No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaPandemic causes hunger among Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica

Pandemic causes hunger among Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica

Tens of thousands of Nicaraguan refugees in neighboring Costa Rica are going hungry and eat only once or twice a day, the UN refugee agency warned Friday.

According to the UNHCR, more than three-quarters of the 81,000 Nicaraguan refugees and asylum seekers in Costa Rica are going hungry as a result of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Before the pandemic hit, and thanks to effective local integration initiatives in Costa Rica, only three percent of refugees were eating once a day or less. Now, this has more than quadrupled to 14 percent,” UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said in Geneva.

The agency estimates that 63 percent of Nicaraguan refugees living in Costa Rica can only eat twice a day.

Migrants have been hard hit by restrictions adopted to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The Nicaraguans fled across the border after a wave of social protests and a subsequent crackdown by the government of President Daniel Ortega.

Many are in such dire straits that they are planning to return to Nicaragua, despite the risks they reported having fled.

Nicaraguan refugees in other countries in the region, such as Panama, Guatemala and Mexico, report facing similar problems, Mantoo said.

“Refugee hosting communities are facing similar conditions and the economic contraction in these countries will make it even more difficult for refugees and their hosts to recover.”

Trending Now

Why Birders Are Flocking to Costa Rica’s Barra del Colorado

Costa Rica is a bird-watching paradise, offering an incredible diversity with close to 900 recorded species, including resident and migratory species. One reason for...

Low Dollar Exchange Rate Threatens Costa Rican Industry

Ten of Costa Rica’s leading business chambers have sent a joint letter to the Central Bank calling for an immediate adjustment to the country's...

Costa Rica Court Sanctions Road Official Over Delayed Wildlife Crossings

Costa Rica’s wildlife faces perils, as authorities have continously failed to build wildlife crossings. Nonetheless, the Constitutional Court has taken a firm stance in...

El Salvador at Center of Controversial U.S.-Venezuela Detainee Exchange

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele received the 10 Americans exchanged on Friday between Washington and Caracas for 252 Venezuelans who had spent four months in...

Costa Rica Opens New Pedestrian Bridge at Guayabo National Monument

Costa Rica has added a new attraction to its archaeological sites with the opening of a pedestrian bridge at Guayabo National Monument. The structure...

Starbucks Expands in Guanacaste with New Store Opening in Tamarindo

Starbucks continues to strengthen its presence in Costa Rica with the opening of its second store in the province of Guanacaste, specifically in Tamarindo....
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica