Various organizations and human rights activists questioned the statements of the Costa Rican president, Rodrigo Chaves, for assuring this Wednesday that would take action to avoid the arrival of people who, according to him, enter as “political refugees” when in reality they are “economic refugees”, that is, foreigners who enter the country in search of job opportunities.
Although the president did not explain the mechanisms that they would use for this measure, if it materialized, the experts indicate that “it would be a blow”, specifically for Nicaraguans fleeing the sociopolitical crisis and who represent almost 90% of the refugee applications in said nation.
Ana Quiros, a member of the opposition Blue and White Unit (Unab) told the voice of america that if this action were to take place “it would be a total and utter disgrace” for the migrants and would represent “a risk of death or loss of freedom for those who seek this country to protect themselves from the Taliban repression of the Daniel Ortega regime.”
Quiros, who had Nicaraguan nationality but was canceled in 2018 after being expelled from the country, she said, for opposing President Daniel Ortega, remains in Costa Rica, where she is from. She considers that in the country where she currently resides “there is institutionality” and therefore she hopes that President Chaves “seriously value her words in light of Costa Rican legislation and regulations.”
President Chaves announced that the measure would be taken soon, but first it will be communicated to the United Nations Organization (UN) through a letter that will be delivered by Foreign Minister Arnoldo André.
“The time has come when the shared responsibility of the international community has fallen disproportionately on us as a society, and the international community is not collaborating with the resources this country needs,” Chaves said Wednesday.
In this regard, Ana Quiros said that since 2018 as opponents they made themselves available to the Costa Rican authorities to accompany them “in efforts before the international community to support and accompany the Costa Rican authorities.”
“Once again we reiterate our willingness to accompany the management before authorities of other countries and expose the crisis,” added Quiros.
Jesuit Service: “Chaves’ statements make refugees vulnerable”
The Jesuit Service for Migrants of Costa Rica also made a statement in which it indicated that “the warnings” of President Chaves can place refugees in Costa Rica, who number around 200,000, most of them Nicaraguan, in circumstances of greater vulnerability. .
The organization said that “the review of refugee applications is the responsibility of the authorities established in the current legislation of the country” which in this case is the so-called Commission for Restricted Visas and Refugee and in second instance, the Migration Administrative Court (TAM). , who decide the granting of refugee status in the country.
“Refugee applicants have the obligation to submit to the procedure established by law,” the agency stressed.
On the other hand, Manuel Orozco, director of the Center for Migration and Economic Stabilization of Creative Internationalin Washington, assured on Twitter that the Costa Rican president “with his courage that distinguishes him closes the door to the most vulnerable” and added that “he gives an open field” to people fleeing the political crisis in Nicaragua.
“Costa Rica is more dignified than that man. People migrate because there is no hope, there is repression, prison, bad treatment, murders,” Orozco harangued.
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