Durante este día 17 de junio en su conferencia de prensa semanal, la presidenta de Costa Rica, Laura Fernández, presentó el proyecto de ley denominado “Cero Ocio en las Cárceles”, una propuesta que busca transformar la dinámica laboral en las cárceles del país.

El plan, inspirado en el modelo salvadoreño, obligará a las personas privadas de libertad a participar en actividades productivas, con la meta de reducir beneficios penitenciarios y que los internos contribuyan al financiamiento de su propia manutención.

Según explicó la mandataria en su comparecencia habitual ante los medios, la nueva legislación pretende que los internos trabajen en obras públicas, limpieza de ríos, parques nacionales y mantenimiento de infraestructuras en zonas de ingreso al país, como parte de una estrategia de embellecimiento nacional.

El Ministro de Justicia y Paz, Gabriel Aguilar Vargas, detalló que las cuadrillas de privados de libertad ya realizan labores de desmalezamiento y limpieza de áreas verdes, cumpliendo jornadas laborales completas bajo supervisión, y que esta modalidad se ampliará a nuevos puntos del país.

El proyecto establece una redistribución específica del salario que perciben las personas privadas de libertad por su trabajo. Según el borrador legislativo, el 35% del ingreso se destinará al financiamiento del sistema penitenciario, el 35% a los familiares de las víctimas, el 20% a la familia directa del interno y el 10% a un fondo de ahorro personal disponible al finalizar la condena.

El Gobierno asegura que esta política permitirá generar un ahorro para el Estado y, al mismo tiempo, fomentar la reparación económica a las víctimas de los delitos, en línea con prácticas observadas en otros países de la región.

Entre las primeras acciones implementadas, el Ministerio de Justicia y Paz anunció la eliminación de microondas en los dormitorios de los centros penales. Según explicó Aguilar Vargas, se decomisaron 238 aparatos que serán donados a instituciones como el SENCINAI (Sistema Nacional de Cuidado y Atención Integral), comedores infantiles, organizaciones de beneficencia y delegaciones de la Fuerza Pública y la Policía Penitenciaria.

“La directriz que emitimos hace dos semanas tiene como consecuencia que no hayan microondas o no tienen por qué haber microondas en los dormitorios de los centros penales. Así que enviamos a decomisarlos absolutamente todos”, afirmó Aguilar Vargas. El funcionario subrayó que esta medida busca igualar las condiciones de vida dentro de los penales y reorientar recursos hacia la comunidad.

Durante la jornada, uno de los internos que participa en los trabajos compartió ante los medios el impacto positivo que ha tenido la posibilidad de acceder a un empleo y a la educación dentro de la cárcel. “El trabajo me ha dado disciplina y me ha permitido pensar en un futuro distinto. La educación es una oportunidad para cambiar”, expresó.

Las autoridades destacaron que el programa piloto ha mejorado la convivencia en los centros de detención y que muchas personas privadas de libertad han solicitado integrarse a las cuadrillas laborales, lo que evidencia el interés por adquirir habilidades y aportar a la sociedad.

La presidenta Fernández precisó que el Ejecutivo mantendrá la supervisión directa de estas acciones y que se prevé la presentación de una propuesta formal ante la Asamblea Legislativa en los próximos días. El proyecto “Cero Ocio en las Cárceles” contempla seis áreas de trabajo para los internos, que incluyen obras públicas, servicios ambientales, mantenimiento urbano, agricultura, manufactura y actividades educativas.

El proyecto inicia ahora su camino en el Legislativo, donde se prevé una discusión amplia sobre su alcance y la posibilidad de replicar el modelo en otros ámbitos de la administración pública costarricense. Las autoridades reiteraron su compromiso con la reinserción social y el fortalecimiento de la seguridad ciudadana a través de la ocupación productiva de quienes cumplen condena en el país.

It’s less than five months until the midterm elections and voters are not happy with what’s in their wallets.

Only 12% say they are getting ahead financially, most think the economy is in bad shape, more than half think President Donald Trump’s policies benefit people who have money, and their outlook on the economy is negative. 

That’s according to a new Fox News poll that finds the president’s numbers have declined since last year. 

Some 59% of voters feel pessimistic about the economy, worse by 4 points compared to last June (55%). That’s a stark contrast from the bullish views during Trump’s first term, when 57% felt optimistic (June 2019). 

FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS SEE AI REGULATION AS URGENT, RANK SAFEGUARDS AHEAD OF INNOVATION

Forty-four percent say they’re falling behind financially. That’s more than felt that way last year by 8 points (36% falling behind) and by 3 points compared to June 2024 (41%).

One in four, 26%, rates the economy positively, better by 3 points since last month and generally in line with views this year — but still below last June’s 31% positive marks. Around three-quarters consistently rate the economy negatively (73%).

FOX NEWS POLL: ‘RESILIENT DISCONTENT’ DEFINES THE US MOOD AT 250TH ANNIVERSARY

Big picture, 37% are satisfied with the direction of the country. That’s mostly unchanged since March, but down from 44% last July. Even with the 7-point decline since last summer, satisfaction is higher today than what it was for most of former President Joe Biden’s term.

Those satisfaction ratings closely match Trump’s job performance, as his approval stands at 39%. That’s unchanged since last month, but down 7 points compared to 46% approval last June. His lowest approval for either term is 38% in October 2017. 

Twenty percent think Trump’s economic policies benefit everyone, while a 54% majority says they help people with more money than they have, and 15% say they help «no one.» The share saying the president’s policies help everyone is down from 31% in 2019 (Trump), 27% in 2023 (Biden), and 23% in 2015 (Obama).

Opinions on the economy are largely based on party identification. Among Republicans, the biggest share says Trump’s policies help everyone (42%), half say they’re holding steady financially (49%), half rate economic conditions positively (50%), and two-thirds feel optimistic (66%). 

It’s the opposite among Democrats: 81% feel pessimistic about the economy, 91% rate it negatively, more than half say they’re falling behind (55%), and 71% think the president’s policies help people with more money.

Approval of the president is near record lows among some of his key constituencies, sitting a single point above his all-time floor among men (43%), White voters (44%), White evangelical Christians (61%), and Republicans (81%). His support among White men without a college degree stands at 50%, only 2 points ahead of his low-water mark.

The 23% approving of Trump’s handling of gas prices marks a rare moment of consensus — voters across the board are unhappy with the president — as majorities of Democrats (95%), independents (88%), and Republicans (53%) disapprove.

On the economy overall, 31% approve of the job Trump is doing, up from a record low 29% in May. A year ago, 40% approved. While a majority of Republicans approve, most Democrats and independents disapprove.

On immigration, 43% approve, the lowest of Trump’s second term, but still his best issue. 

These ratings are driven, at least in part, by 51% thinking his immigration enforcement has gone too far. 

In addition, views on the immigration role of local governments have flipped. Currently, 53% say local governments should control immigration enforcement in their communities, while 46% believe cooperation with ICE should be required. Last year, it was the reverse: 51% favored requiring ICE cooperation and 45% preferred local control.

Poll-pourri

Trust in the federal government stands at a low of 25%. That’s down from 32% in both 2025 and 2024. The previous low was 31% in 2023. Trust stood at a high of 54% in 2002, but hasn’t hit 40% since 2012. 

During the last year of the Biden administration, 44% of Democrats distrusted the government (2024), and that increased to 73% in 2025 and 83% this year. 

Among Republicans, more than 6 in 10 (63%) don’t trust the government, up 15 points compared to last summer (48%), but down from 85% two years ago. Currently, 57% of MAGA Republicans and 73% of non-MAGA Republicans lack faith in Uncle Sam. 

Distrust has held fairly steady among independents recently: 80% today vs. 80% in 2025 and 72% in 2024. 

Six in 10 voters believe the government spends too little time combating fraud in federal programs, and another 66% say recent efforts have been ineffective. 

While Democrats (55%) and Republicans (63%) agree the government isn’t doing enough to stop fraud, they disagree on recent performance: a majority of Republicans (56%) say efforts to prevent fraud have been effective, while most Democrats say the reverse (83% ineffective). Views among independents are the most critical, as they think the government isn’t doing enough (67%) and what it has done has been ineffective (78%).

Conducted June 12-15, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,002 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (101) and cellphones (644) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (257). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling error, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

Colombian military forces announced on Wednesday they successfully neutralized five members of the militant group responsible for a devastating bus bombing that killed 20 civilians and left 45 others injured.

In a statement from the Military Forces of Colombia, officials said the neutralized suspects were members of the «Estructura Jaime Martínez,» an organized armed group.

In addition to planting the explosives in the municipality of Cajibío, authorities claim the group’s criminal activities included stealing vehicles along the Pan-American Highway and indiscriminately deploying drones loaded with explosives.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVER CHARGED WITH HOLDING GIRL CAPTIVE FOR 12 YEARS

A video shared along with the statement appeared to show body bags laid out in front of a military helicopter and numerous seized weapons.

The military retaliation followed an April 26 terror attack, when an explosive device detonated on a passenger bus traveling along the Pan-American Highway in the volatile Cauca region. 

The blast killed 15 women and five men, according to a report from The Associated Press.

Colombian troops neutralized five suspected members of the residual organized armed group Estructura Jaime Martínez. (@FuerzasMilCol/X)

COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT PETRO THREATENS MILITARY RESPONSE AFTER TRUMP WARNS COLOMBIA MAY BE NEXT TARGET

While initial local reports said 36 people were injured, including several children, the Colombian military’s recent update noted that 45 civilians were wounded in the explosion.

Gen. Hugo López, commander of Colombia’s armed forces, quickly condemned the bus bombing as a «terrorist act.»

He attributed the attack to dissident factions of the defunct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), specifically pointing to the Jaime Martínez faction and the network of «Iván Mordisco,» one of the country’s most wanted figures.

The U.N. high commissioner for human rights previously urged authorities to «guarantee justice for the victims.»

Officials said the suspects were accused of killing 20 people and injuring dozens more in an April terror attack. (@FuerzasMilCol/X)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Southwestern Colombia has become a battleground for illegal armed groups vying for control over coca leaf cultivation areas and crucial drug trafficking routes leading to Central America and Europe.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.