Costa Rican public service and legislative developments

Costa Rica is experiencing significant legal and legislative activity regarding public services and healthcare access. The Constitutional Chamber has reported an exponential increase in amparo resources, with Magistrate Fernando Castillo projecting that the court could exceed 45,000 sentences in 2026. This surge is attributed to failures in essential public services, particularly regarding long waiting lists for medical procedures and specialist appointments through the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), as well as challenges regarding access to high-cost medications.

In the legislative sphere, the Women's Commission of the Legislative Assembly is working to reinstate emergency contraception within a proposed ‘72-hour protocol’ for sexual assault victims. Following controversy over whether the medication could act as an abortifacient, a compromise was reached to include the medication contingent upon a mandatory pregnancy test.

Commission President Kattia Calvo confirmed that the pill and a mandatory pregnancy test will be reintegrated into the bill following backlash from medical associations, academic institutions, and human rights groups. This follows an initial approval of a substitute text by deputies from the Pueblo Soberano (PPSO) and Liberación Nacional (PLN) parties that had removed the provision. The proposed law aims to provide a formal legal framework to ensure comprehensive medical and legal care for sexual assault survivors within the first 72 hours of an incident, facilitating coordination between the CCSS and the Judiciary.