Costa Rica

The Republic of Costa Rica borders Nicaragua and Panama. A former Spanish colony, Roman Catholicism is the state religion of Costa Rica. Lauded as one of the most stable democracies in the region, rule of law is generally upheld.¹ In recent years, the country has experienced a growth in its refugee population following the ongoing political crisis in neighbouring Nicaragua. As a result, it is estimated that Nicaraguans now account for some 7% of the population.²

A census conducted in 2022 estimated that the total population was a little over five million inhabitants.³ While the national census does not explore religious demographics, a study conducted by the University of Costa Rica and the Centre of Investigation and Political Studies (Centro de Investigación y Estudios Políticos – CIEPs) in 2021, estimated that 48% of the population are Roman Catholic, 20% belong to Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches, and 27% of the population are atheist, agnostic or without religion. Other religious groups representing the remaining 5% of the population included Jehovah’s Witnesses, “traditional” Protestants, Mormons, and Muslims.⁴

Constitution and government

Article 75 of the Constitution⁵ provides for freedom of religion, but establishes Roman Catholicism as the official state religion and affords the Church several benefits. The state has an obligation to contribute to the Church’s maintenance, but is not allowed to infringe on others’ right to freely exercise their religions that “do not impugn universal morality or proper behavior.”

A Catholic nation

In addition to Article 75 of the Constitution, which establishes Roman Catholicism as the State religion, in 1852, Costa Rica signed a Concordat with the Holy See.⁶ Thirty-two years later, the State repealed the Concordat, but passed a law that ensured the maintenance of support to the Catholic Church.⁷ In 2022, Costa Rica formally repealed the 1884 law, among others, with the stated purpose of repealing “expired or historically obsolete laws for the purification of the legal system.”⁸

However, the Catholic Church still holds special legal recognition under Law No. 32370,⁹ which also recognizes the legal effect of Canon law in the governance of the Catholic Church. According to the US State Department, part of the government budget goes to the Catholic churches for construction, maintenance and repair. The Catholic Church is exempt from income and property taxes.¹⁰

The Catholic Church has frequently been granted land by the government through the passage of several laws and executive decrees, most recently in 2020.¹¹

Besides civil marriages, only the Catholic Church may perform state-recognized marriages. Couples married in other religious communities must also go through a civil ceremony to receive state recognition.¹²

In 2019, a minister of the Social Christian Unity Party (Partido Unidad Social Cristiano – PUSC) presented a proposal for constitutional reforms that would render the State secular. The proposal included amendments to the wording of Article 75 that would declare that the State recognizes “religious pluralism”.¹³ According to the US State Department, the Bill has expired due to lack of legislative action.¹⁴ However, media reports suggest that the majority of Costa Rican society is now in favour of a secular State.¹⁵

Religion and politics

According to Articles 131, 142 and 159, respectively, the President, government ministers, and judges of the Supreme Court must be laypersons. However, several representatives of political parties have ties to evangelical Christian groups.¹⁶

The Constitution states that no one, clergy or layperson, may invoke religious doctrine as a means to a political goal (Article 28). Indeed, the Supreme Court of Elections of Costa Rica (Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones de Costa Rica – TSE) has ruled repeatedly in order to ensure this principle is upheld in practice.¹⁷

The oath of office required of all public officials includes an invocation of God (Article 194). There does not appear to be an alternative.

Registration of religious groups

According to the US State Department, “the government does not require religious groups to register; however, religious groups must register if they engage in any type of fundraising. Authorities require registration to conduct financial transactions, obtain legal representation, and own property”.¹⁸

Education and children’s rights

State schools give religious instruction, and while in principle the focus of instruction is in instilling Christian values, rather than Catholicism per se, reports indicate that in practice it is often biased towards Catholic religious instruction.¹⁹ The Ministry of Public Education (Ministerio de Educación Pública – MEP) provides religious education assistance to private schools, both Catholic and non-Catholic, including directly hiring teachers and providing teacher salaries and other funds for all grades.²⁰

Students may be exempted from religious education with parental permission, but they and their teachers and school principal must agree on an alternative course. It is estimated that six out of 10 children receive religious instruction at school.²¹

Reports indicate that there have been occasions where children have been forced to remain in a religion class despite their parents’ written request that they be exempted. In 2023, the Constitutional Court ruled that the MEP and the educational center involved had violated the children’s rights, ordering the school to let the students wait in another space during the religion class, and the State to pay any resultant costs, damages, and losses.²²

As of January 2024, the course materials had not been substantively updated since the early 2000s, according to one religious education teacher.²³ However, in September 2024, the MEP presented a proposal to the Higher Council of Education for changes to the Religious Education curriculum. At the center of the proposed changes is the promotion of religious harmony. To this end, the Ministry reportedly proposes to ensure that the curriculum does not focus on one denomination alone. Media reports suggest that the new curriculum would also include a contribution from “humanism” although it was unclear at the time of writing what this contribution might be. The proposal for the revised curriculum appears to have been prepared in conjunction with representatives of various religious groups including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Baha’i, and Buddhist groups.²⁴ This proposal has yet to be approved at the time of writing.

Also in September, representatives of the Frente Amplio political party, presented a Bill to reform articles of the Fundamental Education Law and Code of Education to replace the emphasis on Christian morality within religious education with an emphasis on human rights principles.²⁵ At the time of writing, the Bill is under consideration of the relevant legislative committee.

Child sexual abuse

In September 2023, a representative of Frente Amplio proposed a Bill²⁶ that seeks to oblige those in positions of authority – including religious authorities – to report instances of sexual crimes committed against minors or individuals with disabilities.²⁷ The Bill has faced opposition from representatives of the Catholic Church as it has the potential to oblige them to break the secrecy of the confessional.²⁸

Family, community and society

Periodic studies of the nation’s religious demography demonstrate a decline in the dominance of Roman Catholicism in the country, despite this, the Catholic Church holds a prominent place in public institutions, such as schools and hospitals. The Church – and the religious convictions of government officials – have had influence on policy making. The Catholic Church has intervened in public debates around a variety of issues, including in vitro fertilization, assisted dying, same-sex marriage and abortion.²⁹

Abortion

Considered under the Criminal Code³⁰ as a “crime against life”, abortion remains illegal in the country except in cases of therapeutic abortion to protect the life or health of the pregnant person.³¹ In such circumstances, abortion is only considered legal when it is performed with the consent of the pregnant person, after a mandatory evaluation by three medical professionals, and only when there is no other medical alternative. Outside of these circumstances, penalties range from three months to 10 years in prison depending on the circumstances.

The passage of a technical directive in 2019 – despite opposition from religious groups – ultimately paved the way for the law to be applied in practice where previously a lack of regulatory clarity at hospitals had meant that the law could not be applied.³²

In February 2023, the Government of President Rodrigo Chaves Robles was reportedly considering signing an executive decree that proposed to repeal the 2019 technical directive, and proposed to require the signature of the spouse or father for an abortion to take place.³³ In addition, it has been reported that Nueva República attempted to eliminate emergency contraception from a Bill that would enshrine a protocol for the treatment of rape victims.³⁴ At the time of writing, the exact status of these Bills remained unclear.

LGBTI+ rights

On 25 May 2020, Costa Rica became the first Central American country to allow same-sex marriage following a decision of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.³⁵ Despite legislative advances, civil society organizations report that members of the LGBTI+ community face discrimination, isolation and violence.³⁶

On 3 August 2023, conservative political party, Nueva República, presented a Bill³⁷ seeking to define “gender ideology” as an “erroneous belief that claims the biological sex of each human being can be replaced by self-perception”.³⁸ Based on this definition, the Bill seeks to amend the Law on Education, as well as the General Health Law to ensure that any content related to “gender ideology” in public policies aimed at minors is prohibited. The Bill provides for the possibility for any person or religious organization to have the right to invoke the right of “Conscientious Objection” and “Ideological Objection”, respectively, to ensure that no person or religious organization could be “compelled to recognize, promote, or celebrate gender ideology in any way if they consider it contrary to their principles and religious convictions”. Any person, manager or director of an official or private institution, or administrator of an industrial or commercial establishment would be sanctioned with twenty to sixty days of fines if they act against these moral or religious beliefs. The Bill is currently under review by the relevant commission.

In November 2024, the Supreme Court of Costa Rica reportedly criticized the State for undermining the rights of LGBTI+ people in the country after President Chaves rescinded a declaration of cultural interest from the Pride Day march one day before it was due to take place on 30 June. At the same time as withdrawing the declaration, President Chaves reportedly dismissed the Minister of Culture and the Commissioner of Social Inclusion for having approved it. While a declaration of cultural interest does not confer any financial or material support, the Court emphasized that it does give the event greater visibility and promotes awareness in society. The court ordered the State to pay costs and damages if the affected parties decide to claim them in an administrative dispute.³⁹

Conversion practices

Conversion practices are reportedly conducted by religious groups and psychologists in Costa Rica. Media reports also indicate that several groups offering such “therapies” are supported by Christian right organisations based in the US.⁴⁰

Individuals who have been subjected to such practices report being made to believe that they have been possessed by demons or that they had been subjected to sexual abuse as a child.⁴¹

A Bill⁴² to amend the General Health Law that would prohibit so-called “conversion therapies” has been before the Legislative Assembly since 2018, however, LGBTI+ rights NGO MULABI reports that its passage has been hindered by the opposition of mostly Christian, evangelical and conservative deputies.⁴³ According to one media report, by October 2022, ministers of the conservative political party Nueva Republica (New Republic) — headed by former Presidential candidate, Fabricio Alvarado, who ran on a conservative Christian platform in the 2018 elections⁴⁴ — had submitted at least 100 motions in order to prevent the passage of the Bill.⁴⁵

Religious groups appear to be divided in their position on the Bill. In March 2024, a coalition of liberal Christian Churches reportedly wrote to the Legislative Assembly to urge the passage of the Bill.⁴⁶ However, the Costa Rican Evangelical Alliance Federation (Federación Alianza Evangélica Costarricense – FAEC) — that unites more than 4,000 evangelical churches across the country — categorically opposes the Bill on the basis that it represents a violation of “religious freedom”.⁴⁷ Catholic Bishops are also reportedly opposed to the Bill on the basis that it does not distinguish between adults and minors, which they felt undermines the rights of parents with regard to their children, and that to sanction those providing such “treatments” would violate the rights to “freedom of thought, expression, and religion”.⁴⁸ The President of Costa Rica has also been outspoken in his opposition to the Bill, expressing concern about the provision of sanctions for those who offer so-called “therapies”.⁴⁹

Assisted Dying

In September 2021, the Human Rights Commission of the Legislative Assembly reportedly archived a Bill that would have legalized assisted dying for the terminally ill in the country.⁵⁰ The Catholic Church had, in 2019, voiced its objection to the passage of the Bill.⁵¹

Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values

When read together, Articles 28 and 29 of the Constitution enshrine freedom of expression in Costa Rica.

Article 28 reads:

“No one may be harassed or persecuted for expressing their opinions or for any act that does not violate the law.

“Private actions that do not harm public morality or order, or that do not harm third parties, are outside the scope of the law.”⁵²

Article 29 reads:

“All may communicate their thoughts orally or in writing, and publish them without prior censorship; however they will be held responsible for any abuses they commit in the exercise of this right, in the cases and in the manner established by law.”⁵³

However, reports suggest that freedom of expression – and more specifically media freedom – has come under increasing pressure in the country since the 2022 elections.⁵⁴ Journalists critical of the government have reportedly been the target of verbal attacks and have seen their access to state-held information restricted.⁵⁵ Attacks on female journalists are particularly prevalent. While politicians have resorted to verbal attacks on the media, the judiciary has repeatedly ruled in favour of freedom of expression and to protect journalists.⁵⁶

Civic space monitor, CIVICUS describes Costa Rica’s civil society space as “narrowed” indicating that while “the state allows individuals and civil society organisations to exercise their rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression, violations of these rights also take place.”⁵⁷ Indigenous rights defenders have reportedly come under attack for defending their rights.⁵⁸

1. “Costa Rica”, Britannica, accessed 10 December 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Costa-Rica; “Costa Rica” chapter in Freedom in the World 2024 (Freedom House, 2024), https://freedomhouse.org/country/costa-rica/freedom-world/2024 [↩]
2. Valeria Lentini and Bruno Carayon, “Shining a spotlight on Nicaraguans’ poverty and wellbeing in Costa Rica”, UNHCR, 17 October 2024, https://www.unhcr.org/blogs/shining-a-spotlight-on-nicaraguans-poverty-and-wellbeing-in-costa-rica[↩]
3. “Principales cifras de la Estimación de Población y Vivienda 2022”, Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos, accessed 10 December 2024, https://inec.cr/estimaciones-poblacion-vivienda-2022 [↩]
4. Álvaro Murillo, “Encuesta CIEP-UCR evidencia una Costa Rica estatista y menos religiosa”, Semanario Universidad, 7 July 2021, https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/encuesta-ciep-ucr-evidencia-a-una-costa-rica-estatista-y-menos-religiosa/ [↩]
5. Constitución Política de la República de Costa Rica, https://pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?nValor1=1&nValor2=871 (accessed 29 November 2024)[↩]
6. Concordato entre Costa Rica y la Santa Sede, 7 October 1852, https://www.rree.go.cr/?sec=exterior&cat=convenios&cont=610&instrumento=864 [↩]
7. Congreso Constitucional De La República De Costa Rica, Deroga Concordato con Santa Sede y mantiene la subvención a la Iglesia, DECRETO N° XLV, 1884, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?nValor1=1&nValor2=32657 [↩]
8. Legislative Assembly, Derogatoria de leyes caducas o históricamente obsoletas para la depuración del ordenamiento jurídico (VII parte), N° 10285, 20 September 2022, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=98146&nValor3=133316&strTipM=TC [↩]
9. President of the Republic and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Religion, Reglamento que Desarrolla los Alcances de la ley que otorga personería jurídica a la Conferencia Episcopal y Diócesis Ecleciásticas señalando la situación de los órganos que componen la Iglesia Católica, No. 32370, 2 May 2005, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspxparam1=NRTC&nValor1=1&nValor2=54834&nValor3=60084&param2=1&strTipM=TC&lResultado=9&strSim=simp [↩]
10. “Costa Rica” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (US Department of State, 2023), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/costa-rica/ [↩]
11. “Resultados para: ‘Iglesia’ ‘Catolica’”, Sistema Costarricense de Información Jurídica, accessed 6 December 2024, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_resultado_simple.aspx?param1=NER&param2=1&param3=FECHA&param4=DESC&param5=Iglesia%20Catolica [↩]
12. “Costa Rica” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (US Department of State, 2023), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/costa-rica/ [↩]
13. Jéssica Quesada, “Presentan iniciativa para que Costa Rica sea estado laico”, CR Hoy, 1 May 2019, https://www.crhoy.com/nacionales/presentan-iniciativa-para-que-costa-rica-sea-estado-laico/; Josué Alfaro, “Diputado del PUSC presenta proyecto de Estado laico: ¿Qué dice en su iniciativa?”, Semanario Universidad, 2 May 2019, https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/diputada-del-pusc-presenta-proyecto-de-estado-laico-que-dice-en-su-iniciativa/ [↩]
14. “Costa Rica” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (US Department of State, 2023), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/costa-rica/ [↩]
15. Guillermo Solano Gutiérrez, “Reconocimiento hacia una mayor libertad religiosa avanza en los últimos 20 años”, Una Comunica, 20 September 2024, https://www.unacomunica.una.ac.cr/index.php/septiembre-2024/5621-reconocimiento-hacia-una-mayor-libertad-religiosa-avanza-en-los-ultimos-20-anos [↩]
16. “Costa Rica” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (US Department of State, 2023), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/costa-rica/ [↩]
17. Claire Nevache, “Los dilemas de las relaciones entre religión y política: las lecciones de Costa Rica”, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Políticos (CIEPs), 20 February 2024, https://cieps.org.pa/los-dilemas-de-las-relaciones-entre-religion-y-politica-las-lecciones-de-costa-rica/; Juan Luis Rivera Sánchez, “Invocación de motivos religiosos en la propaganda electoral: Una mirada desde la justicia electoral”, Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones de Costa Rica, 12 July 2018, https://www.tse.go.cr/revista/art/26/rivera_sanchez.html [↩]
18. “Costa Rica” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (US Department of State, 2023), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/costa-rica/ [↩]
19. José Solano, “Crisis de la educación religiosa: hacia una vieja propuesta”, Universidad Semanario, 22 May 2024, https://semanariouniversidad.com/opinion/crisis-de-la-educacion-religiosa-hacia-una-vieja-propuesta/; “Costa Rica” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (US Department of State, 2023), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/costa-rica/[↩]
20. “Costa Rica” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (US Department of State, 2023), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/costa-rica/ [↩]
21. Paula Ruiz, “6 de cada 10 escolares reciben educación religiosa en Costa Rica: ¿qué pasa con los demás alumnos?, El Observador, 30 September 2024, https://observador.cr/6-de-cada-10-escolares-reciben-educacion-religiosa-en-costa-rica-que-pasa-con-los-demas-alumnos/ [↩]
22. Luis Manuel Madrigal, “Sala IV condena al Estado por obligar a estudiantes a estar presentes en clases de Religión,” 20 June 2023, https://delfino.cr/2023/06/sala-iv-condena-al-estado-por-obligar-a-estudiantes-a-estar-presentes-en-clases-de-religion; “Costa Rica” chapter in 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom (US Department of State, 2023), https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/costa-rica/ [↩]
23. Yuliana Vega Quesada, “Actualidad de la educación religiosa en la malla curricular: ¿mantenerla o eliminarla?”, Delfino, 17 January 2024, https://delfino.cr/2024/01/actualidad-de-la-educacion-religiosa-en-la-malla-curricular-mantenerla-o-eliminarla [↩]
24. Paula Ruiz, “Fortalecer la resiliencia y resolver conflictos: estos son los cambios que habrá en educación religiosa”, El Observador, 18 September 2024, https://observador.cr/fortalecer-la-resiliencia-y-resolver-conflictos-estos-son-los-cambios-que-habra-en-educacion-religiosa/ [↩]
25. Luis Manuel Madrigal, “Frente Amplio presenta proyecto de ley para reformar la enseñanza religiosa”, Delfino, 25 September 2024, https://delfino.cr/2024/09/frente-amplio-presenta-proyecto-de-ley-para-reformar-la-ensenanza-religiosa [↩]
26. Expediente 24592, Delfino, 25 September 2024, (accessed 6 December 2024), https://delfino.cr/asamblea/proyecto/24592 [↩]
27. Expediente 23928: Ley contra el silencio en delitos sexuales en perjuicio de la niñez y personas con discapacidad. Responsabilidad civil solidaria, deber de denuncia y garantía de cumplimiento de protocolos de investigación, Delfino, 11 September 2023, accessed 6 December 2024, https://delfino.cr/asamblea/proyecto/23928 [↩]
28. “Proyecto en Costa Rica busca romper secreto de confesión en abusos”, Trivisión, 31 October 2024, https://trivisioncr.com/noticias-de-politica/proyecto-en-costa-rica-busca-romper-secreto-de-confesion-en-abusos/; Monserrat Cordero Parra, “Iglesia católica se opone a delatar a los abusadores de menores, mientras denuncias aumentan en Fiscalía”, Semanario Universidad, 6 November 2024, https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/iglesia-catolica-se-opone-a-delatar-a-los-abusadores-de-menores-mientras-denuncias-aumentan-en-fiscalia/ ; Ariana Pernía Paolini, “Proyecto de ley costarricense: Un “ataque directo a la doctrina” católica”, Vatican News, 4 November 2024, https://www.vaticannews.va/es/iglesia/news/2024-11/proyecto-de-ley-costarricense-un-ataque-directo-a-la-doctrina.html [↩]
29. Megan Rivers-Moore, “In Latin America, not only abortions but miscarriages can lead to jail time”, the Conversation, 4 January 2022, https://theconversation.com/in-latin-america-not-only-abortions-but-miscarriages-can-lead-to-jail-time-173719; Felipe Mora-Bermúdez, “World’s last in vitro fertilization ban falls”, Nature, 536, page274 (2016), https://www.nature.com/articles/536274c [↩]
30. Legislative Assembly, Código Penal, N° 4573, 4 May 1970, http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?nValor1=1&nValor2=5027 [↩]
31. “Costa Rica’s Abortion Provisions”, Centre for Reproductive Rights, accessed 6 December 2024, https://reproductiverights.org/maps/provision/costa-ricas-abortion-provisions/ [↩]
32. “Costa Rica’s president says therapeutic abortions will be allowed”, Reuters, 13 December 2019, https://www.reuters.com/article/world/costa-ricas-president-says-therapeutic-abortions-will-be-allowed-idUSKBN1YH0EX/ [↩]
33. Aniram Brenes Morales and Natasha Jiménez Mata, Informe Alternativo sobre la situación de las personas lesbianas, gay, bisexuales, trans e intersex, Queer, No binarias (LGBTIQ+), (Mulabi, 2024), https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/cr-stakeholders-info-s47; Manuel Madrigal, “Gobierno de Chaves derogará norma técnica de aborto terapéutico, según borrador de decreto”, Delfino, 23 February 2023, https://delfino.cr/2023/02/gobierno-de-chaves-derogara-norma-tecnica-de-aborto-terapeutico-segun-borrador-de-decreto; Paula Ruiz, “Chaves no descarta que Gobierno modifique decreto de norma técnica sobre aborto terapéutico si magistrados no resuelven acción”, El Observador, 29 November 2023, https://observador.cr/chaves-no-descarta-que-gobierno-modifique-decreto-de-norma-tecnica-sobre-aborto-terapeutico-si-magistrados-no-resuelven-accion/ [↩]
34. Aniram Brenes Morales and Natasha Jiménez Mata, Informe Alternativo sobre la situación de las personas lesbianas, gay, bisexuales, trans e intersex, Queer, No binarias (LGBTIQ+), (Mulabi, 2024), https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/cr-stakeholders-info-s47; Luis Manuel Madrigal, “Nueva República intentó eliminar anticoncepción de emergencia en proyecto de protocolo para víctimas de violación”, Delfino, 29 February 2024, https://delfino.cr/2024/02/nueva-republica-intento-eliminar-anticoncepcion-de-emergencia-en-proyecto-de-protocolo-para-victimas-de-violacion; Esteban Arrieta, “Rocío Alfaro: Nueva República obstruye plan que obligaría a usar “píldora del día después” en casos de violación”, La República, 20 March 2024, https://www.larepublica.net/noticia/rocio-alfaro-nueva-republica-obstruye-plan-que-obligaria-a-usar-pildora-del-dia-despues-en-casos-de-violacion [↩]
35. Cristian González Cabrera, “Costa Rica First in Central America to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage”, Human Rights Watch, 26 May 2020, https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/05/26/costa-rica-first-central-america-legalize-same-sex-marriage [↩]
36. Informe alternativo, (Red Nacional de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Sexuales y Derechos Reproductivos (Red Deser) and Iniciativa por los Derechos Sexuales (SRI), 2024), https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/cr-stakeholders-info-s47 [↩]
37. “Expediente N°. 23857”, Nueva República, accessed 6 December 2024, https://nuevarepublica.cr/proyectos/23857/ [↩]
38. Translation of: “Para los efectos del presente proyecto de ley, se define la ideología de género como la creencia que, erróneamente, afirma que el sexo biológico de cada ser humano puede ser reemplazado por la autopercepción que ese ser humano tiene sobre sobre sí mismo”[↩]
39. “Tribunal condena al Gobierno de Costa Rica por lesionar los derechos de la población LGTBI”, Infobae, 22 November 2024, https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2024/11/22/tribunal-condena-al-gobierno-de-costa-rica-por-lesionar-los-derechos-de-la-poblacion-lgtbi/ [↩]
40. Diana Cariboni, David Chavarría Hernández and Stephania Corpi, “Psicólogas ligadas a organizaciones ultraconservadoras estadounidenses dan terapias contra homosexualidad en Costa Rica”, Radios UCR, 24 November 2021, https://radios.ucr.ac.cr/2021/11/interferencia/reportajes/psicologas-ligadas-a-organizaciones-ultraconservadoras-estadounidenses-dan-terapias-contra-homosexualidad-en-costa-rica/ [↩]
41. David Chavarría Hernández, “‘Nos hicieron creer que teníamos un demonio’, relatan sobrevivientes de supuestas terapias de conversión”, Radios UCR, 18 October 2022, https://radios.ucr.ac.cr/2022/10/interferencia/destacada/terapias-conversion/ [↩]
42. Asamblea General, Expediente 20970: Ley para prohibir todas aquellas “terapias” dirigidas a revertir o modificar con fines de pretendida “curación” la orientación sexual de las personas LGBTI, https://delfino.cr/asamblea/proyecto/20970 [↩]
43. Aniram Brenes Morales and Natasha Jiménez Mata, Informe Alternativo sobre la situación de las personas lesbianas, gay, bisexuales, trans e intersex, Queer, No binarias (LGBTIQ+), (Mulabi, 2024), https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/cr-stakeholders-info-s47 [↩]
44. Jon Henley, “Costa Rica: Carlos Alvarado wins presidency in vote fought on gay rights”, The Guardian, 2 April 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/02/costa-rica-quesada-wins-presidency-in-vote-fought-on-gay-rights [↩]
45. David Chavarría Hernández, “A punta de mociones, Nueva República intenta impedir ley que prohíba ‘terapias de conversión’”, Radios UCR, 18 October 2022, https://radios.ucr.ac.cr/2022/10/interferencia/noticias/plenario-terapias-de-conversion/ [↩]
46. Alonso Martinez, “Comunidad de iglesias cristianas inclusivas piden prohibir las ‘terapias de conversión’ en Costa Rica”, Delfino, 4 March 2024, https://delfino.cr/2024/03/comunidad-de-iglesias-cristianas-inclusivas-piden-prohibir-las-terapias-de-conversion-en-costa-rica [↩]
47. “Alianza Evangélica se opone al proyecto que prohíbe terapias de conversión”, Periodico Maranta, 5 March 2024, https://www.periodicomaranata.com/alianza-evangelica-se-opone-al-proyecto-de-terapias-de-conversion/ [↩]
48. Aarón Sequeira, “Iglesia católica se opone a prohibición de ‘terapias de conversión’”, La Nación, 6 March 2024, https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/politica/iglesia-catolica-rechaza-prohibicion-de-terapias/RELUU3MVGBANDOXQJDJBHJ5ANI/story/ [↩]
49. Fabiola Pomareda García, “Presidente se opone a proyecto de Frente Amplio para sancionar terapias de conversión sexual aunque dice que no la ha leído”, Semanario Universidad, 6 March 2024, https://semanariouniversidad.com/pais/presidente-se-opone-a-proyecto-de-frente-amplio-para-sancionar-terapias-de-conversion-sexual-aunque-dice-que-no-lo-ha-leido/ [↩]
50. Paula Ruiz, “Eutanasia continuará siendo prohibida, diputados archivaron proyecto para permitirla,” El Observador, 21 September 2021, https://observador.cr/eutanasia-continuara-siendo-prohibida-diputados-archivaron-proyecto-para-permitirla/ [↩]
51. Monserrat Cordero Para, “Iglesia Católica rechaza proyecto de ley que permitiría acceder a eutanasia y muerte digna”, Semanario Universidad, 3 May 2019, https://semanariouniversidad.com/ultima-hora/iglesia-catolica-rechaza-proyecto-de-ley-que-permitiria-acceder-a-eutanasia-y-muerte-digna/ [↩]
52. Unofficial translation of: “Nadie puede ser inquietado ni perseguido por la manifestación de sus opiniones ni por acto alguno que no infrinja la ley.Las acciones privadas que no dañen la moral o el orden públicos, o que no perjudiquen a tercero, están fuera de la acción de la ley.”[↩]
53. Unofficial translation of: Todos pueden comunicar sus pensamientos de palabra o por escrito, y publicarlos sin previa censura; pero serán responsables de los abusos que cometan en el ejercicio de este derecho, en los casos y del modo que la ley establezca[↩]
54. Mariana Álvarez, “Report in Costa Rica highlights risks to press freedom and access to information during the 2022 general elections”, UNESCO, 11 May 2023, https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/report-costa-rica-highlights-risks-press-freedom-and-access-information-during-2022-general; Encuesta sobre libertad de expresión y confianza en medios de comunicación (PROLEDI and Universidad de Costa Rica, 2023), https://www.ucr.ac.cr/medios/documentos/2023/informe-de-libertad-de-expresion-version-final-2-de-octubre-2023-651b353c7b1e5.pdf [↩]
55. “Costa Rica”, Reporters Without Borders, accessed 6 December 2024, https://rsf.org/en/country/costa-rica; Luis Manuel Madrigal, “Sala IV condena al Estado por ataques de Rodrigo Chaves a periodistas”, Delfino, 23 May 2023, https://delfino.cr/2023/05/sala-iv-condena-al-estado-por-ataques-de-rodrigo-chaves-a-periodistas [↩]
56. “Costa Rica: Accelerated decline of the freedom of the press” in Chapultepec Index on Freedom of Expression and the Press (Inter-American Press Association, 2024), https://www.indicedechapultepec.com/new/indice/3/informes_en.pdf [↩]
57. “Costa Rica”, Civicus, accessed 6 December 2024, https://monitor.civicus.org/country/costa-rica/ [↩]
58. “Attacks against Indigenous people and at least nine people detained during the multiple water crisis protests”, CIVICUS Monitor, 5 April 2024, https://monitor.civicus.org/explore/attacks-against-indigenous-people-and-at-least-nine-people-detained-during-the-multiple-water-crisis-protests/; “Indigenous rights defender Mainor Ortíz Delgado shot”, Front Line Defenders, 17 February 2020, https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/indigenous-rights-defender-mainor-ortiz-delgado-shot; “Arson attacks & threats against indigenous peoples’ rights defender Pablo Sibas Sibas”, Front Line Defenders, 11 March 2020, https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/arson-attacks-threats-against-indigenous-peoples%E2%80%99-rights-defender-pablo-sibas-sibas; “Attempts to usurp indigenous land, threats and intimidation against indigenous rights defenders”, Front Line Defenders, 30 July 2020, https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/case/attempts-usurp-indigenous-land-threats-and-intimidation-against-indigenous-rights-defenders [↩]