U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica Cynthia Telles and Costa Rican Minister of Public Security Mario Zamora presented in early July the Together for Limón initiative, a joint U.S.-Costa Rican effort to bring greater prosperity and security to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Together for Limón reflects the U.S. commitment to strengthening citizen security and improving social and economic opportunities in Limón, with the U.S. government investing more than $20 million in projects that benefit the community.
“Together for Limón takes an integrated approach to foster a safer and more prosperous province, because for the people of Limón to have the opportunity to thrive, they need security, access to jobs, and quality education. We are together for Limón,” said Ambassador Telles during her first visit to the Caribbean city.
The initiative has as its pillars security, economic, educational, cultural, and exchange opportunities, governance and anti-corruption, which the U.S. supports with multiple actions and programs.
In the area of security, multiple U.S. Embassy offices and agencies provide training and cooperate with various police forces to better protect residents, interdict drug trafficking, and combat organized crime, while the Sembremos Seguridad (We Sow Security) strategy promotes more resilient communities with a focus on crime prevention.
In addition, the Bureau of International Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) helps judicial authorities incorporate best practices to combat corruption, manage organized crime cases, and provide alternative justice mechanisms for juvenile offenders.
On the economic front, the U.S. Embassy provides technical assistance to local authorities responsible for attracting investment and helps U.S. companies establish themselves and create jobs in the community.
Through its Public Diplomacy Section, the Embassy also provides educational exchange opportunities, promotes English language learning, and implements programs to expand cultural connections between the United States and Limón at the American Corner, where more than 1,600 educational and cultural programs have been held since its founding in 2007 to date.