“We want people to feel safe, that they can go out of their homes and enjoy without fear and danger”, commented President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado.

The President along with the Minister of Public Security talked about the operations they have been carrying out, among them, 21 police visits during the Christmas time in the most conflict neighborhoods of the country.

According to Soto, between May and December 2018, a total of 50 megaoperations have been carried out to battle criminality and the Comprehensive Strategy of Public Security Prevention “Sembremos Seguridad” (Let’s Sow Security) which has the support of the American Embassy in Costa Rica. Officers are also gathering information from the Municipal authorities and the members of the communities about the various factors that generate insecurity on a grass roots level.

The donation from China of over $5.5 million USD will be invested in purchasing telecommunication equipment and protection for the Police Force officers.

Fiscal Customs Control operations have also been carried out, retaining more than 13 tons of merchandise in the last trimester that was not properly declared when it entered the country.

Operations by the different police bodies allowed the number of homicides for 2018 in to decrease slightly in comparison to 2017.