Pope addresses Cuban migrant crisis

POPE FRANCISCO  has urged Central American countries to show “generosity” to resolve the “humanitarian drama” of thousands of Cuban migrants  stranded in the region while trying to reach the United States.

Oon Sunday, December 27 at the end of the Angelus prayer at the Vatican the pontiff  said: “My thoughts are  directed at this time to  the numerous Cuban migrants having difficulty in Central America, many of whom are victims of human trafficking,” the pontiff said.

“I invite the countries of the region to redouble every effort to find a rapid solution to this humanitarian drama with generosity,” added the Argentine Pontiff.

The crisis has impacted Panama where hundreds of people have been stranded at the Paso Canoas border in Chiriqui and in the Darién, where they have been arriving from South America.

The crisis began in mid-November, when Nicaragua closed its borders to the Cuban people, which caused between 5,000 and 7,000 migrants to be trapped in Costa Rica.

The Costa Rican government was forced to refuse to allow migrants enter that country, which caused the problems in Panama.

The Red Cross of Panama warned this week that the situation in Chiriqui is nearly “out of control,”reports La Prensa.

A summit of Central American Presidents held in San Salvador Dec. 19 concluded without a plan to end the crisis.

Nicaragua Deputy Foreign Minister Dennis Moncada said at the time that the key to a solution had to be sought in the United States, since “that is where the Cubans want to go.”