Costa Rica’s former President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Óscar Arias has revealed that his United States entry visa has been canceled.
The 84-year-old Arias mentioned he didn’t know the specific grounds for this action, though he recognized the United States’ authority to implement such measures. This development came after the Nobel laureate drew parallels between the American president and a “Roman emperor.”
At a media briefing on Tuesday, Arias indicated that this action might be punitive, stemming from his outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump. “I don’t know if the revocation of my visa is the result of some sort of retaliation because I say what I think (and) I write what I say,” he expressed, as reported by CNN.
Miguel Guillén, who serves as secretary-general of Arias’ National Liberation Party, confirmed that the former president received official notification of the visa cancellation via email.
In the past few weeks, Arias had stepped up his social media critiques of Trump and his administrative decisions. In one post, he likened Trump to “a Roman emperor” who commands other nations’ actions. Another post criticized Trump and Vice President JD Vance for their alleged hostile treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a contentious White House meeting in February.
The former president, appearing undisturbed by Washington’s decision, maintains his commitment to voicing his views. “If someone wants to use retaliation to silence me, well, obviously, they’re not going to silence me,” he declared as reported by CNN.
CNN’s attempts to obtain comments from the U.S. State Department have gone unanswered thus far, according to the news network.
Óscar Arias led Costa Rica as president during two terms, first from 1986 to 1990, and later from 2006 to 2010. His Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 recognized his crucial role in negotiating peace agreements that ended Central American armed conflicts in the 1980s. He commands significant international respect for his dedication to global peace and his unwavering opposition to authoritarian rule.
