“It’s a humanitarian crisis that Costa Rica has never experienced before,” Solís said addressing the issue. With more than 100,000 in the last year escaping from the war-torn countries to reach the safe haven of our boarders, many migrants have no wish to return to their countries, putting a serious financial strain on Costa Rica.

To clarify the situation, Solís emphasized the on-going problems Costa Rica faces daily, “we are paying for their medical costs but we have neither the mandate nor the money to pay for it, and Costa Rican´s in poor regions of the country are asking, ‘Why are you helping foreigners and not helping us?’  But if the government doesn’t take care of migrants, they will be blamed for everything.”

This key issue had the backing of President Obama with a proposed new reform, to begin next month, to allow temporary protection for refugees fleeing the violence.  More funding was promised in return for Costa Rica to permit 200 refugees to the country at a time for six months before enabling them to resettle in the United States.

Disappointingly Costa Rica has suffered a lack of solidarity with other Central American countries where Solís also spoke out on Monday, the stance taken by Nicaragua over the migration crisis.  Calling the relationship with the neighboring country as “complicated” he went onto to speak of his concerns of the controversial presidential campaign and the knock-on effect with their differences in handling the fleeing victims of conflict.

However, with good relations between Costa Rica and the United States agreeing that “immigrants deserve dignity”, their way forward will endeavor to build a strong allegiance in the fight against organized crime and the protection of the vulnerable migrants.