According to an official statement, US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas signed a cooperation agreement on Tuesday to address regional migration flows in Costa Rica.
The Government of Costa Rica reported that “the document aims to strengthen the fight against the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons and to explore options for strengthening current programmes for the integration of migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees.”
“This agreement talks about possibilities (...). When we invest in people, possibilities become reality. We create opportunities for development and create ways for people to realize their dreams of a better life.” Mayorkas said.
“We want to sign these agreements across the region.” he added.
Costa Rica is one of the transit countries where migrants move from south to north on their way to the United States.
Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado, who met with Mayorcas, said: “Understanding that it is affected by many factors, including climate change, anxiety, lack of opportunities and education,” said Carlos Alvarado, who has a multidimensional perspective (...) it is necessary to address (migration issues),” he said.
The agreement aims to “expand international support for financing by donors and multilateral agencies” from countries receiving migrants and refugees on a large scale.
“We chose Costa Rica as the first partner and friend to sign this important agreement because of Costa Rica's leadership on issues affecting the region and the world,” Mayocas said. I explained
After his visit to Mexico, the official arrived in San José to meet President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The Mexican authorities insist on the need to invest in Central America to create more opportunities to prevent population migration.
In recent years, the movement of undocumented foreigners has increased, and Washington has tightened its immigration policy.
Democrat Joe Biden's administration made the passage of asylum-seeking immigrants more flexible, but a judge ordered the reintroduction of a scheme initiated by former Republican President Donald Trump, forcing applicants to wait for a US response in Mexico.
According to the UN, in 2021, violence, lack of opportunity, climate change and the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic caused nearly one million Mexicans and Central Americans to flee their countries.
dgj/blue/back