Jonathan Rodriguez
Mrs. Sidibe
FIQWS 10103
9/6/2018
Morality in Migration
When a country dwindles down on jobs, safety, or food due to war or other reasons, the people of that country tend to move to other places for a better life. This happened Syrians moving to Europe, or Mexicans moving to the United States. This is taking place between the two countries of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Nicaraguans emigrate to Costa Rica at a rapid rate over the years due to the civil unrest taking place in Nicaragua. People are being prosecuted in the streets, especially the protesters who are against the president of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega. Although they seek refuge in Costa Rica, living there has not been an easy welcoming. There is a divide between Costa Ricans, including one side welcoming the Nicaraguans and the other side who find the large intake of immigrants undesirable.
Those who feel they are undesirable think this based on the amount that come in. The large number of immigrants in Costa Rica consists of an estimate of about 500,000 who currently reside in Costa Rica either permanently or temporarily. They are indeed able to find work in Costa Rica, getting jobs in construction, agriculture, security, and domestic services. Many immigrants have stated that they will return back home only when the government fixes itself. Some even think that nothing will change as long as Ortega, the president of Nicaragua is in power. Protesters call for him to step out of power, but nothing has happened. With Ortega still in power, armed groups still patrol the streets killing innocent people, and because of Ortega, there has been a decrease in police activity. This has lead to the idea of “forbidden to be young” in Nicaragua, since a large number of murders include young people, an example being young children shot in the street while playing. Due to the civil unrest, a main factor is the loss of over 20,000 – 150,000 jobs. After moving to Costa Rica to find a job, families see aid and protection, but also unfairness and mistreatment.
Thousands of these people desperately seek out to process their documents. The government of Costa Rica has shown support by announcing that they will give courtesy visas to those who are related to diplomats in Nicaragua and are leaving because of the political violence currently taking place. There have even been Costa Ricans who also demonstrate and protest with Nicaraguan immigrants against Ortega. They still allow the increasing levels of immigrants to cross over, despite receiving the highest percentage of immigrants compared to other countries like Panama or the United States, with about 100 to 150 Nicaraguans arriving each day. However, the Costa Rican government regulates who can come in, and have begun to feel pressured by the increasing numbers as time passes.
Due to the explosive numbers and regulating process of Costa Rican citizenship, many Nicaraguans have begun to cross illegally into Costa Rica, and lead to mistrust and concern to many Costa Ricans. Many of those who are crossing illegally happen to most likely be young males, between the ages of 17-27 years old who are blacklisted. There has also been economic and trade pressures involving the transportation of merchandise, which even Ortega accuses the protestors being the source of the problem. This adds another side to the many opposing viewpoints on the mass emigration of Nicaraguans towards Costa Rica and other countries. Similar to other cases of immigration, it will take some time in order to ultimately decide on which route will be taken that the population of both Costa Rica and Nicaragua think is best. Either it be to continue letting them in, increase regulation, or find a solution towards fixing the current state of the Nicaraguan government.
Works Cited
Hernandez Luis A. “Fleeing Persecution, Nicaraguans Flee to Costa Rica, Putting Pressure On the Border”. Americas. 1 Aug. 2018. Miami Herald. www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/article215911855.html
“Nicaragua: Miles Buscan Emigrar por Ola de Violencia”. El Nuevo Diario. 13 June 2018. www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/nacionales/467086-crisis-nicaragua-miles-buscan-emigrar/
“Nicaragua se Alista para Paro Nacional Convocado por Alianza Opositora.”. El Nuevo Diario. 13 June 2018. www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/nacionales/467068-nicaragua-paro-nacional/
