Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister acknowledged that an agreement enabling the country to accept 200 U.S.-deported migrants was verbal, lacking formal documentation. The U.S. will cover their maintenance and costs related to relocation. Concerns regarding transparency and the legal status of the detained migrants were raised, along with the rationale behind Costa Rica’s decision to accept them.

Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister, Arnoldo André, has clarified that the agreement allowing Costa Rica to accept 200 migrants deported by the United States was verbal. This information was shared during his address to deputies, confirming the absence of a formal written document and stating that the only records are diplomatic correspondences between the two nations.

According to Minister André, the unwritten agreement allowed for the relocation of a maximum of 200 third-country nationals, with the United States responsible for their maintenance, repatriation costs, and assistance in relocation to other safe countries if necessary.

Concerns from lawmakers addressed the Executive Branch’s lack of transparency regarding the agreement. This verbal accord facilitated the influx of 200 individuals, including vulnerable groups like the elderly and children, who had been affected by deportations during the Trump administration.

The opposition questioned the rationale for Costa Rica’s acceptance of the migrants, as well as why the U.S. did not carry out deportations on its own soil. André stated this matter rests with the U.S. government but emphasized that Costa Rica was simply “cooperating with an ally” that provides substantial annual assistance.

Minister André remarked that Costa Rica benefits from fostering goodwill with the U.S. by fulfilling their request. He assured that the rights of the received individuals were upheld and that sovereignty remained intact since their admission was voluntary, aimed solely at providing temporary humanitarian care while a solution is sought within 30 days.

Addressing inquiries regarding the detention of these individuals at the Centro de Aprehensión Temporal para Extranjeros en Migración (CATEM) without freedom of movement, André referred to Security Minister Mario Zamora’s explanation. He elucidated that the detained individuals possess a deportable status that restricts their ability to transit freely within Costa Rica, despite not facing criminal accusations.

In summary, Costa Rica’s acceptance of migrants deported by the United States was based on a verbal agreement rather than a written one, as confirmed by Foreign Minister Arnoldo André. The country emphasizes its cooperative stance with the U.S., while ensuring the rights of the migrants are respected during this humanitarian process. This situation raises questions about the handling of deportations and the conditions under which the migrants are being held.

Original Source: ticotimes.net

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