QCOSTARICA – The first 180 of the Cuban migrants stranded in Costa Rica since November has been selected and will be travelling by air to El Salvador on Tuesday, confirmed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Manuel Gonzalez.
The Director of Immigration, Kathya Rodriguez, in charge of the selection process, said the selection was of the migrants who entered the country alone, without any relative, of legal age and can pay the US$555 (¢300,000 colones) to cover the cost of the airfare (to El Salvador) and the ground transportation (bus ticket) in El Salvador and Guatemala, was well as food and health insurance, to the Mexico in San Marcos.
The travelers are also expected to pay the US$29 airport exit tax in Costa Rica and fees in El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
The selected group are being asked to be at the Daniel Oduber airport in Liberia by 5pm, for the 11pm flight on Avianca to Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero international airport in San Salvador.
In El Salvador, they will undergo a medical check and then taken by bus to the Guatemala border, La Hachadura, in Pedro de Alvarado and then bused to the Mexico de Tecún Umán, in San Marcos, border.
In Mexico, the Islanders will have 20 days (the time of the temporary visa by Mexico authorities) to make their way to their final destination, United States border.
This is a test run that will be evaluated by representatives of the Central American countries involved. If all goes well, the second trip is expected no later than a week after the first.
