They couldn’t be missed. They flew low and slow over San José in the days prior to arrival of United States president Barack Obama. And they were also heard and seen the day after the Obama departure.
The Black Hawks were part of the Obama’s security while in Costa Rica.
However, at least one Costa Rican, identified by his last name Quirós Delgado, has questioned the “legality” of the chopper’s presence in Costa Rican airspace and filed a “recurso amparo” (appeal) with the Constitutional Court (Sala Constitucional or Sala IV).
The protocol is for the Poder Ejecutivo (executive branch of the government) to ask permission of the Legislative Assembly for any U.S. military presence in Costa Rican waters, ground and air.
Magistrate Fernando Castillo explained that authorization for such vessels rests with the Legislative Assembly and not the Poder Judicial.
According to the Court, the act violated the price of peace of the people by authorizing the military aircraft in Costa Rican airspace. As such the Court has cancelled such authorizations and ordered the Director Aviacion Civil to refrain from a repeat of similar conduct.
The appeal was filed against the President of the Republic, the Ministry of the Presidency and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
