Costa Rica’s Ministry of Transport (MOPT), which oversees the traffic police, is defending its recent decision to purchase 64 brand-new Harley Davidson motorcycles at a cost of around US $1.5 million, or a little more than US $24,000 each.

Opposition lawmakers in the country’s Legislative Assembly said the purchase was the latest example of government waste as the administration of President Luis Guillermo Solis continues to push for more and higher taxes, which opposition lawmakers pledged to oppose.

Each of the 64 motorcycles – 2016 Harley Davidson 883s, came at a cost of US $24,217, and will replace Suzuki-brand motorcycles used by the Special Operations Group of the Traffic Police, which were significantly cheaper.

Speaking to CRHoy.com on Tuesday, the director of the Traffic Police, Mario Calderon said, “Our police deserve the same or better as those in first world countries. […] Here [in Costa Rica] the police need to have the best, that’s the idea.”

But PUSC lawmaker, Rosibel Ramos fired back, telling CRHoy.com that the Traffic Police “should stop believing that Costa Rica is a first world country.”

In a press release on Thursday, the Traffic Police further defended the purchase, noting that while there were cheaper options on the market, they did not include features provided by Harley Davidson, “such as sirens.”

Opposition lawmakers said that the purchase further demonstrates that statements by President Solis promising to reduce unnecessary government spending are merely “lip service.”

Three of the motorcycles will be used to escort the country’s two vice presidents, Helio Fallas and Ana Helena Chacón, as well as first lady, Mercedes Peñas, officials said.