Marco Rubio Offers Costa Rica Help Against Drug Trafficking And Seeks To Stop Chinese Technology Companies

(MENAFN- Newsroom Panama) The US Secretary of State raised the tone of Washington's position of support for Costa Rican policies that restrict the participation of Chinese companies in operations linked to 5G technologies. Marco Rubio and Rodrigo Chaves greet each other during a press conference at the Presidential Palace in San José. Donald Trump's top diplomat, Marco Rubio, made his inaugural tour of Central America on Tuesday in Costa Rica with a message of support for the government of Rodrigo Chaves to confront the wave of crime associated with drug trafficking, but also to advance the battle against China by limiting the operation of Chinese companies in the development of 5G technologies in Costa Rican territory.

After a visit to Panama focused on monitoring the operations of the interoceanic canal and to El Salvador, where the government of Nayib Bukele offered its prisons to receive prisoners from the United States, the Secretary of State described Costa Rica as an old ally of his country and as an“exemplary” nation for the way of life of its inhabitants, which makes it a receiver of migrants rather than an issuer. He mentioned the presence of tens of thousands of Nicaraguans who have come to Costa Rican soil after this five-year advance of the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega, whom he described as an“enemy of humanity” along with the governments of Cuba and Venezuela. Rubio, however, acknowledged the serious problem that Costa Rica faces due to criminal violence associated with drug trafficking, which caused a record number of homicides in 2023 and only a slight decrease in 2024, with high pressure on the police forces of this country lacking an army. The former senator and his host began their statement to the press by expressing condolences to the family of a judicial police chief murdered this week by a hitman in the service of a drug trafficking group in the Caribbean municipality of Guápiles. For this reason, he offered the participation of US agents in Costa Rican investigations against international“narco terrorist” networks that use this country due to its favorable geography for trafficking from South America to the northern hemisphere.

“We are going to see how we can involve the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) to work under their security teams here. Doing investigations, obviously, related to things like drugs destined for the United States and elsewhere, and I think that is one more weapon that can be used on the basis of cooperation that already exists on this issue,” Rubio said, without entering into the strong struggle that Rodrigo Chaves is maintaining with the deputies and the Judiciary, to whom he attributes responsibility for the deterioration of security during this Government. The Secretary of State did not mention some relevant projects promoted by Joe Biden's government with Costa Rica, such as the one that sought to accelerate the development of the microprocessor industry and the promotion of a regional dialogue mechanism under the figure of the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD), a group made up of Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic with US support.

However, Rubio did raise the tone of Washington's position of support for Costa Rican policies that restrict the participation of Chinese companies in operations linked to 5G technologies, which is incipiently developing in Costa Rica, a limitation that the Chinese embassy in San José has pointed out as an interventionist maneuver with geopolitical motivations.“I want to congratulate and thank the president for his firmness in only allowing trusted suppliers,” he said, praising Chaves'“firmness” in issuing a decree in 2023 that restricts contracts for 5G networks and equipment only to companies from countries that are signatories to the Budapest Convention on the fight against cybercrime. Rubio added that“confronting companies like these brings consequences: blackmail, threats, and activities to infiltrate government agencies,” for which he assured, without giving details, that the United States will cooperate to punish state officials who favor“foreign actors” considered dangerous to cyber security. In San Jose, Rubio reiterated Trump's desire to toughen his position against the Chinese presence in countries in the region, as he has done in relation to the operations of the Panama Canal as a neuralgic point in the geopolitical game. The Secretary of State left in the afternoon for Guatemala to conclude the Central American tour, just two weeks after Trump's return to the White House with expansionist slogans on the continent and tough policies against migration.

Costa Rica Crime Watch as Car Robberies Increase Near SJO Airport

The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica has issued an urgent alert to travelers near Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) following reports of two separate car-related criminal incidents in recent weeks. According to embassy officials, both incidents occurred along a route adjacent to the DHL warehouse-a busy corridor commonly used by travelers heading toward the Santa Ana area. Criminals have been observed waiting for solitary vehicles to pass by a vacant lot, where they then launch stones or other objects at moving cars. The intent, officials say, is to force drivers to stop so that the perpetrators can commit theft. In one incident, stones struck a vehicle, causing damage to the windshield and roof. The driver, however, did not stop and was able to leave the area with only moderate damage reported.

In a second incident, a driver stopped after being targeted, allowing the criminals to board the vehicle, rob the individual, and steal the car. The dangerous stretch of road loops around the eastern side of the airport and continues along the southern perimeter following Route 111. Although the area is usually busy-even at night-embassy sources warn that perpetrators deliberately wait for moments when only a single vehicle is present to execute their plan. “The Embassy recommends that all travelers exercise extreme caution when navigating this area or the routes from SJO Airport,” an embassy spokesperson said.“If you are confronted with a similar situation, do not stop. Continue forward progress and contact 911 when it is safe to do so.”

Officials also advise considering alternate routes, such as the General Cañas Highway-a major road connecting Alajuela to San José. While this highway may be more crowded and could result in longer travel times, it is believed to be a safer option compared to the route near the DHL warehouse. Other recommended detours include routes toward Belén or Escazú. These incidents are part of a broader pattern of criminal activity that has been reported along various routes in the country. Travelers are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to local authorities immediately.

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