US Revokes Visas of Costa Rican Newspaper Executives

The United States has revoked the tourist visas of several executives on the board of La Nación, one of Costa Rica's leading newspapers, according to a statement from the outlet. The affected board members learned of the revocations through reports in pro-government media, with no explanation provided by U.S. authorities.

This development has raised accusations that the U.S., working with the Costa Rican government, is using visa restrictions to target critics and political opponents. La Nación has been a persistent critic of outgoing Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, who has cooperated closely with the Trump administration on deportation efforts.

The newspaper published allegations of sexual harassment against Chaves during his 2022 presidential campaign, drawing public rebukes from him. Chaves has agreed to accept up to 100 third-country deportees per month as part of U.S. initiatives to increase deportations.

In its front-page statement on Sunday, La Nación acknowledged the U.S. right to control entry but described the revocations as unprecedented for board members of an independent newspaper in Costa Rica's recent history.

“We fully recognize that the United States, like any sovereign state, has the power to determine the terms of entry into its territory. However, it is unprecedented in Costa Rica’s recent history for visas to be revoked from members of the board of a general-interest and independent newspaper.”

Political opposition and press freedom organizations in Costa Rica criticized the move, calling for transparent explanations from both governments. They stated that if the decision stemmed from the executives' critical stance, it would signal trouble for the country's democratic system.

The organizations added that a lack of information would amount to complicity in suppressing dissent. Mauricio Herrera, a journalist and former Costa Rican communications minister from 2015 to 2018, told reporters there was no doubt the revocations responded to a request from the Costa Rican government.

He described the action as an effort to intimidate those exercising freedom of expression.

This incident fits a pattern of U.S. visa cancellations affecting high-profile critics in Costa Rica. Last year, the U.S. revoked the visa of Nobel laureate and former President Óscar Arias, an outspoken critic of President Trump, along with that of his brother, then-legislative president Rodrigo Arias, who believed the decision came at Chaves' request.

In recent months, opposition lawmakers Francisco Nicolás from the centrist National Liberation Party and independent Cynthia Córdoba, both vocal critics of Chaves, also lost their U.S. visas. Constitutional Court Judge Fernando Cruz, an advocate for migrant rights, had his visa canceled last month, preventing him from traveling to receive an award.

“The sanction seeks to intimidate those who dare to dissent and exercise their freedom of expression.”

Chaves, known for an aggressive governing style that has drawn criticism for eroding democratic norms, cooperates with the U.S. on extraditing suspected drug traffickers. He is set to leave office on Friday and hand over power to his successor. The U.S. State Department did not respond to requests for comment on the La Nación revocations.

The visa actions have intensified concerns about press freedom and political retaliation in Costa Rica, a country with strong democratic traditions. Opposition figures argue that such measures undermine transparency and free expression, particularly amid close U.S.-Costa Rican collaboration on immigration and security.

While sources agree on the revocations and reactions, they do not provide details on the number of affected executives or specific reasons from U.S. officials.