Costa Rica declares a national emergency due to the unusual flow of migrants through its territory

As of this Friday, the government of Costa Rica will count the passage of more than 300,000 migrants so far in 2023, forming a stream that crosses the continent on its way to the United States, and declared a national emergency to expedite the mobilization of resources to address the situation.

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves signed the executive decree on Friday declaring the migration crisis a national emergency, allowing the National Emergency Commission (CNE) to take a series of administrative, operational and economic measures to address the situation.

Official data from Costa Rica shows that 320,110 migrants have crossed the border with Panama so far in 2023, of which 214,146 (68%) are Venezuelans, followed by 37,156 Ecuadorians; 21,255 Haitians; 16,294 Chinese; 8,851 Colombians; 2,593 Chileans; 2,536 Indians; 2,413 Afghans; 2,144 Peruvians and 12,722 of other nationalities.

According to this data from the Directorate General of Migration, 274,242 of the migrants are adults and 45,868 are minors.

The national emergency decree promotes “more flexible procedures to support the work of the institutions regarding the protection of families already at the border and the guarantee of safe passage to their next point, hand in hand with the institutions.” reported in a statement.

The government explained that it is working to fully enable the Temporary Care Center for Migrants (CATEM) in the canton of Corredores, on the border with Panama, to care for migrants who gather in the city of Paso Canoas upon arrival. to carry. Panama.

Buses to Nicaragua

Costa Rica has a plan in place for migrants entering from Panama to take buses in Paso Canoas that take them to Los Chiles, on the border with Nicaragua, but many of them do not have the $30 ticket price and are left in a place called Campo Ferial, where they camp in poor safety and health conditions.

The government announced on Friday that it will implement a new plan under which Panamanian buses carrying migrants will enter the Temporary Care Center for Migrants (CATEM) to prevent these people from wandering on the streets.

Once inside the CATEM, the migrants take buses that take them to the border with Nicaragua to continue their journey across the continent.

In addition, the government reported that it is working with international organizations to install a mobile medical care station to strengthen the work of health workers from the Costa Rican Social Security Fund.

President Chaves reiterated this Friday that the government will deport migrants who do not respect the laws in Costa Rica.

Appointment of leaders

“I have instructed the immigration authorities so that migrants who behave badly, who cause unrest or who do not respect our authorities and Costa Rican law, go back to their countries of origin, because we will not tolerate that here,” Chaves said.

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves will visit Panama next week to meet with his counterpart Laurentino Cortizo on October 6, at a time when both countries are trying to tackle the crisis caused by the passage of thousands of migrants through the region . (JO)