The United States has deported 135 migrants of various nationalities, including 65 minors, to Costa Rica on Thursday, according to the Costa Rican government.
An AFP journalist confirmed that the flight departed from San Diego, California, and landed at a base adjacent to Juan Santamaria International Airport. Upon arrival, the deportees were transported by bus from San José to a migrant facility approximately 360 kilometers (224 miles) from the capital near the Panama border, where they will be repatriated to their home countries.
Costa Rica’s deputy interior minister, Omer Badilla, noted that all 65 children were accompanied by a relative and that none of the individuals on the flight had a criminal record. The group includes migrants from countries such as Afghanistan, China, Iran, Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Vietnam, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and Ghana.
In a broader context, Costa Rica, Panama, and Guatemala have agreed to receive migrants expelled by the United States and hold them until they can be sent back to their countries of origin or transferred to other host nations.
Last week, 299 deported migrants arrived in Panama, with about 100 being transferred to the San Vicente refugee camp in Meteti in the jungle province of Darién.
AFP
