Costa Rica's president says US ground troops could boost security, no deployment planned

Costa Rican President Laura Fernández said possible U.S. ground operations could strengthen national security if aimed at combating transnational crime, drug trafficking and terrorism, but stressed that no such deployment is currently planned and that any operation would require legislative approval. Costa Rica already cooperates with the United States through security initiatives including joint maritime patrols, and current President Donald Trump has invited the country to join a coalition targeting drug cartels. Fernández, who took office in May after campaigning on a tough-on-crime platform, said she is not considering a state of emergency or suspending constitutional guarantees. Her comments come as Costa Rica faces rising violence and drug trafficking; the homicide rate reached 17.2 per 100,000 people in 2023, roughly double the level a decade earlier, although officials reported a decline in homicides during the first half of 2026.