FM Manuel Tovar attended a meeting without prior notice, which prevented President Laura Fernandez from participating.
On Thursday, Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez dismissed Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar after he attended a meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Shield of the Americas, without authorization or prior notice.
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According to the Costa Rican Presidency, Tovar’s actions were deemed inappropriate because they prevented Fernandez from participating in a strategic session convened by the United States.
The government maintained that this omission had significant political consequences for the country’s national interests. The Shield of the Americas meeting was convened by the U.S. Secretary of State and was attended by Trump.
The forum aims to coordinate regional security policies in the face of shared “criminal threats.” The Costa Rican government defined the Shield of the Americas as a political and strategic space designed to strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.
🇨🇷 y 🇺🇸 reafirman compromiso con la democracia, la libertad y el desarrollo de la región. El Canciller Manuel Tovar realizó visita a Washington para reunirse con Secretaría de Estado, Congresistas y promover al país como destino de inversión para generar más oportunidades. pic.twitter.com/n2IrpuRCVf
— Cancillería Costa Rica 🇨🇷 (@CRcancilleria) September 19, 2026
The text reads, “Costa Rica and the United States reaffirm their commitment to democracy, freedom, and the development of the region. Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar visited Washington to meet with the Secretary of State and members of Congress to promote the country as an investment destination to generate more opportunities.”
While the meeting was taking place, Fernandez was in Barranquilla, meeting with Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella to strengthen bilateral cooperation against criminal organizations. The meeting aimed to consolidate joint actions against drug trafficking and insecurity.
Following Tovar’s dismissal, the Costa Rican president appointed Indiana Trejos, Minister of Foreign Trade, as interim foreign minister until the administration takes a final decision.
Tovar’s departure occurred while he was leading the Costa Rican delegation to the United Nations (UN) during the General Assembly. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade under former Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Costa Rica: According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the governing conservative Sovereign People’s Party leads the results of the legislative elections held on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/EapYhpkmFq
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) February 5, 2026
teleSUR: JP
Source: EFE
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