Costa Rica has enacted sweeping constitutional reforms enabling the extradition of its own citizens on charges of international drug trafficking and terrorism, marking a departure from decades of legal tradition.

The constitutional amendment secured parliamentary approval in May with 44 deputies supporting the measure out of 57 total votes. President Rodrigo Chaves has since ratified the legislation as authorities confront an unprecedented surge in narcotics-related criminality and institutional corruption.

Official statistics cited by The Tico Times reveal the scale of the challenge facing Costa Rican institutions, with corruption cases rising sharply from 106 recorded instances in 2019 to 273 by 2023. The constitutional overhaul represents the government's most significant legislative response to mounting security concerns.

Prior to the reform, Costa Rica's constitution prohibited the extradition of nationals, creating what security experts describe as a protective shield for international criminals. Foreign nationals from neighbouring Colombia and Mexico had systematically acquired Costa Rican citizenship through matrimonial arrangements, residency applications and investment programmes, subsequently invoking constitutional immunity to avoid prosecution in their countries of origin.

The legislative change aligns Costa Rica with bilateral agreements established with Washington in 1982, potentially facilitating the transfer of Costa Rican suspects to face American courts for qualifying offences.

Research organisation InSight Crime has questioned whether the amendment's scope proves sufficient to address contemporary criminal enterprises. The legislation specifically targets drug trafficking and terrorism whilst omitting other lucrative criminal sectors including cyber fraud, extortion, illegal mining operations and human trafficking networks.

Such limitations may prove problematic as criminal organisations demonstrate increasing sophistication in diversifying revenue streams beyond traditional narcotics trade.

Neighbouring countries provide cautionary examples of extradition's mixed record in combating organised crime. Colombia's restoration of extradition in 1997 successfully dismantled prominent cartels including the Cali organisation and Gulf Clan through the transfer of leadership figures to United States custody. Nevertheless, criminal violence has continued with territorial conflicts escalating following the removal of established crime bosses.

Ecuador offers a particularly sobering comparison for Costa Rican policymakers. Despite implementing extradition mechanisms, Ecuador witnessed 781 homicides during January alone as the country evolved into a primary cocaine transit corridor.

Costa Rica's own experience reflects these regional patterns. The Caribbean port of Limón, recognised as a significant cocaine trafficking hub, recorded 214 murders throughout 2023, surpassing the homicide rate in capital city San José despite serving a considerably smaller population.

Security Minister Mario Zamora has championed the legislation as essential for restoring confidence in Costa Rica's judicial framework. United States diplomatic representatives have similarly endorsed the measure.

But domestic critics argue that constitutional reform addresses symptoms rather than underlying causes of criminal infiltration. Analyst Karen Jiménez Morales identifies chronic underfunding of police services, salary stagnation and intimidation-based corruption as fundamental challenges requiring attention.

Criminal organisations have exploited these institutional weaknesses whilst expanding their operational capacity through superior weaponry and financial resources. Gang recruitment has increasingly targeted adolescents, with some organisations enlisting individuals as young as 13 years old in economically disadvantaged regions such as Puntarenas province.

The government's flagship "Sembremos Seguridad" security initiative has achieved modest gains through enhanced police training programmes and improved border surveillance, supported by American technical assistance for narcotics interdiction and communications monitoring. Preliminary 2024 statistics indicate a 3.36% reduction in homicides compared to the previous year.

However, socioeconomic indicators suggest persistent vulnerabilities that criminal groups continue exploiting. Unemployment remains elevated at 8.3%, whilst income inequality measured by the Gini coefficient stands at 0.49, creating conditions conducive to criminal recruitment.

Costa Rica retains certain advantages compared to regional neighbours, particularly maintaining governmental control over correctional facilities unlike Ecuador where criminal organisations have assumed de facto prison management.

Analysts stress that sustainable progress requires comprehensive approaches extending beyond legal reforms.

Recommendations include institutional strengthening measures, expanding extradition provisions to encompass additional criminal categories, and enhanced social investment programmes to complement judicial reforms.