Cuban Stranded 50-Days at Airport in Costa Rica

HAVANA TIMES, May 10 — Cuban citizen Enrique Arias has been confined to the Juan Santamaria International Airport for the past 50 days, awaiting the settlement of a refugee claim, AP reported.

An ombudsman from the Central American country interceding on behalf of the Cuban national has described the degrading treatment given to Arias by the immigration authorities as “torture”.

A doctor who examined the traveler confirmed that he is suffering depressive symptoms as a result of him having stopped eating for about a week.

The Cuban, who left Cuba illegally, arrived first in Panama and then traveled to Costa Rica on a commercial airline to seek refugee status there. However, his request was rejected by that country’s immigration authorities.