes currently underway.

Furthermore, Díaz revealed that DEA officials expressed concern regarding political and institutional divisions within Costa Rica, suggesting such friction weakens the fight against organized crime. He also distanced himself from executive suggestions regarding the potential deployment of U.S. troops on Costa Rican soil, arguing that providing adequate resources to local security forces would allow the country to maintain territorial control independently.