Costa Rica reinforces security in the Pacific region

Costa Rica’s Coast Guard this weekend graduated 73 new officers to patrol the country’s Pacific coasts.

At a ceremony on Saturday, President Laura Chinchilla christened two new speed boats acquired with an investment of $400,000. The boats will be dedicated exclusively to fighting drug trafficking.

State banks also donated eight smaller boats at a cost of $100,000, plus $10,000 in spare parts and labor.

In a weekend speech, Chinchilla said her government has already invested $100,000 in infrastructure for the third stage of the Coast Guard station at the port of Caldera, on the central Pacific coast, which houses 140 officers.

The president also announced that later this year her administration will purchase two helicopters to increase air surveillance, and officials are preparing a series of bills to be presented to the Legislative Assembly to finance the fight against international organized crime and drug trafficking.