Costa Rica Opens Mega-Prison to Combat Organized Crime

The Centro de Alta Contención y Crimen Organizado (CACCO) was inaugurated on October 14, 2026 within the La Reforma complex in San Rafael de Alajuela. On October 27, 2026 the justice ministry confirmed that the first 123 inmates had been moved into the new maximum-security facility. Images released by the ministry show the prisoners seated on the floor, heads shaved, hands behind their necks and dressed in orange uniforms, a visual echo of El Salvador’s CECOT prison.

Tico Times

Costa Rica, long touted as one of Latin America’s safest nations, recorded a historic homicide peak in 2023, largely linked to drug-trafficking disputes. Prison overcrowding has hovered around 59 %, prompting the Fernández administration to pursue a “tough on crime” strategy. The project was built with technical assistance from President Nayib Bukele’s government in El Salvador, reflecting a regional push to contain organized-crime networks.

The Straits Times

Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar framed CACCO as “a monument to national security” and a “forceful response to organized crime.” President Laura Fernández specifically directed that suspects in the killing of police officer Gerson Rosales (shot on May 13, 2026) be among the first transferred. Aguilar also noted that the facility is intended to alleviate prison overcrowding once fully operational.

Tico Times

• Capacity: 5,100 inmates (? 20 % of the national prison population).

Tico Times

• Construction cost: US $33.2 million.

Tico Times

• Overcrowding projection: Ministry of Justice estimates the rate could fall from 59 % to 15 % once CACCO reaches full capacity.

Tico Times

• Timeline: Authorities aim to fill the facility by December 2026, moving prisoners gradually from other high-security sections.

Tico Times

• “Costa Rica is writing a new chapter in its penitentiary history,” — Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar

The Straits Times