Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s Penitentiary Police removed a total of 187 television screens, 20 converter boxes, and 123 remote controls from seven prisons in Costa Rica, as part of new measures announced by the Ministry of Justice to strengthen security within Costa Rican prisons. The seizures are part of the security policy implemented by the government of President Laura Fernández and the Minister of Justice, Gabriel Aguilar, who last week announced a series of actions aimed at strengthening state authority within prisons and reducing the privileges of incarcerated individuals. The removal of these electronic devices was carried out in seven prisons through operations conducted by the Penitentiary Police, without any reported incidents during the interventions.
The measure is part of a directive issued by the Ministry of Justice and Peace ordering the removal of televisions from cells throughout the prison system. According to Minister Gabriel Aguilar, the decision is effective immediately and aims to strengthen institutional control over detention centers. The tightening of regulations was presented by the Government as a strategy to combat the influence of criminal groups from within prisons and reinforce discipline within penitentiary centers.
During the announcement of the new provisions, Aguilar stated that the intention is to fully restore the State’s authority in prisons. In addition to the removal of televisions, the Ministry of Justice announced other actions that will transform the operation of the prison system. Among these measures is the elimination of transfers of incarcerated individuals for conjugal visits when both are incarcerated in different prisons, a practice that required the mobilization of state police and logistical resources.
The measures also include the periodic rotation of prison directors, as well as officers assigned to maximum-security units, to prevent them from remaining in the same position for extended periods and to reduce potential links with criminal organizations operating from within prisons. Another announced measure involves strengthening internal controls over Ministry of Justice personnel. Authorities indicated that the lifestyles and any suspicious behavior of prison officials will be reviewed, and any indication of collaboration with criminal organizations will be reported to judicial authorities for investig…
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