Q COSTARICA — With just a few days left in the third month of the year, the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ)—Costa Rica’s Judicial Police, highlighted the reduction in homicides between January and March, indicating that the wave of violence is finally subsiding.
In fact, depending on how crime rates behave, the country could see between 693 and 765 homicides in 2026, according to Michael Soto, deputy director of the OIJ.
Currently, the average number of murders ranges between 1.9 and 2.1 per day.
However, the good news is that, regardless of the daily average, this scenario would represent the lowest figure for the entire administration of Rodrigo Chaves (2022-2026), who has been dealing with record numbers in this area since 2023, when 905 cases were recorded, followed by 876 in 2024 and 873 last year.
To date, all provinces, except Cartago, have reported a reduction in criminal cases.
“Our sincerest thanks to the Ministry of Public Security and the municipal police forces for their invaluable support in the work carried out with the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), as well as for their commitment and constant effort in containing violence in the country. Their collaboration has been fundamental in strengthening inter-institutional work and advancing together in protecting citizen security,” said Soto.
Although the figures are encouraging and suggest progress is being made, Mario Zamora, head of Public Security, emphasizes that it is still too early to draw conclusions and make projections; he even urges caution.
Comparing the first three months of 2025 and 2026 (to March 20, 2026), 28 fewer cases were reported, with all provinces except Cartago reporting fewer cases.