Former Costa Rican president says visa could have been revoked over criticism of Trump

Former Costa Rica president Óscar Arias Sánchez – a Nobel Peace Prize winner – had his U.S. visa revoked by President Trump’s U.S. State Division this week.

Arias Sánchez, 84, stated in an interview with Morning Version that U.S. Embassy staff in Costa Rica informed him his visa was revoked attributable to his shut ties with the Chinese language authorities. Arias Sánchez served as president of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 after which once more from 2006 to 2010. Costa Rica formalized relations with China in 2007.

Earlier this 12 months, the Nobel Laureate criticized President Trump on social media, evaluating him to a “Roman emperor” telling the remainder of the world what to do. Arias Sánchez informed NPR he worries these feedback influenced the choice to revoke his visa.

“The president has a personality that is not open to criticism or disagreements,” Arias Sánchez stated.

A State Division spokesperson offered the next assertion when NPR requested for remark about Arias Sánchez’s revoked visa: “Visa records are confidential under U.S. law; therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases.”

Arias Sánchez spoke to NPR’s Leila Fadel about his visa cancellation, Trump and the way the U.S. is treating the remainder of the world.

Editor’s word: Arias Sánchez spoke by an interpreter and in English. This interview has been edited for size and readability. 

Arias Sánchez: So I acquired an e-mail on Tuesday, April 1, that was a really brief one which stated that my B1/B2 visa had been revoked. I referred to as the embassy to ask what had occurred.

Leila Fadel: And what did they are saying?

Arias Sánchez: They requested me to come back into the embassy. Fortuitously, I reside about 5 minutes away, so I used to be in a position to be there in individual the place they considerably defined what occurred.

They informed me my visa was revoked due to my shut ties to China. Throughout my second administration from 2006 to 2010, I established diplomatic relations with China, and that is as a result of it has the second largest economic system on the planet. Costa Rica has a really open economic system, and its development depends on worldwide commerce. And so in 2007 is once we formally established diplomatic relations.

Fadel: How a lot do you assume your public statements criticizing President Trump, evaluating him to a Roman emperor performed in them, suspending your visa?

Arias Sánchez: I do not know. The embassy staff did not say that was particularly why my visa was revoked they usually cited my relationship with China. However I’ve to think about that my criticism of President Trump may need performed a job. The president has a character that’s not open to criticism or disagreements.

Fadel: The Trump administration says it is concentrating on anybody they deem as having what they outline as a “hostile attitude” to the U.S. What do you make of that coverage?

Arias Sánchez: I haven’t got a hostile angle in direction of the US. Buddies typically agree, typically disagree. And regarding U.S. coverage in direction of Central America, supporting the Contras militarily affected my very own nation.

Through the Reagan administration, I had a powerful disagreement along with his coverage in direction of the area. However regarding my emotions in direction of the U.S. – you realize, my two kids have been educated within the U.S. My son went to Harvard and my daughter went to Boston Faculty. I acquired roughly 85 honorary levels from the most effective universities within the U.S.

I’m an excellent good friend, however I even have fought for noble causes.

Observe: All through the Eighties, the U.S. backed Contra rebels towards the left-wing Nicaraguan authorities, an motion Arias Sánchez opposed. As president, he didn’t permit the U.S.-backed Contras to function in Costa Rica.

Fadel: I believe there’s a lot fascination together with your case since you’re such a identified determine and but your visa was revoked. So what does that say concerning the coverage of the U.S. right now below this administration?

Arias Sánchez: Effectively, I do not agree with it. For a Democrat – and I’m a real Democrat – criticism is welcome. It is the one means you may construct agreements. This occurred to me after I met with the 5 Central American presidents in August of ’87. I had launched my peace plan within the U.S. In a negotiation, you by no means get what you need. You at all times get what you may.

And with criticism from adversaries or from the press and freedom of the press and freedom of opinion, freedom of expression is a prerequisite for any democratic authorities. So I’ve benefited myself with criticism from all these sources. And it appears to me that these days, one should not dare to criticize the U.S. since you might be punished.

This text was edited by Treye Inexperienced. The radio model of this story was edited by Reena Advani and produced by Julie Depenbrock.