Costa Rica's president, Laura Fernández, dismissed Trade Minister Indiana Trejos on Wednesday and ordered the government not to sign a 12-nation Trans-Pacific trade pact Costa Rica had been preparing to join, The Rio Times reported¹.

Fernández said in a recorded message that she had instructed Trejos to share the full text with every affected sector and that none had received it in full¹. She said negotiators had declared the text secret and ordered the file archived immediately¹.

The Rio Times quoted her as saying "the Transpacific is not going"¹. Trejos, who led the trade ministry known as Comex, had told lawmakers in October that the talks were transparent¹. Asked about the president's claims, she said the alleged lack of transparency was Fernández's own assessment¹.

The newspaper said Costa Rica applied to join the pact on Aug. 10, 2022, members opened accession on Nov. 28, 2024, and they announced the substantial end of talks on May 5, 2026, with a signing planned for November¹. It identified the pact as the CPTPP, including Japan, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru and the United Kingdom, and said the United States is not a member¹.

Fernández said she would not gamble with families in cattle, dairy and fruit and vegetable farming, and she promised more state purchases from local growers and a push against smuggling¹. The Rio Times said her campaign had backed accession, that her stance shifted in late September and again after a nearly seven-hour meeting with farm leaders on Oct. 9, and that her trade ministry had told partners she was expected to sign in November¹.

The newspaper said the Legislative Assembly never voted on the pact because the protocol was not signed¹. Who will replace Trejos, how other members will respond, and whether Costa Rica could return to the talks were not known¹.

Sources

1. The Rio TimesCosta Rica Fires Minister Over Pacific Pact4:48 PM

Read the original at The Rio Times ↗