The Foreign Ministry of Nicaragua on Saturday sent an insult-laden letter to the Costa Rican government in which, among other claims, the country accused Costa Rica of “continuous interference in the internal affairs of other countries” and of violating the human rights of migrant Nicaraguans.
In the unsigned letter, Nicaragua’s Foreign Ministry mocked the “Pura Vida” slogan, saying that in Costa Rica “everything is a lie and everything is for sale, including human dignity.”
As of Sunday evening, Costa Rican authorities had not responded to the insults or to the claims of foreign meddling and human-rights violations, which were made without supporting proof.
Nicaragua’s letter escalates a disagreement between the two countries days after Nicaraguan authorities raided La Prensa, an independent newspaper that is critical of the government of Daniel Ortega.
In a statement on Friday, Costa Rica’s Foreign Ministry said “freedom of the press must be respected and defended. It constitutes a fundamental pillar of democratic institutions. We therefore condemn the acts against the newspaper ‘La Prensa’ and reiterate our call to respect human rights and freedom of expression in Nicaragua.”
President Carlos Alvarado has said there exists “a very clear violation of human rights” in Nicaragua.
Costa Rica has also criticized the Ortega regime for detaining political opponents ahead of this year’s presidential elections, in which Ortega seeks reelection.
More than 87,000 Nicaraguans have sought asylum in Costa Rica since 2018, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. Earlier this year, the same UN agency commended Costa Rica for its support of Nicaraguan migrants.
“Costa Rica’s generosity in assisting people in need of international protection is an example to countries the world over,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
”“Countries like Colombia and Costa Rica are going the extra mile to welcome people forced to flee. But they cannot do it alone. Efforts by the international community are essential to support them,” he added.
