Costa Rica president reportedly fires foreign minister over Trump-chaired summit
Reports say Laura Fernandez removed Manuel Tovar after he attended a New York security meeting chaired by Donald Trump without notifying her.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
President Laura Fernandez has reportedly dismissed Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar after he attended a New York security gathering chaired by US President Donald Trump without first notifying her. The costa rica foreign minister fired account, reported by Al Jazeera and Türkiye Today, concerns a multilateral meeting rather than a confirmed private meeting between Tovar and Trump.
Fernandez said she should have represented Costa Rica at the Shield of the Americas gathering, which was held alongside the United Nations General Assembly, according to the reports. Costa Rica’s government said Tovar took part without giving the president advance notice, preventing her from attending and causing what Fernandez described as “great strategic damage” to the country’s interests.
Why was Costa Rica’s foreign minister reportedly fired?
The reported reason was Tovar’s attendance at the New York meeting without Fernandez’s knowledge or approval. Türkiye Today reported that Fernandez did not publicly provide further details about the encounter or say whether Costa Rica made any commitments there.
Shield of the Americas is a US-led coalition focused on fighting drug trafficking and organized crime across the region, according to Al Jazeera. The US Embassy in Costa Rica has described the country as a founding member of the coalition.
Al Jazeera, citing AFP and Reuters, reported that 15 coalition members issued a statement saying they intended to pursue asset freezes, visa restrictions and criminal liability against members and supporters of 24 criminal organizations. The available reports do not establish what role, if any, Costa Rica played in those plans.
Who is acting as Costa Rica’s foreign minister?
Foreign Trade Minister Indiana Trejos was named acting foreign minister and was due to take up the role after returning from a UN General Assembly mission, Al Jazeera reported.
Tovar did not directly address the reported dismissal, according to Al Jazeera. He thanked Fernandez for including him in her cabinet.
The episode is separate from a documented meeting Tovar held with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on September 16. In a September 17 statement, the US Embassy said Rubio thanked Tovar for Costa Rica’s efforts to deepen economic ties with the United States, including on trade, and welcomed Costa Rica’s leadership on security and sovereignty issues in the region. The embassy said Rubio looked forward to continued collaboration between the two countries.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.