Seven Individuals Sentenced for Human Trafficking of Cuban Migrants in Costa Rica

Seven men accused of aggravated human trafficking were sentenced by the Specialized Criminal Court on Organized Crime of the First Judicial Circuit of San José, Costa Rica, on Wednesday, August 4, as reported by local media. The case involved the illegal transport of Cuban migrants.

According to investigations that began in 2019, the accused facilitated the illegal crossing of Cuban nationals at the Panama-Costa Rica border. Jean Carlos Zepeda Vargas, identified as one of the coordinators, received a nine-year prison sentence. Deivys Ríos Miranda was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison. Juan Carlos Martínez, Gerardo Granados, and Carlos Narváez Delgado were each sentenced to eight years. José Clemente López and Carlos Augusto Castillo were sentenced to seven and six years, respectively.

"Thanks to a confidential tip received by the Migration Police, it was discovered that the now-convicted individuals were engaged in the illegal entry and exit of foreign nationals in the southern region of the country, specifically at the border with Panama," stated a communiqué from the Costa Rican Judicial Authority.

Often, in their quest to reach the United States, Cuban migrants resort to human traffickers, known as coyotes, which frequently leads to kidnappings. In December 2022, authorities in Costa Rica and Panama dismantled a network of Cuban migrant traffickers operating in the Central American region.