A new bus route has been opened up specifically to speed up the flow of Venezuelan immigrants crossing the country. The route goes from the southern border, in Paso Canoas, to the northern border, in Peñas Blancas.
The route takes about eight hours and costs ₡17,000 per person. The President of the Republic announced this measure at a press conference on Wednesday, as part of the plan to address the migratory flow.
Support has been requested from pirate companies, like the National Chamber of Transport, to provide 50 buses to transport Venezuelans who cannot cover the cost of the trip.
The President explained that we are following international laws, aiding in humanitarian issues, and aiming to prevent a buildup of people on the streets in desperate situations committing crimes. Most Venezuelans pass through the country in just one or two days, but the 10% or so that are the most vulnerable stay longer because they don’t have the money to keep going or because of health troubles.
There are about 3,750 Venezuelan migrants currently passing through Costa Rica and this number is expected to increase substantially in the coming days.
There is a camp set up at the southern border to help migrants as they arrive. There isn’t one on the northern border yet, but there is a plan b for the area in case it becomes necessary.
Costa Rica doesn’t have the resources to attend to so many migrants but also cannot stop them from coming in or passing through. The United Nations Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration provide resources but they are not enough to adequately address the situation. There are not enough police to protect kids from being used to sell candies on the street begging for money.
