Costa Rica inaugurated a mega-prison on Wednesday to combat organized crime, modeling the facility after El Salvador’s hardline approach under President Nayib Bukele.
President Laura Fernandez opened the High-Containment Centre Against Organised Crime, or CACCO, in San Rafael de Alajuela, about 20 kilometers northwest of San José. The prison will hold 5,100 inmates—roughly 20% of Costa Rica’s current prison population—and feature strict measures, including orange uniforms and one hour of daily yard time. The first transfers are scheduled for the end of October, according to Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar, who said the facility would help the government regain control of the prison system and reduce organized crime infiltration .
Fernandez framed the CACCO as a benchmark for global prison security, stating it would force criminals to confront a “tough-on-crime model.” The move follows a surge in homicides, with 905 recorded in 2023, 876 in 2024, and 873 in 2025, driven largely by conflicts between criminal groups over drug routes and local markets .
The facility mirrors El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Centre, a cornerstone of Bukele’s crackdown on gangs, which suspended basic rights and led to mass arrests. Fernandez is set to visit El Salvador on Friday to study its prison model firsthand, accompanied by her security and defense ministers .
