Q COSTARICA — The 2025 Global Organized Crime Index, compiled by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), details an alleged bribe involving Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves and suspected links between members of congress and mayors to organized crime, along with cocaine trafficking, as contributing factors to Costa Rica’s ranking among the 22 worst-performing countries.
The report does not specify which case it refers to.
“The ongoing investigation into the bribery allegations involving the president has further highlighted existing vulnerabilities in governance. While the government continues to allocate resources to combat organized crime, corruption at multiple levels has hampered effective law enforcement and regulation. The Jaguar Bill, which seeks to reduce the oversight powers of the Comptroller General’s Office, has been criticized as a potential setback in anti-corruption efforts.”
The only case that could be related to what the index details is the criminal investigation against Chaves in the BCIE-Cariñitos case.
The accusation indicates that Chaves allegedly solicited favors (money) from Christian Bulgarelli for his friend Federico Cruz (Choreco) in exchange for awarding him a contract to manage a public relations campaign for Casa Presidencial (Government House). This is the only case related to possible bribery.
The international study noted that there are reports confirming the links between these officials and criminal organizations, as well as questions surrounding Chaves and other high-ranking officials, which “further complicates governance.”
The report presents these findings in the context of the country’s handling of the security and homicide crisis. Although the government has partially contained the violence, disputes between political actors and branches of government have hindered an effective response.
“The Costa Rican government has publicly committed to combating organized crime, but its efforts have been met with criticism. The current administration has pushed through reforms, including a revision of the Law Against Organized Crime to strengthen specialized courts that handle cases related to criminal organizations.
However, opposition parties argue that the government lacks effective measures to counter the rise in drug-related violence. A dispute has arisen between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, with each entity blaming the others for the increase in crime.
The current president has frequently criticized the judiciary and Congress for failing to curb crime, while the effectiveness of government measures remains uncertain,” the index states.
Although Costa Rica continues to be recognized as a democracy with strong governance, investigations into influence peddling, corruption, and abuse of power have damaged the government’s credibility.
“While Costa Rica maintains strong governance indicators, limitations in institutional capacity have hindered the effective coordination needed to combat organized crime.”
The document also highlights the country’s robust legal framework against corruption, along with public and private initiatives aimed at strengthening it. However, the study warns that shortcomings persist, particularly regarding financial disclosure requirements for public officials and the transparency of mining and infrastructure permits.
Strengths and Areas for Improvement
Among the most notable advances are:
- The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and multiple extradition treaties with the United States, Mexico, and Colombia.
- Bilateral agreements to combat drug trafficking and money laundering with Argentina, Chile, Panama, and other regional partners.
- U.S. funding to improve digital infrastructure for combating drug trafficking.
- Strengthened cooperation with the European Union on security and combating drug trafficking.
- Permanent presence of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to collaborate on border security, including the installation of scanners at key entry points.
- Regional cooperation with Panama and Nicaragua, focused on improving border surveillance, although challenges remain in controlling smuggling and illicit trade.
- Laws against organized crime, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.
- Implementation of a national strategy to strengthen public security, although doubts persist about its effectiveness.
Despite these advances, the index notes that Costa Rica has yet to adopt a forfeiture law similar to those in Panama and Colombia, a tool that would strengthen efforts to dismantle transnational criminal networks.
“Despite this institutional framework, Costa Rica continues to face significant challenges in the fight against organized crime. The persistent shortage of resources and personnel limits the National Police’s (Ministry of Public Security) ability to respond effectively to the growth of criminal markets, particularly drug trafficking and associated violence.
While public trust in law enforcement remains relatively high, these limitations have restricted the overall effectiveness of police work. In response, the government has proposed a major expansion of the police force, aiming to add up to 9,500 officers. In addition, specific operations, such as ‘Operativo Pacífico’ (Operation Pacific), have been launched in violence-prone areas like Puntarenas to dismantle gangs and reduce crime.”
The report also includes a section on the severe overcrowding in the prison system, which houses nearly 15,000 inmates in spaces designed for 13,000.
This is compounded by allegations of torture, a lack of prison funding, and difficulties in guaranteeing humane conditions for detainees.
This article is a translated and adapted version of content originally published on crhoy.com.