RICO’s Q — A cordial, respectful relationship with good communication is what Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves maintains with his Nicaraguan counterpart, Daniel Ortega, and with his wife and vice-president, Rosario Murillo.
In an interview with the EFE news agency, Chaves assured that he speaks with Ortega from time to time.
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This is not the first time that Chaves refers to Nicaragua and Ortega in good terms, while he prefers to ignore the controversy and not get involved in the persecution of political opponents in that country.
“With Nicaragua, we are brother countries. From time to time I consult, by telephone, with President Ortega and Vice President Murillo. It has been an extremely cordial and constructive relationship in regards to the bilateral relationship (…) I even called them to consult Nicaragua’s opinion on the issue of visas for Hondurans and transporters. We have a good relationship,” Chaves told EFE.
Chaves reaffirmed that Costa Rica supports the Nicaraguan candidate for the Central American Integration System (SICA).
“We support the past and I have faith that they are going to propose a candidate who has the elements to help the Central American integration that we so need. We, because it is Nicaraguan, are not going to say no. We will see people for their merits,” said Chaves.
The President, however, stopped short to say whether he plans to appoint an ambassador in Managua.
The Alvarado administration (2018-2022) – previous Government of Costa Rica – decided not to appoint an ambassador to Nicaragua due to complaints of human rights violations and lack of transparency in electoral processes.
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At the beginning of his administration, in May 2022, Chaves showed interest in approaching Nicaragua, but then gave up and has denounced in international forums the alleged human rights violations committed in the neighboring country.
“We have differences in international organizations, yes, but there is a respectful relationship between States,” commented the president, who described those differences as “public and notorious.”
Official data indicate that Costa Rica, a country of 5.1 million inhabitants, has 607,000 legal resident foreigners, of which 60% are Nicaraguans. This figure does not include the undetermined number of migrants without legal immigration status in the country.
Since 2018, when the political and social crisis broke out in Nicaragua following protests against Ortega, Costa Rican authorities have received more than 240,000 refugee requests, of which 92% are from Nicaraguans.
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Source: EFE
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