For the second consecutive year, Costa Rica will receive from the United States a donation of US$30.7 million for the fight against organized crime and the attention of migrant populations in recognition of the work performed during the Solís Rivera Administration.
This was consigned to the budget for the 2018 fiscal year, approved by the U.S. Congress recently and signed by President Donald Trump.
The announcement was made by President Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera during the delivery of three 110-foot patrol boats, today at the Coast Guard Station of Caldera. The boats allow the country greater autonomy for the protection of citizenship, marine resources, police action against drug trafficking, trafficking in people and the defense of national sovereignty.
During the ceremony Thursday morning, Solis said “In this way everything that we have advanced in joint actions to fight against organized crime and drug trafficking and for security in the communities is consolidated, which happens to a great extent because we have managed to demonstrate with facts that the resources are being used to fulfill the purpose for which they were donated and the impact that this has on the security not only of Costa Rica, but also of the region is quantifiable”.
According to Casas Presidencial, the U.S. government donations to Costa Rica between 2017 and 2018 is US$61.4 million.
“This is a recognition of Costa Rica as a strategic partner in the fight against organized crime and on the arrival of migrants from different countries. It also responds to the good results that Costa Rica has shown in terms of drug seizures,” said Costa Rica’s Ambassador to the United States, highlighted in Washington, Román Macaya Hayes.
“In our exclusive economic zone, we have shown a very high effectiveness. Last year, 130 metric tons of cocaine were seized,” added the Ambassador.
