Costa Rica President Dismisses Foreign Minister Over Unauthorized Trump Meeting

President Fernández announced the termination of Minister Pinto's tenure on Tuesday, citing the minister's attendance at the conference meeting as a violation of protocol and presidential authority. The "Shield of the Americas" gathering in New York, which focused on regional security matters, had not been approved through official government channels, according to the presidency's statement.

The dismissal underscores tensions within Costa Rica's foreign policy apparatus regarding the extent of diplomatic engagement with the United States. Officials close to the president indicated that Pinto's independent action at the New York conference represented an overreach of ministerial authority and a failure to coordinate with the executive office before engaging in high-level discussions.

This development comes amid broader discussions across Latin America regarding the coordination of foreign policy responses to the Trump administration. Costa Rica, which has traditionally maintained close ties with Washington, now faces questions about the consistency of its diplomatic messaging as it seeks to balance regional interests.

The presidency has not yet announced a replacement for the foreign minister position. The incident reflects underlying disagreements within the Costa Rican government about the appropriate channels for diplomatic engagement at the international level.