Costa Rica Inaugurates Maximum-Security Mega-Prison to Tackle Rising Gang Violence

Costa Rica has opened a mega-prison, pivoting toward hardline security tactics to counter gang violence.

Costa Rican authorities have inaugurated a maximum-security mega-prison designed to detain gang members and halt escalating violence. Long regarded as one of Latin America's most peaceful nations, the country is grappling with an influx of organized crime and a sharp spike in homicides. The move marks a pivot toward hardline enforcement strategies expanding across Central America.

• Security policyPresident Laura Fernandez described the new facility as an integral part of her government's tough-on-crime enforcement strategy.
• Changing conditionsThe facility was built in response to a wave of homicides that has threatened the nation's traditional reputation for public safety.