UNHCR’s Grandi concludes visit to Costa Rica, hails its leadership in addressing displacement from Nicaragua

SAN JOSÉ – On an official visit to Costa Rica, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has reiterated UNHCR’s commitment to the protection and integration of forcibly displaced people in the region.

The visit, which wrapped up late last week, took place amid ongoing displacement from Nicaragua and shifts in migration policies across the region.

Costa Rica continues to be the main country of asylum for Nicaraguans. As of end October, the country hosted 207,456 people in need of international protection, 85 per cent of whom are from Nicaragua. This flow of people fleeing the complex human rights situation in Nicaragua makes Costa Rica the main country of asylum in Central America. Despite this, the situation in Nicaragua and the response in Costa Rica continue to receive insufficient international attention, requiring greater global solidarity and cooperation.

During his visit, the High Commissioner held meetings with national authorities, representatives of international organizations, UN agencies and refugees.

In meetings with refugees, Grandi heard from Nicaraguans who described a complex pattern of human rights violations affecting entire communities. They told of forced evictions of indigenous people and other groups, burning of homes, confiscation of land near the border with Costa Rica and the presence of mining and logging activities that have caused severe environmental degradation. They also shared experiences of harassment, surveillance, religious persecution and reprisals against community leaders, human rights defenders and journalists, even outside Nicaragua.

Grandi stressed that this combination of factors explains why so many Nicaraguans continue to flee, mainly to Costa Rica. “I heard deeply moving accounts of the serious human rights situation in Nicaragua. All of these accounts fit squarely within the 1951 Convention refugee definition and are at the heart of UNHCR’s mandate. People arrive in fear, but also with enormous determination to rebuild their lives, and Costa Rica has opened its doors to them so that they can do so with dignity,” he said.

Grandi also recognized Costa Rica’s leadership in maintaining an open and accessible asylum system amid significant pending claims. He highlighted the government's progress in modernizing the asylum system and granting work permits. Despite recent funding cuts, Grandi reiterated UNHCR’s commitment to supporting the General Directorate of Migration in addressing challenges and shortening waiting times.

Grandi hailed the resilience and determination of Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica who, despite experiencing trauma, flight and violence, are seeking to rebuild in dignity. He noted that such courage – when enabled by protection, inclusion and real opportunities, as in Costa Rica – strengthens those who are forced to flee and contributes to the social development of the host country.

The High Commissioner made an urgent international appeal to maintain and expand support for Costa Rica. He stressed the need to strengthen the asylum system through greater technical and financial cooperation, and to bolster socioeconomic inclusion programmes that enable refugees to better integrate.

For more information, please contact:

• In Costa Rica: Melissa Williams, [email protected], +506 6364 9354
• In Panamá: Melanie Gallant, [email protected]