Costa Rican Foreign Minister Fired Following Unauthorized Meeting With Donald Trump

Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez has dismissed Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar after he participated in a US-led regional security summit with United States President Donald Trump without her knowledge. The government stated that this omission prevented her own participation and inflicted significant strategic damage to the nation's interests.

Fernandez asserted that she should have represented the country at the gathering for President Donald Trump’s anti-cartel “Shield of the Americas” alliance in New York. The coalition's stated objective is to fight drug trafficking and organized crime throughout the region. According to the Costa Rican government, Tovar attended “without giving prior notice or informing” the president of his involvement in the meeting involving the conservative United States President Donald Trump.

The event, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, also included several right-wing Latin American presidents. During the gathering, 15 coalition members released a joint statement outlining plans to enforce asset freezes and visa restrictions, alongside pursuing criminal liability for members and associates of 24 criminal organizations. This meeting formed part of the administration's ongoing initiative to unite the region behind a tougher stance on drug trafficking.

Since returning to office last year, President Donald Trump has classified cartels as foreign “terrorist” organizations and authorized numerous strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that United States officials claimed were transporting narcotics destined for the United States. Meanwhile, Costa Rica, traditionally regarded as a stable tourist haven in Latin America, currently faces an increase in drug-related violence.

Following his dismissal, Manuel Tovar chose not to comment on the decision and instead expressed gratitude to President Laura Fernandez for her initial appointment to the cabinet. Indiana Trejos, currently serving as Costa Rica’s Minister of Foreign Trade, has been appointed as acting foreign minister and will take over the position upon completing her mission at the United Nations General Assembly.