President Joe Biden will host Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves Robles at the White House next week for talks on economic ties and migration – continuing the Biden administration’s effort to strengthen its commitment to Latin America. 

What You Need To Know

  • President Joe Biden will host Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves Robles at the White House on Tuesday

  • The leaders are set to discuss sustainable economies, democratic values in the Latin American region and migration, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement

  • Migration is a key topic for both countries as the U.S. wrestles with the number of migrants at its southern border and Costa Rica manages hundreds of thousands of asylum requests
  • Biden has sought to strengthen ties with Latin America as it manages migration to the U.S.-Mexico border as well as looks to counter China’s influence in the region

At the White House on Tuesday, the two leaders will look to “deepen and strengthen our cooperation on a range of key issues” including sustainable economies, democratic values in the Latin American region and migration, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement announcing the meeting.

Migration is a key topic for both countries as the U.S. wrestles with the number of migrants at its southern border and Costa Rica manages hundreds of thousands of asylum requests – with 240,000 already in the system in the Central American country that has a population of just 5 million people, according to the Associated Press. 

In June, the two countries agreed to work on legal pathways to the U.S. for some of the Nicaraguan and Venezuelan migrants seeking asylum in Costa Rica. 

Biden has sought to strengthen ties with Latin America as it manages migration to the U.S.-Mexico border as well as looks to counter China’s influence in the region. 

Last June, the U.S. president hosted the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles – although the guest list led to some controversy. At the summit, Biden announced an agreement to bolster economic partnership in the area. 

In March, the Biden administration granted the Costa Rican government $25 million for cybersecurity following a series of ransomware attacks – one of which the Russian-speaking Conti gang claimed responsibility for.