Sayeed Muhammad: Hundreds of people in Costa Rica have taken to the streets in San Jose in solidarity with Nicaraguan migrants who arrived there.
Thousands of Nicaraguans have fled their country to escape the political crisis there, reports BBC, adding, the march was called after an anti-migrant demonstration a week ago ended in clashes and many arrests.
The government, the private sector and several human rights organisations condemned the demonstration. Many of those taking part in Saturday’s march carried banners condemning Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega.
They demanded justice for hundreds of people killed in four months of anti-government protests there. Protesters blame the security forces and paramilitary groups loyal to the Nicaraguan government for the violence while the authorities have labelled the protesters as “terrorists”.
President Ortega has rejected calls to step down to defuse the clashes, with the UNHCR recently saying that an average of 200 Nicaraguans a day were applying for asylum in neighbouring Costa Rica. More than 20,000 Nicaraguans have so far requested refugee status in Costa Rica.
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