No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveThe best and most bizarre quotes by former Public Security Minister José...

The best and most bizarre quotes by former Public Security Minister José María Tijerino

1. “Let’s be realistic. If women close their eyes when they shoot, we can’t protect the public that way.”

–Tijerino at a February press conference about Costa Rica’s sexual harassment law and how it should be applied to policies at the Public Security Ministry and National Police.

2. “The worst [possible scenario] would be for the International Court to rule that Isla Calero belongs to Costa Rica and for Nicaragua to refuse to accept the ruling. It would then force us to turn to military intervention. That would be the worst. The worst would be a need to enter the area in order to shed blood. That would be the worst scenario.”    

–Response to a question about the border conflict between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, during an interview with The Tico Times on Jan. 21.

3. “In my personal opinion, this dry law… just results in people accumulating a lot of liquor and then drinking it later… I’ve already bought my beers and plan to drink them, however not on Friday.”

–April 12, on the national prohibition of alcohol purchases on Thursday and Friday of Holy Week.

4. “I made a mistake.”

–On his decision to take a phone call from Rodrigo Arias about a criminal investigation into possible misallocation of government funds.

5. “Bandera de mi patria, Bandera idolatrada

Hoy en mi pecho, mi corazón alborozado,

Porque para cantarte soy poeta, y para defenderte soy soldado”.

(“Flag of my country, Idolized flag

Today in my chest, my heart is rejoicing,

Because to sing for you I am poet, and to fight for you, a solider.”)

–Tijerino’s answer, in the form of a poem, when asked if the conflict with Nicaragua had affected him personally during an interview with The Tico Times.

6. “I made a mistake.”

–After learning he had erroneously attributed a brutal double murder to the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Trending Now

US Troops Stage New Combat Drills in Panama as Venezuela Standoff Grows

A group of US soldiers is carrying out combat exercises on Panama’s Caribbean coast, the third drill of its kind so far this year,...

No Army in Costa Rica: How a 1948 Decision Changed Central America

On December 1, 1948, José Figueres Ferrer, President of the Founding Junta of the Second Republic, officially abolished the Costa Rican army by symbolically...

Costa Rica’s Puriscal Hosts Annual Chicharrones Festival

Crowds gather in the central park here as the Feria del Chicharrón kicks off its 2025 edition, drawing locals and visitors to sample the...

Former Trump Campaign Chief Involved in Honduras Politics

Trump's former campaign manager, Brad Parscale, provided advice to the campaign of Nasry Asfura, a right-wing presidential candidate in Honduras endorsed by the U.S....

Costa Rica Joins Martin Garrix’s 16-City Americas Tour Lineup

Dutch DJ Martin Garrix has added Costa Rica to his list of stops for the Americas Tour set for 2026. The electronic music producer...

Costa Rica Capital Glows with Christmas Lights in Seven Parks

Our capital city marked the start of the holiday season on Tuesday evening when municipal officials flipped the switch on more than 400 lighting...
Avatar
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica