Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan is closely monitoring media reports regarding the possible deportation of Uzbek citizens to third countries. In response, Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions have formally requested information from the United States concerning potential cases of deportation involving Uzbek nationals. This was confirmed by Ahror Burkhanov, spokesperson for the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, in a statement to the Dunyo news agency.

Recent reports indicated that the government of Costa Rica has expressed its willingness to accept 200 migrants deported from the U.S., including citizens of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and India.

According to a statement from the Costa Rican presidency, the country has agreed to cooperate with the United States in the repatriation of these migrants to their respective home countries. As reported by Reuters, deported individuals may be detained in Costa Rica for up to six weeks before being returned to their countries of origin. During this period, they will be housed in shelters with restricted movement.

The first flight carrying 135 deported migrants, mostly from Asian countries, is expected to arrive in Costa Rica on 20 February. Among the passengers are 65 minors.

Additionally, the report notes that U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office in January, has threatened to impose tariff sanctions on certain Latin American countries unless they cooperate on migration and drug trafficking issues.

Costa Rica’s Deputy Minister of Interior and Police, Omer Badilla, stated that the decision to accept the migrants aligns with the country’s human rights policies and does not include any special conditions from the U.S..

Commenting on the situation, Uzbek Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahror Burkhanov emphasized that Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions in the U.S. have long maintained close cooperation with American law enforcement agencies to ensure the safe return of Uzbek nationals.

"As per our agreements, the U.S. authorities promptly notify the Uzbek side of each deportation case involving our citizens. Typically, their return is carried out via a flight on the New York – Tashkent route," Burkhanov stated.

He also added that Uzbek diplomatic missions have established contact with Latin American countries to clarify the situation. If necessary, Uzbekistan’s diplomatic services are prepared to provide comprehensive support to its citizens, regardless of their location.

Earlier, on 14 February, the first deportation flight, which included Uzbek nationals, arrived in Panama as part of a bilateral agreement between the U.S. and Panama.