August broke this year’s record for homicides, as security minister says Costa Rica is “mostly free of gangs”

September 14^th, 2015 (ICR News) August has officially been the most violent month so far this year, with 60 recorded homicides, beating the previous 2015 record when 51 homicides were recorded in March, according to the latest data provided by the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ).

A total of 369 murders were recorded between January and August, 153 of which are attributed to “vendettas” between rival drug gangs, according to the OIJ.

Another 90 deaths are being investigated as possible murders, according to the OIJ.

Despite the statistics, Security Minister Gustavo Mata told reporters on August 28^th that the country was mostly free of gangs.  “Fortunately, I feel that Costa Rica isn’t a breeding ground for gangs” because of the country’s social stability, he said.

Mata believes that Costa Rica’s “strong social structure,” with “employment opportunities and government support for young people” makes the country a “difficult place to take hold and recruit,” according to a report by Dialogo.

Mata also said that Nicaragua provides Costa Rica with a “natural shield” against gang members.  “Nicaragua’s strong anti-gang policies make it difficult for gang members to travel south,” Mata said.

If gang members do make their way to Costa Rica, Mata said the country has “sufficient resources” to prevent them from taking root.  “We have a judiciary that… could put pressure on those criminal groups,” Mata said.

Mata also said that “former” gang members have indeed come to Costa Rica, but to start new, law-abiding lives.

“There are individuals here,” Mata confirmed. “But those I’ve seen in my police experience are people who have somehow left the country (of origin) with the aim to change their activity.”

Mata said he personally knows of two cases of former Honduran gang members who reached Costa Rica, adding that in each instance, “what I’ve seen is a totally changed individual, with a very different mindset, with a family.”

“The two individuals are family heads and have stable jobs here. They say that what’s in the past is in the past, and they’re here with another mindset: to work. They don’t even like to talk about what they did [as gang members].”

Despite Mata’s assurances, however, statistics this year are painting a different picture, and if the gangs aren’t coming from elsewhere, they’re being home grown.

The number of recorded homicides in Costa Rica during the first half of this year grew an alarming 50% compared to the first half of 2014, according to the latest data released by the Judicial Investigative Police (OIJ).

Using data between June 2014 and June of this year, Costa Rica’s homicide rate now stands at 12.4 per 100,000 inhabitants.  The World Health Organization (WHO) describes a homicide rate of 10 per 100,000 inhabitants or greater as an “epidemic.”

And despite Mata’s August statements to the press, other officials say the spike in homicides is mostly attributable to an increase in gang warfare between narco groups competing for turf, especially in the areas south of the capital San Jose such as Desamparados and Alajuelita, and does not necessarily reflect an increase in violence against common citizens.

In fact, Mata himself in early August conceded that most of the increase in homicides is attributed to an increase in gangsters killing each other in turf wars.

“People are being killed, people are dying who are involved in drug trafficking.  Both the victims and the perpetrators have criminal records.  They are fighting over territory to sell drugs,” Mata said in early August.

For his part, Costa Rica’s chief prosecutor, Attorney General Jorge Chavarria has repeatedly warned this year that violence in Costa Rica is headed to a “point of no return.”

Speaking on the radio program Nuestra Voz in late August, Chavarria expressed the need for various government institutions, including law enforcement, the judiciary, the executive and municipal governments to work together to address the issue.

“Decisions need to be made, the country is headed down a path of violence that has no return, we are a violent country,” Chavarria said.