Costa Rica Removes 263 Prison Microwaves in Reform Push

Costa Rica's prison system just got 263 microwaves lighter, and the story behind how they got there in the first place shows how reform can start with the simplest of changes.

Prison authorities announced this week that they've removed hundreds of microwave ovens from correctional facilities nationwide. The appliances had accumulated over years in prison yards, conjugal visit areas, and communal spaces through a lenient package delivery system that allowed families to bring food, clothing, and personal items to inmates.

The microwaves weren't contraband hidden in secret corners. They sat in open areas, brought in through regular delivery channels that gradually expanded through informal tolerance and administrative approval.

But President Laura Fernández, who took office in May, sees the appliances as symbols of a system that grew too permissive. The daily flow of food packages created an operational burden for prison officers and opened channels that organized crime exploited to smuggle drugs, mobile phones, and other prohibited items inside.

Her administration has made prison reform an early priority, warning that inmates in maximum security facilities continue directing criminal operations from behind bars. The microwave removal is part of broader security measures that began June 3, tightening what can enter prisons and under what conditions.

Under new rules, food can only enter on visiting days, limited to two containers per visit with stricter security checks. The only microwaves remaining will be in designated visitor areas for immediate use during authorized visits.

The Ripple Effect

Of the 263 microwaves removed, 238 are in good working condition and will undergo an administrative review for potential donation to school cafeterias, early childhood centers, police stations, homes for the elderly, and community organizations. The remaining 25 units are damaged beyond repair.

Justice Minister Gabriel Aguilar called it a basic matter of order. If large quantities of food can no longer enter prisons, there's no reason to keep appliances designed to heat that food sitting in inmate areas.

Prison Police Director Pablo Bertozzi framed the decision simply: anything without a security or operational justification doesn't belong inside a correctional facility.

The microwave story may seem small, but it reveals how informal practices can become embedded in institutions over years of loose oversight. It also shows how visibly a new government can signal change by doing something as straightforward as carrying hundreds of appliances out the door.

The reforms extend beyond microwaves, with high risk inmates now facing reduced family visits, limited conjugal visits only for those in formal relationships, and phone calls capped at 10 minutes weekly.

Whether broader reforms aimed at cutting communication between imprisoned crime bosses and their outside networks prove as simple to enforce remains to be seen, but Costa Rica is showing that meaningful change can start with the basics.