Millions Demanded From Costa Rica For Damage to San Juan River

Three Nicaraguan environmental organizations are demanding millions of dollars from the Costa Rican government in economic compensation for damage Costa Rica allegedly caused to the river San Juan.

The demand, reported by El Pais newspaper on July 7, comes after the Central American Court of Justice on July 2 condemned “the state of Costa Rica for … the ecological damages related to the San Juan River in Nicaragua, as well as the shared ecosystem” in the common border area.

Costa Rica rejected the ruling and said it would not abide by it. The government said it was considering withdrawing from the Central American Integration System (SICA) over the issue, at least while Nicaragua holds the presidency of the entity.

The complaint against Costa Rica was brought by Kamilo Lara Bermúdez, president of NGO FONARE (the National Recycling Forum) and Dr. Jaime Incer Barquero, president of the Nicaraguan Foundation for Sustainable Development (FUNDENIC). Along with the Friends of the River Foundation, they publicly demanded compensation for environmental damage to the river.

FUNDAR President Norving Torres told El Pais, that the economic costs of the alleged damages Costa Rica should pay total $292 million USD per year.

Local media quoted official sources as saying Costa Rica’s president, Laura Chinchilla, is developing a strategy to address what she considers “hostile political actions” by Nicaragua.

Chinchilla said Costa Rica has “every right to doubt of the objectivity [of the ruling and the court in general] because it is located in Nicaragua and because the person [Carlos Guerra] who is presiding over the tribunal is from Nicaragua.”

Costa Rica denies responsibility for any environmental damage in the geographically shared watershed. The construction last spring of a 160-kilometer road located meters off the banks of Costa Rica is the basis for the allegations of environmental harm.

Despite the political dispute, a number of Nicaraguan and Costa Rican environmental organizations have regularly worked side by side on the San Juan River.