Costa Rica has begun moving prisoners into a massive new maximum-security prison built to hold 5,100 people. On Tuesday, authorities transferred the first group of 123 inmates to the facility on the outskirts of the capital, San Jose. The government released images showing the prisoners dressed in orange uniforms, seated with shaved heads and their hands behind their necks.
The new facility is called the High-Containment Center Against Organized Crime, or CACCO. Built with assistance from the Salvadoran government at a cost of $35 million, the prison was inaugurated on October 15 by President Laura Fernandez. It represents a new "tough on crime" policy for her administration. Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar stated that the center can hold 20 percent of Costa Rica's total prison population and will help reduce severe overcrowding in the country's jail system.
The mega-prison marks a major shift for Costa Rica, which has long been regarded as one of the safest and most peaceful countries in Latin America. In recent years, however, the nation has experienced a sharp increase in violence linked to organized crime. Authorities attribute the violence to rival gangs fighting for control of drug trafficking routes and markets. The country recorded 905 homicides in 2023, followed by 876 in 2024 and 873 in 2025.
Officials say the new facility sends a clear signal that the state is ready to confront criminal groups directly. With this project, Costa Rica joins several other Latin American nations that are turning to mega-prisons to combat rising crime.