Costa Rica Fires Foreign Minister for Not Informing President About Shield of the Americas Meeting
Is this scapegoating for a president's own diplomatic mess or a necessary stand against freelancing?
Above: Manuel Tovar shakes hands with Marco Rubio at the U.S. Department of State on Sept. 16. Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Government-critical narrative
Firing Tovar over a summit that had been public knowledge for weeks is just scapegoating. The real story is that Fernández dodged the U.N. General Assembly and the Shield of the Americas meeting and is now hunting for someone to blame when the diplomatic fallout landed. Pinning a self-inflicted mess on a competent diplomat is cowardice.
Pro-government narrative
Tovar was one of the best foreign ministers in Costa Rica's history. Yet talent and a strong résumé don't excuse leaving the government's own leadership out of the loop on a major regional security meeting. Cabinet discipline means consequences apply to everyone, no matter how respected. Losing him stings, but a foreign policy run on freelancing would cost far more.