The Board of Directors of La Nación confirmed this Saturday, May 2nd, that the United States revoked the tourist visas of several of its members without any prior explanation.
“We fully recognize that the United States, like any sovereign state, has the power to determine the terms of entry into its territory and we respect its authority to make decisions on immigration matters in accordance with its laws and policies.
“However, it is unprecedented in Costa Rica’s recent history for the visas of members of the Board of Directors of a general-interest, independent newspaper to be revoked. To date, none of our members have received any official explanation regarding the grounds for these decisions.”
“ “It is also noteworthy that, as in other recent cases involving Costa Rican public figures, the initial disclosure of these events occurred through channels other than any official notification to the affected individuals. This fact, in itself, warrants reflection in a democracy that values institutional integrity, transparency, and due process.
“Under no circumstances will these events alter the commitment to and independent practice of journalism that has characterized La Nación for 79 years.”
