{
  "id": "nexus-sen-1-0007-1383267",
  "citation": "Res. 13269-2026 Sala Constitucional",
  "section": "nexus_decisions",
  "doc_type": "constitutional_decision",
  "title_es": "Requisito de denuncia previa en amparo ambiental por parque público insalubre",
  "title_en": "Prior-complaint requirement for environmental amparo over neglected public park",
  "summary_es": "La Sala Constitucional declaró sin lugar un recurso de amparo interpuesto por un vecino de Alajuelita que denunció basura acumulada, escombros, desechos quemados, maleza crecida y estructuras peligrosas sin mantenimiento en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, alegando violación al derecho de acceso a espacios públicos dignos, seguros y saludables al amparo del artículo 50 de la Constitución. El tribunal rechazó el recurso porque el recurrente no logró acreditar haber presentado denuncia formal previa ante las autoridades recurridas —requisito indispensable en materia ambiental—, y el caso no encuadraba en ninguno de los dos supuestos de excepción reconocidos: (1) que se trate de un caso de gran envergadura, o (2) que las autoridades hubieran tenido conocimiento de daño ambiental concreto sin adoptar medida alguna. Por el contrario, las inspecciones sanitarias y las acciones coordinadas entre la Municipalidad, el Ministerio de Salud y el Ministerio de Cultura acreditaron condiciones adecuadas en el parque.",
  "summary_en": "The Constitutional Court denied an amparo filed by an Alajuelita resident who alleged accumulated garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown vegetation, and dangerous unmaintained structures at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, claiming a violation of the right to dignified, safe, and healthy public spaces under Article 50 of the Constitution. The Court denied the petition because the petitioner failed to prove he had filed any prior formal complaint before the competent authorities—an indispensable prerequisite in environmental matters—and the case met neither of the two recognized exceptions: (1) matters of great magnitude, or (2) situations where authorities had knowledge of ongoing environmental harm but took no action. Health Ministry inspections and coordinated actions by the Municipality and Ministry of Culture confirmed the park was in adequate condition.",
  "court_or_agency": "Sala Constitucional",
  "date": "21/04/2026",
  "year": "2026",
  "topic_ids": [],
  "primary_topic_id": null,
  "es_concept_hints": [
    "recurso de amparo ambiental",
    "denuncia previa",
    "Art. 50 Constitución Política",
    "supuestos de excepción amparo",
    "gran envergadura",
    "orden sanitaria",
    "Área Rectora de Salud",
    "administración activa"
  ],
  "article_citations": [],
  "keywords_es": [
    "recurso de amparo ambiental",
    "denuncia previa",
    "artículo 50 Constitución Política",
    "derecho a un ambiente sano",
    "espacios públicos",
    "Municipalidad de Alajuelita",
    "Ministerio de Salud",
    "Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud",
    "Parque de Desarrollo Humano",
    "orden sanitaria",
    "leptospirosis",
    "supuestos de excepción",
    "gran envergadura",
    "administración activa",
    "riesgo sanitario",
    "basura escombros espacio público"
  ],
  "keywords_en": [
    "environmental amparo",
    "prior complaint requirement",
    "Article 50 Constitution",
    "right to healthy environment",
    "public spaces",
    "Alajuelita Municipality",
    "Ministry of Health",
    "Ministry of Culture",
    "public park neglect",
    "sanitary order",
    "leptospirosis",
    "exceptions to prior complaint",
    "large-scale environmental case",
    "active administration",
    "public health risk",
    "waste rubble public park"
  ],
  "excerpt_es": "Al respecto, conviene apuntar en primer lugar, que no pudo comprobarse que la parte recurrente haya presentado denuncia alguna ante las autoridades recurridas sobre los hechos alegados en el recurso. Sobre el particular, esta Sala se ha referido en reiteradas ocasiones sobre la falta de denuncia ante las autoridades competentes de diversos tipos de situaciones, lo cual es indispensable de previo a acudir ante esta Sala.\n\ntendríamos que estar ante el escenario de que la persona afectada haya presentado una denuncia y que, durante su trámite, se haya determinado una amenaza o que efectivamente se esté dañando al medio ambiente, y aun así, las autoridades administrativas recurridas no hayan tomado ningún tipo de medida al respecto, lesionando así el derecho constitucional consagrado en el artículo 50 de la Carta Magna.\n\nNo obstante, pese a lo dicho hasta ahora, el Tribunal Constitucional sí ha entrado a conocer recursos donde se demostró una violación a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado sin la necesidad de la interposición de una denuncia previa; ello, bajo dos supuestos de excepción, a saber: 1) cuando se trate de una caso de gran envergadura y; 2) cuando de los autos se pueda derivar que las autoridades competentes han tenido conocimiento de la situación acusada, que está amenazando u ocasionando una daño al medio ambiente, no han tomado ningún tipo de medida al respecto.",
  "excerpt_en": "In this regard, it is worth noting first that it could not be established that the petitioner filed any complaint before the respondent authorities regarding the facts alleged in the petition. On this point, this Court has repeatedly addressed the failure to file complaints before the competent authorities in various types of situations, which is indispensable before coming to this Court.\n\nWe would need to be in the scenario where the affected party filed a complaint and, during its processing, a threat was identified or the environment was in fact being damaged, and yet the respondent administrative authorities took no measures in that regard, thereby violating the constitutional right enshrined in Article 50 of the Constitution.\n\nNotwithstanding the foregoing, the Constitutional Court has reviewed cases where a violation of the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment was established without the need for a prior complaint; this, under two recognized exceptions: 1) when the matter is of great magnitude; and 2) when the record establishes that the competent authorities had knowledge of the situation complained of, which was threatening or causing environmental harm, and had taken no measures in that regard.",
  "outcome": {
    "label_en": "Denied",
    "label_es": "Sin lugar",
    "summary_en": "The Constitutional Court denied the amparo for lack of a prior formal complaint before the competent authorities, and because neither of the two recognized environmental exceptions to that requirement was present.",
    "summary_es": "La Sala declaró sin lugar el amparo por ausencia de denuncia formal previa ante las autoridades recurridas y por no configurarse ninguno de los dos supuestos de excepción reconocidos en materia ambiental."
  },
  "pull_quotes": [
    {
      "context": "Considerando IV",
      "quote_en": "This Court has held that it must not substitute the active Administration in the exercise of its competencies, nor is it a complaint-processing forum.",
      "quote_es": "este Tribunal ha dicho que no debe sustituir a la Administración activa en sus competencias, ni es una instancia tramitadora de denuncias."
    },
    {
      "context": "Considerando IV, citing Sentencia 2008-04786",
      "quote_en": "The Municipality's role must not be limited to acting only when it receives a complaint about an alleged anomalous situation; rather, its obligation is to guarantee, defend, and preserve the right of everyone to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment through continuous oversight of all activities carried out in the community.",
      "quote_es": "el papel de la Municipalidad no debe de limitar su actuación únicamente cuando recibe denuncia de supuestas situaciones anómalas sino que su obligación se encuentra en garantizar, defender y preservar el derecho de todos a disfrutar de un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado mediante el control continuo de todas las actividades que se realizan en la comunidad."
    },
    {
      "context": "Considerando IV",
      "quote_en": "It is observed that none of these facts was reported to the authorities, nor do they involve matters of great magnitude, nor were they known to the respondent authorities.",
      "quote_es": "se observa que ninguno de estos hechos ha sido denunciado ante las autoridades, ni tampoco se trata de temas de gran envergadura ni que estuvieran en conocimiento de las autoridades recurridas."
    },
    {
      "context": "Considerando IV",
      "quote_en": "Given the absence of a formal complaint by the petitioner, given that neither of the two exceptions recognized by this Court is present, and given that in any event the respondent authorities have been diligent in addressing other situations that arose at the location in question, the appropriate course is to deny the petition.",
      "quote_es": "ante la ausencia de denuncia formal por parte del recurrente, al verificarse que no nos encontramos ante los dos supuestos de excepción que conoce este Tribunal y acreditarse que, en todo caso, las autoridades recurridas han sido diligentes en atender otras situaciones que se han presentado en el lugar reclamado, lo procedente es declarar sin lugar el recurso."
    }
  ],
  "cites": [],
  "cited_by": [],
  "references": {
    "internal": [],
    "external": []
  },
  "source_url": "https://nexuspj.poder-judicial.go.cr/document/sen-1-0007-1383267",
  "tier": 2,
  "is_environmental": true,
  "_editorial_citation_count": 0,
  "regulations_by_article": null,
  "amendments_by_article": null,
  "dictamen_by_article": null,
  "concordancias_by_article": null,
  "afectaciones_by_article": null,
  "resoluciones_by_article": null,
  "cited_by_votos": [],
  "cited_norms": [],
  "cited_norms_inverted": [],
  "sentencias_relacionadas": [],
  "temas_y_subtemas": [],
  "cascade_only": false,
  "amendment_count": 0,
  "body_es_text": "Revisión del Documento\n\n\n\nExp: 25-031280-0007-CO \n\nRes. Nº 2026013269\n\n \n\nSALA CONSTITUCIONAL DE LA CORTE SUPREMA DE JUSTICIA. San José, a las nueve horas veinte minutos del veintiuno de abril de dos mil veintiseis .\n\n Recurso de amparo interpuesto por Nombre01, cédula de identidad CED01, contra la MUNICIPALIDAD DE ALAJUELITA, el MINISTERIO DE SALUD, y el MINISTERIO DE CULTURA Y JUVENTUD. \n\nResultando:\n\n1.- Por escrito recibido en la Secretaría de la Sala el 8:50 horas de 10 de octubre de 2025, el recurrente interpone recurso de amparo contra la Municipalidad de Alajuela. Manifiesta que, en el cantón de Alajuelita, específicamente en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano, se evidencia una situación de abandono por parte del Estado, en este caso el Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, encargado de velar por el acceso equitativo a la cultura, el arte y el esparcimiento en espacios públicos. Asegura que, en dicho parque se ha documentado la presencia de basura acumulada, escombros, desechos quemados, maleza crecida y estructuras peligrosas sin mantenimiento, lo cual representa no solo un riesgo sanitario, sino también una violación al derecho de acceso a espacios públicos dignos, seguros y saludables, especialmente para personas menores de edad, adultos mayores y personas con discapacidad. Sostiene que se han realizado las denuncias respectivas, sin obtener respuesta o acción concreta hasta la fecha\n\n2.- En resolución de las 19:54 horas de 19 de octubre de 2025 se previene a la parte recurrente que aporte “Copia completa, legible y con el respectivo comprobante de recibido o de remisión de correo electrónico de la denuncia que planteó ante la autoridad accionada y cuya falta de respuesta alega en el memorial de interposición de este proceso”. \n\n3.- Mediante escrito agregado al expediente digital a las 19:21 horas de 24 de octubre de 2025, el recurrente cumple lo prevenido. \n\n 4.- En resolución de las 13:29 horas de 13 de noviembre de 2025 se da curso al proceso y se solicita informe a la Alcaldesa y al Presidente del Concejo, ambos de la Municipalidad de Alajuelita, la Directora del Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita y al Ministro de Cultura y Juventud, sobre los hechos alegados por el recurrente. \n\n5.- Mediante escrito agregado al expediente digital a las 15:27 horas de 18 de noviembre de 2025, informa bajo juramento Jorge Rodríguez Vives, en su condición de Ministro de Cultura y Juventud, que “(…) Por medio del presente, remito a sus estrados el INFORME elaborado y rendido bajo responsabilidad de la señora Carmen Campos Ramírez, Viceministra de Cultura, según oficio No. MCJ-DV-144-2025 del 18 de noviembre de 2025 en que señala, sobre los hechos objeto del presente recurso de amparo, lo esgrimido a continuación: I. Hechos. “ A continuación, se presentan las acciones realizadas, según los aspectos denunciados por el señor Nombre01 en el punto uno: 1. En el cantón de Alajuelita, específicamente en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano, se evidencia una situación de abandono por parte del Estado, en este caso el Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, encargado de velar por el acceso equitativo a la cultura, el arte y el esparcimiento en espacios públicos. Inundaciones en el SkatePark Uno de los principales problemas que ha enfrentado el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita y que ha dificultado su desarrollo, es la inundación en el SkatePark, que según informes técnicos se debe, por un lado, al problema de canalización de aguas fluviales de una de las comunidades aledañas denominada El Jazmín (asentamiento informal) y al vandalismo que ha afectado la infraestructura. En cuanto al SkatePark depositan basura de manera indiscriminada que produce obstrucción en la salida del agua y convierte esta pista de patinetas en una piscina, cuya acumulación del agua la convierte en un lugar de alto riesgo e insalubre. Toda esta situación se agrava en tiempos de lluvias torrenciales como las vividas en meses recientes. Con respecto de estas inundaciones, en nuestro ministerio (MCJ) hemos atendido de manera prioritaria esta situación. Tomando en cuenta que la inundación de este espacio continuaba, el MCJ solicitó la colaboración urgente del Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, quienes se apersonaron en dos oportunidades el 24 y 25 de octubre del presente año, al lugar para vaciar el espacio, excavar para exponer la tubería y realizar una limpieza profunda del drenaje, sacando la basura de todo tipo que se depositó en el lugar (…) En la sesión 4-2025 celebrada el 4 de noviembre de 2025 por la Comisión Institucional del Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, se conoció copia del oficio MCJ-DM-0866-2025 del 27 de octubre de 2025 (Anexo 6), suscrito por el señor Alexander Castro Mena, Ministro a.i. dirigido al señor Héctor Chaves León, Director del Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, mediante el que agradece a esa benemérita institución por el apoyo brindando en la atención de la emergencia por inundación ocurrida en el SkatePark. En dicha sesión, se da seguimiento al estado a la fecha del SkatePark, indicando la señora Alcaldesa que se encuentra bien, sin inundaciones, confirmando la efectividad del trabajo realizado. Oferta artística y cultural Desde la Comisión Institucional, de la que forma parte la señora Rosario Siles Fernández, Alcaldesa de la Municipalidad, además del señor Miguel Arrieta Berrocal, Viceministro de Juventud y la señora Wendy Jiménez Ballestero, Directora de la Dirección Sociocultural (DGS) del ministerio, hemos venido dando seguimiento a esta situación y trabajando en la oferta artística y cultural que podamos brindar, así como la asesoría y trabajo conjunto con el señor Ronal Montero, gestor cultural de esta municipalidad”. Solicita se declare sin lugar el recurso. \n\n6.- Por medio de escrito agregado al expediente digital a las 10:43 horas de 20 de noviembre de 2025, informan bajo juramento María del Rosario Siles Fernández y Grettel Murillo Quirós, por su orden Alcaldesa y Presidenta a.i. del Concejo Municipal, ambas de la Municipalidad de Alajuelita, que “(…) Con respecto al Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, se informan las siguientes acciones realizadas en temas de: seguridad, gestión de limpieza y el skatepark: Seguridad del PDH: El Parque de Desarrollo Humano (PDH), es un espacio público que se encuentra bajo la vigilancia constante de la Policía Municipal de Alajuelita. Con el objetivo de garantizar la seguridad y el bienestar de los visitantes, se realizan recorridos diarios en el sector. Además, se han llevado a cabo actividades recreativas comunales que promueven la integración y el respeto por el espacio público. Los patrullajes regulares en el PDH han servido para prevenir incidentes y garantizar la seguridad de los visitantes, tanto los que son locales como los que vienen de otras partes de la GAM. Otras de las acciones que se realizan como parte del trabajo de la Policía Municipal es fomentar la participación ciudadana y fortalecer lazos entre la comunidad y las autoridades, eliminando esas fronteras del imaginario y potenciando el tejido social, con diferentes actividades recreativas, con la participación de jóvenes y niños. En cuanto al uso de las instalaciones es importante comentar que también durante el patrullaje que se realiza se han decomisado bebidas alcohólicas y sustancias prohibidas que personas sin escrúpulos intentan consumir en el parque. Estas acciones buscan mantener el orden y la seguridad en el área. Prevención de incidentes, fomento de la convivencia social ciudadana y mantenimiento del orden público de la mano con el control policial son ejes fundamentales y garantes que hemos intentado mantener durante la gestión (…) Gestión Ambiental: El departamento de Gestión Ambiental ha realizado una serie de acciones en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita para su mantenimiento y mejoramiento de todo el parque que se informa a continuación: Se realizó el reforzamiento de las bases con cemento de los ranchos, para evitar que estos se cayeran y ocasionaran algún accidente, se repararon los tres ranchos y se retiró uno dados los daños que presentaba. Además, se realiza una constante limpieza y recolección de los basureros y tres veces a la semana se tiene a dos funcionarios que ingresan a recoger toda la basura y posteriormente se retiran las bolas del parque. Con respecto a la chapea del parque se destinó cuatro personas que realizan una vez al mes el trabajo de mantenimiento, la duración de este trabajo es de una semana aproximadamente, por lo grande que es. Es importante tomar en cuenta que al estar en época de lluvia el zacate crece más rápido y en ocasiones el mantenimiento se puede atrasar por emergencias que pasan en el cantón y que se deben de atender con prontitud (…) Desde el 2024 se ha informado al Ministerio de Cultura, que se ha estado presentando una situación con el skatepark, ya que el bowl ha tenido problemas con el desagüe lo que provoca que este se llene de agua, formando una especie de piscina. La situación se agrava en la época lluviosa donde a pesar de que se hacen esfuerzos para darle mantenimiento y limpieza, los funcionarios pueden duras hasta tres días trabajando en el desagüe y si llueve se vuelve a llenar. Por esta razón, se ha realizado una coordinación con Bomberos y AyA por medio del Ministerio de Cultura, para que nos colaboren con equipo y se pueda sacar el agua estancada. Además, los ingenieros de la Municipalidad han realizado una valoración de la situación y se ha solicitado en varias ocasiones al Ministerio de Cultura la colaboración para poder contactar a la empresa que se encargó de realizar el proyecto, para que puedan revisar el desagüe y colaborarnos con una solución para evitar que esto continue pasando. La última acción realizada en el mes de octubre del 2025 fue la coordinación con Bomberos que nos ayudaron a sacar la obstrucción de la tubería, y se identificó que el tamaño de la tubería no es el óptimo, por lo que se está coordinando con el Ministerio de Cultura para el trabajo que se debe realizar con el cambio de la tubería y que tenga más capacidad para que el agua fluya sin necesidad de que quede estancada (…) Es importante informar que el terreno no es de la Municipalidad, sino, del Ministerio de Cultura y solo existe un convenio de administración donde la Institución se encuentra realizando el mantenimiento, pero cualquier modificación, cambio o inversión debe ser por parte del Ministerio de Cultura”. \n\n7.- Mediante escrito agregado al expediente digital a las 13:44 horas de viernes 21 de noviembre de 2025, las autoridades del Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita remiten copia del expediente que llevan sobre el parque en cuestión. \n\n8.- Por medio de constancia de 25 de noviembre de 205 se indica que no consta que la Directora del Área Rectora de Salud Alajuelita del Ministerio de Salud rindiera el informe solicitado por esta Sala. \n\n9.- En resolución de las 12:32 horas de 22 de marzo de 2026 se solicita prueba para mejor resolver a las autoridades del Área Rectora de Salud Alajuelita. \n\n10.- Mediante informe agregado al expediente digital a las 8:49 horas de 26 de marzo de 2026, informa bajo juramento Leandra Madrigal Rodríguez, en su condición de Directora a.i. del Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita, que “(…) a la fecha que no existen denuncias sanitarias formales interpuestas ante esta Autoridad de Salud por parte del recurrente ni de habitantes del cantón relacionadas con los hechos alegados. Las únicas actuaciones sanitarias realizadas en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, durante el año 2025 obedecieron a un procedimiento sanitario independiente, originado a partir de una investigación epidemiológica por un caso confirmado de leptospirosis en un menor de edad. II. ACLARACIÓN EXPRESA SOBRE LA ORDEN SANITARIA Se aclara de manera expresa y categórica que la orden sanitaria MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, girada en mayo de 2025, no se originó por los hechos alegados por el recurrente en el recurso de amparo, ni guarda relación causal, material o temporal con denuncias por abandono, basura, maleza o estructuras peligrosas. Dicha orden sanitaria fue emitida exclusivamente como resultado de una investigación epidemiológica puntual por un caso confirmado de leptospirosis (…) III. RESPUESTA A LO SOLICITADO POR LA SALA CONSTITUCIONAL 1) Estado actual de la orden sanitaria La orden sanitaria fue atendida por la Municipalidad de Alajuelita mediante acciones de limpieza, extracción de agua acumulada, evaluación técnica del drenaje y coordinación interinstitucional con el Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. Esta Área Rectora ha dado seguimiento mediante solicitudes formales de información, mediante correos electrónicos. (Folios 00089, 00095, 000101, 000110, 000114. 000115) 2) Cumplimiento de la orden sanitaria Con base en la visita de verificación realizada el 20 de noviembre de 2025 y que consta en acta de inspección N° Y-107-2025 y en el informe técnico MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-1194- 2025, la Gestora Ambiental Yendry Muñoz Vásquez del Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita, se constató que las condiciones que dieron origen a la orden sanitaria han sido completamente corregidas. Durante dicha inspección se comprobó que el skatepark se encuentra limpio, en funcionamiento y sin presencia de agua acumulada, descartándose el riesgo sanitario asociado al estancamiento de agua. (Folios 00097 al 000100) A pesar de lo anterior, y en vista de que la Sala Constitucional mediante la resolución de las doce horas treinta y dos minutos del veintidós de marzo de dos mil veintiséis, notifica al Área Rectora de Salud una actualización de información se procede a realizar una inspección el día 23 de marzo de 2026 y se comprueba que no existe maleza en áreas donde existen equipamientos (mobiliarios), canchas y senderos, tampoco se observa acumulación de residuos sólidos, escombros o indicios de quemas, los cuales son los aspectos alegados por el recurrente. Además, de verificar que el skatepark motivo de la orden sanitaria MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, se encuentra limpio, sin acumulaciones de agua y funcionando correctamente. Lo anterior consta en acta de inspección ocular N° Y-047-2026. (Folios 000111 y 000112) Asimismo, esta Área Rectora de Salud solicitó el día 23 de marzo del 2026, a la Municipalidad de Alajuelita un informe detallado de los arreglos e intervenciones realizadas en el skatepark del Parque de Desarrollo Humano. El 24 de marzo de 2026 se recibe informe MA-AM-112-2026 por parte de la Señora alcaldesa Rosario Siles Fernández quien refiere que con respecto a el estado del skatepark y la orden sanitaria girada: 1. Ministerio de Cultura en la coordinación con el Viceministerio de Cultura y el Viceministerio Administrativo, para que realizarán una visita al sitio con los ingenieros, así como los ingenieros de la Municipalidad, para revisar la situación y buscar una solución. 2. Se realizó coordinación con Bomberos, AyA, para poder sacar el agua estancada y con esto poder eliminar del riesgo eminente que eso significa, ya que estas instituciones tienen el sistema de bombeo que no cuenta la Municipalidad. 3. Se realizó una cavidad a un costado del Skatepark, por donde pasa la tubería instalada, para lograr sacar todo lo que mantenía la tubería taqueada, este trabajo se logró gracias a la colaboración de Bomberos y personal de la Municipalidad de Alajuelita. 4. Luego se procedió a limpiar y dejar el bowld sin agua para que se pudiera utilizar por la población. 5. Aprovechando que esta el verano, se está en el proceso de creación de proyecto con el fin de hacer una alcantarilla más grande con una capacidad más amplia para evitar que el problema se siga dando en época de lluvia. Además, en lo que respecta al estado actual del Parque de Desarrollo Humano y los hechos alegados por el recurrente, la señora alcaldesa en el mismo informe detalla que se han mantenido constantemente acciones para el mantenimiento del Parque de Desarrollo Humano, con las siguientes acciones: 1. Limpieza y recolección de los basureros y tres veces a la semana se tiene a dos funcionarios que ingresan a recoger toda la basura y posteriormente se retiran las bolas del parque. 2. Se chapea el parque, destinando cuatro personas que realizan una vez al mes el trabajo de mantenimiento, la duración de este trabajo es de una semana aproximadamente, por lo gran-de que es. Es importante tomar en cuenta que al estar en época de lluvia el zacate crece más rápido y en ocasiones el mantenimiento se puede atrasar por emergencias que pasan en el cantón y que se deben de atender con prontitud. (Folios 000113-000115) En virtud de lo anterior, desde el punto de vista técnico-sanitario, esta Autoridad considera que la orden sanitaria MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 se encuentra cumplida en su totalidad, no existiendo orden sanitaria vigente relacionada con el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, por lo que se procedió al cierre del caso que dio origen la emisión de la orden sanitaria en cuestión mediante el oficio CARTA-MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-CD-0028- 2026. (Folio 000116) 3) Incidencias o denuncias posteriores Consultado nuestros registros se informa que no se han recibido denuncias sanitarias posteriores ni se han presentado incidencias relacionadas con el parque. La inspección más reciente confirma que el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita se encuentra en condiciones sanitarias adecuadas y sin riesgo para la salud pública. IV. CONCLUSIÓN 1. Los hechos denunciados por el recurrente no fueron comprobados. 2. La orden sanitaria emitida en mayo de 2025 no guarda relación alguna con el recurso de amparo. 3. La orden sanitaria MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 se encuentra cumplida en su totalidad. 4. No existen incidencias ni denuncias sanitarias vigentes en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita. 5. El Ministerio de Salud ha actuado de manera diligente, técnica y conforme a derecho”: \n\n11.- En los procedimientos seguidos se han observado las prescripciones legales. \n\n Redacta el Magistrado Araya García; y,\n\nConsiderando:\n\n I.- Objeto del recurso. Alega el recurrente que en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita se ha documentado la presencia de basura acumulada, escombros, desechos quemados, maleza crecida y estructuras peligrosas sin mantenimiento, lo cual representa no solo un riesgo sanitario, sino también una violación al derecho de acceso a espacios públicos dignos, seguros y saludables. Asegura que presentó la respectiva denuncia por estos hechos; sin embargo, a la fecha en que presenta este recurso, la denuncia no ha sido resuelta de manera definitiva, lo que estima lesivo de sus derechos fundamentales. \n\nII.- Hechos probados. De importancia para la decisión de este asunto, se estiman como debidamente demostrados los siguientes hechos:\n\n1) El recurrente es vecino de Alajuelita (hecho incontrovertido). \n\n2) El Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita es propiedad del Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud (ver informe rendido por la autoridad recurrida y prueba aportada al expediente).\n\n3) En el SkatePark del Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita se han presentado inundaciones, las cuales han sido causadas por problema de canalización de aguas fluviales de una de las comunidades aledañas denominada El Jazmín (asentamiento informal) y al vandalismo que ha afectado la infraestructura, pues se deposita basura de manera indiscriminada que produce obstrucción en la salida del agua y convierte esta pista de patinetas en una piscina, cuya acumulación del agua la convierte en un lugar de alto riesgo e insalubre (ver informe rendido por la autoridad recurrida y prueba aportada al expediente). \n\n4) Los días 24 y 25 de octubre de 2025, el Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos colaboró con el Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud y procedieron a vaciar el espacio, excavar para exponer la tubería y realizaron una limpieza profunda del drenaje, sacando la basura de todo tipo que se depositó en el lugar (ver informe rendido por la autoridad recurrida y prueba aportada al expediente).\n\n5) El 13 y 17 de noviembre de 2025, las autoridades recurridas fueron notificadas de la resolución de curso de este proceso (ver actas de notificación). \n\n6) Las autoridades de la Municipalidad de Alajuelita indicaron que “(…) El departamento de Gestión Ambiental ha realizado una serie de acciones en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita para su mantenimiento y mejoramiento de todo el parque que se informa a continuación: Se realizó el reforzamiento de las bases con cemento de los ranchos, para evitar que estos se cayeran y ocasionaran algún accidente, se repararon los tres ranchos y se retiró uno dados los daños que presentaba. Además, se realiza una constante limpieza y recolección de los basureros y tres veces a la semana se tiene a dos funcionarios que ingresan a recoger toda la basura y posteriormente se retiran las bolas del parque. Con respecto a la chapea del parque se destinó cuatro personas que realizan una vez al mes el trabajo de mantenimiento, la duración de este trabajo es de una semana aproximadamente, por lo grande que es. Es importante tomar en cuenta que al estar en época de lluvia el zacate crece más rápido y en ocasiones el mantenimiento se puede atrasar por emergencias que pasan en el cantón y que se deben de atender con prontitud (…) se ha realizado una coordinación con Bomberos y AyA por medio del Ministerio de Cultura, para que nos colaboren con equipo y se pueda sacar el agua estancada (…) La última acción realizada en el mes de octubre del 2025 fue la coordinación con Bomberos que nos ayudaron a sacar la obstrucción de la tubería, y se identificó que el tamaño de la tubería no es el óptimo, por lo que se está coordinando con el Ministerio de Cultura para el trabajo que se debe realizar con el cambio de la tubería y que tenga más capacidad para que el agua fluya sin necesidad de que quede estancada (…)” (ver informe rendido por la autoridad recurrida y prueba aportada al expediente).\n\n7) Las autoridades del Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita señalaron que “(…) a la fecha que no existen denuncias sanitarias formales interpuestas ante esta Autoridad de Salud por parte del recurrente ni de habitantes del cantón relacionadas con los hechos alegados. Las únicas actuaciones sanitarias realizadas en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, durante el año 2025 obedecieron a un procedimiento sanitario independiente, originado a partir de una investigación epidemiológica por un caso confirmado de leptospirosis en un menor de edad. II. ACLARACIÓN EXPRESA SOBRE LA ORDEN SANITARIA Se aclara de manera expresa y categórica que la orden sanitaria MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, girada en mayo de 2025, no se originó por los hechos alegados por el recurrente en el recurso de amparo, ni guarda relación causal, material o temporal con denuncias por abandono, basura, maleza o estructuras peligrosas. Dicha orden sanitaria fue emitida exclusivamente como resultado de una investigación epidemiológica puntual por un caso confirmado de leptospirosis (…) III. RESPUESTA A LO SOLICITADO POR LA SALA CONSTITUCIONAL 1) Estado actual de la orden sanitaria La orden sanitaria fue atendida por la Municipalidad de Alajuelita mediante acciones de limpieza, extracción de agua acumulada, evaluación técnica del drenaje y coordinación interinstitucional con el Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. Esta Área Rectora ha dado seguimiento mediante solicitudes formales de información, mediante correos electrónicos. (Folios 00089, 00095, 000101, 000110, 000114. 000115) 2) Cumplimiento de la orden sanitaria Con base en la visita de verificación realizada el 20 de noviembre de 2025 y que consta en acta de inspección N° Y-107-2025 y en el informe técnico MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-1194- 2025, la Gestora Ambiental Yendry Muñoz Vásquez del Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita, se constató que las condiciones que dieron origen a la orden sanitaria han sido completamente corregidas. Durante dicha inspección se comprobó que el skatepark se encuentra limpio, en funcionamiento y sin presencia de agua acumulada, descartándose el riesgo sanitario asociado al estancamiento de agua. (Folios 00097 al 000100) A pesar de lo anterior, y en vista de que la Sala Constitucional mediante la resolución de las doce horas treinta y dos minutos del veintidós de marzo de dos mil veintiséis, notifica al Área Rectora de Salud una actualización de información se procede a realizar una inspección el día 23 de marzo de 2026 y se comprueba que no existe maleza en áreas donde existen equipamientos (mobiliarios), canchas y senderos, tampoco se observa acumulación de residuos sólidos, escombros o indicios de quemas, los cuales son los aspectos alegados por el recurrente. Además, de verificar que el skatepark motivo de la orden sanitaria MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, se encuentra limpio, sin acumulaciones de agua y funcionando correctamente. Lo anterior consta en acta de inspección ocular N° Y-047-2026” (ver informe rendido por la autoridad recurrida y prueba aportada al expediente).\n\nIII.- Hecho no probado. No se estima como debidamente demostrado el siguiente hecho: Único. Que la parte recurrente haya presentado denuncia alguna ante las autoridades recurridas sobre los hechos alegados en el recurso. \n\nIV.- Sobre el caso concreto. En el sub lite, la parte recurrente acusa que en el Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita se ha documentado la presencia de basura acumulada, escombros, desechos quemados, maleza crecida y estructuras peligrosas sin mantenimiento, lo cual representa no solo un riesgo sanitario, sino también una violación al derecho de acceso a espacios públicos dignos, seguros y saludables. Asegura que presentó la respectiva denuncia por estos hechos; sin embargo, a la fecha en que presenta este recurso, la denuncia no ha sido resuelta de manera definitiva, lo que estima lesivo de sus derechos fundamentales. \n\nAl respecto, conviene apuntar en primer lugar, que no pudo comprobarse que la parte recurrente haya presentado denuncia alguna ante las autoridades recurridas sobre los hechos alegados en el recurso. Sobre el particular, esta Sala se ha referido en reiteradas ocasiones sobre la falta de denuncia ante las autoridades competentes de diversos tipos de situaciones, lo cual es indispensable de previo a acudir ante esta Sala. \n\nEn ese sentido, en la sentencia número 2023-29457 de las 12:50 horas del 10 de noviembre de 2023, esta Tribunal dispuso lo siguiente:\n\n“V.- SOBRE LA NECESIDAD DE INTERPONER UNA DENUNCIA EN TEMAS AMBIENTALES. En primera instancia, estima la Sala que resulta imperativo hacer algunas apreciaciones respecto a la necesidad de interponer una denuncia en temas ambientales.\n\nDel estudio de los autos se advierte que el Secretario General de la SETENA en el informe adjunto subrayó, en lo medular, lo siguiente:\n\n“Luego de la verificación de las bases de datos de esta Secretaría, no se localizó ningún expediente de Evaluación Ambiental con las características indicadas (…) Tampoco se localizó alguna solicitud del accionante dirigida a esta representación, denunciando algún hecho específico, caso en el cual se la hubiera redirigido al Tribunal Ambiental Administrativo, al determinase que no existe expediente abierto de Evaluación Ambiental”.\n\nSobre este aspecto, esta Sala ha dicho que, para que se pueda ventilar una lesión o amenaza a los derechos ambientales, en la generalidad o en lo particular, tendríamos que estar ante el escenario de que la persona afectada haya presentado una denuncia y que, durante su trámite, se haya determinado una amenaza o que efectivamente se esté dañando al medio ambiente, y aun así, las autoridades administrativas recurridas no hayan tomado ningún tipo de medida al respecto, lesionando así el derecho constitucional consagrado en el artículo 50 de la Carta Magna. Así, en la sentencia No. 2016-007678 de las 10:50 horas del 03 de junio de 2016, se resolvió lo siguiente:\n\n“III.- SOBRE EL FONDO. En reiterada jurisprudencia, esta Sala Constitucional ha tenido la oportunidad de pronunciarse sobre el principio precautorio en materia ambiental, así como en relación con la obligación del Estado de asegurar que todos aquellos proyectos, de índole público o privado, se desarrollen bajo estrictos estándares que eviten cualquier daño al medio ambiente. De esta forma, el Estado, por medio de las instituciones creadas para tales efectos, deberá ejercer un control previo y posterior, en torno a la forma en la que se ejecutan los trabajos, las construcciones, los proyectos o las actividades de las empresas y comercios, para asegurar a todos los administrados, que no se ocasiona ningún tipo de daño ambiental con dichas actividades. Ahora bien, por las razones expuestas, ciertas actividades, como las mineras, requieren, de previo a llevarse a cabo, estudios y análisis de impacto ambiental, para lo cual se realizan investigaciones técnicas por parte de profesionales en cada área, para determinar si la actividad pretendida podría o no ocasionar algún perjuicio de ese tipo, todo con base en las diferentes legislaciones que regulan la materia ambiental, como de aguas, forestal, minera, entre otras. Posteriormente, una vez que se obtienen esos permisos de viabilidad o factibilidad, las autoridades administrativas deben prestar atención y atender oportunamente, las denuncias que se presenten por parte de aquellas personas que se consideran afectadas por alguna de las actividades mencionadas, ya sea una concesión, o trabajos privados y comerciales, con el fin de iniciar investigaciones que permitan establecer la veracidad de las quejas planteadas, para lo cual, nuevamente, deberá contarse con criterios técnicos al respecto. Es decir, para que esta Sala pueda corroborar una lesión a los derechos ambientales, en la generalidad o en lo particular, tendríamos que estar ante el escenario de que, la persona afectada haya presentado una denuncia, y que durante su trámite se haya determinado que, efectivamente se está ocasionando una daño al medio ambiente y aun así, las autoridades administrativas recurridas no hayan tomado ningún tipo de medida al respecto, lesionando así, el derecho constitucional consagrado en el artículo 50 de la Carta Magna”. (El destacado no es del original). \n\nIgualmente, en reiteradas ocasiones este Tribunal ha dicho que no debe sustituir a la Administración activa en sus competencias, ni es una instancia tramitadora de denuncias. En ese sentido, en la sentencia No. 2023019540 de las 09:30 horas del 11 de agosto de 2023 se resolvió lo siguiente:\n\n“III.- Objeto del recurso. Los recurrentes acusan que hace 25 años, aproximadamente, la Municipalidad de Carrillo realizó una zanja utilizando maquinaria pesada dentro de propiedades privadas, para el desagüe de aguas que va desde Dirección01, pasando por Dirección02 y culmina en zona protectora propiedad del INDER. Afirman que se han visto afectados por la contaminación ambiental que provoca el desfogue de aguas negras, estancamiento de agua que genera vectores de proliferación de zancudos transmisores de enfermedades, lo que afecta la salud y el medio ambiente.\n\n(…)\n\n VI.- Caso concreto.\n\n(…)\n\n Al respecto, del estudio de los autos, se tiene por demostrado que los recurrentes no han presentado una gestión formal y escrita ante las autoridades recurridas, con el fin de plantear la problemática expuesta en el escrito de interposición. Desde este plano, se le debe advertir que esta Sala no debe sustituir a la Administración activa en sus competencias ni es una instancia tramitadora de denuncias. Tomen en cuenta los petentes que lo anterior no es lo mismo que agotar la vía administrativa, sino la simple admisión de que este Tribunal no debe sustituir directamente la voluntad de la Administración y suplantar a los despachos públicos en la gestión de los asuntos de su competencia. Por consiguiente, podrá la parte accionante, si a bien lo tiene, plantear sus inconformidades o reclamos ante las autoridades recurridas de manera formal, por escrito, o bien, en la vía jurisdiccional ordinaria, sedes en las cuales podrá, en forma amplia, discutir el fondo del asunto y hacer valer sus pretensiones, en virtud de lo expuesto, el presente amparo se declara inadmisible.\n\n Sobre este particular, la Sala ha manifestado que denuncias como las que plantean los recurrentes en este amparo, deben ser interpuestas previamente ante las autoridades correspondiente, por medio de la sentencia n.° 2017-020375 de las 11:00 horas del 19 de diciembre de 2017, se indicó lo siguiente:\n\n“II.- SOBRE EL CASO CONCRETO. En el sub lite, la parte recurrente acude directamente a este Tribunal a denunciar un problema con respecto a la contaminación generada por una canalización de aguas negras a través de sus propiedades, las cuales desembocan en un río. Sin embargo, del propio dicho de las recurrentes se colige que no han planteado denuncia alguna ante las autoridades competentes, en este caso la Municipalidad de Flores de Heredia. Ahora bien, como se ha dicho reiteradamente, este Tribunal no debe sustituir a la Administración activa en sus competencias ni es una instancia tramitadora de denuncia, así lo señala la sentencia 2016-001150 de las 14:30 horas del 26 de enero de 2016. Consideraciones que son aplicables al caso en estudio, pues este Tribunal no encuentra razones para variar el criterio vertido en dicha sentencia, ni motivos que lo hagan valorar de manera distinta la situación planteada. Por ende, aun cuando las promoventes lo consideren innecesario, en situaciones como esta es preciso que acudan ante las autoridades recurridas a plantear formalmente el reclamo aludido, de previo a interponer el recurso de amparo, para que sean dichas instancias las que tomen las medidas pertinentes para solucionar el problema denunciado o, en su defecto, establecer su reclamo en la vía de la legalidad ordinaria. Lo anterior sin demérito de que las recurrentes acudan a la vía constitucional, luego de que transcurriere un plazo irrazonable sin un actuar efectivo de la Administración y siempre que hubiere amenaza o lesión a un derecho fundamental”. (El destacado no es del original). (Véase en similar sentido las sentencias No. 2023004954 de las 09:30 horas del 03 de marzo de 2023, 2023004299 de las 09:15 horas del 24 de febrero de 2023, y 2022026246 de las 09:45 horas del 04 de noviembre de 2022, entre otras).\n\nNo obstante, pese a lo dicho hasta ahora, el Tribunal Constitucional sí ha entrado a conocer recursos donde se demostró una violación a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado sin la necesidad de la interposición de una denuncia previa; ello, bajo dos supuestos de excepción, a saber: 1) cuando se trate de una caso de gran envergadura y; 2) cuando de los autos se pueda derivar que las autoridades competentes han tenido conocimiento de la situación acusada, que está amenazando u ocasionando una daño al medio ambiente, no han tomado ningún tipo de medida al respecto. En ese sentido, en la sentencia No. 2008-04786 de las 12:35 horas del 27 de marzo de 2008, se resolvió lo siguiente:\n\n“II.- OBJETO DEL RECURSO.- El recurrente alega que ha acudido al Ministerio de Salud, Defensoría de los Habitantes y otras instancias administrativas a denunciar una porqueriza que se ubica contiguo a su vivienda y que produce malos olores; sin embargo no han atendido sus gestiones (…)\n\nIV.- EN CUANTO A LA ACTUACIÓN DE LA MUNICIPALIDAD DE ALAJUELA.- Para el caso que nos ocupa, el Código Municipal obliga a las Municipalidades de cada cantón velar porque al administrado se le garantice el disfrute real y efectivo del derecho a la salud y a un ambiente sano. De los documentos aportados al expediente así como el informe dado bajo juramento por la Alcaldesa recurrida, indica que una vez que los funcionarios municipales se apersonaron al sitio objeto del presente recurso de amparo y constataron que la actividad carecía de permiso municipal procedieron a otorgarle al propietario de la porqueriza un plazo de ocho días para que obtuviera la patente respectiva. Sin embargo, considera la Sala que el papel de la Municipalidad no debe de limitar su actuación únicamente cuando recibe denuncia de supuestas situaciones anómalas sino que su obligación se encuentra en garantizar, defender y preservar el derecho de todos a disfrutar de un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado mediante el control continuo de todas las actividades que se realizan en la comunidad. A juicio de esta Sala, en la especie la Municipalidad de Alajuela ha mostrado incapacidad para hacer cumplir las leyes en la materia y su obligación de garantizar el disfrute de los habitantes de la zona a un ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado, con las consecuencias para la salud de esas personas. Es así como la Municipalidad recurrida teniendo pleno conocimiento de que dentro de su jurisdicción territorial un ciudadano realiza una actividad carente de los permisos de ley y que en sí resulta sensible debido al manejo de animales y desechos, se ha limitado a otorgarle al administrado denunciado un plazo de ocho días para poner a derecho su situación, evadiendo su responsabilidad de estar siempre vigilantes a las acciones que realicen los habitantes de la comunidad. Es así como se observa que la Municipalidad recurrida no ha ni siquiera intentado verificar si la actividad genera algún tipo de contaminación y si lanzan aguas contaminadas. Lo anterior, con el fin de imponer las sanciones que en Derecho corresponda una vez otorgado el debido proceso y derecho de defensa que les asiste. En consecuencia, la Municipalidad de Alajuela no ha tomado acción alguna para determinar existencia del problema y su eventual incidencia en el supuesto inconveniente sanitario que con insistencia revela el recurrente. En tal virtud, se impone la estimatoria de este recurso contra la Municipalidad de Alajuela por las violación constitucional a los artículos 50 y 21 de la Constitución Política.\n\nV.- EN CUANTO A LAS ACTUACIONES DEL MINISTERIO DE SALUD.- Si bien es cierto, el Estado debe respetar el derecho de los individuos, también lo es que debe velar por el bienestar de la comunidad. La Salud Pública y la protección del medio ambiente son principios tutelados tanto a nivel constitucional (artículos 21, 50, 73 y 89 de la Carta Magna), como a través de la normativa internacional. En este caso, la Ley General de Salud, autoriza al Ministerio de Salud para tomar las medidas sanitarias correspondientes e imponer las sanciones, con lo cual el Ministerio de Salud no solo tiene el deber de hacer cumplir la Ley General de Salud sino el de proteger la salud pública calificada como bien de interés público, pues los derechos a la salud y a un ambiente sano y libre de contaminación -al menos por debajo de los límites tolerables para el ser humano- son derechos fundamentales irrenunciables y en cuya violación no se puede legítimamente consentir. Ahora bien, del informe presentado a esta Sala, la Ministra recurrida afirma que no consta ninguna denuncia presentada con relación a estos hechos, no obstante, debe tener presente la jerarca del Ministerio de Salud que ese órgano no debe actuar únicamente a gestión de parte, como parece entenderlo, obviando así la función preventiva que es indispensable en la protección de la salud humana y que amerita su intervención, aún de oficio, en la labor de fiscalización y vigilancia del cumplimiento de los preceptos de la Ley General de Salud. Según lo acreditado en autos, la actuación de las autoridades sanitarias en el caso bajo estudio se limitó a realizar una inspección a la porqueriza aquí denunciada debido a la interposición del presente recurso de amparo y constataron entre otros que la granja porcina cuenta con una población porcina de 150 cerdos y que la zona se encuentra rodeada de viviendas. Si bien, la autoridad sanitaria manifestó que verificó que no existen malos olores a comidas en descomposición ni que las aguas de lavado de la granja fueran lanzadas a la vía pública, de ahí no ha pasado, declinando en el ejercicio de sus competencias y atribuciones al no constreñir, a quienes corresponda, ajustare a los demás requisitos que exige el ordenamiento jurídico para la operación de este tipo de actividad como lo son los debidos permisos de los diferentes órganos administrativos competentes en esta materia, por lo que queda demostrado que más allá de la inspección realizada en virtud del presente recurso de amparo no se desprende del expediente ninguna otra actuación de parte de esta autoridad con la finalidad que la porqueriza cumpla con los requisitos de ley y así ser vigilantes de que dicha actividad no genere ningún tipo de contaminación sanitaria o ambiental y por ende, han omitido cumplir con su obligación de velar por el derecho a la salud de la población y por ende, tal omisión ha ocasionado lesiones a los derechos fundamentales de los todos los habitantes del lugar”. (El destacado no es del original).\n\nEn el sub examine, se estima que lo procedente es declarar sin lugar el recurso, por cuanto no se cumplen con los presupuestos indicados supra para entender que estamos ante un caso de excepción, esto es, ante uno de los dos supuestos que podrían justificar que la Sala Constitucional entre a conocer de este asunto, pese a que no hubo denuncia. Y, como se ha visto, no consta que previo a la interposición del recurso, el accionante haya interpuesto alguna denuncia formal ante las autoridades recurridas y que dicha denuncia no haya sido atendida” (el énfasis no es del original). \n\n \n\nEn congruencia con las sentencias citadas previamente, debe indicarse que, en este caso particular se denota que no existió una denuncia previa por parte del recurrente ante ninguna de las autoridades recurridas. Además, es importante señalar que tampoco nos encontramos ante ninguno de los dos supuestos enumerados en los antecedentes, sea 1) cuando se trate de un caso de gran envergadura y; 2) cuando de los autos se pueda derivar que las autoridades competentes han tenido conocimiento de la situación acusada, que está amenazando u ocasionando un daño al medio ambiente, no han tomado ningún tipo de medida al respecto. \n\nNótese que, el recurrente lo que acusa en su escrito es que, se ha documentado la presencia de basura acumulada, escombros, desechos quemados, maleza crecida y estructuras peligrosas sin mantenimiento, lo cual representa no solo un riesgo sanitario, sino también una violación al derecho de acceso a espacios públicos dignos, seguros y saludables. \n\nDe esta forma, se observa que ninguno de estos hechos ha sido denunciado ante las autoridades, ni tampoco se trata de temas de gran envergadura ni que estuvieran en conocimiento de las autoridades recurridas. Adviértase, además, que las autoridades son enfáticas en indicar que la problemática que se ha presentado en el SkatePark del Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita se trata de una inundación en la pista; sin embargo, dicha situación no fue acusada por el recurrente en este recurso y consta que fue debidamente atendida tanto por el Ministerio de Cultura como por la Municipalidad de Alajuelita. Asimismo, también se verificó que se giró una orden sanitaria en virtud por un caso confirmado de leptospirosis en el lugar, pero esto tampoco tiene relación con los hechos acusados y se verificó que fue debidamente atendido por el Ministerio de Salud, girando la orden sanitaria y realizando las fiscalizaciones necesarias hasta verificar el cumplimiento, y por la Municipalidad de Alajuelita quien cumplió con lo ordenado por el Ministerio de Salud de manera eficiente. \n\nIgualmente, se pudo comprobar que la Municipalidad de Alajuelita en coordinación con el Ministerio de Cultura, de previo a la presentación del recurso, han realizado acciones efectivas para: 1) reforzar las bases con cemento de los ranchos, para evitar que estos se cayeran y ocasionaran algún accidente, se repararon los tres ranchos y se retiró uno dados los daños que presentaba, 2) se realiza una constante limpieza y recolección de los basureros y tres veces a la semana se tiene a dos funcionarios que ingresan a recoger toda la basura y posteriormente se retiran las bolas del parque y 3) con respecto a la chapea del parque se destinó cuatro personas que realizan una vez al mes el trabajo de mantenimiento, la duración de este trabajo es de una semana aproximadamente, por lo grande que es. Lo anterior, se reforzó con la visita realizada el 23 de marzo de 2026 por parte del Ministerio de Salud, en donde se verificó que no se presentaba ninguna de las situaciones denunciadas por el recurrente. \n\nAsí las cosas, ante la ausencia de denuncia formal por parte del recurrente, al verificarse que no nos encontramos ante los dos supuestos de excepción que conoce este Tribunal y acreditarse que, en todo caso, las autoridades recurridas han sido diligentes en atender otras situaciones que se han presentado en el lugar reclamado, lo procedente es declarar sin lugar el recurso, como en efecto se dispone. \n\nV.- Documentación aportada al expediente. Se previene a la parte que, de haber aportado algún documento en papel, así como objetos o pruebas contenidas en algún dispositivo adicional de carácter electrónico, informático, magnético, óptico, telemático o producido por nuevas tecnologías, éstos deberán ser retirados del despacho en un plazo máximo de 30 días hábiles contados a partir de la notificación de esta sentencia. De lo contrario, será destruido todo aquel material que no sea retirado dentro de este plazo, según lo dispuesto en el “Reglamento sobre Expediente Electrónico ante el Poder Judicial”, aprobado por la Corte Plena en sesión No. 27-11 de 22 de agosto de 2011, artículo XXVI y publicado en el Boletín Judicial número 19 de 26 de enero de 2012, así como en el acuerdo aprobado por el Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial, en la sesión No. 43-12 celebrada el 3 de mayo de 2012, artículo LXXXI.\n\nPor tanto:\n\nSe declara sin lugar el recurso. \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nFernando Castillo V.\n\nPresidente\n\n \n\nFernando Cruz C.\n\n \n\nPaul Rueda L.\n\nLuis Fdo. Salazar A.\n\n \n\nJorge Araya G.\n\nAnamari Garro V.\n\n \n\nIngrid Hess H.\n\n \n\n \n\nDocumento Firmado Digitalmente\n\n-- Código verificador --\n\n\n\n T08S5MKZUZS61 \n\nEXPEDIENTE N° 25-031280-0007-CO \n\n \n\nTeléfonos: Telf01/ ALA-4TA (Telf02). Fax: Telf03 / Telf04. Dirección electrónica: www.poder-judicial.go.cr/salaconstitucional. Dirección: (Dirección03, Dirección04, 100 mts. Sur de la iglesia del Perpetuo Socorro).",
  "body_en_text": "Exp: 25-031280-0007-CO\n\nRes. Nº 2026013269\n\nCONSTITUTIONAL CHAMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE. San José, at nine hours twenty minutes on the twenty-first of April, two thousand twenty-six.\n\nAmparo petition (recurso de amparo) filed by Nombre01, national identity document (cédula de identidad) CED01, against the MUNICIPALIDAD DE ALAJUELITA, the MINISTERIO DE SALUD, and the MINISTERIO DE CULTURA Y JUVENTUD.\n\nBackground:\n\n1.- By written submission received in the Clerk's Office of the Chamber at 8:50 hours on October 10, 2025, the petitioner files an amparo petition against the Municipalidad de Alajuela. He states that, in the canton of Alajuelita, specifically at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano, there is evidence of abandonment by the State — in this case the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, which is responsible for ensuring equitable access to culture, art, and recreation in public spaces. He asserts that documented accumulations of garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown vegetation, and unsafe structures lacking maintenance have been recorded at that park, representing not only a health risk but also a violation of the right of access to decent, safe, and healthy public spaces, especially for minors, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities. He contends that the relevant complaints have been filed without receiving a response or concrete action to date.\n\n2.- By resolution at 19:54 hours on October 19, 2025, the petitioner was required to provide \"a complete, legible copy, with the corresponding acknowledgment of receipt or email transmission confirmation, of the complaint filed with the respondent authority whose failure to respond is alleged in the petition initiating these proceedings.\"\n\n3.- By written submission added to the digital file at 19:21 hours on October 24, 2025, the petitioner complies with the requirement.\n\n4.- By resolution at 13:29 hours on November 13, 2025, the proceedings are admitted and the Mayor and the President of the Municipal Council (Concejo Municipal), both of the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, the Director of the Regional Health Authority (Área Rectora de Salud) of Alajuelita, and the Minister of Culture and Youth are requested to submit reports on the facts alleged by the petitioner.\n\n5.- By written submission added to the digital file at 15:27 hours on November 18, 2025, Jorge Rodríguez Vives, in his capacity as Minister of Culture and Youth, submits a sworn report that \"(…) By means of this submission, I forward to your chambers the REPORT prepared and submitted under the responsibility of Ms. Carmen Campos Ramírez, Vice-Minister of Culture, pursuant to official memorandum No. MCJ-DV-144-2025 of November 18, 2025, in which the following is stated regarding the facts at issue in this amparo petition: I. Facts. The following are the actions taken, according to the aspects complained of by Mr. Nombre01 in item one: 1. In the canton of Alajuelita, specifically at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano, there is evidence of abandonment by the State, in this case the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, responsible for ensuring equitable access to culture, art, and recreation in public spaces. Flooding at the SkatePark One of the main problems affecting the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, which has hindered its development, is flooding at the SkatePark. According to technical reports, this is caused, on one hand, by a stormwater channeling problem originating in a nearby community known as El Jazmín (an informal settlement (asentamiento informal)), and by vandalism that has damaged the infrastructure. In particular, garbage is dumped indiscriminately into the SkatePark, blocking the water outlet and turning this skating rink into a pool whose accumulated water makes it a high-risk and unsanitary location. This situation is compounded during periods of torrential rainfall such as those experienced in recent months. Regarding these floods, our ministry (MCJ) has prioritized addressing this situation. Given that the flooding of this space continued, the MCJ urgently requested the collaboration of the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, who attended the site on two occasions — on October 24 and 25 of this year — to drain the space, excavate to expose the piping, and carry out a thorough cleaning of the drainage system, removing all manner of garbage that had been deposited there (…) At session 4-2025 held on November 4, 2025 by the Institutional Commission of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, a copy of official memorandum MCJ-DM-0866-2025 of October 27, 2025 (Anexo 6) was received, signed by Mr. Alexander Castro Mena, Acting Minister, addressed to Mr. Héctor Chaves León, Director of the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, in which he thanks that institution for the support provided in responding to the flooding emergency at the SkatePark. At that session, the current status of the SkatePark was reviewed; the Mayor indicated that it is in good condition with no flooding, confirming the effectiveness of the work done. Cultural and artistic programming From within the Institutional Commission, of which Ms. Rosario Siles Fernández, Mayor of the Municipalidad, is a member, along with Mr. Miguel Arrieta Berrocal, Vice-Minister of Youth, and Ms. Wendy Jiménez Ballestero, Director of the Sociocultural Directorate (DGS) of the ministry, we have been following up on this situation and working on the cultural and artistic programming that we can offer, as well as providing guidance and working jointly with Mr. Ronal Montero, cultural manager of this municipality.\" He requests that the petition be dismissed.\n\n6.- By written submission added to the digital file at 10:43 hours on November 20, 2025, María del Rosario Siles Fernández and Grettel Murillo Quirós, respectively the Mayor and Acting President of the Municipal Council, both of the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, submit sworn reports that \"(…) Regarding the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, the following actions taken are reported in the areas of: security, cleaning management, and the skatepark: Security of the PDH: The Parque de Desarrollo Humano (PDH) is a public space under constant surveillance by the Alajuelita Municipal Police. With the aim of guaranteeing the safety and well-being of visitors, daily rounds are conducted throughout the area. In addition, community recreational activities have been held that promote integration and respect for public space. Regular patrols of the PDH have served to prevent incidents and ensure the safety of visitors, both local residents and those coming from other parts of the GAM. Other actions carried out as part of the Municipal Police's work include fostering civic participation and strengthening ties between the community and the authorities, breaking down imaginary barriers and reinforcing the social fabric through various recreational activities involving youth and children. Regarding use of the facilities, it is worth noting that during patrols, alcoholic beverages and prohibited substances have been confiscated from individuals attempting to consume them in the park. These actions aim to maintain order and security in the area. Preventing incidents, promoting civic coexistence, and maintaining public order alongside police oversight are fundamental pillars and guarantees that we have sought to uphold during this administration (…) Environmental Management: The Environmental Management Department has undertaken a series of actions at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita for its maintenance and overall improvement of the entire park, as reported below: The concrete bases of the shelters were reinforced to prevent them from collapsing and causing accidents; the three shelters were repaired and one was removed given the extent of its damage. In addition, garbage bins are continuously cleaned and collected, and three times per week two employees enter the park to collect all garbage and subsequently remove the waste bins from the park. With respect to grass-cutting (chapea) in the park, four workers are assigned to carry out maintenance once a month; this work takes approximately one week given the size of the park. It is important to note that during the rainy season the grass grows more quickly, and maintenance may occasionally be delayed due to emergencies occurring in the canton that must be attended to promptly (…) Since 2024, the Ministerio de Cultura has been informed that a situation has arisen with the skatepark, as the bowl has had drainage problems that cause it to fill with water, forming a kind of pool. The situation worsens during the rainy season, when despite maintenance and cleaning efforts, workers may spend up to three days working on the drainage only for it to fill up again if it rains. For this reason, coordination has been undertaken with the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos and AyA through the Ministerio de Cultura to obtain equipment assistance and pump out the standing water. In addition, the Municipalidad's engineers have assessed the situation and on several occasions have requested the Ministerio de Cultura's collaboration to contact the company that carried out the original project, so it can inspect the drainage and help find a solution to prevent this from continuing to occur. The most recent action, in October 2025, was coordination with the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, who helped clear the pipe obstruction; it was identified that the pipe diameter is not optimal, and coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura is underway regarding the work required to replace the pipe with one of greater capacity so that water flows freely without accumulating (…) It is important to note that the land does not belong to the Municipalidad but to the Ministerio de Cultura, and there is only an administration agreement under which the Municipalidad carries out maintenance; any modification, alteration, or investment must be carried out by the Ministerio de Cultura.\"\n\n7.- By written submission added to the digital file at 13:44 hours on Friday, November 21, 2025, the authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita forward a copy of the file they maintain regarding the park in question.\n\n8.- By certificate of November 25, 2025, it is noted that the Director of the Área Rectora de Salud Alajuelita of the Ministerio de Salud did not submit the report requested by this Chamber.\n\n9.- By resolution at 12:32 hours on March 22, 2026, evidence for better adjudication is requested from the authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud Alajuelita.\n\n10.- By report added to the digital file at 8:49 hours on March 26, 2026, Leandra Madrigal Rodríguez, in her capacity as Acting Director of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita, submits a sworn report that \"(…) to date there are no formal sanitary complaints filed with this Health Authority by the petitioner or by residents of the canton relating to the alleged facts. The only sanitary actions taken at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita during 2025 arose from an independent sanitary procedure, originating from an epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis in a minor. II. EXPRESS CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE SANITARY ORDER It is expressly and categorically clarified that sanitary order (orden sanitaria) MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, issued in May 2025, did not arise from the facts alleged by the petitioner in the amparo petition, nor does it bear any causal, substantive, or temporal connection to complaints regarding abandonment, garbage, overgrown vegetation, or dangerous structures. That sanitary order was issued exclusively as a result of a targeted epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis (…) III. RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE SALA CONSTITUCIONAL 1) Current status of the sanitary order The sanitary order was complied with by the Municipalidad de Alajuelita through cleaning actions, removal of accumulated water, technical assessment of the drainage system, and inter-institutional coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. This Área Rectora has followed up through formal information requests via email. (Folios 00089, 00095, 000101, 000110, 000114. 000115) 2) Compliance with the sanitary order Based on the verification visit carried out on November 20, 2025, which is recorded in inspection report (acta de inspección) N° Y-107-2025 and in technical report MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-1194-2025, Yendry Muñoz Vásquez, Environmental Manager of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita, verified that the conditions that gave rise to the sanitary order have been fully remedied. That inspection confirmed that the skatepark is clean, operational, and free of accumulated water, thereby ruling out the health risk associated with standing water. (Folios 00097 to 000100) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and given that the Sala Constitucional, by resolution at twelve hours thirty-two minutes on March 22, 2026, notified the Área Rectora de Salud requesting updated information, an inspection was carried out on March 23, 2026, and it was confirmed that there is no overgrown vegetation in areas containing equipment (furniture), courts, or walkways, nor is there any accumulation of solid waste, rubble, or evidence of burning — these being the matters alleged by the petitioner. It was also verified that the skatepark, which was the subject of sanitary order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, is clean, free of water accumulation, and functioning correctly. This is recorded in visual inspection report N° Y-047-2026. (Folios 000111 and 000112) Furthermore, on March 23, 2026, this Área Rectora de Salud requested from the Municipalidad de Alajuelita a detailed report of the repairs and interventions carried out at the skatepark of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano. On March 24, 2026, report MA-AM-112-2026 was received from Mayor Rosario Siles Fernández, who states, regarding the status of the skatepark and the sanitary order issued: 1. The Ministerio de Cultura, in coordination with the Vice-Ministry of Culture and the Administrative Vice-Ministry, arranged for a site visit with their engineers as well as the Municipalidad's engineers to review the situation and seek a solution. 2. Coordination was carried out with the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos and AyA to pump out the standing water and thereby eliminate the immediate risk it posed, as these institutions have pumping systems that the Municipalidad does not have. 3. An excavation was made on one side of the SkatePark, where the installed piping runs, in order to clear everything that was blocking the pipe; this work was accomplished with the collaboration of the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos and staff from the Municipalidad de Alajuelita. 4. The bowl was then cleaned and left free of water so that it could be used by the public. 5. Taking advantage of the dry season, a project is being developed to build a larger culvert with greater capacity to prevent the problem from recurring during the rainy season. In addition, regarding the current state of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano and the facts alleged by the petitioner, the Mayor in the same report details that ongoing maintenance actions have been carried out at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano, including: 1. Garbage bins are cleaned and collected continuously, and three times per week two employees enter the park to collect all garbage and subsequently remove the waste bins from the park. 2. The park is grass-cut, with four workers assigned to carry out maintenance once a month; this work takes approximately one week given the size of the park. It is important to note that during the rainy season the grass grows more quickly, and maintenance may occasionally be delayed due to emergencies in the canton that must be attended to promptly. (Folios 000113-000115) In light of the foregoing, from a technical and sanitary standpoint, this Authority considers that sanitary order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 has been complied with in full, and that no sanitary order relating to the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita is currently in force; accordingly, the case that gave rise to the issuance of that sanitary order was closed by means of official letter CARTA-MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-CD-0028-2026. (Folio 000116) 3) Subsequent incidents or complaints A review of our records confirms that no subsequent sanitary complaints have been received and no incidents related to the park have occurred. The most recent inspection confirms that the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita is in adequate sanitary condition and poses no public health risk. IV. CONCLUSION 1. The facts alleged by the petitioner were not established. 2. The sanitary order issued in May 2025 bears no connection whatsoever to the amparo petition. 3. Sanitary order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 has been complied with in full. 4. There are no active incidents or sanitary complaints regarding the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita. 5. The Ministerio de Salud has acted diligently, technically, and in accordance with the law.\"\n\n11.- The prescribed legal procedures have been observed throughout these proceedings.\n\nJustice (Magistrado) Araya García drafts the opinion; and,\n\nThe Court Considers:\n\nI.- Object of the petition. The petitioner alleges that at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, the presence of accumulated garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown vegetation, and unsafe structures lacking maintenance has been documented, representing not only a health risk but also a violation of the right of access to decent, safe, and healthy public spaces. He asserts that he filed the corresponding complaint regarding these facts; however, at the time of filing this petition, the complaint had not been definitively resolved, which he considers harmful to his fundamental rights.\n\nII.- Established facts. The following facts are deemed duly established as relevant to the decision in this matter:\n\n1) The petitioner is a resident of Alajuelita (uncontested fact).\n\n2) The Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita is the property of the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the file).\n\n3) The SkatePark at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita has experienced flooding, caused by a stormwater channeling problem originating in a nearby community known as El Jazmín (an informal settlement) and by vandalism that has damaged the infrastructure, since garbage is deposited indiscriminately and blocks the water outlet, turning the skating rink into a pool whose accumulated water makes it a high-risk and unsanitary location (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the file).\n\n4) On October 24 and 25, 2025, the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos collaborated with the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud and proceeded to drain the space, excavate to expose the piping, and carry out a thorough cleaning of the drainage system, removing all manner of garbage that had been deposited there (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the file).\n\n5) On November 13 and 17, 2025, the respondent authorities were notified of the resolution admitting these proceedings (see notification records).\n\n6) The authorities of the Municipalidad de Alajuelita stated that \"(…) The Environmental Management Department has undertaken a series of actions at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita for its maintenance and overall improvement of the entire park, as reported below: The concrete bases of the shelters were reinforced to prevent them from collapsing and causing accidents; the three shelters were repaired and one was removed given the extent of its damage. In addition, garbage bins are continuously cleaned and collected, and three times per week two employees enter the park to collect all garbage and subsequently remove the waste bins from the park. With respect to grass-cutting in the park, four workers are assigned to carry out maintenance once a month; this work takes approximately one week given the size of the park. It is important to note that during the rainy season the grass grows more quickly, and maintenance may occasionally be delayed due to emergencies in the canton that must be attended to promptly (…) coordination has been undertaken with the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos and AyA through the Ministerio de Cultura to obtain equipment assistance and pump out the standing water (…) The most recent action, in October 2025, was coordination with the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, who helped clear the pipe obstruction; it was identified that the pipe diameter is not optimal, and coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura is underway regarding the work required to replace the pipe with one of greater capacity so that water flows freely without accumulating (…)\" (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the file).\n\n7) The authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita stated that \"(…) to date there are no formal sanitary complaints filed with this Health Authority by the petitioner or by residents of the canton relating to the alleged facts. The only sanitary actions taken at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita during 2025 arose from an independent sanitary procedure, originating from an epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis in a minor. II. EXPRESS CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE SANITARY ORDER It is expressly and categorically clarified that sanitary order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, issued in May 2025, did not arise from the facts alleged by the petitioner in the amparo petition, nor does it bear any causal, substantive, or temporal connection to complaints regarding abandonment, garbage, overgrown vegetation, or dangerous structures. That sanitary order was issued exclusively as a result of a targeted epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis (…) III. RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE SALA CONSTITUCIONAL 1) Current status of the sanitary order The sanitary order was complied with by the Municipalidad de Alajuelita through cleaning actions, removal of accumulated water, technical assessment of the drainage system, and inter-institutional coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. This Área Rectora has followed up through formal information requests via email. (Folios 00089, 00095, 000101, 000110, 000114. 000115) 2) Compliance with the sanitary order Based on the verification visit carried out on November 20, 2025, which is recorded in inspection report N° Y-107-2025 and in technical report MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-1194-2025, Yendry Muñoz Vásquez, Environmental Manager of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita, verified that the conditions that gave rise to the sanitary order have been fully remedied. That inspection confirmed that the skatepark is clean, operational, and free of accumulated water, thereby ruling out the health risk associated with standing water. (Folios 00097 to 000100) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and given that the Sala Constitucional, by resolution at twelve hours thirty-two minutes on March 22, 2026, notified the Área Rectora de Salud requesting updated information, an inspection was carried out on March 23, 2026, and it was confirmed that there is no overgrown vegetation in areas containing equipment (furniture), courts, or walkways, nor is there any accumulation of solid waste, rubble, or evidence of burning — these being the matters alleged by the petitioner. It was also verified that the skatepark, which was the subject of sanitary order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, is clean, free of water accumulation, and functioning correctly. This is recorded in visual inspection report N° Y-047-2026\" (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the file).\n\nIII.- Unestablished fact. The following fact is not deemed duly established: Sole item. That the petitioner filed any complaint with the respondent authorities regarding the facts alleged in the petition.\n\nIV.- On the specific case. In the sub lite, the petitioner alleges that at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, the presence of accumulated garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown vegetation, and unsafe structures lacking maintenance has been documented, representing not only a health risk but also a violation of the right of access to decent, safe, and healthy public spaces. He asserts that he filed the corresponding complaint regarding these facts; however, at the time of filing this petition, the complaint had not been definitively resolved, which he considers harmful to his fundamental rights.\n\nIn this regard, it is appropriate to note at the outset that it was not possible to establish that the petitioner filed any complaint with the respondent authorities regarding the facts alleged in the petition. On this point, this Chamber has addressed on repeated occasions the failure to file a complaint with the competent authorities regarding various types of situations, which is an indispensable prerequisite before appearing before this Chamber.\n\nIn that regard, in judgment number 2023-29457 at 12:50 hours on November 10, 2023, this Tribunal held the following:\n\n\"V.- ON THE NECESSITY OF FILING A COMPLAINT IN ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. At the outset, the Chamber considers it imperative to make some observations regarding the necessity of filing a complaint in environmental matters.\n\nA review of the record reveals that the Secretary General of SETENA underscored, in his attached report, the following in substance:\n\n'After verifying this Secretariat's databases, no Environmental Assessment (evaluación ambiental) file was found with the described characteristics (…) Nor was any request from the petitioner addressed to this office found, reporting any specific incident — in which case it would have been forwarded to the Administrative Environmental Tribunal (Tribunal Ambiental Administrativo), upon determining that no open Environmental Assessment file exists.'\n\nOn this point, this Chamber has held that, for an injury to or threat against environmental rights to be ventilated, whether in general or in particular, the scenario would have to be one in which the affected person has filed a complaint, and during its processing a threat has been identified or it has been determined that the environment is in fact being harmed, and yet the respondent administrative authorities have taken no measures whatsoever in response, thereby violating the constitutional right enshrined in Article 50 of the Constitution (Carta Magna). Thus, in judgment No. 2016-007678 at 10:50 hours on June 3, 2016, the following was held:\n\n'III.- ON THE MERITS. In repeated decisions, this Constitutional Chamber has had the opportunity to rule on the precautionary principle (principio precautorio) in environmental matters, as well as on the State's obligation to ensure that all projects, whether public or private, are carried out under strict standards that prevent any harm to the environment. In this way, the State, through the institutions created for these purposes, must exercise prior and subsequent oversight over how works, construction projects, and activities of companies and businesses are executed, so as to assure all persons subject to its authority that no environmental harm is caused by those activities. That said, for the reasons set forth, certain activities, such as mining, require, before they are carried out, environmental impact studies and assessments, for which technical investigations are conducted by professionals in each field to determine whether the proposed activity could or could not cause that type of harm, all pursuant to the various laws regulating environmental matters, such as water, forestry, mining, and others.\n\nSubsequently, once the feasibility or viability permits (permisos de viabilidad o factibilidad) are obtained, administrative authorities must pay attention to and promptly respond to formal complaints (denuncias) filed by persons who consider themselves affected by any of the aforementioned activities, whether a concession or private and commercial works, in order to initiate investigations that allow the veracity of the complaints raised to be established, for which, again, technical expert criteria on the matter must be available. That is to say, for this Constitutional Chamber (Sala) to be able to confirm a violation of environmental rights, either generally or in a specific case, we would need to be in the scenario where the affected person has filed a complaint, and where, during its processing, it has been determined that damage to the environment is in fact being caused, and yet the respondent administrative authorities have taken no measures whatsoever in this regard, thereby violating the constitutional right enshrined in Article 50 of the Constitution (Carta Magna).\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\nLikewise, on repeated occasions this Court has held that it must not substitute itself for the active Administration in its areas of competence, nor is it a complaint-processing body (instancia tramitadora de denuncias). In that regard, in judgment No. 2023019540 of 09:30 hours on August 11, 2023, the following was decided:\n\n\"III.- Subject of the appeal. The petitioners allege that approximately 25 years ago, the Municipalidad de Carrillo excavated a drainage trench (zanja) using heavy machinery within private properties, to drain water running from Dirección01, passing through Dirección02, and ending in a protected zone (zona protectora) owned by INDER. They allege that they have been harmed by the environmental contamination caused by the discharge of wastewater (aguas negras), and stagnant water that creates breeding vectors for disease-transmitting mosquitoes, which affects health and the environment.\n\n(…)\n\nVI.- Specific case.\n\n(…)\n\nIn this regard, from reviewing the case record (autos), it has been established that the petitioners have not filed a formal written petition (gestión formal y escrita) with the respondent authorities in order to raise the problem set forth in the filing brief. From this standpoint, the parties must be advised that this Court must not substitute itself for the active Administration in its areas of competence, nor is it a complaint-processing body. The petitioners should bear in mind that the foregoing is not the same as exhausting administrative channels (vía administrativa), but is rather the simple acknowledgment that this Court must not directly override the will of the Administration or replace public offices in managing matters within their competence. Consequently, the petitioning party may, if it so chooses, submit its objections or claims to the respondent authorities in a formal, written manner, or alternatively, through the ordinary courts (vía jurisdiccional ordinaria), venues in which it will be able to fully litigate the merits of the matter and enforce its claims. In light of the foregoing, the present constitutional protection writ (amparo) is declared inadmissible.\n\nOn this point, the Court has held that complaints such as those raised by the petitioners in this amparo writ must first be filed with the competent authorities. In judgment No. 2017-020375 of 11:00 hours on December 19, 2017, the following was stated:\n\n\"II.- ON THE SPECIFIC CASE. In the case at bar (sub lite), the petitioning party comes directly to this Court to report a problem concerning contamination generated by a channeling of wastewater through their properties, which discharges into a river. However, from the petitioners' own statements it can be inferred that they have not filed any complaint with the competent authorities — in this case, the Municipalidad de Flores de Heredia. Now, as has been repeatedly stated, this Court must not substitute itself for the active Administration in its areas of competence, nor is it a complaint-processing body, as established in judgment 2016-001150 of 14:30 hours on January 26, 2016. These considerations apply to the case under study, as this Court finds no reason to depart from the position taken in that judgment, nor grounds to assess the situation presented differently. Therefore, even if the petitioners consider it unnecessary, in situations such as this one it is necessary that they appear before the respondent authorities to formally raise the aforementioned claim, prior to filing the amparo writ, so that those bodies may take the appropriate measures to resolve the reported problem or, alternatively, pursue the claim through ordinary legal channels (vía de la legalidad ordinaria). The foregoing is without prejudice to the petitioners' right to seek constitutional relief after an unreasonable period of time elapses without effective action by the Administration, and provided there is a threat to or violation of a fundamental right.\" (Emphasis not in the original.) (See also, in a similar sense, judgments No. 2023004954 of 09:30 hours on March 3, 2023, 2023004299 of 09:15 hours on February 24, 2023, and 2022026246 of 09:45 hours on November 4, 2022, among others.)\n\nNotwithstanding the foregoing, the Constitutional Court has in fact entertained appeals in which a violation of the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment was demonstrated without requiring the prior filing of a complaint. This has occurred under two exceptional circumstances, namely: 1) when the case is of great magnitude; and 2) when the record shows that the competent authorities had knowledge of the alleged situation that is threatening or causing environmental harm and yet took no measures whatsoever in this regard. In that regard, in judgment No. 2008-04786 of 12:35 hours on March 27, 2008, the following was decided:\n\n\"II.- SUBJECT OF THE APPEAL.- The petitioner alleges that he has approached the Ministerio de Salud, the Defensoría de los Habitantes, and other administrative bodies to report a pig farm (porqueriza) located next to his home that produces foul odors; however, his complaints have not been addressed (…)\n\nIV.- REGARDING THE ACTIONS OF THE MUNICIPALIDAD DE ALAJUELA.- In the present case, the Código Municipal requires each canton's municipal government to ensure that citizens genuinely and effectively enjoy the right to health and to a healthy environment. From the documents submitted to the case file as well as the sworn report given by the respondent Mayor, it appears that once municipal officials visited the site at issue in this amparo writ and confirmed that the activity lacked a municipal permit, they gave the pig farm owner eight days to obtain the corresponding business license (patente). However, the Court considers that the Municipality's role must not be limited to acting only upon receipt of complaints about alleged irregular situations; rather, its obligation lies in guaranteeing, defending, and preserving everyone's right to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment through continuous oversight of all activities carried out in the community. In the Court's view, in this case the Municipalidad de Alajuela has demonstrated an inability to enforce the applicable laws and its obligation to guarantee the residents of the area the enjoyment of a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, with consequences for the health of those persons. Thus, the respondent Municipality, with full knowledge that a citizen within its territorial jurisdiction is carrying out an activity lacking the legally required permits — an activity that is inherently sensitive due to the handling of animals and waste — has limited itself to giving the reported person eight days to regularize the situation, thereby evading its responsibility to remain constantly vigilant over the actions of community residents. It is therefore apparent that the respondent Municipality has not even attempted to verify whether the activity generates any type of contamination or whether contaminated water is being discharged. The purpose of doing so would be to impose the legally appropriate sanctions upon granting the due process (debido proceso) and the right of defense to which those concerned are entitled. Consequently, the Municipalidad de Alajuela has taken no action whatsoever to determine the existence of the problem and its potential impact on the alleged sanitary nuisance that the petitioner has persistently reported. For these reasons, this appeal against the Municipalidad de Alajuela must be granted for the constitutional violation of Articles 50 and 21 of the Constitución Política.\n\nV.- REGARDING THE ACTIONS OF THE MINISTERIO DE SALUD.- While it is true that the State must respect the rights of individuals, it is equally true that it must safeguard the well-being of the community. Public health and the protection of the environment are principles protected both at the constitutional level (Articles 21, 50, 73, and 89 of the Constitution), and through international law. In this case, the Ley General de Salud authorizes the Ministerio de Salud to take the corresponding sanitary measures and to impose sanctions; thus, the Ministerio de Salud not only has a duty to enforce the Ley General de Salud but also to protect public health, which is classified as a matter of public interest, since the rights to health and to a healthy and pollution-free environment — at least below the levels tolerable for human beings — are fundamental and inalienable rights to whose violation one cannot legitimately consent. Now, from the report submitted to this Court, the respondent Minister states that no complaint related to these events is on record; however, the head of the Ministerio de Salud must bear in mind that this body must not act solely upon party request, as it appears to understand, thereby disregarding the preventive function that is indispensable in the protection of human health and that warrants its intervention — even on its own initiative — in supervising and monitoring compliance with the provisions of the Ley General de Salud. As established in the record, the sanitary authorities' actions in the case under study were limited to conducting an inspection of the pig farm reported here as a result of the filing of this amparo writ, during which they confirmed, among other things, that the pig farm has a population of 150 pigs and that the area is surrounded by homes. Although the sanitary authority stated that it verified there were no foul odors from decomposing food and that the farm's washwater was not being discharged onto public roads, it has not gone any further, declining to exercise its competencies and powers by failing to compel the responsible parties to comply with the other requirements that the law demands for the operation of this type of activity — such as the proper permits from the various competent administrative bodies in this field — thereby demonstrating that, beyond the inspection conducted in connection with this amparo writ, no other action by this authority appears in the record aimed at ensuring that the pig farm complies with legal requirements and at monitoring that the activity does not generate any type of sanitary or environmental contamination; consequently, the authority has failed to fulfill its obligation to safeguard the right to health of the population, and such omission has caused harm to the fundamental rights of all residents of the area.\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\nIn the case under examination (sub examine), it is determined that the appropriate course of action is to deny the appeal, as the preconditions set out above for this to be considered an exceptional case are not met — that is, neither of the two circumstances that could justify the Constitutional Chamber entertaining this matter despite the absence of a prior complaint is present. And, as has been shown, there is no indication that prior to filing the appeal, the petitioner filed any formal complaint with the respondent authorities that went unaddressed.\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\nIn keeping with the judgments cited above, it must be noted that, in this particular case, it is apparent that the petitioner filed no prior complaint with any of the respondent authorities. Furthermore, it is important to note that we are not faced with either of the two exceptional circumstances enumerated in the precedents, namely: 1) when the case is of great magnitude; and 2) when the record shows that the competent authorities had knowledge of the alleged situation threatening or causing environmental harm and yet took no measures whatsoever in this regard.\n\nIt should be noted that what the petitioner alleges in his brief is that the presence of accumulated garbage, debris, burned waste, overgrown brush, and dangerous structures without maintenance has been documented, which represents not only a sanitary risk but also a violation of the right of access to dignified, safe, and healthy public spaces.\n\nIn this way, it is apparent that none of these facts were reported to the authorities, nor do they constitute matters of great magnitude, nor were the respondent authorities aware of them. It should also be noted that the authorities are emphatic in indicating that the problem that has arisen at the SkatePark of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita consists of flooding on the track; however, this situation was not alleged by the petitioner in this appeal, and it is on record that it was duly addressed by both the Ministerio de Cultura and the Municipalidad de Alajuelita. Likewise, it was also verified that a sanitary order was issued following a confirmed case of leptospirosis at the site, but this is also unrelated to the facts alleged, and it was verified that it was duly addressed by the Ministerio de Salud, which issued the sanitary order and conducted the necessary inspections until compliance was confirmed, and by the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, which efficiently complied with what was ordered by the Ministerio de Salud.\n\nIt was also established that the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, in coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura, prior to the filing of the appeal, had carried out effective actions to: 1) reinforce the bases of the thatched shelters (ranchos) with concrete to prevent them from collapsing and causing an accident; three shelters were repaired and one was removed due to the damage it presented; 2) ongoing cleaning and waste collection is carried out at the garbage bins, and three times a week two workers enter to collect all the garbage, after which the balls are removed from the park; and 3) regarding the grounds maintenance work (chapea) of the park, four persons are assigned to carry it out once a month, work that takes approximately one week given the large size of the park. The foregoing was further corroborated by the visit conducted on March 23, 2026, by the Ministerio de Salud, which verified that none of the situations alleged by the petitioner were present.\n\nIn these circumstances, given the absence of a formal complaint by the petitioner, upon verifying that we are not faced with the two exceptional circumstances recognized by this Court, and having established that, in any event, the respondent authorities have been diligent in addressing other situations that have arisen at the claimed site, the appropriate course of action is to deny the appeal, as is hereby ordered.\n\nV.- Documentation submitted to the case file. The parties are hereby advised that, if any paper documents, as well as objects or evidence contained in any additional electronic, computer, magnetic, optical, telematic, or new-technology device have been submitted, such materials must be retrieved from the office within a maximum period of 30 business days counted from the date of notification of this judgment. Otherwise, all material not retrieved within this period will be destroyed, pursuant to the provisions of the \"Reglamento sobre Expediente Electrónico ante el Poder Judicial,\" approved by the Corte Plena in session No. 27-11 of August 22, 2011, Article XXVI, and published in the Boletín Judicial No. 19 of January 26, 2012, as well as the agreement approved by the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial in session No. 43-12 held on May 3, 2012, Article LXXXI.\n\nPor tanto:\n\nThe appeal is denied.\n\nFernando Castillo V.\nPresident\n\nFernando Cruz C.\n\nPaul Rueda L.\nLuis Fdo. Salazar A.\n\nJorge Araya G.\nAnamari Garro V.\n\nIngrid Hess H.\n\nDigitally Signed Document\n\n-- Verification code --\n\nT08S5MKZUZS61\n\nEXPEDIENTE N° 25-031280-0007-CO\n\nTelephones: Telf01/ ALA-4TA (Telf02). Fax: Telf03 / Telf04. Electronic address: www.poder-judicial.go.cr/salaconstitucional. Address: (Dirección03, Dirección04, 100 mts. south of the Perpetuo Socorro church).\n\nof the Municipal Council, both from the Municipality of Alajuelita, that *\"(…) Regarding the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, the following actions are reported on the topics of: security, cleaning management, and the skatepark: Security at the PDH: The Parque de Desarrollo Humano (PDH) is a public space under the constant surveillance of the Alajuelita Municipal Police. With the aim of ensuring the safety and well-being of visitors, daily patrols are conducted in the area. In addition, community recreational activities have been organized that promote integration and respect for the public space. Regular patrols at the PDH have served to prevent incidents and ensure the safety of visitors, both local residents and those who come from other parts of the GAM. Other actions carried out as part of the Municipal Police's work include fostering civic participation and strengthening ties between the community and the authorities, breaking down those barriers of the collective imagination and reinforcing the social fabric through various recreational activities involving youth and children. Regarding the use of the facilities, it is important to note that during patrols, alcoholic beverages and prohibited substances that unscrupulous individuals attempt to consume in the park have also been confiscated. These actions seek to maintain order and security in the area. Prevention of incidents, promotion of civic social coexistence, and maintenance of public order alongside police oversight are fundamental and guaranteeing pillars that we have sought to uphold throughout this administration (…) Environmental Management: The Environmental Management Department has carried out a series of actions at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita for its maintenance and overall improvement, which are reported as follows: The concrete foundations of the shelters (ranchos) were reinforced to prevent them from collapsing and causing an accident; the three shelters were repaired and one was removed given the damage it presented.* In addition, constant cleaning and collection from the waste bins is carried out, and three times a week two staff members enter the park to collect all the garbage and subsequently remove the balls from the park. Regarding brush clearing (chapea) of the park, four people are assigned to carry out the maintenance work once a month; the duration of this work is approximately one week, given how large the park is. *It is important to take into account that during the rainy season the grass grows faster and maintenance can sometimes be delayed due to emergencies that arise in the canton and that must be attended to promptly (…) Since 2024, the Ministry of Culture has been informed of a situation at the skatepark, as the bowl has had drainage problems that cause it to fill with water, forming a kind of pool. The situation worsens during the rainy season, where despite efforts to maintain and clean it, staff can spend up to three days working on the drainage only for it to fill up again when it rains.* *For this reason, coordination has been established with Bomberos and AyA through the Ministry of Culture, so that they can assist us with equipment to pump out the standing water.* *In addition, the Municipality's engineers have assessed the situation, and the Ministry of Culture has been asked on several occasions to help contact the company that carried out the project, so that they can review the drainage and help us find a solution to prevent this from continuing to happen.* *The last action taken in October 2025 was the coordination with Bomberos, who helped clear the blockage from the pipe, and it was identified that the pipe's diameter is not optimal; accordingly, coordination is underway with the Ministry of Culture regarding the work that must be done to replace the pipe with one of greater capacity so that water can flow freely without becoming stagnant (…) It is important to note that the land does not belong to the Municipality but rather to the Ministry of Culture, and there is only an administration agreement under which the Institution is carrying out maintenance; however, any modification, change, or investment must be made by the Ministry of Culture.\"*\n\n**7.-** By means of a written submission added to the digital case file (expediente digital) at 13:44 hours on Friday, November 21, 2025, the authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud (Regional Health Authority) of Alajuelita submitted a copy of the file they maintain concerning the park in question.\n\n**8.-** By means of a certificate dated November 25, 2025, it is stated that there is no record of the Director of the Área Rectora de Salud Alajuelita of the Ministry of Health having submitted the report requested by this Court.\n\n**9.-** By order issued at 12:32 hours on March 22, 2026, supplemental evidence (prueba para mejor resolver) to aid adjudication was requested from the authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud Alajuelita.\n\n**10.-** By means of a report added to the digital case file at 8:49 hours on March 26, 2026, Leandra Madrigal Rodríguez, in her capacity as Acting Director (a.i.) of the Área Rectora de Salud of Alajuelita, reports under oath that *\"(…) as of this date, no formal health complaints (denuncias sanitarias) have been filed before this Health Authority by the petitioner or by residents of the canton related to the alleged facts. The only health actions taken at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita during 2025 were part of an independent health procedure, originating from an epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis in a minor.* *II. EXPRESS CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER It is expressly and categorically clarified that public health order (orden sanitaria) MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, issued in May 2025, did not originate from the facts alleged by the petitioner in the writ of amparo (recurso de amparo), nor does it bear any causal, material, or temporal relationship to complaints about abandonment, trash, overgrown vegetation, or dangerous structures. Said public health order was issued exclusively as the result of a specific epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis (…) III. RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT 1) Current status of the public health order The public health order was addressed by the Municipality of Alajuelita through cleaning actions, extraction of accumulated water, technical assessment of the drainage, and inter-institutional coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Youth. This Regional Health Authority has followed up through formal requests for information, via email. (Folios 00089, 00095, 000101, 000110, 000114, 000115) 2) Compliance with the public health order Based on the verification visit conducted on November 20, 2025, which is recorded in inspection report N° Y-107-2025 and in technical report MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-1194-2025, the Environmental Manager Yendry Muñoz Vásquez of the Área Rectora de Salud of Alajuelita confirmed that the conditions that gave rise to the public health order have been fully corrected. During said inspection it was verified that the skatepark is clean, in operation, and free of accumulated water, ruling out the health risk associated with stagnant water. (Folios 00097 to 000100) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and given that the Constitutional Court, by order issued at twelve hours and thirty-two minutes on the twenty-second of March of two thousand and twenty-six, notified the Área Rectora de Salud of an information update, an inspection was carried out on March 23, 2026, confirming that there is no overgrown vegetation in areas where facilities (furnishings), courts, and pathways are located; no accumulation of solid waste, debris, or evidence of burning is observed, these being the matters alleged by the petitioner. It was also verified that the skatepark, which was the subject of public health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, is clean, free of water accumulation, and functioning properly. The foregoing is recorded in visual inspection report N° Y-047-2026. (Folios 000111 and 000112) Additionally, on March 23, 2026, this Área Rectora de Salud requested from the Municipality of Alajuelita a detailed report of the repairs and interventions carried out at the skatepark of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano. On March 24, 2026, report MA-AM-112-2026 was received from Mayor Rosario Siles Fernández, who states that with respect to the condition of the skatepark and the public health order issued: 1. The Ministry of Culture coordinated with the Vice-Ministry of Culture and the Administrative Vice-Ministry to conduct a site visit with engineers, along with the Municipality's engineers, to review the situation and find a solution. 2. Coordination was carried out with Bomberos and AyA to pump out the stagnant water and thereby eliminate the imminent risk that this represents, as these institutions have pumping equipment that the Municipality lacks. 3. A cavity was made on one side of the skatepark, where the installed pipe runs, in order to clear out everything that was blocking the pipe; this work was accomplished with the collaboration of Bomberos and staff from the Municipality of Alajuelita. 4. The bowl was then cleaned and cleared of water so that it could be used by the public. 5. Taking advantage of the dry season, a project is being developed to build a larger storm drain with greater capacity to prevent the problem from recurring during the rainy season. Furthermore, with respect to the current condition of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano and the facts alleged by the petitioner, the mayor, in the same report, details that ongoing actions have been maintained to keep up the Parque de Desarrollo Humano, including the following:* *1. Cleaning and collection from the waste bins is carried out three times a week, with two staff members entering the park to collect all the garbage and subsequently removing the balls from the park. 2. The park undergoes brush clearing, with four people assigned to carry out the maintenance work once a month; the duration of this work is approximately one week, given how large the park is. It is important to take into account that during the rainy season the grass grows faster and maintenance can sometimes be delayed due to emergencies that arise in the canton and that must be attended to promptly. (Folios 000113–000115) In light of the foregoing, from a technical-health standpoint, this Authority considers that public health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 has been fully complied with, and that no public health order currently in force relates to the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita; accordingly, the case that gave rise to the issuance of the public health order in question was closed by means of official communication CARTA-MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-CD-0028-2026. (Folio 000116) 3) Subsequent incidents or complaints A review of our records reveals that no subsequent health complaints have been received and no incidents related to the park have arisen. The most recent inspection confirms that the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita is in adequate sanitary conditions and poses no risk to public health.* *IV. CONCLUSION 1. The facts alleged by the petitioner were not substantiated. 2. The public health order issued in May 2025 bears no relationship whatsoever to the writ of amparo. 3. Public health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 has been fully complied with. 4. There are no current incidents or health complaints at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita. 5. The Ministry of Health has acted diligently, technically, and in accordance with the law.\"*\n\n**11.-** The legal requirements have been observed in the proceedings conducted.\n\nThe opinion is drafted by Justice Araya García; and,\n\nConsidering:\n\n**I.- Object of the appeal.** The petitioner alleges that the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita has documented accumulations of garbage, debris, burned waste, overgrown vegetation, and dangerous structures lacking maintenance, which represents not only a health risk but also a violation of the right of access to dignified, safe, and healthy public spaces. He states that he filed the corresponding complaint regarding these facts; however, as of the date on which he filed this appeal, the complaint had not been definitively resolved, which he considers injurious to his fundamental rights.\n\n**II.- Proven facts.** Of importance for the resolution of this matter, the following facts are considered duly established:\n\n**1)** The petitioner is a resident of Alajuelita (uncontested fact).\n\n**2)** The Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita is the property of the Ministry of Culture and Youth (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the case file).\n\n**3)** The skatepark of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita has experienced flooding, caused by stormwater drainage problems from one of the neighboring communities known as El Jazmín (an informal settlement (asentamiento informal)) and by vandalism that has damaged the infrastructure, as garbage is dumped indiscriminately, blocking the water outlet and turning the skate rink into a pool whose accumulation of water makes it a high-risk and unsanitary location (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the case file).\n\n**4)** On October 24 and 25, 2025, the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos collaborated with the Ministry of Culture and Youth, proceeding to drain the space, excavate to expose the pipe, and perform a thorough cleaning of the drain, removing all types of garbage that had been deposited there (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the case file).\n\n**5)** On November 13 and 17, 2025, the respondent authorities were notified of the order initiating this proceeding (see notification records).\n\n**6)** The authorities of the Municipality of Alajuelita stated that *\"(…) The Environmental Management Department has carried out a series of actions at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita for its maintenance and overall improvement, which are reported as follows:* ***The concrete foundations of the shelters (ranchos) were reinforced to prevent them from collapsing and causing an accident; the three shelters were repaired and one was removed given the damage it presented. In addition, constant cleaning and collection from the waste bins is carried out, and three times a week two staff members enter the park to collect all the garbage and subsequently remove the balls from the park. Regarding brush clearing of the park, four people are assigned to carry out the maintenance work once a month; the duration of this work is approximately one week, given how large the park is.*** *It is important to take into account that during the rainy season the grass grows faster and maintenance can sometimes be delayed due to emergencies that arise in the canton and that must be attended to promptly (…) coordination has been established with Bomberos and AyA through the Ministry of Culture, so that they can assist us with equipment to pump out the stagnant water (…) The last action taken in October 2025 was the coordination with Bomberos, who helped clear the blockage from the pipe, and it was identified that the pipe's diameter is not optimal; accordingly, coordination is underway with the Ministry of Culture regarding the work that must be done to replace the pipe with one of greater capacity so that water can flow freely without becoming stagnant (…)\"* (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence in the case file).\n\n**7)** The authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud of Alajuelita stated that *\"(…) as of this date, no formal health complaints have been filed before this Health Authority by the petitioner or by residents of the canton related to the alleged facts.*\n\nThe only public health actions (actuaciones sanitarias) taken at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita during 2025 arose from an independent public health procedure, originating from an epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis in a minor.\n\n*II. EXPRESS CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE SANITARY ORDER It is expressly and categorically clarified that the sanitary order (orden sanitaria) MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, issued in May 2025, did not arise from the facts alleged by the petitioner in the writ of amparo (recurso de amparo), and bears no causal, material, or temporal relationship to complaints regarding abandonment, garbage, overgrown vegetation, or dangerous structures. Said sanitary order was issued exclusively as the result of a targeted epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis (…) III. RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHAMBER (Sala Constitucional) 1) Current status of the sanitary order The sanitary order was addressed by the Municipality of Alajuelita through cleaning actions, removal of accumulated water, technical assessment of the drainage system, and inter-institutional coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Youth. This Regional Health Authority (Área Rectora de Salud) has conducted follow-up through formal information requests submitted by email. (Folios 00089, 00095, 000101, 000110, 000114. 000115) 2) Compliance with the sanitary order Based on the verification visit conducted on November 20, 2025, which is recorded in inspection report (acta de inspección) N° Y-107-2025 and in technical report MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-1194-2025, Environmental Manager (Gestora Ambiental) Yendry Muñoz Vásquez of the Regional Health Authority of Alajuelita confirmed that the conditions that gave rise to the sanitary order have been fully corrected. During said inspection it was verified that the skatepark is clean, in operation, and free of accumulated water, thereby ruling out the health risk associated with water stagnation. (Folios 00097 to 000100) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and in view of the fact that the Constitutional Chamber, through its ruling of twelve hours thirty-two minutes on the twenty-second of March two thousand twenty-six, notified the Regional Health Authority with a request for updated information, ***an inspection was conducted on March 23, 2026, and it was confirmed that no overgrown vegetation exists in areas containing amenities (mobiliarios), courts, or pathways; likewise, no accumulation of solid waste, debris, or signs of burning were observed — these being the conditions alleged by the petitioner. Furthermore, it was verified that the skatepark, the subject of sanitary order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, is clean, free of water accumulation, and functioning properly.*** The foregoing is recorded in ocular inspection report (acta de inspección ocular) N° Y-047-2026\"* (see the report submitted by the respondent authority and the evidence introduced into the case file (expediente)).\n\n**III.- Unproven fact.** The following fact is not considered to have been duly established: **Sole.** That the petitioning party (parte recurrente) filed any complaint with the respondent authorities regarding the facts alleged in the writ.\n\n**IV.- On the specific case.** In the *sub lite*, the petitioning party alleges that the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita has documented the presence of accumulated garbage, debris, burned waste, overgrown vegetation, and dangerous structures lacking maintenance, which represents not only a health risk but also a violation of the right of access to decent, safe, and healthy public spaces. The petitioner asserts that a complaint was duly filed regarding these facts; however, as of the date of filing this writ, the complaint had not been definitively resolved, which the petitioner considers injurious to fundamental rights.\n\nIn this regard, it is first worth noting that it could not be established that the petitioning party filed any complaint with the respondent authorities regarding the facts alleged in the writ. On this point, this Chamber has on repeated occasions addressed the failure to file complaints with the competent authorities concerning various types of situations, which is an indispensable prerequisite before resorting to this Chamber.\n\nIn that regard, in ruling number 2023-29457 of 12:50 hours on November 10, 2023, this Tribunal held as follows:\n\n\"***V.- ON THE REQUIREMENT TO FILE A COMPLAINT IN ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.*** *In the first instance, the Chamber deems it imperative to make certain observations regarding the requirement to file a complaint in environmental matters.*\n\n*From the review of the record, it is apparent that the Secretary-General of SETENA, in the attached report, emphasized, in its essential points, the following:*\n\n\"***After verifying the databases of this Secretariat, no Environmental Assessment case file with the indicated characteristics was located (…) Nor was any request from the claimant directed to this office located, reporting any specific fact, in which case it would have been referred to the Environmental Administrative Tribunal, upon determining that no open Environmental Assessment case file exists.***\"\n\n*On this point, this Chamber has stated that, in order for an infringement of or threat to environmental rights to be adjudicated, whether in general or in a particular case,* ***we would need to be faced with the scenario in which the affected person has filed a complaint and, in the course of its processing, a threat has been identified, or that environmental damage is effectively being caused, and that the respondent administrative authorities have nonetheless taken no measures whatsoever in that regard, thereby infringing the constitutional right enshrined in article 50 of the Carta Magna.*** *Thus, in ruling No. 2016-007678 of 10:50 hours on June 3, 2016, the following was decided:*\n\n\"***III.- ON THE MERITS.*** *In consistent jurisprudence, this Constitutional Chamber has had occasion to pronounce on the precautionary principle (principio precautorio) in environmental matters, as well as on the State's obligation to ensure that all projects, whether public or private in nature, are carried out under strict standards that prevent any environmental damage. In this way, the State, through the institutions created for such purposes, must exercise both prior and subsequent oversight with respect to the manner in which works, construction projects, or the activities of businesses and commercial establishments are executed, in order to assure all governed persons that no type of environmental damage is caused by such activities. Now, for the reasons stated, certain activities, such as mining, require, prior to being carried out, environmental impact studies and analyses, for which technical investigations are conducted by professionals in each relevant field, in order to determine whether the intended activity could or could not cause harm of that type, all based on the different bodies of legislation that regulate environmental matters, such as water, forestry, mining, and others. Subsequently, once the viability or feasibility permits are obtained, the administrative authorities must pay attention to and promptly address the complaints filed by those persons who consider themselves affected by any of the aforementioned activities, whether a concession or private and commercial works, in order to initiate investigations that allow for the truthfulness of the complaints raised to be established, for which, once again, technical criteria must be available.* **That is to say, in order for this Chamber to corroborate an infringement of environmental rights, whether in general or in a specific case, we would need to be faced with the scenario in which the affected person has filed a complaint, and that in the course of its processing it has been determined that environmental damage is effectively being caused, and that the respondent administrative authorities have nonetheless taken no measures whatsoever in that regard, thereby infringing the constitutional right enshrined in article 50 of the Carta Magna**.\"* (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\n***Equally, on repeated occasions this Tribunal has stated that it must not substitute for the active Administration in its competencies, nor is it a complaint-processing body.*** *In that regard, in ruling No. 2023019540 of 09:30 hours on August 11, 2023, the following was decided:*\n\n*\"III.- Object of the writ. The petitioners allege that approximately 25 years ago, the Municipality of Carrillo excavated a trench (zanja) using heavy machinery within private properties, for the drainage of water running from Dirección01, passing through Dirección02, and ending in a protected area belonging to INDER.*\n\nThey state that they have been harmed by the environmental pollution caused by the discharge of sewage (aguas negras), and by the pooling of stagnant water that creates breeding conditions for mosquitoes that transmit disease, thereby affecting public health and the environment.\n\n(…)\n\n***VI.- The Concrete Case.***\n\n(…)\n\n***In this regard, upon review of the case record, it is established that the petitioners have not submitted a formal written request to the respondent authorities in order to raise the problems set forth in the petition for relief. It must accordingly be noted that this Court should not substitute itself for the active Administration in the exercise of its competencies, nor does it serve as a complaint-processing body.*** The petitioners should bear in mind that the foregoing is not the same as exhausting the administrative process (vía administrativa), but rather the simple acknowledgment that this Tribunal should not directly override the will of the Administration or supplant public offices in managing matters within their competence. Accordingly, the petitioning party may, if it so chooses, submit its objections or claims to the respondent authorities in a formal written manner, or pursue the matter through the ordinary judicial channel (vía jurisdiccional ordinaria), where it may fully litigate the merits of the case and assert its claims. In light of the foregoing, the present writ of amparo (recurso de amparo) is declared inadmissible.\n\nOn this point, the Court has held that complaints such as those raised by the petitioners in this amparo must first be filed before the competent authorities. In decision No. 2017-020375 of 11:00 a.m. on December 19, 2017, the following was stated:\n\n\"II.- ON THE CONCRETE CASE. In the case at bar, the petitioning party comes directly to this Tribunal to report a problem concerning pollution caused by a sewage canal running through their properties, which discharges into a river. **However, from the petitioners' own account it follows that they have not filed any complaint before the competent authorities — in this case the Municipalidad de Flores de Heredia. As this Court has repeatedly held, this Tribunal should not substitute itself for the active Administration in the exercise of its competencies, nor does it serve as a complaint-processing body, as stated in decision 2016-001150 of 2:30 p.m. on January 26, 2016.** These considerations apply to the case under review, as this Tribunal finds no reason to depart from the criteria expressed in that decision, nor grounds to evaluate the situation presented any differently. Therefore, even if the petitioners consider it unnecessary, in situations such as this it is essential that they first appear before the respondent authorities to formally raise the complaint in question prior to filing the writ of amparo, so that those bodies may take the appropriate measures to resolve the reported problem or, alternatively, that they establish their claim through the ordinary legal channel (vía de la legalidad ordinaria). This is without prejudice to the petitioners' right to turn to the constitutional channel after an unreasonable period of time has elapsed without effective action by the Administration and provided there is a threat to or violation of a fundamental right.\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\n(See, in a similar vein, decisions No. 2023004954 of 9:30 a.m. on March 3, 2023, 2023004299 of 9:15 a.m. on February 24, 2023, and 2022026246 of 9:45 a.m. on November 4, 2022, among others.)\n\n***Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Constitutional Tribunal has in fact entertained writs in which a violation of the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment (ambiente sano y ecológicamente equilibrado) was established without the prior filing of a complaint; this, under two exceptional scenarios, namely: 1) when the case is of great magnitude; and 2) when it can be derived from the case record that the competent authorities have had knowledge of the situation complained of, which is threatening or causing harm to the environment, and have taken no measures whatsoever in response.*** In that regard, in decision No. 2008-04786 of 12:35 p.m. on March 27, 2008, the following was resolved:\n\n\"II.- SUBJECT MATTER OF THE WRIT.- The petitioner alleges that he has turned to the Ministry of Health, the Defensoría de los Habitantes, and other administrative bodies to report a pig farm (porqueriza) located adjacent to his dwelling that produces foul odors; however, his complaints have not been addressed.\n\n(…)\n\n***IV.- REGARDING THE CONDUCT OF THE MUNICIPALIDAD DE ALAJUELA.-*** For the case at hand, the Municipal Code (Código Municipal) obliges the municipalities of each canton to ensure that the public is guaranteed the real and effective enjoyment of the right to health and to a healthy environment.\n\nFrom the documents submitted to the case file, as well as the sworn report given by the respondent Mayor (Alcaldesa), it is indicated that once municipal officials visited the site that is the subject of the present writ of amparo (recurso de amparo) and confirmed that the activity lacked a municipal business license (patente), they proceeded to give the owner of the pig farm (porqueriza) eight days to obtain the corresponding license. **However, the Chamber considers that the Municipality's role must not be limited to acting only when it receives a complaint about alleged irregular situations, but rather that its obligation is to guarantee, defend, and preserve everyone's right to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment through the continuous oversight of all activities carried out in the community.** In the Chamber's view, in this matter the Municipalidad de Alajuela has demonstrated an inability to enforce the applicable laws and to fulfill its obligation to guarantee that area residents enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, with the resulting consequences for those persons' health. **It is in this sense that the respondent Municipality, with full knowledge that a citizen within its territorial jurisdiction was operating an activity lacking the legally required permits and one that is inherently sensitive due to the handling of animals and waste, limited itself to giving the respondent party eight days to bring its situation into legal compliance, thereby evading its responsibility to remain constantly vigilant over the activities carried out by community residents.** It is thus apparent that the respondent Municipality has not even attempted to verify whether the activity generates any form of pollution or whether contaminated wastewater is being discharged. This failure occurred against the backdrop of its duty to impose such sanctions as may be legally warranted, once due process and the right to a defense have been afforded. Consequently, the Municipalidad de Alajuela has taken no action to determine the existence of the problem and its potential bearing on the alleged sanitary nuisance that the petitioner (recurrente) has persistently raised. For these reasons, this petition against the Municipalidad de Alajuela must be granted for the constitutional violation of Articles 50 and 21 of the Constitución Política.\n\nV.- REGARDING THE ACTIONS OF THE MINISTERIO DE SALUD.- While the State must respect the rights of individuals, it must equally safeguard the well-being of the community. Public health and the protection of the environment are principles protected both at the constitutional level (Articles 21, 50, 73, and 89 of the Carta Magna) and through international norms. In this case, the Ley General de Salud authorizes the Ministerio de Salud to take the corresponding health measures and to impose sanctions; accordingly, the Ministerio de Salud not only has the duty to enforce the Ley General de Salud but also to protect public health as a matter of public interest, since the rights to health and to a healthy environment free from pollution — at least below levels tolerable to human beings — are non-waivable fundamental rights whose violation cannot be legitimately consented to. **Now, from the report submitted to this Chamber, the respondent Minister states that no complaint has been filed in connection with these facts; however, the head of the Ministerio de Salud must bear in mind that this body must not act solely upon a party's request, as it appears to understand, thereby disregarding the preventive function that is indispensable in the protection of human health and that warrants its intervention, even on its own initiative, in the work of oversight and monitoring of compliance with the provisions of the Ley General de Salud.** As established in the record (autos), the actions of the health authorities in the case under review were limited to conducting an inspection of the pig farm complained of here, prompted by the filing of the present writ of amparo, and they confirmed, among other things, that the pig farm has a herd of 150 pigs and that the area is surrounded by residences. While the health authority stated that it verified there were no foul odors from decomposing food and that the farm's wash water was not being discharged onto public thoroughfares, it went no further, declining to exercise its competencies and powers by failing to compel those responsible to comply with the other requirements that the legal framework demands for the operation of this type of activity, such as the required permits from the various competent administrative bodies in this area. It has thus been shown that beyond the inspection carried out by reason of the present writ of amparo, the case file reveals no other action taken by this authority aimed at ensuring the pig farm complies with the legal requirements, and thus at ensuring vigilance that the activity generates no form of sanitary or environmental pollution; accordingly, they have failed to fulfill their obligation to safeguard the population's right to health, and such omission has caused harm to the fundamental rights of all residents of the area.\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\nIn the case under review (sub examine), it is considered appropriate to deny the petition, since the conditions set out above for treating this as an exceptional case are not met — that is, neither of the two scenarios that could justify the Sala Constitucional's taking up this matter despite the absence of a complaint is present. And, as has been seen, there is no record that, prior to the filing of the petition, the petitioner (accionante) had filed any formal complaint with the respondent authorities and that such complaint had gone unaddressed.\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\nIn keeping with the decisions cited above, it must be noted that, in this particular case, it is apparent that no prior complaint was filed by the petitioner with any of the respondent authorities.\n\nFurthermore, it is important to note that we are not faced with either of the two exceptions enumerated in the background section, namely: 1) when the matter involves a case of great magnitude (gran envergadura); and 2) when it can be derived from the case record that the competent authorities have become aware of the alleged situation, which is threatening or causing harm to the environment, and have taken no measures whatsoever in response.\n\nNote that what the appellant (recurrente) alleges in his filing is that the presence of accumulated garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown weeds, and unmaintained dangerous structures has been documented, which represents not only a health risk but also a violation of the right of access to dignified, safe, and healthy public spaces.\n\nAccordingly, it is observed that none of these facts were reported to the authorities, nor do they involve matters of great magnitude, nor were they within the knowledge of the respondent authorities (autoridades recurridas). It should also be noted that the authorities are emphatic in stating that the problem that has arisen at the SkatePark del Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita involves flooding of the track; however, that situation was not alleged by the appellant in this appeal, and it appears that it was duly addressed by both the Ministerio de Cultura and the Municipalidad de Alajuelita. Likewise, it was also verified that a public health order (orden sanitaria) was issued in connection with a confirmed case of leptospirosis at the site, but this likewise has no bearing on the facts alleged, and it was verified that it was duly addressed by the Ministerio de Salud, which issued the health order and carried out the necessary inspections until compliance was confirmed, and by the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, which complied with what was ordered by the Ministerio de Salud in an efficient manner.\n\nIt was also confirmed that the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, in coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura, prior to the filing of this appeal, had taken effective measures to: 1) reinforce the bases of the park shelters (ranchos) with cement to prevent them from collapsing and causing an accident — three shelters were repaired and one was removed given the damage it presented; 2) carry out regular cleaning and waste collection, with two staff members entering the park three times a week to collect all the garbage and subsequently remove the park balls; and 3) assign four workers for park brush-clearing (chapea), who perform monthly maintenance work, a task that takes approximately one week given the park's large size. The foregoing **was corroborated by the visit conducted on 23 de marzo de 2026 by the Ministerio de Salud, during which it was verified that none of the situations alleged by the appellant were present**.\n\nUnder these circumstances, given the absence of a formal complaint by the appellant, having established that the two exceptional grounds recognized by this Tribunal are not present, and having verified that in any event the respondent authorities have been diligent in addressing other situations that have arisen at the location in question, it is appropriate to dismiss the appeal, as is hereby ordered.\n\n**V.- Documentation submitted to the case file.** The party is hereby advised that, should any paper documents as well as objects or evidence contained in any additional electronic, computer, magnetic, optical, telematic, or new-technology device have been submitted, these must be retrieved from the court office within a maximum period of 30 business days counted from the notification of this judgment. Otherwise, all material not retrieved within this period will be destroyed, pursuant to the \"Reglamento sobre Expediente Electrónico ante el Poder Judicial,\" approved by the Corte Plena in session No. 27-11 of 22 de agosto de 2011, Article XXVI, and published in the Boletín Judicial number 19 of 26 de enero de 2012, as well as the agreement approved by the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial (Superior Council of the Judiciary) in session No. 43-12 held on 3 de mayo de 2012, Article LXXXI.\n\n**Por tanto:**\n\nThe appeal is declared without merit.\n\nFernando Castillo V.\nPresident\n\nFernando Cruz C.\n\nPaul Rueda L.\n\nThe content you've sent is not a Spanish legal text excerpt — it appears to be binary or base64-encoded data (likely an embedded image), followed by a fragment of HTML markup. There is no Spanish legal prose to translate here.\n\nCould you paste the actual Spanish text of the legal document excerpt you'd like translated? Once you share the readable Spanish text, I'll translate it faithfully according to the instructions.\n\n**Exp: 25-031280-0007-CO**\n**Res. Nº 2026013269**\n\n**CONSTITUTIONAL CHAMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE. San José, at nine hours twenty minutes on the twenty-first of April two thousand twenty-six.**\n\n    Writ of amparo (recurso de amparo) filed by **Nombre01,** national identity card CED01, against the **MUNICIPALIDAD DE ALAJUELITA, the MINISTERIO DE SALUD, and the MINISTERIO DE CULTURA Y JUVENTUD.**\n\n**Background:**\n\n**1.-** By written submission received at the Court Secretariat at 8:50 hours on October 10, 2025, the petitioner files a writ of amparo against the Municipalidad de Alajuela. The petitioner states that, in the canton of Alajuelita, specifically at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano, a situation of abandonment by the State is evident — in this instance, on the part of the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, which is responsible for ensuring equitable access to culture, the arts, and recreation in public spaces. The petitioner asserts that accumulated garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown brush, and unmaintained dangerous structures have been documented at the park, constituting not only a health hazard but also a violation of the right of access to dignified, safe, and healthy public spaces, particularly for minors, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities. The petitioner maintains that the relevant complaints were filed without obtaining any response or concrete action to date.\n\n**2.-** In a ruling issued at 19:54 hours on October 19, 2025, the petitioner was directed to submit *\"A complete, legible copy, along with the corresponding proof of receipt or email transmission, of the complaint filed with the respondent authority and whose lack of response the petitioner alleges in the initial brief of this proceeding.\"*\n\n**3.-** By written submission added to the digital case file at 19:21 hours on October 24, 2025, the petitioner complied with the directive.\n\n**4.-** In a ruling issued at 13:29 hours on November 13, 2025, the case was given course and reports were requested from the Mayor and the President of the Municipal Council, both of the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, the Director of the Health Oversight Area of Alajuelita, and the Minister of Culture and Youth, regarding the facts alleged by the petitioner.\n\n**5.-** By written submission added to the digital case file at 15:27 hours on November 18, 2025, Jorge Rodríguez Vives, in his capacity as Minister of Culture and Youth, provides a report under oath stating that *\"(…) By means of this document, I submit to your court the REPORT prepared and rendered under the responsibility of Ms. Carmen Campos Ramírez, Deputy Minister of Culture, pursuant to official communication No. MCJ-DV-144-2025 of November 18, 2025, in which she sets forth, regarding the facts at issue in this writ of amparo, the following: I. Facts.*\n\n---\n\nSalazar A.\n\nJorge Araya G.\n\nAnamari Garro V.\n\nIngrid Hess H.\n\nDigitally Signed Document\n— Verification Code —\nT08S5MKZUZS61\n\n**EXPEDIENTE N° 25-031280-0007-CO**\n\nTelephone: Telf01/ ALA-4TA (Telf02). Fax: Telf03 / Telf04. Website: www.poder-judicial.go.cr/salaconstitucional. Address: (Dirección03, Dirección04, 100 m south of the Iglesia del Perpetuo Socorro).\n\nThe following presents the actions taken in response to the issues reported by Mr. Nombre01 in point one: 1. In the canton of Alajuelita, specifically at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano, a situation of State abandonment is evident, in this case on the part of the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud, which is responsible for ensuring equitable access to culture, arts, and recreation in public spaces. Flooding at the SkatePark One of the main problems the Parque de Desarrollo Humano of Alajuelita has faced, which has hindered its development, is flooding at the SkatePark. According to technical reports, this is due, on one hand, to problems with the stormwater channeling system from one of the neighboring communities known as El Jazmín (an informal settlement), and on the other hand, to vandalism that has damaged the infrastructure. At the SkatePark, garbage is dumped indiscriminately, clogging the water outlet and turning the skate rink into a pool; the accumulated water makes it a high-risk and unsanitary location. This situation worsens during torrential rains such as those experienced in recent months. Regarding these floods, our ministry (MCJ) has addressed this situation as a priority. Given that the flooding of this space was ongoing, MCJ urgently requested the assistance of the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, who visited the site on two occasions, on October 24 and 25 of this year, to pump out the space, excavate to expose the pipes, and perform a thorough cleaning of the drainage system, removing all manner of garbage that had been dumped there (…) At session 4-2025, held on November 4, 2025, by the Comisión Institucional del Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, a copy of official letter MCJ-DM-0866-2025 of October 27, 2025 (Anexo 6), signed by Mr. Alexander Castro Mena, Acting Minister, addressed to Mr. Héctor Chaves León, Director of the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos, was reviewed — in that letter the Ministry thanks the institution for the support provided in responding to the flooding emergency at the SkatePark. At that session, follow-up was given on the current status of the SkatePark, with the Mayor indicating that it is in good condition and free of flooding, confirming the effectiveness of the work carried out. Artistic and Cultural Offerings From the Comisión Institucional, of which Ms. Rosario Siles Fernández, Mayor of the Municipalidad, Mr. Miguel Arrieta Berrocal, Deputy Minister of Youth, and Ms. Wendy Jiménez Ballestero, Director of the Dirección Sociocultural (DGS) of the Ministry, form part, we have been monitoring this situation and working on the artistic and cultural programming we can offer, as well as providing guidance and working jointly with Mr. Ronal Montero, cultural manager of this municipality.\" Requests that the appeal (recurso) be dismissed.\n\n**6.-** By means of a written submission added to the digital case file at 10:43 hours on November 20, 2025, María del Rosario Siles Fernández and Grettel Murillo Quirós, respectively the Mayor and Acting President of the Municipal Council, both of the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, report under oath that \"(…) Regarding the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita, the following actions taken on matters of security, waste management, and the skatepark are reported: Security of the PDH: The Parque de Desarrollo Humano (PDH) is a public space under the constant watch of the Policía Municipal de Alajuelita. With the aim of ensuring the safety and well-being of visitors, daily patrols are conducted in the area. In addition, community recreational activities have been held that promote integration and respect for public spaces. Regular patrols at the PDH have served to prevent incidents and ensure the safety of visitors, both local residents and those coming from other parts of the GAM. Other actions carried out as part of the Municipal Police's work include promoting civic participation and strengthening ties between the community and the authorities, dismantling imaginary barriers and strengthening social cohesion, through various recreational activities involving youth and children. Regarding the use of the facilities, it is important to note that during patrols, alcoholic beverages and prohibited substances that unscrupulous individuals attempt to consume in the park have also been confiscated. These actions seek to maintain order and security in the area. Preventing incidents, promoting social coexistence among citizens, and maintaining public order alongside police oversight are fundamental pillars and guarantees that we have striven to uphold throughout our administration (…) Environmental Management: The Department of Environmental Management has carried out a series of actions at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita for its upkeep and overall improvement, reported as follows: The bases of the shelters were reinforced with cement to prevent them from collapsing and causing accidents; the three shelters were repaired and one was removed given the extent of the damage it presented.\n\nIn addition, ongoing cleaning and collection from the waste bins is carried out, and three times a week two staff members enter to collect all the garbage and subsequently remove the balls from the park. With respect to mowing of the park, four people are assigned to carry out maintenance work once a month; this work takes approximately one week given the size of the park. It is important to bear in mind that during the rainy season the grass grows faster and maintenance can sometimes be delayed due to emergencies arising in the canton that must be addressed promptly (…) Since 2024, the Ministerio de Cultura has been informed that a problem has been occurring with the skatepark, as the bowl has had drainage issues causing it to fill with water and form a kind of pool. The situation worsens in the rainy season, where despite efforts to provide maintenance and cleaning, staff can spend up to three days working on the drainage only for it to fill up again when it rains. For this reason, coordination has been undertaken with Bomberos and AyA through the Ministerio de Cultura so that they can assist with equipment to pump out the stagnant water. Additionally, the Municipality's engineers have assessed the situation and the Ministerio de Cultura has been asked on several occasions to help contact the company that carried out the project, so that they can inspect the drainage and help find a solution to prevent this from continuing to occur.\n\nThe last action taken, in October 2025, was coordinating with Bomberos, who helped clear the obstruction from the pipe; it was identified that the pipe size is not optimal, and coordination is accordingly underway with the Ministerio de Cultura on the work to be done to replace the pipe with one of greater capacity so that water flows freely without becoming stagnant (…) It is important to note that the land does not belong to the Municipalidad but to the Ministerio de Cultura, and there is only an administration agreement in place under which the Municipalidad is carrying out maintenance; however, any modification, change, or investment must be undertaken by the Ministerio de Cultura.\"\n\n**7.-** By means of a written submission added to the digital case file at 13:44 hours on Friday, November 21, 2025, the authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud of Alajuelita submit a copy of the case file they maintain regarding the park in question.\n\n**8.-** By means of a certification dated November 25, 2025, it is noted that there is no record of the Director of the Área Rectora de Salud Alajuelita of the Ministerio de Salud having submitted the report requested by this Chamber.\n\n**9.-** In a ruling issued at 12:32 hours on March 22, 2026, supplemental evidence (prueba para mejor resolver) is requested from the authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud Alajuelita for the purpose of reaching a better-informed decision.\n\n**10.-** By means of a report added to the digital case file at 8:49 hours on March 26, 2026, Leandra Madrigal Rodríguez, in her capacity as Acting Director of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita, reports under oath that \"(…) as of this date, no formal health complaints (denuncias sanitarias) have been filed before this Health Authority, either by the petitioner or by residents of the canton, in connection with the alleged facts. The only health actions taken at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita during 2025 arose from an independent health procedure, initiated from an epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis in a minor.\n\nII. EXPRESS CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE HEALTH ORDER It is expressly and categorically clarified that health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, issued in May 2025, did not originate from the facts alleged by the petitioner in the amparo appeal (recurso de amparo), nor does it bear any causal, substantive, or temporal relationship to complaints about abandonment, garbage, overgrowth, or dangerous structures. Said health order was issued exclusively as a result of a targeted epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis (…)\n\nIII. RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE SALA CONSTITUCIONAL 1) Current status of the health order The health order was addressed by the Municipalidad de Alajuelita through cleaning actions, removal of accumulated water, technical assessment of the drainage system, and interinstitutional coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. This Área Rectora has monitored compliance through formal requests for information via email. (Folios 00089, 00095, 000101, 000110, 000114, 000115)\n\n2) Compliance with the health order Based on the verification visit conducted on November 20, 2025, recorded in inspection report N° Y-107-2025 and technical report MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-1194-2025, Environmental Manager Yendry Muñoz Vásquez of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita verified that the conditions that gave rise to the health order have been fully remedied. During that inspection it was confirmed that the skatepark is clean, operational, and free of accumulated water, ruling out the health risk associated with stagnant water. (Folios 00097 to 000100)\n\nNotwithstanding the foregoing, and given that the Sala Constitucional, in its ruling of twelve hours thirty-two minutes of the twenty-second of March two thousand twenty-six, notified the Área Rectora de Salud of a request for updated information, an inspection was conducted on March 23, 2026, which confirmed that there is no overgrowth in areas where equipment (furnishings), courts, and pathways are located; no accumulation of solid waste, rubble, or signs of burning was observed — these being the aspects alleged by the petitioner. It was also verified that the skatepark, which gave rise to health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, is clean, free of water accumulation, and functioning properly. The foregoing is recorded in ocular inspection report N° Y-047-2026. (Folios 000111 and 000112)\n\nFurthermore, this Área Rectora de Salud requested, on March 23, 2026, a detailed report from the Municipalidad de Alajuelita on the repairs and interventions carried out at the skatepark of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano. On March 24, 2026, report MA-AM-112-2026 was received from Mayor Rosario Siles Fernández, who states, with respect to the condition of the skatepark and the health order issued: 1. Ministerio de Cultura, in coordination with the Vice-Ministry of Culture and the Administrative Vice-Ministry, arranged for a site visit with their engineers as well as the Municipality's engineers to review the situation and seek a solution. 2. Coordination was undertaken with Bomberos and AyA to remove the stagnant water and thereby eliminate the imminent risk this posed, as those institutions have pumping systems that the Municipalidad does not have. 3. An excavation was made on one side of the SkatePark, where the installed pipe runs, in order to clear everything that was clogging the pipe; this work was accomplished with the collaboration of Bomberos and personnel from the Municipalidad de Alajuelita. 4. The bowl was then cleaned and left without water so that it could be used by the public. 5. Taking advantage of the dry season, the process of developing a project is underway with the aim of building a larger culvert with greater capacity to prevent the problem from recurring during the rainy season. Additionally, with regard to the current condition of the Parque de Desarrollo Humano and the facts alleged by the petitioner, the Mayor provides the following details in the same report, noting that ongoing maintenance actions have been consistently carried out at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano: 1. Cleaning and collection from the waste bins three times a week, with two staff members assigned to collect all the garbage and subsequently remove the balls from the park. 2. Mowing of the park is carried out, with four people assigned to maintenance work once a month; this work takes approximately one week given the size of the park. It is important to bear in mind that during the rainy season the grass grows faster and maintenance can sometimes be delayed due to emergencies arising in the canton that must be addressed promptly. (Folios 000113-000115)\n\nIn light of the foregoing, from a technical-health standpoint, this Authority considers that health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 has been fully complied with, and no active health order related to the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita currently exists; accordingly, the case that gave rise to the issuance of the health order in question was closed by means of official letter CARTA-MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-CD-0028-2026. (Folio 000116)\n\n3) Subsequent incidents or complaints Upon consulting our records, it is reported that no subsequent health complaints have been received and no incidents related to the park have occurred. The most recent inspection confirms that the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita is in adequate sanitary conditions and presents no risk to public health.\n\nIV. CONCLUSION 1. The facts alleged by the petitioner were not substantiated. 2. The health order issued in May 2025 bears no relationship whatsoever to the amparo appeal. 3. Health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 has been fully complied with. 4. No active health incidents or complaints exist at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita. 5. The Ministerio de Salud has acted diligently, in a technically sound manner, and in conformity with the law.\"\n\n**11.-** In the proceedings followed, the applicable legal requirements have been observed.\n\nOpinion drafted by Justice Araya García; and,\n\nConsidering:\n\n**I.- Subject of the appeal.** The petitioner alleges that the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita has been documented to have accumulated garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown vegetation, and unmaintained dangerous structures, which represents not only a health hazard but also a violation of the right of access to decent, safe, and healthy public spaces. He asserts that he filed the corresponding complaint regarding these facts; however, as of the date on which he filed this appeal, the complaint had not been definitively resolved, which he considers harmful to his fundamental rights.\n\n**II.- Established facts (Hechos probados).** Of relevance to the decision in this matter, the following facts are considered duly established:\n\n1) The petitioner is a resident of Alajuelita (undisputed fact).\n\n2) The Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita is the property of the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud (see the report submitted by the respondent authority and the evidence presented in the case file).\n\n3) The SkatePark at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita has experienced flooding caused by problems with the stormwater channeling system from one of the neighboring communities known as El Jazmín (an informal settlement), and by vandalism that has damaged the infrastructure, as garbage is dumped indiscriminately, clogging the water outlet and turning the skate rink into a pool, with the accumulated water making it a high-risk and unsanitary location (see the report submitted by the respondent authority and the evidence presented in the case file).\n\n4) On October 24 and 25, 2025, the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos collaborated with the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud and proceeded to pump out the space, excavate to expose the pipes, and carried out a thorough cleaning of the drainage system, removing all manner of garbage that had been dumped there (see the report submitted by the respondent authority and the evidence presented in the case file).\n\n5) On November 13 and 17, 2025, the respondent authorities were notified of the order initiating this proceeding (see notification records).\n\n6) The authorities of the Municipalidad de Alajuelita stated that \"(…) The Department of Environmental Management has carried out a series of actions at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita for its maintenance and overall improvement, as reported below: **The foundations of the shelters (ranchos) were reinforced with cement to prevent them from collapsing and causing accidents; the three shelters were repaired, and one was removed given the extent of the damage it presented. In addition, constant cleaning and collection from the waste bins is carried out, and three times a week two staff members enter to collect all the garbage, after which the balls in the park are subsequently removed. Regarding the park's vegetation clearing (chapea), four workers were assigned to carry out monthly maintenance work lasting approximately one week, given how large the park is.** It is important to bear in mind that during the rainy season the grass grows faster, and maintenance may sometimes be delayed due to emergencies arising in the canton that must be attended to promptly (…) coordination has been established with the Fire Department and AyA through the Ministerio de Cultura so that they can assist with equipment and the standing water can be pumped out (…) The last action taken, in October 2025, was coordination with the Fire Department, which helped remove the blockage in the pipe; it was identified that the pipe size is not optimal, and coordination is therefore underway with the Ministerio de Cultura for the work that must be carried out to replace the pipe and give it greater capacity so that water flows without becoming stagnant (…)\" (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence submitted to the case file).\n\n7) The authorities of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita stated that \"(…) as of the date of this report, no formal health complaints (denuncias sanitarias) have been filed before this Health Authority by the petitioner or by canton residents in connection with the alleged facts. The only health actions taken at the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita during 2025 arose from an independent health procedure, initiated as part of an epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis in a minor. II. EXPRESS CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE HEALTH ORDER It is expressly and categorically clarified that health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025, issued in May 2025, did not originate from the facts alleged by the petitioner in the amparo petition (recurso de amparo), nor does it bear any causal, material, or temporal connection to complaints of abandonment, garbage, overgrowth, or dangerous structures. That health order was issued exclusively as the result of a specific epidemiological investigation into a confirmed case of leptospirosis (…) III. RESPONSE TO WHAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE SALA CONSTITUCIONAL 1) Current status of the health order The health order was addressed by the Municipalidad de Alajuelita through cleaning actions, removal of accumulated water, technical evaluation of drainage, and interinstitutional coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. This Área Rectora has followed up through formal information requests via email. (Case-file pages [Folios] 00089, 00095, 000101, 000110, 000114. 000115) 2) Compliance with the health order Based on the verification visit carried out on 20 November 2025, recorded in inspection record (acta de inspección) N° Y-107-2025 and in technical report MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-1194-2025, Environmental Manager Yendry Muñoz Vásquez of the Área Rectora de Salud de Alajuelita confirmed that the conditions that gave rise to the health order have been fully remedied. During that inspection it was verified that the skatepark is clean, in operation, and free of accumulated water, ruling out the health risk associated with standing water. (Case-file pages 00097 through 000100) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and in view of the fact that the Sala Constitucional, through its resolution of twelve hours and thirty-two minutes on the twenty-second of March, two thousand and twenty-six, notified the Área Rectora de Salud of an information update, ***an inspection was carried out on 23 March 2026 and it was confirmed that there is no overgrowth in areas containing equipment (furnishings), courts, or pathways; no accumulation of solid waste, rubble, or signs of burning was observed — these being the matters specifically alleged by the petitioner. It was also verified that the skatepark that gave rise to health order MS-DRRSCS-ARSAL-OS-37-2025 is clean, free of water accumulation, and operating correctly.*** The foregoing is recorded in visual inspection record (acta de inspección ocular) N° Y-047-2026\" (see report submitted by the respondent authority and evidence submitted to the case file).\n\n**III.- Unproven fact.** The following fact is not considered duly established: **Sole.** That the petitioner filed any complaint (denuncia) before the respondent authorities regarding the facts alleged in the petition.\n\n**IV.- On the specific case.** In the *sub lite*, the petitioner alleges that the Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita has been documented to contain accumulated garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown vegetation, and dangerous structures lacking maintenance, which represents not only a health risk but also a violation of the right of access to dignified, safe, and healthy public spaces. The petitioner asserts that the corresponding complaint was filed regarding these facts; however, as of the date the petition was submitted, the complaint had not been definitively resolved, which the petitioner considers to be injurious to fundamental rights.\n\nIn this regard, it should first be noted that it could not be established that the petitioner filed any complaint before the respondent authorities regarding the facts alleged in the petition. On this point, this Court has repeatedly addressed the failure to file a complaint before the competent authorities regarding various types of situations, which is an indispensable step before coming before this Court.\n\nIn that regard, in judgment number 2023-29457 of 12:50 hours on November 10, 2023, this Court ruled as follows:\n\n\"**V.- ON THE NECESSITY OF FILING A COMPLAINT IN ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.** In the first instance, the Court finds it necessary to make some observations regarding the necessity of filing a complaint in environmental matters.\n\nFrom the review of the case file, it is noted that the Secretary General of SETENA emphasized, in the attached report, the following in its essential parts:\n\n\"***After verifying this Secretariat's databases, no Environmental Assessment file with the indicated characteristics was found (…) Nor was any request from the petitioner directed to this office found, reporting any specific fact — in which case it would have been redirected to the Tribunal Ambiental Administrativo, upon determining that no open Environmental Assessment file exists.***\"\n\nOn this point, this Court has held that, in order to adjudicate an injury or threat to environmental rights, whether in general or in particular, ***we would need to be faced with the scenario in which the affected person has filed a complaint and, in the course of its processing, a threat has been identified or it has been effectively established that the environment is in fact being damaged, and that, even so, the respondent administrative authorities have taken no action in that regard, thereby infringing the constitutional right enshrined in Article 50 of the Carta Magna.*** Thus, in judgment No. 2016-007678 of 10:50 hours on June 3, 2016, the following was resolved:\n\n\"**III.- ON THE MERITS.** In its repeated case law, this Constitutional Court has had the opportunity to rule on the precautionary principle (principio precautorio) in environmental matters, as well as in relation to the State's obligation to ensure that all projects, whether public or private in nature, are carried out under strict standards that prevent any harm to the environment. In this way, the State, through the institutions created for those purposes, must exercise prior and subsequent oversight of the manner in which works, construction, projects, or the activities of businesses and commercial enterprises are carried out, in order to assure all persons subject to its authority that no environmental harm is caused by those activities. That said, for the reasons set forth above, certain activities — such as mining — require, before being carried out, environmental impact studies and analyses, for which technical investigations are conducted by professionals in each relevant field to determine whether the intended activity could or could not cause harm of that kind, all pursuant to the various bodies of legislation governing environmental matters, such as water, forestry, mining, and others.\n\nSubsequently, once those feasibility or viability permits (permisos de viabilidad o factibilidad) are obtained, the administrative authorities must pay timely attention to, and act on, any complaints filed by persons who consider themselves harmed by any of the activities mentioned above — whether a concession or private and commercial works — in order to conduct investigations to determine the veracity of the claims raised; for which, again, technical expert opinion on the matter must be available. That is to say, for this Chamber to be able to confirm a violation of environmental rights (lesión a los derechos ambientales), whether in general or in a specific instance, we would need to be confronted with a scenario in which the affected person has filed a complaint, and in which, in the course of processing that complaint, it has been determined that environmental harm is in fact being caused — and that, even so, the challenged administrative authorities have taken no measures whatsoever, thereby violating the constitutional right enshrined in Article 50 of the Constitution.\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\nLikewise, on repeated occasions this Tribunal has stated that it must not substitute itself for the active Administration in the exercise of its competencies, nor does it function as a complaint-processing body. In that regard, ruling No. 2023019540, issued at 09:30 hours on 11 August 2023, held as follows:\n\n\"III.- Subject of the appeal. The petitioners allege that approximately 25 years ago, the Municipalidad de Carrillo excavated a drainage trench using heavy machinery on private property, to drain water running from Dirección01, through Dirección02, and ending in a protected zone (zona protectora) belonging to INDER. They state that they have been harmed by the environmental contamination caused by the discharge of wastewater (aguas negras), the pooling of stagnant water that creates mosquito breeding grounds and the spread of vector-borne diseases, which affects both health and the environment.\n\n(…)\n\nVI.- Specific case.\n\n(…)\n\nRegarding the foregoing, a review of the case file establishes that the petitioners have not filed a formal written request with the challenged authorities for the purpose of raising the concerns described in the filing. On that basis, the parties are advised that this Chamber must not substitute itself for the active Administration in the exercise of its competencies, nor does it function as a complaint-processing body. The petitioners should note that this is not the same as exhausting administrative channels; it is simply an acknowledgment that this Tribunal must not directly override the will of the Administration and supplant public agencies in the handling of matters within their competence. Accordingly, the petitioning party may, if it so chooses, present its objections or claims to the challenged authorities formally and in writing, or alternatively seek recourse through the ordinary courts, where it may fully litigate the merits and assert its claims. In light of the foregoing, the present constitutional writ (amparo) is declared inadmissible.\n\nOn this point, the Chamber has stated that complaints such as those raised by the petitioners in this constitutional writ must first be filed before the competent authorities. Through ruling n.° 2017-020375, issued at 11:00 hours on 19 December 2017, the following was held:\n\n\"II.- ON THE SPECIFIC CASE. In the instant case, the petitioning party comes directly before this Tribunal to report a problem concerning the contamination caused by a sewage canal running through its properties, which discharges into a river. However, from the petitioners' own account it follows that they have not filed any complaint before the competent authorities — in this case, the Municipalidad de Flores de Heredia. As this Tribunal has repeatedly stated, it must not substitute itself for the active Administration in the exercise of its competencies, nor does it function as a complaint-processing body, as established in ruling 2016-001150, issued at 14:30 hours on 26 January 2016. These considerations are applicable to the case under examination, as this Tribunal finds no reason to depart from the holding of that ruling, nor any grounds for assessing the situation presented in a different manner. Therefore, even if the petitioners consider it unnecessary, in situations such as this they must first approach the challenged authorities and formally present the complaint in question before filing a constitutional writ, so that those bodies may take the appropriate measures to resolve the reported problem or, failing that, may pursue their claim through the ordinary courts. This is without prejudice to the petitioners' recourse to the constitutional avenue after an unreasonable period of time has elapsed without effective action by the Administration, and provided there is a threat to or violation of a fundamental right.\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\n(See also, in similar terms, rulings No. 2023004954, issued at 09:30 hours on 03 March 2023; 2023004299, issued at 09:15 hours on 24 February 2023; and 2022026246, issued at 09:45 hours on 04 November 2022, among others.)\n\nNotwithstanding the foregoing, the Tribunal Constitucional has in fact reviewed appeals in which a violation of the right to a healthy and ecologically balanced environment was established without the prior filing of a complaint; this, under two exceptional circumstances, namely: 1) when the matter is of great magnitude; and 2) when it can be derived from the case file that the competent authorities were aware of the situation complained of, which is threatening or causing environmental harm, and have taken no measures whatsoever. In that regard, in ruling No.\n\n2008-04786, at 12:35 hours on 27 March 2008, resolved as follows:\n\n\"II.- **SUBJECT MATTER OF THE WRIT.**- The petitioner (recurrente) alleges that he has appeared before the Ministry of Health, the Defensoría de los Habitantes, and other administrative bodies to report a pig operation (porqueriza) located adjacent to his residence that produces foul odors; however, none of them have attended to his complaints (…)\n\n**IV.- REGARDING THE CONDUCT OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF ALAJUELA.-** In the case before us, the Código Municipal requires the municipalities of each canton to ensure that residents are guaranteed the real and effective enjoyment of the right to health and to a healthy environment. The documents submitted to the case file (expediente), together with the sworn report filed by the respondent Mayor, indicate that once municipal officers attended the site that is the subject of this writ of amparo (recurso de amparo) and confirmed that the activity lacked a municipal permit, they proceeded to grant the owner of the pig operation an eight-day period to obtain the corresponding business operating license (patente). **However, the Chamber considers that the Municipality's role must not be limited to acting only upon receipt of a complaint about an alleged irregular situation; rather, its obligation is to guarantee, defend, and preserve the right of everyone to enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment through the ongoing oversight of all activities carried out in the community.** In the view of this Chamber, in the present case the Municipality of Alajuela has demonstrated an inability to enforce the applicable laws and to fulfill its obligation to guarantee that the area's residents enjoy a healthy and ecologically balanced environment, with the resulting consequences for those persons' health. **It is therefore the case that the respondent Municipality — with full knowledge that within its territorial jurisdiction a citizen is conducting an activity lacking the legally required permits and that is inherently sensitive due to the handling of animals and waste — has limited itself to granting the named respondent an eight-day period to regularize the situation, thereby evading its responsibility to maintain continuous vigilance over the activities carried out by community residents.** It is thus observed that the respondent Municipality has not even attempted to verify whether the activity generates any type of contamination or whether polluted wastewater is being discharged. This step was necessary with a view to imposing such sanctions as may be appropriate in law, once due process and the right of defense to which the parties are entitled have been observed. Consequently, the Municipality of Alajuela has taken no action whatsoever to determine the existence of the problem and its potential bearing on the alleged public health nuisance that the petitioner has persistently reported. For these reasons, this writ must be granted against the Municipality of Alajuela for the constitutional violations of Articles 50 and 21 of the Political Constitution.\n\n**V.- REGARDING THE CONDUCT OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH.-** While the State must respect the rights of individuals, it must equally safeguard the well-being of the community. Public health and environmental protection are principles protected both at the constitutional level (Articles 21, 50, 73, and 89 of the Constitution) and through international norms. In this case, the Ley General de Salud authorizes the Ministry of Health to take the appropriate health measures and to impose sanctions; accordingly, the Ministry of Health not only has the duty to enforce the Ley General de Salud but also to protect public health, which is characterized as a matter of public interest, since the rights to health and to a healthy environment free from contamination — at least below the levels tolerable to human beings — are fundamental and inalienable rights whose violation cannot be legitimately consented to. **Now, from the report submitted to this Chamber, the respondent Minister states that no complaint on record exists in connection with these events; however, the head of the Ministry of Health must bear in mind that this body must not act solely upon a party's request, as she appears to understand it, thereby disregarding the preventive function that is indispensable to the protection of human health and that warrants its intervention, even on its own initiative, in the oversight and monitoring of compliance with the provisions of the Ley General de Salud.** As established in the record, the conduct of the health authorities in the case under examination was limited to conducting an inspection of the pig operation reported herein, prompted by the filing of this writ of amparo; during the inspection they confirmed, among other things, that the pig farm (granja porcina) holds a porcine population of 150 pigs and that the area is surrounded by residences. Although the health authority stated that it verified there were no foul odors from decomposing food and that the farm's washwater was not being discharged onto public roads, it went no further, declining to exercise its powers and competencies by failing to compel those responsible to comply with the additional requirements that the legal framework demands for the operation of this type of activity — namely, the requisite permits from the various competent administrative bodies in this field — so that it has been demonstrated that, beyond the inspection carried out by virtue of this writ of amparo, the case file reveals no further action by this authority aimed at ensuring that the pig operation comply with the legal requirements and thereby remaining vigilant that the activity does not generate any type of sanitary or environmental contamination; consequently, they have failed to fulfill their obligation to safeguard the population's right to health, and such omission has caused harm to the fundamental rights of all residents of the area.\" (Emphasis not in the original.)\n\nIn the case at hand (sub examine), it is found that the appropriate course is to deny the writ, as the conditions identified above for treating this as an exceptional case are not met — that is, neither of the two circumstances that could justify the Constitutional Chamber (Sala Constitucional) taking up this matter despite the absence of a formal complaint\n\n*and, as has been observed, there is no record that prior to filing the writ (recurso), the petitioner (accionante) had lodged any formal complaint (denuncia) with the respondent authorities (autoridades recurridas) or that such complaint had gone unaddressed\"* (emphasis not in original).\n\nIn keeping with the judgments cited above, it must be noted that in this particular case there is no evidence that the petitioner (recurrente) filed any prior complaint with any of the respondent authorities. It is likewise important to note that this case falls under neither of the two exceptional circumstances enumerated in the background section: 1) where the matter is of great magnitude; and 2) where the case record (autos) reveals that the competent authorities had knowledge of the situation alleged — one that threatens or is causing harm to the environment — and took no measures whatsoever in response.\n\nIt should be noted that what the petitioner alleges in his brief is that the presence of accumulated garbage, rubble, burned waste, overgrown weeds, and dangerous structures in disrepair has been documented, representing not only a health risk but also a violation of the right of access to dignified, safe, and healthy public spaces.\n\nIn light of the foregoing, it is evident that none of these facts were reported to the authorities, nor do they constitute matters of great magnitude, nor were they known to the respondent authorities. It should further be noted that the authorities are emphatic in stating that the problem that arose at the SkatePark del Parque de Desarrollo Humano de Alajuelita was a flooding of the track; however, that situation was not alleged by the petitioner in this writ, and there is a record that it was duly addressed by both the Ministerio de Cultura and the Municipalidad de Alajuelita. Likewise, it was verified that a sanitary order (orden sanitaria) was issued in connection with a confirmed case of leptospirosis at the site, but this too bears no relation to the facts alleged, and it was verified that it was duly addressed by the Ministerio de Salud, which issued the sanitary order and conducted the necessary inspections until compliance was confirmed, and by the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, which complied with the Ministerio de Salud's order efficiently.\n\nIt was likewise established that the Municipalidad de Alajuelita, in coordination with the Ministerio de Cultura and prior to the filing of the writ, had taken effective measures to: 1) reinforce the foundations of the covered shelters (ranchos) with cement to prevent them from collapsing and causing an accident — the three shelters were repaired and one was removed due to the extent of the damage it had sustained; 2) carry out ongoing cleaning and waste collection from the garbage bins, with two employees entering the park three times a week to collect all garbage, after which the park's decorative spheres are subsequently removed; and 3) assign four workers to carry out brush clearing (chapea) at the park once a month, with each maintenance round lasting approximately one week given the size of the park. The foregoing **<u>was further confirmed by the inspection carried out on 23 de marzo de 2026 by the Ministerio de Salud, during which it was verified that none of the situations alleged by the petitioner were present</u>**.\n\nUnder these circumstances — given the absence of a formal complaint by the petitioner, the finding that this case does not fall under either of the two exceptional circumstances recognized by this Tribunal, and the showing that the respondent authorities were in any event diligent in addressing other situations that arose at the claimed site — the appropriate course of action is to deny the writ (sin lugar), as is hereby ordered.\n\n**V.- Documentation submitted to the case file (expediente).** The party is hereby notified that, should any paper documents, objects, or evidence contained on any additional electronic, computer, magnetic, optical, telematic, or new-technology device have been submitted, these must be retrieved from the office within a maximum period of 30 business days from notification of this judgment. Failing this, all material not retrieved within that period will be destroyed, pursuant to the provisions of the \"Reglamento sobre Expediente Electrónico ante el Poder Judicial,\" approved by the Corte Plena in session No. 27-11 of 22 de agosto de 2011, artículo XXVI, and published in Boletín Judicial número 19 of 26 de enero de 2012, as well as the agreement approved by the Consejo Superior del Poder Judicial in session No. 43-12 held on 3 de mayo de 2012, artículo LXXXI.\n\n**Por tanto:**\n\nThe writ is denied.\n\nFernando Castillo V.\nPresident\n\nFernando Cruz C.\n\nPaul Rueda L.\n\nThe content you've sent is not a Spanish legal text excerpt — it appears to be binary or base64-encoded data (likely an embedded image), followed by a fragment of HTML markup. There is no Spanish legal prose to translate here.\n\nCould you paste the actual Spanish text of the legal document excerpt you'd like translated? Once you share the readable Spanish text, I'll translate it faithfully according to the instructions.\n\nSalazar A.\n\n[Signature]\nJorge Araya G.\n\n[Signature]\nAnamari Garro V.\n\n[Signature]\nIngrid Hess H.\n\nDigitally Signed Document\n-- Verification Code --\n\nT08S5MKZUZS61\n\nEXPEDIENTE N° 25-031280-0007-CO\n\nTelephones: Telf01/ ALA-4TA (Telf02). Fax: Telf03 / Telf04. Website: www.poder-judicial.go.cr/salaconstitucional. Address: (Dirección03, Dirección04, 100 m south of the Iglesia del Perpetuo Socorro)."
}