San José, 14 January (H.S.): Costa Rican authorities announced on Tuesday the unearthing of a clandestine scheme to assassinate President Rodrigo Chaves, mere days before pivotal national elections slated for February 1, in which his right-wing faction remains the frontrunner.
Jorge Torres, Director of Intelligence and National Security, revealed that a confidential informant alerted the agency to a remunerated assassin tasked with eliminating Chaves, prompting swift investigative action.
Attorney General Carlo Díaz confirmed a female suspect under scrutiny, noting her pronounced social media activity, though he refrained from divulging further particulars or implicating electoral machinations at this juncture.
Political Backdrop and Succession Stakes
Chaves, constitutionally prohibited from consecutive reelection despite robust popularity, has endorsed former minister Laura Fernández as his successor. Fernández surges in opinion polls with a stringent anti-narcotics platform, attributing the Caribbean nation's escalating violence to drug cartels that have eroded its idyllic reputation.
Opposition voices caution against undue sway from El Salvador's Nayib Bukele, whose iron-fisted governance Chaves emulates.On Wednesday, Chaves hosts Bukele for the groundbreaking of a mega-prison modeled after El Salvador's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), where thousands of youths languish without trial amid Bukele's gang crackdown.
Venezuelan deportees from U.S. facilities recently alleged torture upon release, amplifying regional human rights concerns. This development underscores Costa Rica's hardening security posture as Fernández's campaign gains traction.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
