Another country includes El Salvador's hard approach to crime with new mega prison

Costa Rica has announced a number of comprehensive reforms of the prison, including the construction of a new high-security facility, which was modeled according to El Salvador's controversial mega-prison, Cecot, and in collaboration with Nayib Bukele's government.

Cecot, a high -security prison in El Salvador, was inaugurated in 2023 under the government of President Nayib Bukele to capture alleged gang members. It has become particularly well -known since the Trump administration has concluded an agreement with the country to transfer hundreds of deported migrants into its cells.

Costa Rica plans to expand its maximum security capacity from 80 to 1,000 inmates and to start building a prison inspired by El Salvador's model of $ 35 million.

“I personally called my colleague, the highly respected president of El Salvador,” said, according to the local Outlet El Mundo Costa -President Rodrigo Chaves. “We spoke by phone and I said: 'Look at what happens.' He said to me: “Yes, they came to us with absolutely absurd offers.

Justice Minister Gerald Campos repeated the feelings of the President:

“Yes, in fact we went to El Salvador because the numbers did not add up. A prison over there cost 2,500 US dollars per inmate. It cost over 70,000 US dollar -a significant difference. And it is not just about prison -there is also the surveillance system that started with $ 17, and we have now awarded a little more than $ 7.”

Campos added that the technical teams of both countries “work” and estimated that the construction project, including all the provisions and the associated needs, only exceed 35 million US dollars with 5,000 detainees. “We have that and that's it with which we will continue,” said the official.

International wax dogs like Amnesty International have made concerns about the acceptance of El Salvador's penalty model that warn of broader effects on regional democratic norms, as the Tico Times explains:

“The acceptance of the Bukele model by the government, which includes mass instruments and reduced inmates privilege, has heated up a debate about the balance of security and human rights. While the supporters of Bukele's approach attribute the gibe in El Salvador, critics warn of his authoritarian thunder and to erode the potential protection against democratic protection.”