Costa Rica’s national security director, Jorge Torres, revealed allegations of a plot to assassinate President Rodrigo Chaves ahead of the Feb. 1 elections and said he is filing a formal complaint with prosecutors. A woman reportedly called to report the plot and claimed a payment had been made to a hitman, prompting authorities to reinforce protective measures for the president. The announcement coincides with an upcoming visit by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele and plans to build a Bukele-modeled “mega-prison.” Investigations are ongoing and details remain confidential.
Costa Rica Says Alleged Assassination Plot Against President Rodrigo Chaves Uncovered Ahead of Elections
El presidente costarricense, Rodrigo Chaves, habla durante una conferencia de prensa sobre la incautación de cuatro toneladas de drogas en una base aérea de San José, Costa Rica, el viernes 28 de noviembre de 2025. (Foto AP/José Díaz)
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica (AP) — Costa Rica’s national security director on Tuesday disclosed allegations of a plot to assassinate President Rodrigo Chaves as the country prepares for presidential and legislative elections.
Jorge Torres, director of the Intelligence and National Security Directorate, told reporters he was preparing to file a formal complaint with the public prosecutor’s office and that the information he received is confidential. He declined to provide operational details but emphasized the allegation concerns "the life of the president of the Republic."
"What we received is confidential information that I would like to put on record in the complaint. I don’t want to go into detail, but I would simply like to tell you that it concerns the life of the president of the Republic," Torres told local media.
Torres said authorities received a telephone call from a woman who reported an alleged plot targeting Chaves and claimed a payment had been made to a hitman. He added that protective measures for the conservative, populist president are being strengthened while prosecutors investigate.
The announcement came as El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele—known internationally for a controversial and hard-line security crackdown—was due to visit Costa Rica. On Wednesday, Chaves is scheduled to lay the cornerstone for a new "mega-prison" officials say will be modeled on a facility constructed under Bukele’s administration.
Costa Rica will hold presidential and legislative elections on Feb. 1. Chaves is ineligible to run for reelection; the ruling party’s Laura Fernández is among the candidates contesting the presidency. Authorities say they have lodged the complaint to ensure an official investigation and to strengthen security measures during the campaign period.
Note: Authorities have characterized the allegations as confidential and say investigations are ongoing. No arrests or publicly verified operational details had been announced at the time of the briefing.
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