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Russia may set up a military base in Nicaragua, and Costa Rica isn’t happy

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Russia's anti-submarine destroyer Admiral Chabanenko arrives on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, near the port city of Bluefieds in this archive image.

Russia’s anti-submarine destroyer Admiral Chabanenko arrives on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, near the port city of Bluefieds in this archive image.

February 27th, 2014 (InsideCostaRica.com) Russia has its eyes on expanding its military presence by establishing military bases in Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba according to a statement by Russian Defense Minister, Serguei Shoigu, and Costa Rica is not thrilled by the proposal.

 

Nicaraguan president, Daniel Ortega, has always maintained friendly relations with Russia, which for its part has donated military hardware to the country and participated in training and joint exercises.

 

For Costa Rica, the idea of a Russian military base in Nicaragua is worrying, according to Foreign Minister, Enrique Castillo.

 

“It’s part of the plan of intimidation that Nicaragua is pushing in the region, arming themselves with the most modern weapons and equipment […] Russia has been involved in supporting Nicaragua on several occasions and would supply [naval assets] to Nicaragua,” Castillo told the digital newspaper, CRHoy.com.

 

Castillo said that the installation of such a military base would alter the region by superimposing the presence of a world power in Central America, adding that the establishment of such a base could not be called part of the effort to fight drug trafficking.

 

“The presence of a military base whose purpose is disguised [as fighting drug trafficking] is something that is very disturbing, altering the balance of the region, which would mean the presence of an extra continental power in Central American waters,” Castillo said.

 

Castillo also expressed his distrust of Nicaragua’s government.  “We have no confidence in Nicaragua, they have repeatedly deceived us and has given false gestures of wanting to negotiate [… ] they have lost our trust,” Castillo said, referring to recent territorial disputes between Costa Rica and its northern neighbor.

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  • E_R_M

    They can build a base in Nicaragua and Cuba but the way things are going Venezuela will no longer be a realistic option for them, even if Maduro can calm down the current protests he is just delaying the inevitable.

    They(The Russians) could easily improve Nicaragua’s economy (currently the second poorest country in the Americas) if they wanted to, and increase their own Geopolitical clout at the same time by building both this Naval base and the fabled Nicaragua canal, encouraging Russians to spend their vacations there, and importing their tropical crops from there… among other things. And they all can be Win-Win deals for Russia.

    • Frank Castle

      It sounds like you support this idea. Would you like Russia to put missiles in Cuba too like they tried to do in the 1960′s? Why not have Russia and the USA stay in their own near waters and leave each other alone. This would be like the USA putting a naval base in Finland or the Baltic States in the Baltic Sea. Costa Rica is right to be worried and hopefully, in 2016, the USA will elect a better President, not Hillary Clinton, God help us all, that believes in the Monroe Doctrine again. Our current president is a disaster when it comes to foreign policy.

      • E_R_M

        USA placed missiles in Turkey before the Soviet Union placed missiles in Cuba. That’s actually why they put missiles in Cuba in the first place. They are also putting missiles throughout Europe near Russia, and interfered in Ukraine and Serbia.

        USA can’t even protect Costa Rica from drug traffickers, what a joke!

        • Frank Castle

          Yes, I know all of what you are saying above as I lived through this era and know its history. The USA could have done many things, if it wanted to, in a much harsher way than it has done in the last 50 or 60 years, but has chosen not to. I don’t think the USA is the perfect nation (I wish the President and Congress would actually follow the Constitution and make a declaration of war when they decide to wage one. That hasn’t happened since 1941.) but as an American, I don’t trust the Sandinistas and the Russians (Putin wanting to be like the Soviet Union complex) pushing more military resources into the region. If you think an agreement between Latin American nations would stop the Russians, Chinese, the USA, or some other power (Islamic terrorists?) from introducing nukes into the region, you seem to be the naive one.

          As for Serbia (the rump of former Yugoslavia) and the USA involvement in the 1990′s, I and many other Americans, were against that action. The Euro countries should have handled that. I don’t believe we should meddle with Ukraine, Georgia or any other former Soviet dominated nation.

          As for drug traffickers in Costa Rica, the legislature has made it clear, they don’t want the Coast Guard or USN docking there as part of operations so it may be more of the Costa Rican government who is hindering that effort. With the liberalization of marijuana laws in more and more US states, this may start to hurt the drug traffickers in Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia and other Latin American countries.

          • dan

            If an all out nuclear war was to happened these Latin American countries hosting Russian warheads will also be vaporized,and of course the rest will suffer. that’s something We Latin Americans don’t want.. why not just stay out of it? neither US or Russian should be allowed to have military bases in Latin America.
            i am Hispanic born and raised in New York but my heritage is bigger than anything else.

          • Frank Castle

            Dan,

            I lived in Guatemala during the 1970′s and knew people who “disappeared” during the ultra right wing government war that the Mayan’s had to endure there. As an American, obviously, I only want my country to use its Armed Forces only for self defense and follow the Constitution. America, as a superpower, played world police all of the world for too many years. The USA poked into the business of too many countries. I want free countries in this hemisphere and not see people oppressed by any foreign power so military bases in Central America is a bad idea. I’m happy that the USA left Panama too as Panamanians aren’t dependent on America or its military. Central Americans are very nice and tolerant people and amazingly friendly towards us Gringos after all the crap over the last 100 years or so that our government has put you through. Let’s hope the next 100 years are better ones.

      • E_R_M

        Not to mention that Latin America is already a “zone of peace”, nuclear
        weapons are banned in the region, as agreed by all the Latin American
        nations …but of course you don’t know that, you don’t seem to be very
        well informed.

      • El Torito

        Monroe Doctrine? Get real!
        When, in its history, has the United States ever NOT been at war (hot or cold) with SOMEBODY?

        • Frank Castle

          or the British, Russians, Germans, French, Japanese, Chinese, etc, etc, etc. The USA was expanding up north in the 1800′s while other countries were trying to do the same. The Russians might have been as far south in Northern California, the French and British (who kept Canada) fought for the rest of North America for over 150 years.

          • El Torito

            Your knowledge of history is ludicrous, if not down right creative. Alas, had you been educated outside of the US, you would have learned the facts about world events instead of self-serving myths and propaganda.

          • Frank Castle

            Considering I won a prestigious history medal from the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) in eighth grade, you critic of my knowledge is laughable. All you are doing is throwing out insults. Why don’t you cite some facts and you might find we have more in common than you think, or not. Oh, I read about history all of the time and not just from American authors. My Filipina wife says I know more about her country than she does. So, I know others may have some more facts on some histories, I don’t think I’m ignorant. Just hurling insults or flames won’t get you far in this world.

          • El Torito

            Sorry about the slow response. I rarely check this email. Congratulations on your award. For 37 years I was the educator who bestowed similar awards on graduating students. I also wrote curriculum for several Boards of Education throughout the province of Ontario. My advice stands. You would do well to re-visit your American history but this time, using non American sources for a more realistic perspective on things past and present.

          • dan

            Democracy doesn’t feed propaganda is just an extra plate which you can “choose” no to swallow,unlike Russia and its communist counterparts Cuba,Venezuela and such where you can only swallow what they feeding you with no other option.
            As far as being a war-head with no Just cause Russians are on the lead with their soviet mentality forcing its neighbors to become or die.
            At least the US is against Genocides Dictatorships,which it has its positives behind it while Russia protects these governments,Such as Syria,Cuba,Venezuela and even the late Saddam Hussein.
            Because of Russian communist ideals more than 100 million people have die in this world compared to Nazis which are around the 25 mil mark which also adopted its Genocide culture from the old Soviet Union.

  • Douglas Hotchkiss

    the usa could straighten out nicaragua in a weekend.
    there’s so much left over gear from afghanistan costa could have an arsenal in a week.

  • davez007

    Some of you may not realize this but, as bad as Nicaragua has been and, I’m not a fan of Daniel Ortega by any measure, they, Venezuela, Cuba, Iran and a handful of other countries are resisting the globalist empire that is now usurping the U.S..

    Choose your poison, Communism or fascism in the form of a global empire that turns you and I into slaves.

    • Jeff Benson

      Dave, you are a psychotic, ludicrous. Wackjob. Its a choice between an idea that has killed 100 million people (communism) or free enterprise (freedom)

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