U.S. State Dept. Issues Warning on Costa Rica's Violent-Crime Spree

[Jeff Dunsavage]

Things must be getting bad in "Latin America's Safest Country" -- the U.S. State Department has finally gotten around to issuing a warning about the violent-crime spree that has been plaguing Costa Rica:

Within the last few weeks, the Embassy has received increased reports of armed robberies of tourists in the Puerto Viejo area.  In light of this situation, the U.S. Embassy advises U.S. citizens living in or visiting the Puerto Viejo area to remain cautious and vigilant with regard to their personal safety and security.

In the past four weeks, three armed robberies of  U.S. citizens have occurred in the Puerto Viejo area, in addition to armed invasions of two hotels and one residence.  Police in Puerto Viejo have informed the Embassy that they are undertaking active preventative measures to avoid further incidents of this type.  Armed robbery continues to be the primary criminal threat facing tourists in the Southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica.

Read the full State Department warning

In typical State Department fashion, however, the embassy appears to have confined its warning to narrow geographical area in which a handful of AMERICANS have actually been violently attacked in recent weeks -- no reference to the robberies, murders, and disappearances of tourists and expats across the country. 

Please, please, PLEASE: DO SERIOUS HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU TRAVEL, RETIRE, OR INVEST ABROAD!