By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Ministry of Security reported Thursday that the vice minister, Luis Carlos Castillo, met with Tad Woolfe, the U.S. deputy secretary of Defense.

According to the ministry, the meeting between both men had the goal of strengthening relations between the two countries,  as well as discuss the support that is provided between countries on security issues.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense is a headquarters-level staff of the U. S. Department of Defense. It is the principal civilian staff element of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and it assists the secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department of Defense in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, fiscal, and program evaluation responsibilities.

Woolfe is a U.S. Air Force officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel and a graduate of the high level training.  The ministry does not provide more details on the meeting subject.


Congress has approved the request for docking, a port stay and liberty for the crew of the U. S. Navy craft called USS Cincinnati, as A.M. Costa Rica previously reported.

The warship is an Independence-class littoral combat vessel. The Cincinnati has an unusual shape dominated by a helicopter landing pad.

The ship is scheduled to arrive in Golfito between Nov. 7 and 10 with the option to extend until Dec. 15, according to the statement sent to Congress by Michael Soto-Rojas, minister of Public Security.

Under Costa Rican law, Congress must approve the docking of any foreign warships.

According to the Congress, the ship has the purpose of refueling and take on other supplies, as well as giving rest to the crew and exchanging experiences with the authorities of the Ministry of Security, related to the Joint Patrol Agreement that is regulated by the Law No. 7929.

According to the government, the Joint Patrol Agreement between Costa Rica and the U. S. has the goal of suppressing illicit drug trafficking and was approved by Law No. 7929 and is in force since Oct. 28, 1999.

The legal agreement contemplates the entry of U.S. vessels to the Costa Rican seas to intercept ships suspected of drug trafficking as well as to capture their occupants.

The approval of this agreement took place after the court indicated some modifications that should be made to the original text so that the final text did not violate national sovereignty.

Within the scope of this international cooperation agreement is the supply of equipment, as well as information to the Costa Rican authorities to carry out a more effective fight against drug trafficking.

Also, the contract has provided the country with a valuable tool in the fight against other crimes, such as trafficking and trafficking in persons in Costa Rican waters, said the government.

Similarly, by receiving more resources for the National Coast Guard Service, the country has achieved better compliance with its maritime legislation, since the service has been able to carry out greater control of crimes such as illegal fishing, the government said.

In addition, Coast Guard authorities have been able to improve their ability to carry out search and rescue operations, both for fishermen and tourists who are victims of a mishap at sea.

 

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