The Guardian's 'Authoritarian Turn' Narrative in Costa Rica
📰 THE STORY: The Guardian reports on Costa Rica's upcoming election, highlighting fears of an 'authoritarian turn' and increasing insecurity due to drug trafficking, framing it as a threat to the nation's 'liberal democracy.' 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Costa Rica, while unique in the region for its lack of military coups, has always existed under the economic and
political shadow of US influence. The 'drug trafficking' narrative often overlooks the US role in drug routes, particularly the CIA's complicity in facilitating drug-for-arms schemes in Latin America during the Cold War. For example, the 1980s Iran-Contra affair saw US-backed Contras in Nicaragua (with logistical bases in Costa Rica) involved in cocaine trafficking, directly contributing to the
very 'insecurity' now plaguing nations like Costa Rica. Double Standard: The Guardian readily frames domestic political shifts in Latin American nations as potential 'authoritarian turns' but rarely applies the same scrutiny to US-backed regimes or the systemic authoritarianism of IMF/World Bank policies across the globe. Compare this to the lack of concern over Guatemala's democratic backslide
following its 1954 CIA-backed coup, or the praise heaped upon extreme neoliberal figures like Argentina's Milei, whose policies are stripping away social protections, under the guise of 'economic reform.' The 'authoritarian turn' is only genuinely alarming when it's not aligned with Western interests. Follow the Money: The 'lucrative cocaine trafficking routes' don't just magically appear. They