A brief stopover by five U.S. military helicopters in Costa Rica over the weekend drew the ire of lawmakers who claimed the landing violated Costa Rica's sovereignty. The executive and legislative branches of government have been disputing the legality of U.S. military vessels in Costa Rica since both countries signed a joint-patrol agreement in 1999.
Costa Rica's Communications Minister Carlos Roverssi on Wednesday sent a formal protest letter to the Venezuela-based TV station Telesur, after a news report aired Feb. 2 announced the existence of a U.S. Southern Command military base in Costa Rica's Guanacaste province.
