Biden to Host Costa Rica President for Talks on China, Migration

President Joe Biden plans to host Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves next week at the White House, according to people familiar with the matter.

(Bloomberg) — President Joe Biden plans to host Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves next week at the White House, according to people familiar with the matter.

The two leaders plan to discuss their shared challenges in dealing with mass migration from Central and South America and the US’s desire to prevent China from expanding its influence in the Western Hemisphere, said one of the people, who requested anonymity to discuss the meeting before it was announced.

Costa Rica’s presidency did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House declined to comment.

Chaves is planning to travel to Washington after Biden explored a visit to Costa Rica this month, which did not come to fruition, the people said.

The Biden administration has sought to improve ties with partner nations as part of its self-described great power competition with China, which has sought to grow its power in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

The US has also relied on Costa Rica to help curb the flow of migrants to the southwest border after record numbers of encounters with US border agents. Migrants from South America in recent years have crossed through dense jungle in Panama’s Darien Gap and then into Costa Rica en route to the US.

The Biden administration and Chaves’s government reached an agreement in June to open some legal pathways to the US for Nicaraguan and Venezuelan migrants waiting in Costa Rica for asylum, a deal aimed at reducing strain on Costa Rica’s overburdened asylum system and discouraging migrants from continuing their journey to the US-Mexico border.

–With assistance from Michael McDonald.

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