QCOSTARICA — At least 15 of the 19 Costa Ricans who were imprisoned in Nicaragua for various crimes in the country, and who were returned to Costa Rica Saturday at midnight, were released hours later, as confirmed by the Ministry of Public Security (MSP).
“Those who were detained for various crimes in Nicaragua entered through the Peñas Blancas Border Post (…). Of the 19 people, four have open cases for crimes in Costa Rica, so they were placed at the disposal of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ). The other 15, once their entry was documented, were released,” said the MSP.
Of the total number of Costa Ricans imprisoned in Nicaragua who returned, 12 were arrested during this year, two in 2023, two in 2022 and 2021, and one in 2020.
Regarding their release, Mario Zamora, Minister of Public Security, explained “Neither the Prosecutor’s Office nor the OIJ determined any arrest of these 15 people as there are no criminal cases that require it.”
After passing the buck between the MSP and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zamora explained that repatriation was a decision by Nicaraguan penitentiary authorities to release the Costa Ricans who were imprisoned for committing crimes in that country.
Zamora added, “they were pardoned (by Nicaragua) and that is why they were returned to Costa Rica.”