Earlier this month, Costa Rica introduced mandatory visa requirements for Hondurans seeking to enter, saying the measure was needed to boost security, which prompted reciprocal action from Tegucigalpa.
Earlier this year, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves proposed a set of security measures in response to surging crime, including a record-setting pace for murders.
Costa Rican police have attributed rising violence to an uptick in international criminal groups trafficking drugs to the United States.
Specifically, Costa Ricans seeking to enter Honduras will need a certificate showing their criminal records, while Hondurans seeking to enter Costa Rica will need a certificate detailing any police record.
(Reporting by Alvaro Murillo in Costa Rica; Additional reporting by Gustavo Palencia in Tegucigalpa; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Leslie Adler)
Persons:
Rodrigo Chaves, Chaves, Xiomara Castro, Gerardo Torres, Alvaro Murillo, Gustavo Palencia, Sarah Morland, David Alire Garcia, Leslie Adler
Organizations:
JOSE, Central, Costa, Honduran
Locations:
Costa Rica, Honduras, Central American, Tegucigalpa, Costa Rican, Central America, United States, Costa Ricans