By James Brodell

The impact in Costa Rica from a Donald Trump U.S. presidency probably will be minimal at first.

According to Trump, his primary agenda is to terminate the war in Ukraine and reduce fighting in the Middle East. Then he has to determine what to do with the estimated 20 million unlawful immigrants already in the United States.

Costa Ricans are likely to see an immediate strengthening of the U.S. currency and elimination of efforts helping migrants travel north in the country toward the United States.

Costa Rican criminal offenders now jailed in the United States will be among the first to be deported. Other Costa Ricans will follow because none has a legitimate claim to political asylum. The country is hardly a political dictatorship like Nicaragua or Venezuela, and no one can claim oppression because of religion, gender or sexual orientation.

Trump also has promised to return manufacturing that currently is offshore to the United States, so some U.S. companies in Costa Rica might be targeted with high import duties.

The new president also said that he is not a believer in climate alarmism and also promotes U.S. energy dominance, so any Washington policies toward carbon neutrality are history.

Of course, most proposals from the new president would have to pass through the U.S. Congress. Fortunately for Trump, his Republican Party will control the U.S. Senate and probably the U.S. House after the January inauguration.

Trump also will face vigorous opposition from Democrats.

Some of his earlier proposals, such as death penalties for drug dealers probably would not survive the political system.

Trump supporter, the South Africa-born Elon Musk, is likely will head a new department of government efficiency. His actions and findings probably will influence any funds the Costa Rican government receives from the U.S. and international organizations. Some U.S. State Department programs will be shuttered.

There also is lingering unhappiness among Republicans for the covid lock downs, masking and vaccines that have proved ineffective. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention likely will see some turnovers.

Trump has linked U.S. border security with the fentanyl and methamphetamine epidemic that has killed more than 100,000 U.S. residents a year. Although Costa Rica has been a transit country for cocaine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration most fentanyl and methamphetamine originate in México with chemicals shipped from China. Still, the Trump Administration is expected to increase the pressure on all drug routes.

According to Trump, "drugs are imported into the United States by foreigners directed by the Mexican drug cartels."

"When I am president it will be the policy of the United States to take down the cartels just as we took down ISIS and the ISIS caliphate," Trump said.

Inauguration still is more than two months away. However, Trump is known to have prepared stacks of presidential orders that he will release on the afternoon of Jan. 20 after he takes the oath of office. Some ideas of his plans will come sooner based on the individuals he appoints to key jobs in his administration. The impact is certain to be more substantial in the United States than it ever could be in Costa Rica, although many organizations located in Costa Rica depend, in part, on money from the U.S. government.

James Brodell, A.M. Costa Rica editor emeritus, is a retired journalism professor and a New York Metro area newspaper editor.

Thoughts on the above article can be directed to Mr. Brodell by emailing JBrodell@jamesbrodell.com

Check out Brodell literary offerings on James Brodell's website  -Copyright James J. Brodell 2024 -

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The views or opinions expressed by the author are his/her sole and exclusive responsibility and do not necessarily represent the opinion of A.M. Costa Rica. Therefore, the newspaper doesn't accept liability for the author's article content.

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