Article Summary

Costa Rica has opened a massive new prison designed to hold 5,100 people, part of a 'tough-on-crime' approach inspired by El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele, whose crackdowns have been popular but criticized for violating civil rights. The article presents the prison as a necessary response to rising violence and organized crime, while noting critics' concerns about human rights but not deeply exploring whether such prisons actually reduce crime in the long term. Other right-wing leaders in Latin America are following a similar path, promoting mega-prisons as a solution to crime.