Several media outlets reported yesterday that Costa Rica would be one of the countries chosen to receive asylum seekers from the United Kingdom. However, both President Rodrigo Chaves and Minister Arnoldo André clarified the situation.
In a press release, the Foreign Ministry stressed that, although some publications have appeared in the media stating that the United Kingdom has asked Costa Rica to receive foreigners, the country will not receive any migrants.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship wishes to clarify to the public the following: although some publications have appeared in the media stating that the United Kingdom has asked Costa Rica to receive foreigners, our country has not accepted in any way such a proposal,” the Ministry noted.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made it very clear that the country will not commit to receiving migrants of any kind and did not accept the UK’s proposal. “We have discussed migration challenges with the United Kingdom,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified.
At the same time, President Rodrigo Chaves also referred to the issue through his X account (Twitter). “About a news circulating (to cause alarm) that Costa Rica is going to receive African immigrants, this is the real thing: we communicated to UK that CR will not receive any overseas immigrants. Greetings,” the Costa Rican President commented.
Due to its location, Costa Rica is a transit route for immigrants from the south of the continent on their way north. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), it could receive between 405,191 and 980,555 people traveling through the country on their way to the United States in 2024.
Meanwhile, addressing immigration has become one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s top priorities. Back in 2023, Sunak defended the Rwanda Bill, which aims to deter immigration into said country.
“This bill will work… we will get flights off the ground, we will deter illegal migrants from coming here, and we will finally stop the boats,” said the Prime Minister back in 2023.
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