Costa Rica Occupied by U.S. Military *UPDATE*

In an interview to a local newspaper, the Vice Minister of Security of Costa Rica, JORGE CHAVARRÍA said the alternative solution to letting the American occupiers move around the country is "too expensive". "It would require the whole national budget to fully equip the Coast Guard so they can do the work the U.S. military will do." But if Costa Rica is not capable of securing its own coasts and land, it means the U.S. Army will have to stay in Costa Rican territory forever, and not only for six months as the permit says, doesn't it? One point the Vice Minister got right is that drug smuggling is a regional or even continental problem, therefore, Costa Rica cannot solve it by itself. However, Mr. CHAVARRÍA also believes it is kosher to violate the Constitution and allow foreign forces to occupy the country. But isn't this very same action an example of trying to solve the problem by itself?

In the meantime, legislator Luis Fishman has decided to take the approval of Congress to Costa Rican courts as he believes it is unconstitutional. "The agreement signed between Costa Rica and the United States in 1998 was to allow Coast Guard ships only and not military," insists Fishman. While some legislators complain about the arrival of the Americans, it seems some people in Costa Rica do not understand what this issue is all about. It is common to read comments in the local media which favor the arrival of the U.S. Army. Jesus Cespedes Calderon says in a comment that Fishman's actions only reflect an interest for self promotion and not an authentic concern for the country's sovereignty. Luis Adrian Gonzalez Rozmenoski, another Costa Rican writes that people like Fishman and the others opposing the move are a bunch of drama queens that shield themselves with the issue of sovereignty to become popular figures.

Other comments express a belief that the precarious security condition the country is experiencing demands and justifies the type of actions the Costa Rican Congress has taken. They ignore or do not recognize that the dire situation they so precisely point out exists due to the corruption that exists at all levels in the Costa Rican society. They surely ignore the Hegelian dialect and way of operating in which the conquerors create a problem to cause a reaction and provide a "solution".

A local newspaper called La Nacion, points out that the current security problem is a result of the government neglect, who is used to receiving donations from foreign governments instead of setting funds aside for combating crime and drug trafficking. The Director of the Coast Guard, Martín Arias, said in an interview that: "We don't have the capacity to safeguard all our marine territory". Who has? The United States, with all its might cannot take care of its own borders, which makes it even more ironic that they go to Costa Rican land and oceans to help them safeguard the territory.

Arias added that the government of Costa Rica has indeed neglected the security of the country, by many seen as a small piece of paradise in the middle of a revolted region. "The country is happy with accepting royalties from friendly governments," he said. The local Coast Guard obtains its budget from the Public Security Department. The total annual budget for combating crime in Costa Rican waters is of about $145,000 of which only 15 percent is spent on security operations. Did anybody say corruption?

Although Mr. Arias did not detail how the U.S. Army would help in the fight against drug trafficking, he insisted that if the Coast Guard had the ability to fully patrol the oceans they could limit the extent to which Costa Rican oceans are used to transport and deal illegal drugs. One thing is sure: Costa Rica does not need 46 War Ships, or 7,000 Marines or War Helicopters to end with drug trafficking in its oceans.