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Walter Espinoza, director of the Judiciary Investigative Police, explained during a press conference that the center of the province of Puntarenas is being affected by insecurity which comes as the consequence of criminal activity that manifests through violence and aggression.

“The OIJ has detected not just individuals but also organizations that are aggressive, use violence and threaten their victims with firearms. This has a lot to do with certain social-economic characteristics present in this sector of the Pacific of Costa Rica and that demand that we pay close attention to the situation specially in the center of this province and particular neighborhoods, where as we mentioned before, there is a very serious social problematic, that will eventually manifest with more violence and crime”, commented Espinoza.

The neighborhoods that Espinoza refers to are Barranca, Fray Casiano and El Roble, where the social-economic problems are evident, situation that criminal organizations take advantage off to recruit more people to be part of their gangs or to sell them drugs.

“I do not justify any criminal activity even in situations of impoverishment, but this situation pressures society to these situations. There are areas where many young people do not study or work and they are recruited to sell drugs, for robberies, assaults, and more”, concluded Espinoza.

The lack of employment opportunities is one of the biggest challenges faced by this province.