Costa Rica, a country without an army, lives a real “war” on its streets due to the growing violence linked to drug trafficking or organized crime.
The Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) estimates that the population is facing the most violent year ever.
Michael Soto, chief of OIJ Office of Plans and Operations (OPO), confirmed that 555 murders were reported on December 19th. That represents 18 more homicides compared to the same period last year.
It is important to highlight that 2015 was cataloged as the most violent year in history, with the highest number of homicides in the last five years.
2015 finished with 557 homicides. Nevertheless, the projections, 2 weeks before the end of 2016, make authorities think that this year will be the one that registers more cases.
Since October, those numbers have made the country repeat a reality: homicides are a pandemic in Costa Rica. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this occurs when murders are recorded at a higher figure of 10 per 100,000 inhabitants.