Costa Rica issued a state of emergency as an increase of migrants are traveling through the country on their journey to the United States.
President Rodrigo Chaves announced a state of emergency for the country during a press conference on Tuesday, sharing that an influx of people from Venezuela, Ecuador, China, Haiti, and Yemen are traveling through in their trek to the southern border of the U.S., according to CNN.
More than 84,490 migrants have been reported to have entered Costa Rica during August, representing a 55% increase from July, according to data from International Organization for Migration.
“The people that arrive are passing across Costa Rica trying to get to the United States, basically,” Chaves said.
JUST IN – Costa Rica to declare state of emergency amid surge of migrants crossing the country — Reuters pic.twitter.com/wHVgTNzMIn
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) September 26, 2023
“I have instructed the security ministry to take a firm stance with anyone who takes Costa Rica’s kindness for weakness,” Chaves said during the press conference.
Costa Rica is one of several countries, along with the United States which is preparing to open Safe Mobility Offices. These offices would help to identify, categorize, and list the reasons resulting in “irregular migration,” according to a press release from the U.S. Department of State.
The centers will hopefully also allow migrants to be processed without having to cross the border and provide them with legal protection. In August, President Joe Biden and Chaves discussed these centers, illegal immigration issues, along with topics of trade and organized crime.
As of August 29, roughly 38,000 migrants from countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, and Costa Rica had signed up for legal protection through the centers.