Q COSTA RICA — President Laura Fernández expressed regret at having missed the meeting with Donald Trump and other leaders of the “Shield of the Americas” initiative, of which Costa Rica is a member, held on Tuesday, September 22, in New York.
On the very day Trump led the Shield of the Americas meeting with heads of state and delegations from across the continent in New York, Laura Fernández was in Colombia participating in activities involving the administration of Abelardo de la Espriella and other meetings with that country’s First Lady, Ana Lucía Pineda.
On that day, Fernández also visited a clothing store in Colombia. The store, “By Liliana Meza,” posted on social media that it was “a true honor” to host a visit from both Fernández and Pineda.
On Thursday, Fernández took the opportunity of a visit by Melinda Hildebrand—the U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica—to reiterate her firm commitment to the Shield of the Americas initiative.
It may be of interest Laura Fernández was shopping in Colombia while “Shield of the Americas” was taking place
The president stated that “there are errors that cannot be overlooked” and explained that this was the reason she dismissed Manuel Tovar Rivera as Foreign Minister. She emphasized that the then-minister had not informed her of the invitation to attend the meeting.
Fernández addressed the matter following the presentation of two interceptor vessels and three all-terrain vehicles donated by the U.S. government to Costa Rica to combat organized crime.
Casa Presidencial broadcast the event live from Marina Bahía Golfito, in the country’s southern region.