Having had a stable past, this country has been successful in developing its economy. The origins of the weapons are unclear, but there is an important flow [of firearms] through the Central American corridor as a result of civil wars,” Walter Espinoza, the Director of the Judicial Investigation Agency (Organismo de Investigación Judicial – OIJ), told InSight Crime.The announcement last week of the creation of a new public security plan could signal a shift in the government’s overall strategy to combat warring micro-trafficking groups. American tourists and residents can also take steps to protect themselves.
But his government is still struggling to stall worsening violence that is being driven by local criminal groups battling for control of domestic drug markets.Costa Rica has long been known for its low crime rate and relatively stable economy, having escaped the bloody Cold War conflicts and brutal gang violence that have wrought havoc in other Central American countries. It’s best not to go to bars alone, or walk alone after dark or in remote areas.Men face a different danger from sex. Let them know where you are going and what you are planning to do, believe me, you’ll get up to the minute reports of any discomfort or unsafe experiences they had if they took a similar route. The initiative, called “Creating Security,” is Whether the initiative will be able to revert the trend of violence and insecurity remains to be seen.We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for Costa Rica’s recently-elected President Carlos Alvarado Quesada has officially hit 100 days in office. However, many groups sometimes control five, six or seven different drug dealing spots,” Costa Rica’s Minister of Public Security, Michael Soto, told InSight Crime.Costa Rica’s official strategy to tackle drug trafficking has been primarily focused on targeting the leaders of local groups, which caused fragmentation and, in turn, a rise in violent competition for markets.Upon capture, some of the most notorious micro-trafficking ring leaders have been able to direct local drug trafficking activities and the assassination of rivals from within prison walls.Two recent examples include that of Leonel Mora Nuñez, alias “Gordo Leo,” who has been managing local drug sales and assassinations from a Along with increasing criminal fragmentation, a greater “There is a high availability of weapons. New York: Springer. Violent crime involving tourists is rare in Costa Rica but it’s a serious and rapidly growing problem for residents.
Read up in your guide book and familiarize yourself ahead of time, all those authors want you as a return customer and won’t send you to Hell’s Kitchen NYC or Coca Cola San José without ample warning.Plan your route on a map ahead of time, know where you are going, walk with relaxed confidence and purpose. Machismo Kills," in English. We spent a few years living in the most notorious borough of New York City – the Bronx. You’ll also get great suggestions for alternatives and someone will know where you were headed if you turn up missing (which almost certainly means you found an amazing beach with no phone or internet access).If you do find yourself in a dangerous situation, stay calm, look down, be quiet; remember that it’s just stuff and let them take it if they really want it.The combination of the Latin macho sensibility and tourists trying to let their hair down a little can lead to uncomfortable situations for women. If you get lost, don’t stop acting like you know where you are going until you are somewhere safe (cafe, bookstore, someone’s house).
Don’t flash cash/cameras/jewelry.Talk to people (not necessarily the guy playing mayonnaise buckets in the Times Square subway station), but other travelers, at your hotel desk, in restaurants, and museums. However, since 2000 there has been a significant rise in criminal activity. Sebastian Huhn reports that, "In …