Tensions rise in Costa Rica with influx of Nicaraguans [immigration]

[arcos]

Tensions rise in Costa Rica with influx of Nicaraguans

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica -- Crime and joblessness have long plagued the tough Leon XIII neighborhood of Costa Rica's capital, where residents such as Alexandra Martínez do their best to steer clear of broken pavement and drug dealers on street corners.

But the homemaker says things have gotten worse in the last few years. Her explanation: ''There are a lot of Nicas here," she said, using a slang term for Nicaraguans.

<snip>

The 192-mile-long border is virtually unguarded, allowing Nicaraguans to slip easily into Costa Rica, where the per capita gross national income of $4,700 is six times higher than in Nicaragua.

<snip>

Including legal residents, specialists calculate that as much as 15 percent of Costa Rica's population is foreign-born. Nicaraguans, who make up most of that population, have been arriving in large numbers for the last 25 years because of war, natural disasters, and social instability in their country.

<snip>

http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2006/04/02/tensions_rise_in_costa_rica_with_influx_of_nicaraguans/


Not only in the US is immigration a hot topic!

[SoCalDem]

1. The "secret" to stopping mass migrations is development

inside the country of origin..

People will ALWAYS do what'e best for their OWN families..if it means moving, they will do it.

To keep people the in their own countries, there MUST be jobs for them there and a standard of living that's worth staying for..

That's why we will never stop the immigration here.. Mexico must be worth staying IN or they will leave..

[mitchtv]

6. and yes, the crime is blamed on the

Nicas

[FloridaPat]

2. It's time for countries to get their act together. Strengthen their own

economies and find ways to feed, clothe, and make happy their own people. Get rid of hunger and poverty. Governments are the worst way to run a country that I can think of. Time for people to get off their butts and run their own countries. USA included.

[bemildred]

3. Yup, there goes the neighborhood. nt

[Joanne98]

4. This is an example why people who use race in an immigration..

debate are idiots. People don't like getting invaded even if it's by people of the same race.

[arcos]

7. Well, there is also xenophobia...

And it is closely related to racism. Xenophobia in Costa Rica is right now a big problem that requires attention... so much immigrants have generated a climate where they are blamed -unfairly of course- for everything bad that happens.

[President Kerry]

5. That "struggle for right-wing justice" really worked in Nicaragua,

didn't it Reaganites :sarcasm:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. Yeah, it would be awful if they still had a leftist government

Nicaragua might be a poor country today instead of the sweatshop, trickle-down economics paradise it actually is. :sarcasm: