President of Costa Rica Declares State of Emergency as Migrant Wave Intensifies towards the US

Costa Rica's president, Rodrigo Chaves, declared a state of emergency due to a significant increase in migrant movement through the country en route to the United States.

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Chavez stated that individuals crossing his country come from various parts of the globe, such as Venezuela, Ecuador, China, Colombia, Haiti, Yemen, and Bangladesh.

In August, the International Organization for Migration reported that a total of 84,490 individuals entered Costa Rica through its southern border, marking a 55% increase compared to the previous month.

A group of Venezuelan migrants ask for money to continue their journey to the United States in San Jose, Costa Rica, on October 13, 2022.

This year, the number of migrants crossing the perilous Darien Gap region, which connects Panama and Colombia, and has become a recent indicator of movement, reached a new record.

As per authorities, a total of 248,901 individuals have traversed the jungle thus far in 2023, with approximately 20% comprising of children and adolescents.

In August, Chavez paid a visit to US President Joe Biden to engage in discussions pertaining to migration and various other matters.

Costa Rica is one of several countries participating in the Biden administration's new initiative known as safe mobility offices. These offices, established in partnership with international organizations, seek to provide brick-and-mortar processing centers for migrants who wish to apply for legal migration to the United States and other countries, rather than continuing their journey to the border. According to a White House official, as of August 28, over 38,000 individuals have already registered for the Safe Mobility initiative in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala.

Reporting contributed by CNNs Priscilla Alvarez and Caitlin Hu.