National Security Commission Created
By Amanda Roberson, Tico Times Staff
To promote better coordination between government institutions providing public security, President Oscar Arias’ administration plans to create a National Public Security Council, Vice-Minister of the Presidency José Torres announced yesterday after a meeting at Casa Presidencial.
Rodrigo Arias, Minister of the Presidency and the President’s brother; Public Security Minister Fernando Berrocal; and Justice Minister Laura Chinchilla met yesterday to discuss forming the council, which, though established under the law, has not been in place under the last two presidential administrations, Torres said.
“This administration will emit a decree to create the council, which will have representatives from the Ministry of the Presidency, the Justice Ministry and the Public Security Ministry,” Torres explained. “It will serve to coordinate the work of different police operations during times when there are public security situations.
“The Public Security Ministry has a vertical organization, and the council will create better coordination between all the institutions,” Torres added.
Torres said the timing of these plans has no correlation with a strike planned for June 7 by those opposing the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA).