U.S. Warship in Costa Rican Waters

A U.S. warship may remains in territorial waters of Costa Rica  until July 12, 2012 after being authorized to do so by the National Legislative Assembly.

The USS ELROD, with two SH-60B helicopters on board, measures 135 meters long, is equipped with artillery and its crew made up of 15 officers and 200 marines.

Most of Congress passed last night the entrance and permanence of the U.S. ship, with 34 votes in favor and five against, during its last session before the mid-year vacation.

Deputies argued that it was urgent to endorse the berth, because the ship participated in an operation that allowed the seizure of more than 2,000 kilograms of marijuana and, if they left the case pending until the legislature would be back into session, it would have had to wait two weeks at sea.

Congress expressed doubts about the work that such gunships do in national waters, on the assumption that they are participating in the program of joint patrols against drug trafficking, agreed 11 years ago between the two governments.

Just weeks ago the Costa Rican Parliament approved the entry into the territory of nearly 50 U.S.-small ships, mostly with helicopters and soldiers, recalled the newspaper El Pais.

Congresswoman Carmen Munoz, from the Accion Ciudadana Party, denounced that the lawmakers opposed to give permission, were pressured.

Meanwhile, social activists believe that the repeated authorizations in this regard, adopted since the taking over of President Laura Chinchilla (2010), compromise Costa Rica because it includes the country in the U.S. militaristic agenda and make it a military target.