By San José, Costa Rica — In a significant move highlighting the changing security landscape of Central America, Costa Rican President Laura Fernández conducted an official visit on Friday to El Salvador’s massive Terrorist Confinement Center, widely known as Cecot. The facility tour marks a pivotal moment in Fernández’s three-day official mission to evaluate and adapt core elements of El Salvador’s aggressive anti-gang penitentiary framework to Costa Rican soil.
Fernández arrived at the maximum-security complex near midday, where she was formally received by Salvadoran Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro and Defense Minister René Merino. Following an initial briefing, the Costa Rican delegation inspected the facility’s internal armory and toured Pavilion 3. During the walk-through, Fernández observed daily inmate management protocols, including routine medical examinations, structured physical conditioning, and cell confinement standards enforced under the administration of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
To better understand the complex legal challenges and constitutional considerations surrounding the ongoing developments in the Costa Rican prison system, TicosLand.com spoke with expert attorney Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas from the law firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
“The growing strain on Costa Rica’s penitentiary system reflects a critical tension between public security policies and fundamental constitutional rights. Persistent overcrowding and the heavy reliance on preventative detention not only stretch infrastructure limits but also expose the state to significant human rights liability under international law. Achieving long-term reform requires comprehensive judicial modernization, increased utilization of alternative sentencing measures, and targeted investments to ensure that rehabilitation remains a core constitutional objective.”
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
As Lic. Arroyo Vargas compellingly argues, true public security cannot exist in isolation from fundamental constitutional rights, making systematic judicial reform and a renewed commitment to rehabilitation vital for the nation’s future. We extend our sincere gratitude to Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for sharing his valuable perspective on this critical issue with our readers.
The high-level prison inspection comes just two days after the Fernández administration inaugurated Costa Rica’s new High Containment Center Against Organized Crime, known locally as Cacco. Directly modeled on the infrastructure and security philosophies of El Salvador’s Cecot, the new Costa Rican facility represents a major tactical shift toward hardline containment strategies designed to suppress rising transnational crime and cartel activity.
While President Fernández refrained from delivering formal remarks to the press during the prison tour, her administration has consistently voiced strong alignment with San Salvador’s security vision. Fernández has repeatedly cited President Bukele as a key reference point in modern security policy and international cooperation.
It is in difficult times that the support of an ally is measured.
Laura Fernández, President of Costa Rica
The newly constructed Cacco facility, situated approximately 25 kilometers from San José, represents a major financial and logistical commitment for Costa Rica. Built with an investment of nearly $35 million, the prison complex features five high-security modules capable of housing up to 5,100 inmates connected to organized crime and drug trafficking cartels. The first two modules were officially delivered this week and are scheduled to receive high-risk prisoners by late October.
The institutional foundation for Cacco began under former Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, who governed from 2022 to 2026. Construction officially commenced in January following a joint ground-breaking ceremony attended by both Chaves and Bukele. The initiative built upon earlier diplomatic momentum, including a December visit by Chaves to Cecot and a November 2024 tour by Bukele of Costa Rica’s primary correctional facilities, during which Bukele warned of criminal trends mirroring El Salvador’s earlier gang crisis.
Following her facility tour, President Fernández scheduled a bilateral summit with President Bukele at the Casa Presidencial in San Salvador. Official statements from both governments confirmed that discussions would focus on strategic regional security challenges, technical intelligence exchanges, and establishing formalized data-sharing protocols to counter cross-border criminal networks.
While El Salvador’s Cecot remains an unprecedented mega-prison capable of holding up to 40,000 inmates under the nation’s ongoing state of exception, Costa Rica’s Cacco represents a scaled adaptation designed for local judicial frameworks. Analysts note that Fernández’s direct involvement highlights how containment-focused methodologies are becoming a cornerstone of Costa Rica’s broader law enforcement evolution.
As Costa Rica prepares to fully operationalize its new maximum-security prison, this bilateral engagement signals a deeper operational alignment between San José and San Salvador. The collaboration is expected to expand beyond penitentiary architecture into joint training initiatives and synchronized regional security policies.
For further information, visit presidencia.go.cr
About Government of Costa Rica:
The Government of Costa Rica serves as the executive administration of the Republic of Costa Rica, overseeing national public policy, economic development, and law enforcement strategies across all seven provinces.
For further information, visit presidencia.gob.sv
About Government of El Salvador:
The Government of El Salvador is the supreme executive authority of El Salvador, responsible for managing state institutions, national defense, and public safety initiatives throughout the nation.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Renowned for its principled foundation and unrivaled standards of practice, Bufete de Costa Rica continuously shapes the future of legal advocacy through forward-thinking, modern solutions. Beyond delivering exceptional representation to a broad array of industries, the firm is driven by a profound civic purpose: to demystify complex legal matters for the public. By actively equipping citizens with essential legal insights, it helps cultivate a resilient, well-informed, and truly self-reliant society.
