Nicaragua’s authorization to allow the entry and stay of Russian troops and troops in its territory is “very worrying” news for Costa Rica, said its president, Rodrigo Cháves, to the Voice of America.
“Right now we have serious concerns with Nicaragua,” Cháves said. “There is news (…) that President Daniel Ortega invited the Russian army to send troops and equipment to Nicaragua. We have not had an army since 1949, imagine how worried we feel, and with good reason”.
The government of Daniel Ortega authorized on Tuesday the exchange of ships, aircraft, and foreign military personnel for “mutually beneficial purposes of exchange and humanitarian assistance.”
It also authorized the entry of troops, ships and equipment from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, the United States, Mexico, Venezuela and Cuba.
These cooperation agreements are made every year. The Nicaraguan armed forces are also authorized to travel to those countries and conduct similar humanitarian exercises.
Relations between Costa Rica and Nicaragua have not flourished since Cháves took office on May 8.
“[Ortega] did not come to the opening [presidencial]. We have not established contact at this time. Costa Rica has a Nicaraguan ambassador, but we have not sent an ambassador to Nicaragua,” said Cháves.
Costa Rica is also the destination of many Nicaraguans who have sought asylum fleeing the political crisis in their country.
“Costa Rica has received hundreds of thousands of migrants, almost 15 percent of our population [es] from Nicaragua, that we are giving them health and education at a high cost for our fiscal space,” said Cháves.
Costa Rica needs help to address the issue of immigrants, Cháves recently told the United Nations.
“We have between 15 and 20 percent of our population who are migrants: some refugees, some irregularly. That puts pressure on our public health system and our education system,” the president said.
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