Costa Rica's mega-prison under fire after El Salvador inspiration
In a move that has raised eyebrows among human rights advocates, the Costa Rican government has begun construction on a massive prison modelled on its own country's notorious CECOT jail. The facility, which will cost a whopping $35 million and have the capacity to hold 5,000 inmates, bears an uncanny resemblance to El Salvador's own mega-jail, built under the watchful eye of President Nayib Bukele.
Critics argue that rights groups had warned against the construction of such a massive prison due to concerns over serious human rights abuses. It appears that warnings fell on deaf ears as the Costa Rican government ploughs ahead with its ambitious project. The El Salvador example has been cited by many experts, who claim that Bukele's CECOT jail has become synonymous with brutal treatment of inmates and a lack of transparency.
While proponents of the project argue it is necessary to address overcrowding in Costa Rica's prisons, many question whether the facility will serve as a model for a more humane approach or simply perpetuate a cycle of abuse. As construction begins on this massive prison complex, concerns are sure to grow about what the future holds for those who will be held within its walls.
In a move that has raised eyebrows among human rights advocates, the Costa Rican government has begun construction on a massive prison modelled on its own country's notorious CECOT jail. The facility, which will cost a whopping $35 million and have the capacity to hold 5,000 inmates, bears an uncanny resemblance to El Salvador's own mega-jail, built under the watchful eye of President Nayib Bukele.
Critics argue that rights groups had warned against the construction of such a massive prison due to concerns over serious human rights abuses. It appears that warnings fell on deaf ears as the Costa Rican government ploughs ahead with its ambitious project. The El Salvador example has been cited by many experts, who claim that Bukele's CECOT jail has become synonymous with brutal treatment of inmates and a lack of transparency.
While proponents of the project argue it is necessary to address overcrowding in Costa Rica's prisons, many question whether the facility will serve as a model for a more humane approach or simply perpetuate a cycle of abuse. As construction begins on this massive prison complex, concerns are sure to grow about what the future holds for those who will be held within its walls.
it's crazy that they're building something so massive without listening to experts and human rights groups 
I mean, we already have issues with overcrowding in their prisons, but now they're creating a whole new problem by copying El Salvador's CECOT jail which is super notorious for human rights abuses 
It just doesn't make sense to me. What's going on is that some people think it's a good idea to "toughen up" the prison system, but I'm not so sure 
Are they really thinking about what's best for the inmates or just trying to solve a short-term problem? 
$35 million is a huge amount of money and I wish it was being spent on something more meaningful like education or healthcare 
. we gotta speak out against this and make sure our governments are prioritizing human rights over just throwing money at problems 
. These mega-prisons just seem to perpetuate a cycle of abuse and neglect, and Costa Rica is jumping right into the deep end 
. I mean, who needs a $35 million prison when you could be investing in community programs and rehabilitation centers instead? 
It's like they're prioritizing punishment over prevention 
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. I'm not saying Costa Rica is going to follow suit, but it's definitely giving me some serious concerns 
. Can't we just try a different approach for once? 
. And with El Salvador's CECOT jail bein' the inspiration, I hope they're not plannin' on creatin' their own "Crazy Town" 
. I guess you could say it's a "massive" problem if you ask me 
. But seriously, human rights advocates are right to sound the alarm – we gotta make sure prisons are more like rehabs than holding cells 
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. The cost of $35 million could've gone a long way in fixing real issues like lack of mental health resources or rehabilitation programs for inmates instead of throwing more money at a prison system that's already failing.
. I mean, what happened to all the talk about rehabilitation and reducing recidivism rates? It sounds like Costa Rica is just throwing more money at a problem that needs real solutions 
I'm all for tackling overcrowding in prisons but come on, 5k inmates in one place? That's just a recipe for disaster 
. But the thing that's really bothering me is how this prison is being built in direct response to El Salvador's CECOT jail without even learning from their mistakes 
. I'm all for dealing with overcrowding issues, but can't we just try a different approach? Like, have some dialogue with experts and human rights groups to make sure we're building something that's actually going to improve people's lives?
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. And hey, if it's not, then at least we can all keep an eye on it and advocate for change, right? 
Plus, $35 million is a pretty penny, so I'm sure whoever gets to run this place will be motivated to make it work... or else they'll be broke