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[INTERNATIONAL] · Costa Rica, El Salvador · 19 sources

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Costa Rica inaugurates CACCO maximum-security prison

Costa Rica has inaugurated the High-Containment Center Against Organized Crime (CACCO), a new maximum-security prison designed to combat rising violence and organized crime. Located near the La Reforma prison complex in San Rafael de Alajuela, approximately 25 kilometers from San José, the facility cost an estimated 35 million dollars. The prison has a total capacity for 5,100 inmates and is modeled after El Salvador’s Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT).

President Laura Fernández described the facility as a turning point for national security, stating that the country will become a “global benchmark for prison security.” She specifically requested that criminals who have murdered police officers be transferred to the CACCO. The inauguration comes as Costa Rica faces high homicide rates, with 905 recorded in 2023.

The project, which saw leadership from former President Rodrigo Chaves, has faced criticism from judicial authorities and human rights advocates. Some officials expressed concern regarding the potential impact on human rights and democratic checks and balances, while legislative supporters have dismissed these concerns as political maneuvering.

Entities

CACCO · Centro de Alta Contención contra el Crimen Organizado · Colegio Médico Dominicano · Costa Rica · El Salvador · Hospital Vargas · Julio César Landrón · Laura Fernández · Luis Abinader · María Gabriela Pulido · Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Salud · Nayib Bukele

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