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Reporter detained at San Jose aiport and denied entry to Costa Rica

by |Published

QCOSTARICA — “They had me sleeping on the floor like a dog for 2 nights. They flatly refused to provide a sheet/blanket or pillow. And I had to seek consular assistance to give me water and food,” wrote Karl Penhaul, a video correspondent for CNN, on “X” after being denied entry into Costa Rica on Sunday, March 31, 2024.

Penhaul reported on his social networks that he was detained at the San Jose Airport (SJO), until April 2, when he was able to leave on a flight to Spain, the country where he resides.

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The reason for his visit to Costa Rica was to meet with a group of journalists with whom he collaborates remotely, according to the Penhaul, and declared to La Nación that, since 2014, the United States Government included him on the “no flight list” – which prevents people from flying over U.S. airspace – and that he believes that this was the reason why Costa Rica prevented him from entering the country.

“That is to say, the US said and Minister Zamora did. The US measure is a retaliation against #pressfreedom and #Costarica supports the US in crushing that basic freedom,” wrote Penahul.

“Thanks @Iberia @Iberia_service_ x exposing me to retention of almost 3 days. You noticed something in your system (AQQ) but you were not able to tell me not to board BUT your same system was able to notify 5 immigration agents to wait for me at the foot of the plane. #dogclass,” wrote the journalist.

Penhaul stated that the United States included him on that list because of his journalistic work in Colombia, which included contacts with members of the FARC. The reporter, who covered armed conflicts in Latin America and other parts of the world – such as Iraq and Afghanistan – assured that this is the first time that he has been detained at an airport and prevented from entering a country.

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On Wednesday, the Government of Rodrigo Chaves said that it prevented British journalist Karl Penhaul from entering the country because there is an “international alert linked to terrorism.”

“Preventing the entry of a person who has an international alert linked to terrorism does not entail any act out of place in a democracy nor does it represent an infringement of the rule of law. On the contrary, his profession as a journalist is a separate point and it had nothing to do with or is related to the administrative immigration rejection decreed,” said Costa Rica’s Minister of Security, Mario Zamora.

Article 61 of the  Ley General de Migración y Extranjería 8764, authorizes immigration officials to deny entry to the country to people, under a list of conditions that includes:

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  • When they do not meet the entry requirements indicated in this Law and its Regulations.
  • When admission implies a proven risk to public health, in accordance with the technical studies and care protocols carried out by the Ministry of Health.
  • When they have served a sentence for an intentional crime in the last ten years, in Costa Rica or abroad, as long as the crime is recognized as such in our legislation.
  • When there are well-founded reasons to consider that entry compromises public safety.
  • When they have entry impediments ordered by the Ministries of Public Security or the Interior and Police or by the General Directorate of Immigration, according to the deadlines stipulated for this purpose in this Law.
  • When they have entry restrictions ordered by the Executive Branch.
  • When the foreign person has been convicted by international courts.
  • When they have been linked to criminal gangs or groups or groups linked to organized crime.

In the case of Penhaul, the Ministry of Public Security limited themselves to sending a generic message from Minister Mario Zamora Cordero, of the reasons for the rejection of the journalist’s entry into the country,

“In the International Security systems consulted by the Immigration Directorate, there was access to information that did not make his entry into the national territory suitable and therefore his entry into the country was rejected,” said the message.

Nor did the Ministry indicate that Penhaul did not comply with the entry requirements to the country established for British citizens, which are:

  • Have a passport with at least 3 months validity at the time of entering Costa Rica (the period is 6 months validity for those who do need a visa).
  • Have a return or continuity transportation ticket or ticket to a third country.
  • Be able to prove that they has insufficient financial means to be able to finance their stay in the country.

On Tuesday afternoon, Penhaul, who has worked for various media outlets and news agencies such as Reuters, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Boston Globe, US News and World Report, CNN, and Univision, as well as for the Qatari news channel Al Jazeera. was able to board a flight back to Spain.

 

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