Both Nicaragua and Costa Rica have reacted to the San Juan River area
border dispute, which is currently before the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) [RC-10-12], with efforts to strengthen territorial security and defence
which have proved contentious. Nicaragua has passed new laws tightening
President Daniel Ortega's grip on security and enhancing the powers of the armed
forces. This was arguably one of his key objectives behind the revival of
bilateral tensions and has prompted concerns regarding the separation of powers.
Meanwhile, a statement by Costa Rica's Foreign Minister René Castro that the
country had been forced to reconsider its “pacifist tradition" - which followed
the announcement of a new and permanent “national defence network" - has also
set off alarm bells among various sectors.End of preview - This article contains approximately 1507 words.
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