To the editor:

I must vehemently protest against your coverage related to the prosecution in the unfortunate murder of Shannon Martin. In the article published on Dec. 3 under the rubric “Costa Rica slaying” (“Justice in Costa Rica killing cost victim’s family $100K”) you presented a distorted image of our country as a nation of widespread corruption. In contrast to this, Costa Rica has been portrayed by numerous international organizations as a country of the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

The rise in crime is a worldwide concern, but Costa Rica has managed to maintain the lowest crime index in the Western Hemisphere and a much lower homicide rate than that of the United States. We remain, above all, a safe, peaceful and democratic country in which the law is pre-eminent in all social and political relations. As a matter of fact, many Americans have chosen our country as the ideal destination to live and retire. Today, there are more Americans living in Costa Rica than Costaricans in the United States.

The damage your report attempted to inflict to our country’s reputation merits, at the very least, an explicit retraction on your part.

Jaime Daremblum,

ambassador, Costa Rica,

Washington, D.C.