Costa Rica Declares Migration Crisis a National Emergency
The President of Costa Rica has officially declared a National Emergency in response to the migration crisis.
A presidential press release details that the declaration was confirmed through a signed executive decree. This decision comes as a response to the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, the Directorate of Immigration’s report of 320,110 migrants crossing the Paso Canoas border this year.
Under Costa Rica’s National Law of Emergencies and Risk Prevention No. 8488 (La Ley Nacional de Emergencias y Prevención del Riesgo N° 8488), the government can declare a national emergency when faced with uncontrollable disasters.
This declaration allows for the coordination of efforts among various public and private entities to address the crisis adequately.
The decree empowers the National Emergency Commission (CNE) to take swift administrative, operational, and economic actions to support institutions responsible for protecting families at the borders and ensuring safe transit to their next destination.
These institutions include the National Women’s Institute, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, the Ministry of Health, the National Children’s Trust, and the Ministry of Public Security.
Efforts are underway to fully operationalize the Temporary Care Center for Migrants (CATEM) in the Corredores canton, relieving the congestion at the Paso Canoas Fairgrounds.
Panamanian buses transporting migrants will now enter CATEM to prevent people from roaming the streets of nearby communities.
Once inside, migrants will wait for buses that will take them to the Tablillas border post in Los Chiles, Northern Zone.
To expedite the process, Panamanian authorities will share information with Costa Rica on the number of people arriving on these buses, streamlining the verification and transfer of migrants.
Additionally, collaboration with international organizations is underway to establish a mobile medical care station to enhance the healthcare provided by the Costa Rican Social Security Fund to this population.
Costa Rica’s Directorate of Immigration reports a daily influx of 2,500 to 3,000 individuals crossing the border with Panama.
To date, statistics from the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration show that out of the 320,110 migrants, the majority hail from Venezuela (214,146), followed by Ecuador (37,156), Haiti (21,255), China (16,294), Colombia (8,851), Chile (2,593), India (2,536), Afghanistan (2,413), Peru (2,144), and other nationalities (12,722).
Policía Profesional de Migración y Extranjería predicts the arrival of 274,242 adults and 45,868 minors at the border in 2023.
President Rodrigo Chaves Robles emphasized that those who do not adhere to Costa Rican laws will face deportation, stating, “Migrants who disrupt public order, show a lack of respect for our authorities and our laws will be sent back to their home countries, as we will not tolerate such behavior here.”
Daily Entry of Migrants Surpasses Capacity
The DGME, Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería, reports the daily entry of 2,500 to 3,000 individuals through the Panama border. In September alone, approximately 60,000 people arrived from Panama via the Paso Canoas border post, which is three times the population of the Paso Canoas community, estimated at around 20,000 residents.
During a press conference, Jorge Rodríguez Bogle, the vice minister of the Presidency, expressed concern about the overwhelming number of arrivals from Panama. He highlighted the challenges faced by institutions in providing ordinary assistance due to the sheer volume of people.
The situation has resulted in garbage accumulation issues, strained healthcare resources, and problems with access to drinking water in the Corredores municipality.
In her report for Confidencial, Katherine Estrada Téllez details the measures specified in the national emergency decree:
Ensuring Safe Transit: Measures will be implemented to facilitate safe transit for migrant families from the border to their next destination.
The Costa Rican Government is providing buses for transportation from Paso Canoas to the Tablillas border post in Los Chiles, Alajuela, on the Nicaraguan border.
The bus rides are causing tensions between migrants and local Costa Rican authorities. Téllez includes an interview capturing the clashes between migrants and border patrols in southern Costa Rica as reported by Djenane Villanueva, a CNN Español reporter in Costa Rica.
The report highlights migrants denouncing bad treatment, reporting that as passengers on these buses they are required to pay $30 per person for anyone above the age of three, a situation causing them great financial strain as they report they are also prevented from working to raise those transport charges, leaving entire families stranded. The video showed families sleeping on top of cardboards on sidewalks. The $30 dollar bus charge is generating reactions, altercations and a very difficult situation for the migrants:
“We don’t have the money, that’s what happens. Several days ago, fights broke out with the police. Why? Because they don’t even let us work, they don’t let us sell water, or soft drinks, or bread, nothing, nothing. How is it that Costa Rica is charging for the children? They charge a $30 fare per child ages 3 and up,” Jackson Fernandez, a Venezuelan migrant, told CNN.
“They treat us badly, they treat us very badly,” said Miguel Arroyo, a Venezuelan migrant to CNN. “We are paying, and they still treat us badly. “They are charging, they should treat us well.”
“Coming from Panama we had to pay $40 for a bus in which they treat us practically like inmates because they don’t allow us to speak or leave or nothing,” said Liseth Francis, a Venezuelan migrant.
Temporary Care Center for Migrants (CATEM): Authorization for the CATEM in Corredores, Puntarenas, will be finalized to accommodate Panamanian buses carrying migrants. The center’s establishment aims to prevent people from being stranded on the streets of local communities.
Coordination with Panama: Panamanian authorities will share information regarding the number of people traveling on buses, expediting verification and transfer processes for migrants entering northern Costa Rica.
Strengthened Medical Care: In collaboration with international organizations, a mobile medical care station will be set up to enhance the services of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund and ensure the health of migrant populations in transit.
Regarding deportations, although not covered in the emergency declaration, President Costa Rica emphasized the deportation of individuals who “disrespect” Costa Rican laws. The president mentioned that the Directorate of Immigration has initiated deportation procedures for those who caused disturbances. He emphasized that Costa Rica is a generous but firm nation, and anyone entering the country must respect its laws, police, and the communities they travel through.
“To those who are thinking of passing through Costa Rica, I reiterate: ‘This is a generous country, do not confuse that generosity with weakness, the deportation processes have already begun. Whoever comes here will respect our laws and our Police and the towns through which they will travel,” said Chaves.
To Learn More Visit:
Presidente Firma Decreto de Emergencia Nacional
Enfrentamiento entre Migrantes y Patrullas Fronterizas
Que Implica la Declaracion de Emergencia Nacional?
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