QCOSTARICA – The first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, and Ashley Biden, one of her three children, will visit Costa Rica this weekend as part of a tour that will also include Panama and Ecuador, confirmed the US Embassy in Costa Rica.
Biden will travel from Panama to San José on Saturday, May 21, following her visit to the Good Samaritan Home, that has been working in Panama since 1998, and benefit from HIV/AIDS relief programs funded through the United States’ President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative.
In Costa Rica, Biden will first will travel to the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Escazú, where she will meet with Ambassador Cynthia Telles and address and visit with Costa Rican women who have participated in the U.S. Department of State programs focused on women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
Afterwards, the First Lady will have dinner with Costa Rica president, Rodrigo Chaves, and the First Lady, Signe Zeikate.
On Sunday, Biden will visit the Hospital Nacional de Niños (National Children’s Hospital) to highlight U.S. – Costa Rican collaboration on combating cancer.
Aftewards, back at the Ambassador’s residence, she will meet with the United States Embassy staff.
On Monday, May 23, the First Lady will visit a community center supported through the Sembremos Seguridad, or “Planting the Seeds of Security,” program. The program is led by the Costa Rican government with support from the U.S. Department of State. It aims to transform the security of local communities by working with local governments, NGOs and law enforcement to provide highly successful prevention programs, including healthy outlets and safe spaces for Costa Rican youth.
Afterwards, the First Lady will depart San José for Joint Base Andrews.
The statement from the United States embassy highlighted that Biden will travel to these three countries, prior to the Summit of the Americas to be held in Los Angeles, from June 6 to 10.
“During her trip, the first lady will emphasize the importance of the United States’ alliance with these three nations, as well as her commitment to democracy,” the bulletin states.
Biden’s tour will begin this Wednesday in Ecuador where she will meet with the president of that country, Guillermo Lasso. She will arrive in Panama on Thursday without confirming a meeting with the president of that country, Laurentino Cortizo.
Her agenda for these countries focuses on visits to social institutions and meetings with the United States missions in each country.
The week before, Jill Biden surprised with a visit to Ukraine, currently in conflict with Russia. Crossing the border on Sunday, May 8, from Slovakia to the city of Uzhhorod, the first lady became the most high-profile American visitor to Ukraine since Russia invaded her neighbor on February 24.
