By Josué Bravo
Unanimously, the 43 deputies present in the legislative plenary approved on Wednesday, in the first debate, a proposal to revoke the nationality of naturalized foreigners who have final convictions for drug trafficking and money laundering, both in Costa Rica and abroad.
The initiative is part of the 10 priority projects of the Congress aimed at addressing insecurity. It is a reform to articles 15 and 18 of the Law of Options and Naturalizations, with exceptions for refugees, stateless persons, and asylees with criminal records prior to their migratory protection status in Costa Rica.
The proposed reform to article 18 would allow for the annulment of naturalization for those foreigners with final convictions for drug trafficking or money laundering, whether in the country or abroad.
It also establishes that the decisions of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) regarding the revocation of naturalization shall not be subject to judicial suspension for reasons of national security.
On the other hand, the modification to article 15 establishes that those who have been convicted of serious crimes with prison sentences exceeding three years in the last ten years, both in Costa Rica and abroad, shall not be able to obtain nationality.
The same measure will apply to those with pending judicial proceedings, provided that the illicit conduct is classified as a crime under Costa Rican legislation and the individual is imputable.
In the case of individuals with naturalization proceedings pending within and outside of Costa Rica, the text establishes administrative measures to suspend the process until a final and definitive sentence is issued by the courts.
The project was presented by the legislative president, Rodrigo Arias, and his party colleague Danny Vargas, from the National Liberation Party (PLN). The second and final debate was scheduled for Monday, March 18.
-News from the newspaper La Nacion-
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