Costa Rica Tribunal upholds 50-year sentence for Nadia Peraza femicide

The Court of Appeals of the Third Judicial Circuit of Alajuela has upheld the conviction of Jeremy Mauricio Buzano Paisano for the femicide of Nadia Jeannette Peraza Espinoza. The court rejected a defense appeal that sought to annul the ruling, request a new trial, and secure the defendant's release.

While the initial sentence imposed a nominal penalty of 79 years, it was adjusted to the legal maximum of 50 years of effective imprisonment. The Tribunal found the original judgment to be fully substantiated, noting that testimonial, documentary, and expert evidence were comprehensively evaluated.

In its ruling, the court applied a gender perspective, acknowledging that Peraza had endured a long-term cycle of physical, psychological, and patrimonial violence. The resolution also noted a delay in the institutional response to her disappearance, which was reported in early March 2024 but not intensified until mid-May, calling it an opportunity for improvement in institutional diligence regarding missing women.