Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The Article 12 of the Constitution of Costa Rica abolishes Costa Rica's army as a permanent institution, making Costa Rica one of the first countries in the world to do so as the current Constitution was enacted in 1949. [1] Costa Rica is one of the few countries without armed forces and, alongside Panama, one of the few that is not a microstate.
It has a small volunteer army which is purely ceremonial in function. The paramilitary GIPA special forces unit of the national police is trained in counter-terrorism and hostage rescue. [14] [15] Dominica: Dominica has not had a standing army since 1981. The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force has a special forces unit and coast guard.
On 1 December 1948, the President of Costa Rica, José Figueres Ferrer, abolished the Costa Rican military after his victory in the Costa Rican Civil War. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] In a ceremony at the national capital of San José , Figueres symbolically broke a wall with a mallet , symbolizing an end to the military's existence. [ 4 ]
"The future of mankind cannot include armed forces. Police, yes, because people are imperfect.", he declared. Ever since, Costa Rica has had no army and has maintained a 7,500-member national police force for a population of over five million. [9] enabled women and illiterates to vote, [4] put into effect basic welfare legislation, [5]
However, the lack of a military does not always result in neutrality: Countries such as Costa Rica and Iceland replaced their standing army with a military guarantee from a stronger power or participation in a mutual defense pact (under TIAR and NATO respectively).
The Bush Administration stopped international financial organization loans to the government of Costa Rica after Arias expropriated land on which a secret mile-long airstrip was built. [6] More than 3,370 Peace Corps volunteers have served in Costa Rica since the program was established in 1963. Currently, 128 volunteers serve there.
A Texas woman suspected in the fatal shooting of professional cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson at an Austin home has been arrested in Costa Rica, the U.S. Marshals Service said Thursday. Kaitlin Marie ...
Since then Costa Rica has been one of the few democracies to operate without a standing army. [17] The nation has held 17 successive presidential elections, all peaceful, the latest being in 2022 . In May 2022, Costa Rica's new president Rodrigo Chaves , right-wing former finance minister, was sworn in for a four-year presidential term.