Costa Rica Dismisses Foreign Minister After Unauthorised Attendance at Trump-Led Security Meeting

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Costa Rica’s President Laura Fernández has dismissed Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar after he attended a regional security meeting with US President Donald Trump without informing her beforehand, triggering a sudden change in the country’s foreign policy leadership.

Tovar attended the September 22 meeting of the US-led “Shield of the Americas” coalition on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Costa Rican government said he failed to notify or consult Fernández, preventing the president from attending an event it considers strategically important to the country’s fight against drug trafficking and organised crime.

Fernández said the omission caused significant strategic damage because she should have represented Costa Rica at the meeting. The dismissal took effect immediately, while Tovar was still in New York for the UN General Assembly. Foreign Trade Minister Indiana Trejos was appointed acting foreign minister and is expected to assume the role after completing her UN mission.

The meeting brought together 15 countries participating in the Shield of the Americas initiative, which was launched by the Trump administration to strengthen regional cooperation against drug cartels and organised crime. The participating governments issued a joint statement supporting measures including asset freezes and visa restrictions against members and supporters of 24 criminal organisations.

The dismissal has attracted additional attention because Tovar had discussed the planned meeting publicly days before it took place. Costa Rican reporting says he knew about the gathering by at least September 17 and had mentioned it in an interview, while Fernández had already decided in July not to attend the UN General Assembly because of domestic security and investment priorities.

Tovar had also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on September 16, where Costa Rica’s cooperation on security was discussed. The country has increasingly worked with Washington on organised crime and drug trafficking as it faces growing security pressures of its own.

Costa Rica has traditionally been regarded as one of Latin America’s more stable democracies, but rising drug-related violence has made security a major priority for Fernández’s government. The Shield of the Americas meeting therefore carried particular importance for the administration as it seeks stronger international cooperation against organised crime.

Tovar has not publicly challenged the president’s decision. Following his dismissal, he thanked Fernández for having included him in her cabinet. The government must now determine who will permanently lead the foreign ministry as Costa Rica continues its diplomatic engagement with the United States and other regional partners.