Motorcyclists may be required to wear a high-visibility vest displaying (on the chest and back) their vehicle's license plate number if a plan from the Ministry of Public Security is approved.

The recently appointed security minister, Mario Zamora, said that this plan will be presented to Congress for analysis and eventually approval by the legislators.

This is a security and control measure to prevent crimes related to riders who use motorcycles in crimes such as robberies, attacks and homicides.

According to Zamora, this measure is applied successfully in countries such as Colombia where high-visibility vests are an excellent tool for the police in identifying potential criminals.

 

Also, the vests would make it easier to identify the rider through police cameras installed in public spaces.

The plan also contemplates the obligation of riders to report the loss or theft of their vest, in the event of its use by another person with the intention of not being identified when a crime is committed.

Recently, Costa Rica joined the international agreement to create a security strategy to have a greater impact on the fight against organized crime, gangs, drugs, arms traffic and human trafficking. 

Also, the Ministry of Justice changed the requirements that prisoners must meet to request the benefit of parole. The decree requires people found guilty of committing top crimes, such as murder or sexual offenses, to obtain their right to request parole only if they have served at least the half-sentence period imposed by a judge in prison.

 

Currently, Congress is analyzing the new government plan to curb the wave of crime in the country.  The plan includes modifications to the current penal code to eliminate crimes committed by people who are already incarcerated, increase controls on people found guilty of crimes but get the benefit of serving their sentence outside of prison, establish a minimum amount for crimes against property, create the Training Center of the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) and increase investment in police forces, among other changes.

Congress is expected to soon vote on the approval or rejection of the new security plan.

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