Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its recommendation on Tuesday to suspend all travel to the Middle East, given the ongoing tensions in the region and the risk of further escalation of the conflict, a situation that could lead to sudden airspace closures, mass flight cancellations, and a rapid deterioration of security conditions.
In a public notice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also urged Costa Ricans residing in countries in the region to remain attentive to official communications from local authorities and to prepare plans that would allow them to leave the region quickly should circumstances require it.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reiterated that the possibilities of evacuating citizens from an armed conflict zone are “extremely limited,” and therefore recommended taking precautions well in advance and not waiting for the situation to worsen before making decisions.
The warning comes amid growing uncertainty in the Middle East. Over the past few months, the region has experienced a series of episodes of military and diplomatic tension that have led several governments to issue travel alerts for their citizens.
Costa Rica has even maintained similar recommendations since the beginning of this year and had previously asked travelers to suspend non-essential travel to several countries in the region due to the risk of the conflict escalating.
Concerns have intensified in recent days. Several U.S. embassies in the Middle East have issued alerts to their citizens advising them to consider leaving the region or to be prepared to do so immediately should hostilities escalate.
The warnings mention possible periodic airspace closures, flight cancellations, and further disruptions to international transportation services.
According to these reports, the tension is linked to the deteriorating relations between the United States and Iran and the possibility of renewed military confrontations, a scenario that has put governments, airlines, and international organizations on high alert.
The Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided citizens with contact information for consular assistance in Israel, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the honorary consulates in Lebanon and Jordan.
Costa Ricans requiring assistance can contact the Consulate in Tel Aviv, Israel, via email at concr-il@rree.go.cr or by phone at (00 972) 3-613-5061. In Doha, Qatar, the following contact methods are available: concr-qa@rree.go.cr, the emergency number +(974) 3142-7178, and the general inquiries number +(974) 4498-0094.
The Consulate in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, can also be reached via email at concr-ae@rree.go.cr or by phone at +971 2 554 7458 and +971 55 564 7098. The honorary consulates in Beirut, Lebanon, and Amman, Jordan, remain open.
The government asked Costa Ricans residing in the Middle East to stay tuned to official information and prepare an exit plan in case the situation worsens.