Archive · 14 Aug 2025
Costa Rica to Build Prison Inspired by El Salvador's Model
Costa Rica is building a new, large prison to fight crime, inspired by a similar prison in El Salvador.
This new prison, called CACCO, will hold a lot more people, helping to deal with too many inmates in the current prisons.
El Salvador is helping with the plans and security tech.
The project costs $35 million and is starting soon.
This is happening because Costa Rica's crime rates are up, and the current prisons are overcrowded, making it hard to keep things safe.
El Salvador's similar prison has helped lower crime, but some worry about the conditions inside.
Costa Rica will begin constructing a new maximum-security prison modeled after El Salvador's mega-prison.
The new prison, named CACCO, is designed to hold 5,100 inmates, increasing Costa Rica's prison capacity by 40%.
El Salvador is providing technical assistance, including blueprints and security technology.
The project is budgeted at $35 million, and construction will start this year.
The initiative aims to combat rising crime rates and prison overcrowding.
- Who
- Costa Rican government
- What
- Costa Rica is constructing a new maximum-security prison.
- When
- Construction will begin this year.
- Where
- Costa Rica
- Why
- To combat rising crime rates and prison overcrowding.
Concerns
Government View
Prison Conditions
Concerns
Human rights organizations report inhumane conditions and deaths within El Salvador's CECOT.
Government View
El Salvador denies those allegations.
- Prison Name
- Center for High Containment of Organized Crime (CACCO)
- Capacity
- 5,100 inmates
- Budget
- $35 million
- Inspiration
- El Salvador's CECOT
- El Salvador's Role
- Providing technical assistance, blueprints, and security technology