Text and photo: Juan David Latorre
On the occasion of Hispanic Heritage Day, last Tuesday, October 7, the Costa Rican ambassador, Adriana Bolaños, gave a lecture at the Centro Asturiano in Madrid entitled A Political and Cultural Approach to Costa Rica, accompanied by the center’s president, Valentín Martínez-Otero.
The Costa Rican ambassador began her presentation by stating that “Costa Rica is a country, a tiny territory of 51,179 square kilometers, one-tenth the size of Spain, located in Central America, between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. I always say that you can have breakfast watching the sunrise in the Caribbean, have lunch in the Central Valley surrounded by mountains, and watch the sunset, one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world, over the Atlantic Ocean.”
“Costa Rica is much more than a privileged natural environment; it is not just nature. We are a people who, throughout history, have made historic decisions that explain the formation of the Social State of Law, upon which Costa Rica is based. The first is the educational reform implemented in the 19th century, which established compulsory public education funded by the state, understanding it as a central element for the development of any society. This was basically the reason why the University of Costa Rica was established in 1900, which is fundamental to the country’s educational structure,” said Adriana Bolaños.
“The second,” he continued, “is the promulgation of social guarantees and their incorporation into the political constitution, giving rise, among other things, to the creation of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund. It is an institution that makes it possible for Costa Rica to have a tripartite public health system at three levels: primary, which we know as the EVAES, intermediate, clinical and hospital, universal, and solidarity, which constitutes, to a large extent, the basis of our social peace. The third is the constitutional abolition of the Armed Forces more than 76 years ago, on December 1, 1948, and all Costa Ricans know what that means. This has allowed us, for decades, to dedicate those resources to social investment instead of military spending.”
“The fourth of these historic decisions is the commitment we made, starting in the 1970s, to environmental conservation and social development, reversing the rate of deforestation and creating the national park system. Costa Rica, I don’t know if even Costa Ricans themselves know this, had one of the highest deforestation rates in the world, and today it is the only tropical country in the world that has managed to reverse that rate of deforestation. We currently have forest coverage of nearly 60% of the national territory,” the ambassador emphasized. “We also created the National System of Conservation Areas, which has allowed us to have nearly 30% of the national territory currently under a protection system. We have 29 national parks, 71 wildlife refuges, and eight biological reserves.”
“The abolition of the army set a precedent and gave us the credibility to advocate and work for a more peaceful world, as we did during the Central American peace processes of the 1980s. Costa Rica was instrumental in leading the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace, which affirms that international peace and peace within states are human rights with individual and collective dimensions. In a world where people are increasingly arming themselves, Costa Rica continues to speak out in support of the fundamental need for disarmament and non-proliferation, especially of nuclear weapons.”
Regarding Costa Rica’s democratic nature, the ambassador noted that “we are the oldest democracy in Latin America, and we are clear defenders, both nationally and internationally, of the protection and defense of human rights and international human rights.”
Regarding tourism, Adriana Bolaños noted that “if nature is not conserved, it is lost, and we decided to conserve it. Costa Rica is a megadiverse country. We concentrate 6% of the world’s biodiversity in our small territory, 12 primary zones, and more than 50,000 species of plants and animals. Our sea corresponds more or less to the territory of the Spanish mainland. And we are certain that we are home to a great biodiversity there. That is why we have focused our efforts on conservation and sustainable management. Costa Rica co-hosted the third United Nations Conference on the Ocean with France, reaching important political and financial commitments at the global level for ocean governance and health. We cannot continue to deteriorate the ocean as has been done.”
The ambassador wondered why Costa Rica’s tourism model is so outstanding. “And I would say for two reasons,” she noted, “because of nature.” Preserved and the people. As I said before, a given nature, if not cared for, is lost. With that nature, we have generated a model of sustainable tourism. And what is sustainability? It is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Seeking a balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and social development. Sustainability is a concept that seeks to manage resources in a way that ensures the long-term well-being of people and the planet. That’s why we talk a lot about the three Ps: people, planet, and prosperity. Sustainability requires consistency over time and that its three pillars—social, economic, and environmental—are inseparable.
“Costa Rica is friendly and approachable. But it is also a polite and healthy people. And that is also the result of the ambitious and bold decisions I’ve come to talk about.” “Years of investment in education and health,” the Costa Rican ambassador emphasized. And at this point, she highlighted her country’s largest export: medical devices.
The ambassador emphasized that the relationship between Costa Rica and Spain in the areas of politics, cooperation, trade and investment, and culture “could not be better. This year, 2025, marks 175 years of diplomatic relations. Relations that have always been close and sincere.
“On the political level, we firmly believe in and defend peace, democracy, human rights, the protection of biodiversity, and the protection of the ocean. In fact, the principles and values of both countries coincide. We do so both nationally and internationally. Commonly, because of the harmony we share, we jointly defend positions or lead actions in which both countries believe.”
The ambassador concluded by emphasizing that “in international relations between two countries, building trust is an act built on intention, coherence, results, and perseverance. Building trust is essential in bilateral relations and between friendly communities. In this regard, we can affirm that the decisions Costa Rica has made in its 200 years of independence have strengthened us as a society and as a country. They have made Costa Rica a very solid partner”.
