Falsified Marriages are a Common Way for Immigrants to Overstep Immigration Issues.

Costa Rica has become a safe heaven to many other Central and South American citizens looking for less violence in their communities, better work opportunities, and an all around better quality of life. There’s been an increase in Colombian, Nicaraguan, and Dominican Republican immigrants over the past few years; however, it’s the illegal immigration of Dominican Republican women with Costa Rican marriage certificates that is stirring up controversy inside Costa Rica’s tropical borders.

Many women living in the Dominican Republic have been making arrangements with Costa Rican residents to get them safely across the border. A handful of “networks” are marry these young Dominican Republican’s to Costa Rican men they have never even met in order to fool immigration. Once the women arrive in Costa Rica they are forced to work off their debts through prostitution. Fortunately, both countries have caught on to scam and are doing their best to fight this growing problem.

Both the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica governments have reached an agreement to strengthen the two countries’ cooperation in migratory issues. This action is intended to control both prostitution and human trafficking. A Dominican Republic delegate recently visited Costa Rica to meet with Ministry of the Interior officials in order to draft an agreement that will guarantee regular immigration between the two countries.

The Dominican Republic’s immigration director, Carlos Amarante, joined the Foreign Relations Vice Minister, Rosario Graciano de los Santos, as well as the Costa Rican Ambassador Adonaida Medin to discuss the arrival of Dominicans in Costa Rica. According to Graciano, Costa Rican authorities were briefed on the Dominican Police’s investigation into the case and the network suspected of taking Dominicans into the country under the false pretenses of marriage.

Both the Costa Rican and Dominican commissioners visited the famed tourist resort zone known as Jaco Beach, where allegedly dozens of Dominican sex workers operate within the bars. After investigating the area Graciano verified that the number of Dominican female prostitutes had been “exaggerated”, however, this still remains to be a problem that both country officials aim to rectify soon. Surprisingly, it is not just the government that is getting involved with the unpleasant Costa Rica Sex tourism market. Perhaps even more influential organizations than the local government are getting involved to clean up the situation as well.

All of the members (100%) of the Costa Rican Hotel Association (CCH) have assumed an ethical position and created a determined action to counteract childhood and adolescent prostitution and sexual exploitation, which are becoming far too commonly associated with travel and tourism in Costa Rica. Both the CCH and The Paniamor Foundation have announced that the subscription to the Code of Conduct is required in order to be affiliated with the CCH for all future and current members.

The Code of Conduct has caught the attention of the World Organization of Tourism (OMT). It is now expanding to become a world initiative prompted by Ecpat International and the OMT. The Code has been implemented in Costa Rica since 2003 under the coordination of The Paniamor Foundation and financed with help from the Save the Children Sweden and other contributing sources. The Code of Conduct has helped Costa Rica achieve and practice Sustainable and Responsible Tourism as well as implementing Business Social Responsibility. The CCH and the Paniamor Foundation are hoping that this movement, with the support of the OMT, will inspire other countries in Central American and around the world to create similar effective initiatives.

Milena Cricket, director of the Paniamor Foundation, considered the CCH’s recognition of the Code of Conduct to be very significant.

“It recognizes the protection of human rights as well as the optimum development of new generations in the country as an essential element of every Sustainable tourism agenda,” Cricket said. “The CCH’s commitment shows the company’s conviction that to face this crime is as much a matter of national dignity and civic safety and dignity for Costa Rica’s citizens. In the meantime it’s the occurrence of [Costa Rica Sex Tourism] that constitutes a real threat to the positioning of the country’s strive for sustainable tourism”.

The vice president of the CCH, Gustavo Sure, also accentuated the company’s firm commitment to the Code of Conduct, as well as all that it is affiliated with it. The Code of Conduct establishes the protection of girls, children and adolescents against the sexual exploitation and commercial profit associated Costa Rican Sex Tourism. As of now, the CCH has already gained 295 hotels in its membership who have signed and sworn to uphold everything outlined within the Behavioral Code of Conduct. It is with efforts such as these that Costa Rica is continuing to make the country a much safer and pleasant place to live and visit.

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Filed under: Costa Rica News on June 25th, 2008