Costa Rican Chancellery
A new Nicaraguan military camp was found in a sand bar that separates Los Portillos Lagoon, or Harbor Head Lagoon from the Costa Rican territory. That’s why the country filed a request to set the amount for environmental damage to Portillo Island and a new case for the establishment of a military camp to the International Court of Justice’s.
The military camp was set up in a section of the Beach of Portillos Island that the International Court of Justice declared Costa Rican territory in 2015.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Manuel González, stated that
following significant changes in the Caribbean coastline over several decades, on December 16th, 2015, the International Court of Justice pointed out that there was no more precise delimitation of the border situation from that point. Nicaragua, taking advantage of this, set up a military camp located in the Costa Rican beach of Isla Portillos, which forces Costa Rica, once again, to go to the Court, a decision that has not been taken lightly.”
Costa Rica’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Sergio Ugalde, who presented the case to the Secretary of the International Court of Justice, said that Costa Rica does not expect any significant delays and that, if the Court decides to bring them together, the situation could be defined this year.
A year ago, the ICJ settled a territorial litigation maintained by both countries. However, it ordered Nicaragua to pay damages in Isla Calero, reaffirmed as Costa Rican property.
According to the expert opinion made by Costa Rica, that amounts to $6 million, but the Nicaraguan counterpart objected.
On December 16th 2016 Nicaragua had to pay Costa Rica that compensation. However, the government of Daniel Ortega did not pay, although he said they would do it.
The government of Luis Guillermo Solís decided to extend the deadline until December 30th, alleging that Ortega had publicly stated he wanted to improve relations and dialogue with Costa Rica.
To date, the Costa Rican government has not received a formal response from Nicaragua and has taken the case to The Hague.