The 2024 Global Peace Index, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), revealed that Costa Rica continues to be the safest country in Central America despite having dropped in the ranking.
“Despite experiencing a slight deterioration in score, Costa Rica remains the most peaceful country in the region and is ranked 58th overall in the 2024 GPI,” the report mentioned.
The Index also revealed that Costa Rica saw the most significant declines in indicators for violent demonstrations, violent crime, and homicide rate, driven by a surge in violent incidents in 2023. According to the study, a 35% increase in murders was largely attributed to escalating drug trafficking activities.
Although the IEP acknowledges the country’s efforts to curb the wave of violence and crime, it pointed out that the response has not been timely or robust enough.
“Despite government agreement on the urgency of addressing organized crime and reducing violence, political in-fighting has delayed the implementation of policies aimed at addressing the issue,” they said.
Costa Rica’s state of peace is described as medium, similar to other countries such as Panama, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. According to the publication, Central American and Caribbean nations have, in general terms, experienced a deterioration in their peacefulness. Meanwhile, Argentina and Uruguay lead the Latin American region with a peace level that falls under the high category.
Public Security Minister Mario Zamora and President Rodrigo Chaves celebrated that Costa Rica is considered the safest nation in the Central American region. Zamora also noted that the report blames drug trafficking and “political obstacles” for hindering improvements in the country’s security.
“Despite the onslaught of high crime we have had in recent times, Costa Rica continues to be a country of peace, and this is objectively recognized by this global index. The arrival of over 100 new police officers in the coming months will improve the capabilities of our public service and, above all, will bring security to our country,” he mentioned.
The IEP assigns a score to each country, and the lower the score, the better the country’s performance. This year, Costa Rica’s mark rose from 1.7 to 1.9. The study measures 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators, among which are the level of social security, the degree of internal and international conflict, and the extent of militarization.
Iceland, Ireland, Austria, New Zealand, and Singapore are the countries with the best indicators.
