– Advertisement –
Oscar Arias, a former president of Costa Rica, says the United States has taken away his travel visa.
Arias, who is 84 years old and won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping end wars in Central America, said he was told about the decision a few weeks after he criticized Donald Trump. He compared Trump to a Roman emperor who gives orders to everyone.
The U.S. government gave no reason for the visa cancellation. However, Arias believes it might be linked to his decision when he was president (2006–2010) to stop recognizing Taiwan and start official relations with China. This happened in 2007.
Arias said in a news conference in San José that he got a short email from the U.S. government. It didn’t explain the reason. He doesn’t think Trump personally made the decision. He believes it was probably the U.S. State Department.
“I don’t know if the revoking of my visa is the product of some sort of retaliation, because I say what I think (and) write what I say,” Arias told a press conference Tuesday.
He said it would be guessing to say why the visa was canceled, but mentioned that everyone knows he set up ties with China during his time in office.
The Trump administration has tried to limit China’s power in Latin America. It has warned several countries, including Costa Rica, about working too closely with China. U.S. officials praised current Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves for not letting Chinese companies help build the country’s 5G network.
Arias, however, criticized President Chaves for being too close to the U.S. In February, he wrote online that it’s hard for small countries to disagree with the U.S., especially when its president acts like a Roman emperor. He said Costa Rica never used to take orders from the U.S. “like a banana republic” when he was in charge.
Arias isn’t the only one affected. Three Costa Rican lawmakers who opposed the 5G ban on Chinese companies also had their U.S. visas canceled.
Oscar Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987.
He was president of Costa Rica at the time and played a key role in creating and promoting a peace plan to end the civil wars in countries like Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
His plan, known as the Esquipulas II Accord, called for ceasefires, free elections, and respect for human rights across the region.
The agreement was signed by five Central American presidents and helped reduce conflict in the area. Arias was praised for using diplomacy instead of violence to promote peace.
Sources: BBC, CNN,
– Advertisement –