[3] In the Costa Rican capital, San José, and in the rest of the country, volunteers and regular forces were organized to fight against the Panamanians.

The war moved to the north into the province of Bocas del Toro, where Costa Rica raided Panamanian troops and advanced without further resistance.

[4] Although Panama won the war in military terms, it had to renounce the territory of Coto under pressure from the United States, who in defense of its banana companies' interests took drastic measures to stop the conflict.

On 11 September 1900, the Loubet Judgment was issued, but it was not accepted by Costa Rica, since it harmed this country and granted Colombia more disputed territory.

It was known as the Fallo White, dictated on 12 September 1914, where the Panamanian government was dissatisfied with the resolution since this ruling benefited Costa Rica.

The second location was towards the Atlantic coastline, to the west of the province of Bocas del Toro, although without confrontations, the Costa Ricans obtained the victory.

[3] The president appointed General Manuel Quintero Villarreal (veteran of the War of a Thousand Days) as head of the police forces that would go to Chiriqui.

[3] Quintero established his operations center there and ordered the departure of the 53 policemen on a train from the Panama Sugar Company to Progreso to continue on foot to Coto.

[3] Mejías feared the arrival of Costa Rican reinforcements along the Coto River, so he ordered scouts to explore the place, locate the sentinels and take positions between the forests and mangroves.

On the afternoon of the 27 February, the motorboat La Sultana was approaching with Costa Rican troops who were cheering their country and president Julio Acosta, confident that the detachment of Zúñiga Mora would receive them.

A group of Chiricans under Colonel Gace, had the mission to take the ship and leave on the morning of the 28 February to navigate the Golfo Dulce until reaching the destination.

[3] At sunset that day another ship arrived, La Esperanza with 56 soldiers and volunteers, also mistakenly expecting that the men of Zúñiga Mora were waiting for them, the ignorance was such that when they arrived, a phonograph was played on the bow of the ship touching the notes of the national anthem of Costa Rica; this started a shootout killing the one who put the phonogram.

In the bay of Charco Azul, in Chiriquí, the battleship USS Pennsylvania appeared with orders to protect the citizens and American interests in the area.