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The delegation includes Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (left), Lois Frankel (center), and Julia Brownley (right).
Photos courtesy of the U.S. Congress and U.S. Embassy.

U.S. Lawmakers Visit Costa Rica To Address Regional Security Concerns



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Published on Thursday, July 31, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff


A bipartisan delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives is in Costa Rica this week for high-level meetings focused on regional security, counter-narcotics efforts and transnational crime.


The delegation includes Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), and Julia Brownley (D-Calif.). The three lawmakers arrived Saturday for a working visit that included a meeting with Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves-Robles at the Presidential House in San José.


Mario Diaz-Balart, a member of the Republican Party, who has served in Congress since 2002, represents Florida’s 26th district, covering parts of northwestern Miami-Dade County, including Hialeah and sections of the northern Everglades.


Lois Frankel, a member of the Democratic Party, currently serving Florida’s 22nd district, returned to Congress in 2023 after previously representing the same area from 2013 to 2017. She also served the 21st district from 2017 to 2023, spent seven terms in the Florida House, and served two terms as mayor of West Palm Beach.


Rep. Julia Brownley,  a member of the Democratic Party, has represented California’s 26th district since 2013 and served in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012.


As part of their visit, the lawmakers toured key national security facilities, including the Joint Operations Center and the Intelligence and Operational Information Center (CIIO) of Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security.







They also stopped by the National Museum in San José, where they viewed a collection of native artisan artifacts recently repatriated from the United States to Costa Rica. The return of these cultural items is part of a broader effort to combat the illicit trafficking of the country’s archaeological heritage.



In a statement, the U.S. Embassy said the congressional visit underscores “the United States' strong commitment to regional security and the joint fight against drug trafficking and transnational crime.”



The delegation was accompanied by Costa Rican Foreign Minister Arnoldo André Tinoco and Michael Flores, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Mission in San José.





Flores continues to serve as the top U.S. diplomat in Costa Rica.  Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Melinda Hildebrand, a Houston-based businesswoman and philanthropist, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has not yet released details on hearings for her nomination.



This visit is the latest in a series of high-level U.S. engagements with Costa Rica. Earlier this year, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also met with President Chaves-Robles and other officials to strengthen bilateral cooperation on border security, migration, and crime prevention.



In March, another U.S. delegation of lawmakers and senior government officials visited Costa Rica to discuss expanding cooperation in trade, security, investment, and technology.


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What steps should the U.S. take to help Costa Rica combat international crime? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com


 








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