Faber-Castell Alleges Costa Rica Misused Donated Factory for Migrant Detention
The world's largest pencil manufacturer, Faber-Castell, has publicly accused the Costa Rican government of misappropriating an old factory that was donated for humanitarian purposes. The German company claims the facility, originally intended as a shelter, was instead used to detain asylum seekers deported from the United States under the Trump administration's policies.
Contract Violations and Humanitarian Concerns
Faber-Castell, which produces over two billion wooden pencils annually worldwide, operated a factory in southern Costa Rica near the Panamanian border until its closure in 2013 due to economic challenges. In 2018, the company formally gifted the property to Costa Rica through a contract with the ministry of public security. This agreement explicitly stipulated that the premises would serve as a shelter to provide refuge and humanitarian aid for migrants traversing the region, with no allowance for altering this purpose.
However, in late February 2025, following Donald Trump's return to the White House and the initiation of his promised anti-immigration crackdown, Costa Rica accepted 200 deportees from the US. These individuals, who hailed from diverse origins including Russia, Asia, and Africa, were not criminals but found themselves deported and transported in restraints to Costa Rica. Upon arrival, they were escorted to the former factory, now designated as the Temporary Care Centre for Migrants (Catem) in Puntarenas province, approximately six hours south of the capital, San José.
Detention Conditions and Legal Challenges
The deportees, comprising more than 70 children, were detained at Catem for a minimum of two months. Faber-Castell representatives stated they were unaware of this detention until contacted by the Guardian last month, emphasising that the contract prohibited using the site as a prison. In response, Costa Rica's ministry of public security denied allegations of liberty deprivation, asserting that the measures were based on humanitarian grounds to protect vulnerable individuals from smuggling and trafficking networks.
Human Rights Watch visited the facility in spring 2025 and reported that migrants were held for months despite the centre being designed for short-term stays, with no legal basis for their detention. In December 2025, Alexander, a 37-year-old Russian deportee who used a pseudonym for safety, described losing 15 kilograms and his family falling ill due to the conditions, stating they were detained without passports and prevented from leaving.
Judicial Rulings and Ongoing Implications
Costa Rica's constitutional branch of the supreme court later ruled that the deportees were deprived of their right to liberty, highlighting detention in an inappropriate centre combined with unlawful deprivation of freedom by immigration authorities. The court added that this created a risk of enforced disappearance and entitled the detainees to compensation. By January 2026, data indicated no migrants remained at Catem, which has a capacity for 300 people, with 60 accommodated there earlier in the year.
Faber-Castell has expressed deep concern over the reported misuse but has not disclosed any further actions. This case underscores ongoing tensions between humanitarian agreements and immigration enforcement, raising critical questions about accountability and human rights protections in migrant handling.
