Costa Rica is on high alert after authorities revealed they had foiled a plot to assassinate President Rodrigo Chaves just days before the country’s national elections.
Jorge Torres, head of the Directorate of Intelligence and National Security, told reporters that a “confidential source” had informed the agency that an assassin had been hired to target the president.
Attorney General Carlo Diaz confirmed that a female suspect was under investigation, noting she was “quite active on social media,” though he declined to share further details. Diaz emphasized that there is currently no evidence linking the plot to the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled for February 1.
President Chaves, who cannot run for a consecutive term due to constitutional limits, has endorsed his former minister, Laura Fernandez, as his successor. Fernandez has surged in popularity, campaigning on a promise to intensify the fight against drug trafficking, which has been blamed for a recent rise in violence across the country.
The tense political atmosphere is compounded by regional concerns. Opposition parties have warned of potential interference from neighboring El Salvador, whose president, Nayib Bukele, began a state visit to Costa Rica yesterday. During his visit, Bukele is scheduled to inaugurate a new mega-prison modeled after El Salvador’s controversial Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), where thousands of young men have been held without charge as part of his crackdown on gangs. Reports from former detainees, including Venezuelans deported from the US, allege harsh conditions and abuse within the facility.
While Costa Rica’s leadership works to ensure a peaceful election, the revelation of the assassination plot has left many citizens unsettled. For ordinary Costa Ricans, the news serves as a sobering reminder that even in a nation known for its scenic beauty and democratic stability, vigilance and solidarity are essential to preserving safety and democracy.
