Laura Fernández considers calling a referendum to resolve the mining crisis in Crucitas amid lack of agreements in Congress

The president confirmed that she is analyzing a referendum to resolve the illegal mining crisis in Crucitas. The President of Costa Rica, Laura Fernández Delgado, confirmed that her administration is analyzing the possibility of calling a national referendum to define a solution to the Crucitas crisis, an area located in Cutris de San Carlos, in the province of Alajuela, where illegal gold extraction continues to cause serious environmental, economic, and security damage. During her weekly press conference, the president stated that the issue has been discussed for several months with the Minister of the Presidency and of Finance, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, in light of what she considers a lack of response from the Legislative Assembly to solve the problem. The possibility of a popular consultation gained strength after Chaves announced on November 4 his intention to recommend that the president take the issue to a referendum, amid differences between the Government and various political sectors regarding the potential legal exploitation of gold. "We have been analyzing the different issues of our national reality. There are pressing issues, and this is one of them," said Fernández, who clarified that there is still no definitive decision or formal call. The head of state explained that she will inform citizens in due course if she decides to promote a consultation on Crucitas or another matter of national interest. One of the main arguments presented by Fernández is the growing economic, human, and environmental cost faced by the State to maintain territorial control in Crucitas. According to her, more than 200 officers from the Public Force and the Border Police remain deployed in the area to combat clandestine mining activities. The president stated that some officials must carry out patrols of up to three days through mountainous and difficult-to-access terrain to identify camps and extraction sites. In addition, she said that during the previous week more than 192 pools related to illegal mining activity were detected, some associated with the use of mercury and cyanide, substances that pose risks to ecosystems and water sources. Fernández warned that, as long as there is no structural solution, the country will continue to allocate public resources to police operations without eliminating the causes of clandestine activity. She also argued that irregular extraction allows mineral wealth to end up in the hands of organizations and individuals operating outside the legal framework, instead of generating economic benefits for the communities of the northern zone. More than 200 officers remain deployed in the area, according to figures provided by the president. Credit: MSP The president directed strong criticism at the legislators of the National Liberation Party (PLN) and the Broad Front (FA), whom she held politically responsible for the lack of progress on a legislative solution. Fernández recalled that, during her tenure as Minister of the Presidency, she participated in working groups with different factions to draft a proposal to address the Crucitas problem. She said that political parties and professional associations contributed observations during that process, but questioned the fact that the discussions had not resulted in legislative approval. The Government has promoted bill 24.717, introduced in November 2024, which proposes allowing regulated mining exploitation in the area. The proposal faces competing initiatives that prioritize environmental restoration and alternative economic development. The central difference lies in determining whether the country should once again authorize open-pit metallic mining in a delimited territory or move toward an environmental recovery model without that type of exploitation. During the press conference, Fernández also questioned legislative proposals that seek to recover the territory through remediation, reforestation, and new financing mechanisms. One recent initiative is bill 25.893, introduced by Liberationist legislator Diana Murillo along with other lawmakers. The text includes environmental recovery, financial mechanisms tied to gold, and the possibility of artisanal mining under specific conditions. The president stated that an environmental intervention could require at least USD 25 million, an amount she mentioned while criticizing the remediation alternatives. She questioned the State assuming the costs of cleaning up and reforesting an area where a significant gold deposit remains, without guaranteeing that those engaged in clandestine extraction will leave the territory. She also expressed doubt that declaring the area a natural park or using financing instruments linked to bonds and environmental assets would be enough to prevent new invasions. However, the legislative discussion covers different intervention models, and the alternative proposals include surveillance, restoration, and control measures that must be analyzed separately. Legislators hold opposing positions on the mining exploitation and environmental recovery of Crucitas. (Courtesy: University of Costa Rica) Although Fernández is considering this alternative, Costa Rican law establishes specific requirements for organizing a popular consultation. According to the Referendum Regulation Law, the Executive Branch needs the support of at least 29 legislators to call a referendum through the executive modality. There are also citizen-initiative and legislative-initiative mechanisms. In addition, the Constitution excludes certain matters from this procedure, including budgetary, tax, and security matters, so the specific text of a potential consultation would have to pass the corresponding admissibility review. The crisis has also reached the courts. In March 2026, the Constitutional Chamber ordered various institutions to adopt measures to contain illegal mining, guarantee the supply of drinking water, and carry out environmental recovery actions. Ruling 2026-10560 established obligations for the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Ministry of Health, Water and Sewerage (AyA), and other state institutions. Among the provisions is maintaining a permanent police presence and developing a coordinated plan for remediation, restoration, and environmental mitigation. The discussion is taking place in a region where environmental consequences, territorial conflicts, and clandestine extraction activity keep border communities under pressure. The pending decision now is whether the Government will continue seeking agreements in the Legislative Assembly or attempt to move the debate to the ballot box, a possibility that could reopen one of Costa Rica's longest-running environmental and political controversies.