FERNANDEZ FIRES COSTA RICA FOREIGN MINISTER OVER TRUMP MEETING

Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez has dismissed Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar for attending a Trump-led regional security meeting in New York without informing her, according to Costa Rica's government. The meeting, held under US President Donald Trump's "Shield of the Americas" anti-cartel alliance, took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Fernandez said she should have attended instead, and that Tovar's failure to consult her caused "great strategic damage" to Costa Rica's interests. Tovar did not comment on his dismissal, thanking Fernandez for having included him in her cabinet.

Several right-wing Latin American leaders also attended the meeting alongside Trump. Fifteen coalition members issued a joint statement pledging asset freezes, visa restrictions and criminal liability against members and supporters of 24 criminal organisations. The gathering formed part of Trump's wider push to rally the region behind a tougher stance on drug trafficking. Since returning to office last year, he has designated cartels as foreign "terrorist" organisations and ordered strikes on boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that officials say were carrying narcotics. Costa Rica, long seen as a stable, tourist-friendly nation, is experiencing a rise in drug-related violence, according to reports.

Fernandez, a conservative ally of Trump who has led Costa Rica since last May, named Indiana Trejos as acting foreign minister after Tovar's dismissal. Trejos, currently Costa Rica's Minister of Foreign Trade, is due to take up the role once she returns from her own engagements at the UN General Assembly, the government said. One report placed the meeting on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the UN gathering in New York. The dismissal reflects the importance Fernandez has placed on directly overseeing Costa Rica's role in Trump's regional anti-cartel initiative.