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Costa Rica opens CECOT-style maximum-security prison
Costa Rica inaugurated a maximum-security prison modelled on El Salvador's CECOT, designed to hold 20% of its current prison population, as it confronts organised crime after record homicides in 2023.
Why it matters
The prison signals the spread of El Salvador's hardline security model across Latin America.
Background
Costa Rica, long seen as one of Central America's safest countries, has faced rising drug-related violence. El Salvador's CECOT became a symbol of President Nayib Bukele's crackdown, praised by supporters and criticised by rights groups.
The story so far
- Costa Rica opens CECOT-style maximum-security prison
- Costa Rica opens CECOT-style maximum-security prison
Sources
- Reuters ↗October 14, 2026
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