Former Costa Rican President and Nobel Prize winner Oscar Arias announced that the U.S. has revoked his visa, shortly after he criticized President Donald Trump on social media, likening his behavior to that of "a Roman emperor."
Arias, who served as president from 1986 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2010, is a self-declared pacifist and received the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in brokering peace during the Central American conflicts of the 1980s. He also promoted a free trade agreement with the U.S. during his last term and established diplomatic ties with China in 2007.
"I received an email from the U.S. government informing me that they have suspended the visa I have in my passport. The communication was very terse and does not provide reasons. One could speculate," Arias told reporters outside his home, refraining from elaborating on his suspicions.
In February, Arias criticized the government of President Rodrigo Chaves on social media, accusing it of capitulating to U.S. pressure, particularly regarding U.S. efforts to curb China's influence in the region and the deportation of migrants from third countries into Central America.
"It has never been easy for a small country to disagree with the U.S. government, and even more so when its president behaves like a Roman emperor, telling the rest of the world what to do," he stated.
His remarks followed the U.S. revoking visas from three Costa Rican lawmakers who opposed Chaves' decision to exclude Chinese companies from participating in the development of 5G technology in the country, a move made at the behest of the U.S. On Tuesday, another opposition lawmaker also lost her U.S. visa.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Costa Rica in early February, offering assistance to Chaves in "punishing" Costa Rican officials who engage with "foreign actors who pose a threat to the country's cybersecurity."