Costa Rica’s president, Laura Fernandez, has fired Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar after he attended a US-led security meeting with Donald Trump in New York without informing her.
The government said the unauthorised attendance prevented Ms Fernandez from taking part in the gathering and caused significant strategic harm to Costa Rica’s interests. She said she should have represented the country at the meeting of Mr Trump’s anti-cartel Shield of the Americas alliance.
The coalition aims to combat drug trafficking and organised crime across the region. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and was attended by several right-wing Latin American presidents.
Fifteen members issued a joint statement promising asset freezes and visa restrictions, as well as efforts to secure criminal liability for members and supporters of 24 criminal organisations.
The gathering formed part of the Trump administration’s drive for a tougher regional response to drug trafficking. Since returning to office last year, Mr Trump has designated cartels as foreign terrorist organisations and ordered dozens of strikes on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that US officials say were carrying narcotics to the United States.
Costa Rica, long regarded as one of Latin America’s more stable countries and a popular tourist destination, is facing a rise in drug-related violence.
Mr Tovar did not comment on his dismissal, but thanked Ms Fernandez, who has been in office since last May, for including him in her cabinet.
Indiana Trejos, Costa Rica’s Minister of Foreign Trade, has been appointed acting foreign minister. She will take up the post after returning from her mission to the UN General Assembly.
