Costa Rica Foreign Minister Fired Over Missed Trump Meeting

COSTA RICA · POLITICS

The Costa Rica foreign minister was fired while at the UN, blamed by the president for her absence from a Trump summit.

Costa Rica foreign minister Manuel Tovar is out after only 139 days. President Laura Fernández fired him on Thursday 24 September while he was leading the country’s delegation at the UN General Assembly.

The presidency says Tovar went to a Shield of the Americas meeting with Donald Trump on 22 September without telling her. That, it says, kept Fernández from attending herself.

What the Costa Rica Foreign Minister Is Accused Of

“Tovar attended the session without giving prior notice or informing the President of the Republic of his participation,” the presidency said. It called this “negligence” that caused “great strategic damage”.

The statement said Tovar managed Costa Rica’s participation inadequately. Fernández considers the US-led coalition fundamental to the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime.

Later on Thursday, Fernández apologised in public to US Ambassador Melinda Hildebrand. The occasion was a US donation of security equipment in the south of the country.

“I regret my absence from the meeting called by the United States government,” she said. The error in passing on the invitation “was not overlooked”, she added.

“There are difficult decisions one must take as president, but there are mistakes that cannot be overlooked,” she said. She also restated her “firm commitment” to the Shield of the Americas.

What the Public Record Shows

The meeting was hardly a secret. On 17 September, Tovar told the Miami Herald that a high-level session was planned for the following week in New York.

Paraguay and the Dominican Republic announced their leaders’ attendance, the news site Delfino reported. The US State Department published its agenda, naming Secretary of State Marco Rubio as host, the night before.

Delfino found no public record showing when Trump’s own attendance was confirmed. When the session began, Rubio told the room that the president would join them soon.

Fernández had also said since July that she would skip the UN week to focus on security and investment at home. On 22 September she was in Barranquilla, Colombia, meeting President Abelardo de la Espriella.

It was her first official trip abroad. The two leaders agreed to share more intelligence, cooperate on air and maritime security and go after criminal finances.

Costa Rica has now gone five years without its president at the UN summit, La Nación noted. Fernández followed the example of her predecessor, Rodrigo Chaves.

How Tovar Responded

Tovar avoided a public fight and did not address the charge that he failed to inform her. He thanked Fernández for the chance to serve and wished her every success as president.

“I accept this moment with great peace,” he wrote on X. He also stressed the importance of the UN week for Rebeca Grynspan, the Costa Rican bidding to become UN secretary-general.

On the eve of the meeting, Tovar told business leaders in New York that Grynspan was the best choice for the UN. She has Costa Rica’s full support, he said.

How Congress and Diplomats Reacted

Opposition lawmakers voiced surprise. National Liberation leader Álvaro Ramírez cited foreign-policy errors and cabinet instability, with two ministers and three vice-ministers gone in under five months.

Abril Gordienko of the Social Christian Unity Party said it was hard to believe Tovar had not reported such a high-profile meeting. If so, she added, the decision was the president’s to make.

The governing bloc defended Fernández’s right to choose her ministers without further explanation.

Manuel González, foreign minister from 2014 to 2018, said he had never seen a minister removed mid-summit. Experts told La Nación the timing could weaken Grynspan’s bid.

What Happened at the Meeting

Trump launched the coalition on 7 March in Doral, Florida, and the New York session was its second meeting. It was held at UN headquarters.

The session brought together ten presidents, including Trump, Argentina’s Javier Milei and Chile’s José Antonio Kast. Costa Rica was represented by Tovar.

Other leaders present included Bolivia’s Rodrigo Paz, Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa, Paraguay’s Santiago Peña and Peru’s Keiko Fujimori. Colombia sent Vice-President José Manuel Restrepo.

Fifteen governments, Costa Rica among them, issued a joint declaration against 24 criminal groups they call narco-terrorist. They also plan to seek OAS consultations under the 1947 Rio Treaty.

The declaration covers the economy too. Members say they intend to explore investment screening and “trusted supplier” regulations for digital infrastructure.

In his remarks, Tovar highlighted Costa Rica’s security efforts despite having no army. He also asked partners to keep their attention on Cuba and Nicaragua.

Who Takes Over

The presidency announced the dismissal in a statement on Thursday morning, ending Tovar’s duties at once. It named a stand-in from inside the cabinet.

Indiana Trejos, foreign trade minister since May, becomes acting foreign minister once she returns from the UN mission. She has worked at the foreign trade ministry for 21 years.

She holds a master’s in political economy from the University of Essex and a degree from Tufts University. She also represented Costa Rica on the OECD’s trade committee.

She has worked on agreements with the United States and the European Union. Tovar himself ran that ministry under former president Rodrigo Chaves before moving to foreign affairs in May.

Why It Matters If You Live in Costa Rica

Nothing announced changes visas, residency or trade rules. But her public apology to the US ambassador signals how much weight Fernández places on ties with the Trump administration.

It also comes a week after Tovar told the Miami Herald that ties with Cuba amounted to a full break. Embassies had closed in March, and Havana says it was never formally notified.

What Comes Next

Watch whether Fernández names a permanent foreign minister, and who delivers Costa Rica’s address to the General Assembly on Monday 28 September. Tovar had been due to give that speech, La Nación reported.

Sources: Delfino, the meeting and the timeline, 24 September 2026; La Nación, Fernández on the dismissal, 24 September 2026; La Nación, Indiana Trejos profile, 24 September 2026; La Nación, shortest tenure since 1948, 24 September 2026; Infobae, Tovar’s response, 24 September 2026; La Nación, reactions in Congress, 24 September 2026; La Nación, former ministers on the Grynspan bid, 24 September 2026; CEAPI, Tovar on Grynspan in New York, 22 September 2026; EFE via ABC Color, Fernández apologises to the US ambassador, 24 September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the Costa Rica foreign minister fired?

President Laura Fernández says Manuel Tovar attended a Shield of the Americas meeting with Donald Trump on 22 September without telling her. The presidency says this kept her from attending and caused strategic damage.

Who is the new foreign minister?

Foreign Trade Minister Indiana Trejos is acting foreign minister. She takes over once she returns from the UN General Assembly in New York.

What is the Shield of the Americas?

It is a US-led coalition against organised crime that Trump launched in March 2026. Fifteen governments, including Costa Rica, issued its latest declaration on 22 September.

Does this affect foreigners in Costa Rica?

No changes to visas, residency or trade rules have been announced. The dispute concerns how the government handled a diplomatic invitation.

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