Costa Rica News – It’s mine, no it’s mine. What is going to be the result of this territorial battle between Costa Rica and Nicaragua?
Nicaragua is now claiming ownership of Costa Rica’s Bolaños Island. Costa Rica sent a protest to Ortega’s Government in Managua explaining that he does not have rights to that land.
The island is in Salinas Bay, which is co-owned by the countries.
The International Court of Justice is already involved in defining the maritime boundaries on both the Pacific and Caribbean sides.
Article IV of the Cañas Jerez treaty of limits of 1858 has made it clear that Bolaños, which is 1.3 kilometers from Costa Rica’s mainland, is not jointly owned and rather is sovereign territory of Costa Rica.
In 1981, Costa Rica declared the island a national wildlife refuge because of its role in the conservation of seabirds.
The country’s sovereignty has been clear since 1858 until the other day when Costa Rican fishermen were arrested in that area. Nicaraguan Army presence on Costa Rican land is a violation of all treaties as is intimidating fishermen and stealing their boats.
