No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCELACVenezuela's Maduro cries wolf on CELAC security threats

Venezuela’s Maduro cries wolf on CELAC security threats

A Costa Rican security official said that President Nicolás Maduro is safe, despite claims from the Venezuelan leader that a “terrorist group” awaited him at the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States summit in San José on Wednesday.

Mariano Figueres, director of Costa Rica’s Department of Intelligence and Security (DIS), told reporters at the CELAC conference Wednesday morning that Maduro’s party is satisfied with their security detail in Costa Rica.

“Nicolás Maduro’s security is not in doubt,” Figures said on the sidelines of the summit.

Maduro took a rather unique approach to his safety in Costa Rica: After being greeted by Vice President Ana Helena Chacón at Juan Santamaría International Airport outside San José, the Venezuelan leader reportedly drove his bodyguard’s point car from the airport to the CELAC summit at the Centro de Eventos Pedregal in Belén – a move security experts said is actually counter-productive.

In December, Venezuelan exiles in Costa Rica denounced a supposed kidnapping plot by Maduro’s advance team for the CELAC meeting. The Nuevo Herald newspaper reported that sources inside the Venezuelan government confirmed that a team of intelligence operatives posing as members of Maduro’s advance team for the CELAC summit arrived in Costa Rica to abduct “Gato” Briceño and other prominent exiles.

Maduro’s administration has denied those allegations.

All 21 of the heads of state who confirmed their attendance at the CELAC summit in Belén have security detail, Figures added.

AFP contributed to this report

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s President Clashes with TSE Over Campaign Rules

Costa Rica's President Rodrigo Chaves has publicly criticized the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) for rules that limit how the government can share information during...

Update: Costa Rica Shark Bite Victim is a Renowned Marine Biologist

Days after our report on the shark attack near Cocos Island, new details have emerged about the incident and the man involved. The diver,...

Costa Rica Unveils $800M Electric Train for San José Metro Area

Costa Rica has rolled out plans for a new electric train system aimed at easing traffic snarls in the Greater Metropolitan Area. President Rodrigo...

Rubyglow Pineapple from Costa Rica Goes Viral on MrBeast Channel

A rare pineapple from Costa Rica is turning heads worldwide after influencers on a popular YouTube channel gave it top marks. The Rubyglow, grown...

Costa Rican Court Orders Uber to Pay Millions in Driver Benefits

Costa Rican courts have dealt another blow to Uber, ruling that the ride-hailing company must treat drivers as employees rather than independent contractors. In...

What Happens If Costa Rica Fails to Qualify for 2026 World Cup?

Costa Rica's national soccer team stands at a crossroads in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Fans across the country hold their breath...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica