U.S. Mission to International
Organizations in Geneva

33^rd Session
Geneva, May 13, 2019

as delivered by Sean Garcia

The United States welcomes the delegation from Costa Rica to the UPR Working Group.

We recommend that Costa Rica:

1. Reduce prison overcrowding and improve prison conditions by building new facilities, renovating existing facilities, and evaluating policy measures to reduce the prison population.
2. Enforce the law on indigenous land rights and facilitate peaceful resolution of land disputes by ensuring the availability and efficacy of conflict resolution mechanisms and the presence of effective, impartial law enforcement presence.
3. Improve access to legal protections and strengthen emergency services to better address the needs of asylum seekers, particularly Nicaraguans.

The United States commends Costa Rica’s continued commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights both domestically and internationally, especially significant advances in reducing child labor.

We also commend Costa Rica for its work in addressing the issue of Nicaraguan migrants and asylum seekers, and encourage the government to improve legal processes for those seeking refuge.