Q COSTARICA — Costa Rica’s president-elect, Laura Fernández, endorsed the agreement signed with the United States to receive up to 25 deportees per week.
“We have an alliance. We are voluntary partners with the United States government. When you have an alliance, you pursue common objectives (…) Peace in our hemisphere and the fight against organized crime and delinquency.”
“When you are in an alliance, you both receive and provide support to your ally.”
“Joint operations with the DEA and the FBI, maritime patrols are allowing us to reduce the amount of drugs entering the country, and we are cooperating to train our police officers.”
As background, the president-elect praised the agreement signed by President Rodrigo Chaves with U.S. Special Envoy Kristi Noem in San José on Tuesday.
Fernandez explained that the people deported from the United States do not have criminal records, which, in her opinion, reduces security concerns. Furthermore, she emphasized that the agreement is part of a broader strategy of international cooperation, which includes joint actions with agencies such as the DEA and the FBI.
Fernández insisted that the relationship with the United States is based on a logic of shared responsibility, in which both nations contribute resources and efforts to address common challenges, especially in the fight against drug trafficking and transnational crime.
The agreement, which has generated debate in various political and social sectors, is part of a regional cooperation policy aimed at strengthening security and stability in the hemisphere.
Criticism
The government’s decision was questioned by Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) legislator Monserrat Ruiz.
“Given the agreement announced to permanently receive migrants transferred from the United States, it is essential to make a clear statement: Costa Rica must unequivocally uphold its commitment to human rights and to the international treaties that protect migrants, which we have signed,” said Ruiz.
According to the legislator, “Costa Rica cannot become a human warehouse. This isn’t about numbers or flows: it’s about people, dignity, and rights. And that is non-negotiable.”