Gustavo Mata, Minister of Public Security, fears that the peace process between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) will trigger arms trafficking in Costa Rica and the Central American region.
This was expressed by Mata, during an event held on Tuesday in Baltimore (United States) on the occasion of the donation in security equipment by the US government. The minister said they have intelligence about a possible joint transfer of cocaine and weapons, owned by Colombian paramilitary groups, to the north of the continent with a passage through Central America.
The peace agreement was signed between the government of Colombia and the FARC in November 2016. However, it has left some doubts about the collateral implications that it would bring for the coming years.
I am worried about the peace process in Colombia. We have all been hopeful that our Colombian brothers will come to this process, but we also know these criminal groups, not all of them, will hand over firearms. Then, new criminal structures will come not only with cocaine, but with the weapons that were used at some point. This poses as a new threat in the region,”
said the official, during a press conference held in North American territory.
The Ministry of Public Security (MSP) will be strengthened with the arrival of three helicopters, four vessels donated by the US, and a King Air P3 type aircraft. In addition, there are talks for the installation of a radar network to improve the monitoring of suspicious aircraft.
According to Mata, the patrol on the coasts must be reinforced by new strategies used by groups dedicated to international drug trafficking. He gave the example of the marijuana movement between Jamaica and the coast of Limón.
We are preparing for what is coming. The tsunami of cocaine that is coming from the countries of the south is approximately 3,200 tons expected this year. We will not be able to stop it and I have already stated it. We must invest in prevention campaigns,”
said Mata.
The boats donated by the US government are expected to arrive in April, at a time when Costa Rica is experiencing the worst homicidal wave in its history (603 cases in 2017, the highest record in the history of the country).