Costa Rica Admits Increase in Border Patrolling

The ministro de Seguridad Publica (MSP) - Security Minister - Mario Zamora, admitted the increase in police patrolling in the border with Nicaragua, almost two years after the conflict around Calero island in October, 2010.

"Never in history has the country exerted police authority so intensely in that area. Not even during the wars of the 80s," said Zamora.

He declined to provide details about how the border area is guarded against drug trafficking and against the government of the neighbor country, which he described as a "hostile adversary," according to Zamora.

The security reinforcement started because of the controversy triggered by Costa Rica in the wake of the Daniel Ortega Administration's determination to start dredging a section of the mouth of the San Juan River delta.

Criticism was based on the involvement of militaries in the project, led by ex guerrilla commander Eden Pastora.

Costa Rica even filed a suit against Nicaragua before the International Court of Justice, in the Hague, which ordered both states to refrain from sending or deploying militaries or policemen in Calero island.

This is yet another conflict in a long history of periodical disputes between the two Central American countries because of the demarcation of the border, resulting in mutual accusations of military invasion, environmental damage, attempted expansion or encouraging disputes as part of an international conspiracy.