President Laura Chinchilla announced another lawsuit against Nicaragua before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. | JONATHAN JIMENEZ.
The Costa Rican government hopes that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will set the maritime border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The announcement came on Monday from Foreign Minister Enrique Castillo, who was accompanied by president, Laura Chinchilla as the country prepares to file the case with the ICJ. At issue is an area of 20,000 square kilometers in the Pacific and 15,000 square kilometers in the Caribbean. The move comes after Nicarguan president Daniel Ortega talks about oil exploration in the disputed areas.
The last time Costa Rica tried to set maritime limits with Nicaragua was in 2002, which proved unsuccessful. The Hague Court set limits between Nicaragua and Colombia in 2012. The case with Nicaragua is expect to take four years and cost $1 million in legal fees.