Costa Rica inaugurates a maximum-security “mega-prison” as the government intensifies its campaign against organized crime, following a rise in killings. The facility opens in San Jose on Wednesday, as President Laura Fernandez’s administration increases pressure on criminal groups that have expanded their influence in the country.

Outlets describe the move as part of a broader tough-on-crime strategy. Several reports link Costa Rica’s approach to hardline models used elsewhere in the region, particularly El Salvador’s under President Nayib Bukele. While details of the prison’s scale and operations are not emphasized consistently across coverage, the common thread is the government’s focus on drug trafficking and organized crime, and the attempt to reduce violence by expanding detention capacity and enforcement measures.

Some reports focus more on the political framing and inspiration behind the policy, while others emphasize the immediate security context that prompted the prison’s opening. All agree that the inauguration marks a shift toward more aggressive criminal justice tactics in a country previously known for relative safety.