Migrant Workers and Indigenous Persons
The Costa Rican Atlantic Zone, in which most of the areas of banana production are located in the country, is a relatively narrow area, close to the borders of Panama and Nicaragua. Because of this and the socioeconomic problems in these bordering countries, the banana plantations have become a refuge for thousands of migrant workers who are exploited in a particular manner since they are willing to work for any wage that will allow them to eat and the companies always prefer to pay as little as possible. For indigenous people, the banana industry’s destructive influence on the environment has had a drastic effect on their lives and traditions. The Bribri, Cabecar, Huetar, and Ngobe indigenous villages are located in the Costa Rican Atlantic Zone. Many of the areas in which the banana plantations are now located were once natural forests. In addition, the production practices of these banana plantations continue to harm the environment, the source which sustains the way of life and the very existence of these villages.
