U.S. funds multimillion dollar Coast Guard station in Puntarenas

A new Coast Guard station funded by the U.S. government will be publicly presented in Puntarenas on Thursday.

The multimillion dollar station in Puerto de Caldera, on the Pacific coast, will host an inauguration ceremony at 2 p.m. Thursday. President Laura Chinchilla, Public Security Minister José María Tijerino and U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica Anne Andrew are expected to be among the guests.

“The old Coast Guard station in Puntarenas was decrepit and falling apart and needed to be repaired,” said Evelyn Ardon, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy. “The U.S. Southern Command donated more than $3 million for construction on the new station, which improves the capabilities of the Puntarenas Coast Guard patrol.” 

Ardon said the decision to help renovate the station was not for the purpose of fighting drug trafficking. Nevertheless, the region remains a popular route for drug traffickers.