Death threats and drug trafficking suspicions: Political tension rises in Costa Rica

“We are going to shoot at the Legislative Assembly with AR-15s, and we will kill you in your office. We will storm Congress to unleash gunfire; there are 50 of us, and we will get rid of Sofía Guillén and those from the National Liberation Party and Broad Front.” That’s the email that Costa Rican opposition lawmaker Andrea Álvarez received on Monday.

Álvarez is one of a growing number of lawmakers in Costa Rica who have received death threats in recent weeks. The threats come amid the rising political tensions with the administration of President Rodrigo Chaves, who is under investigation by the Attorney General’s Office for corruption, abuse of power and other crimes.

Chavez — who is halfway through his four-year term — has violently lashed out at his critics. The verbal abuse that has swept public debate is unprecedented in Costa Rica.

In addition to Álvarez, the list of political figures who have reported death threats includes Sofía Guillén, from the Broad Front (FA), a small but combative left-wing party that accuses Chaves of leading a “narco-government;” Rodrigo Arias, the president of Congress; Carlo Díaz, another FA deputy who has denounced deforestation in the country; community leaders who provided Díaz with information; and a union representative on the board of directors of the Costa Rica Social Security Fund (CCSS), who has supported inquiries into alleged corruption within the CCSS, which is in charge of managing the country’s network of hospitals and clinics.

Additionally, it was revealed on Wednesday that the Comptroller General of the Republic, Marta Acosta, had also received threatening messages. President Chaves has accused her of opposing his infrastructure projects and claims she is behind a proposal from his administration to call a national referendum aimed at limiting government powers.

Content circulating on social media shows threats against at least two journalists who have been critical of the government. These individuals have one thing in common: they have all faced harsh public criticism from President Chaves for various reasons, and they blame the intimidating messages on his influence.

Despite ongoing judicial investigations, there is still no concrete evidence regarding the identity of those responsible for the reported threats. In circles close to Chaves, these claims are often dismissed, with critics suggesting that they could simply be attempts by the journalists to portray themselves as victims.

The tense political environment, however, is creating a fertile ground for hostile messages — even against the president. When Chaves downplayed the importance of environmental conservation, Jimena Rueda — the daughter of a judge and a former official at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights— posted: “This deserves a sniper.” She resigned immediately afterward, but the case quickly made headlines. Chaves has since used it on multiple occasions to suggest that traditional sectors want him dead because he claims to have awakened the population against the political and economic elites.

According to polls, more than half of the citizens support Chaves, who took office in 2022 and is required by law to leave in 2026. However, he has not ruled out running for a deputy position to extend his political influence, which seeks to challenge the traditional political system. Chaves has called lawmakers “idiots” and accused the Attorney General of “bullying,” “revenge,” and servility to the elites. His biting remarks are directed at figures who operate outside his presidential control.

The opposition has not remained silent, responding with high-profile actions that further incite Chaves’ anger. Recent developments from October include the establishment of an investigative commission focused on the CCSS, which is the subject of criminal cases that led to the suspension of the executive president, a trusted ally of Chaves. Additionally, the opposition has ordered an investigation into alleged connections between the government and international drug trafficking groups.

Critics argue that Chaves’ decisions are enabling the expansion of organized crime gangs, which have taken root in the country and contributed to a record number of homicides in 2023 — an alarming development for a nation that once prided itself on being the safest in Central America.

The opposition parties’ suspicions have been fueled by newspaper reports, including a 2023 article in the Mexican newspaper El Universal, which, based on anonymous testimonies, reported that Costa Rican government authorities allegedly spoke with criminal leaders linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The opposition also referenced a recent publication by The New York Times, which cited U.S. intelligence reports identifying Costa Rica as a primary transshipment point for cocaine headed to the United States and Europe. Traffickers exploit the vast forested areas where there is weak police surveillance to facilitate their operations.

Additionally, the opposition criticizes budgetary constraints affecting police forces and strategic decisions that may inadvertently support the activities of criminal gangs, including violent actions, drug trafficking operations, and the circulation of millions of dollars that infiltrate the economy.

The Chaves government has acknowledged the ongoing crime crisis, but blames it on the judiciary and the legislature for failing to reform or properly enforce laws. Accusations of alleged ties to drug traffickers prompted the executive to reach out to U.S. Ambassador Cynthia Telles in an effort to receive support for security measures. What’s more, a video — captured by aerial footage — featuring Security Minister Mario Zamora, flanked by police chiefs, has raised concerns among lawmakers. In the video, Zamora directly questions legislators and demands that they “respect the uniform” of the security forces.

In a post on social media, former president Laura Chinchilla described the situation as “a shameful performance by the heads of the country’s security forces,” criticizing their exaggerated tone toward Congress members exercising their constitutional right to political oversight. She remarked: “If Costa Rica had an armed forces, they would have already been sent to storm our republican institutions.”

A group of 20 lawmakers — one-third of Congress — filed a complaint against President Chaves with the Attorney General’s Office on Wednesday, accusing him of public incitement and propaganda against the constitutional order, as well as obstructing judicial authorities.

Alejandro Molina, a researcher at the National Policy Observatory at the University of Costa Rica (UCR), highlights the unprecedented nature of the verbal assaults, arguing that this conflict extends beyond institutional politics and permeates social media discussions.

“This conflict also has repercussions on society, especially given the current context of high incidence of organized crime,” Molina told EL PAÍS. He also recalled Chaves’ previous call for a potential popular uprising in response to what he deemed abusive actions by the judiciary. “God forbid that the time comes when we have to act as a society,” the president said in September, alluding to possible actions against the judicial system without providing further details.

Meanwhile, organized crime continues to consolidate its power, with homicides showing only a slight decrease of 4% compared to the first 10 months of 2023. Violence is evident on a daily basis. This week, authorities confirmed attacks involving an AK-47 rifle against the home of a judicial police officer in a municipality within the Caribbean region. This follows another incident where two young men fired upon a patrol of the Public Force, the national law enforcement agency.

“In a troubled state, drug trafficking profits,” said the director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), Randall Zúñiga, on the radio. Weeks ago, he also criticized President Chaves’ rhetoric, in which the president accused judicial operators of being influenced by political and economic interests.

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