Biden said that due to the covid-19 pandemic, too many women lost the positions they had achieved. Women were forced to choose between caring for their children and the careers that gave them economic freedom and a purpose.

"This is not right, the loss of their talents hurts us all, but when women get the opportunity they deserve, when we pay them for what their work is worth, there is no limit to what we can do. Isn't it?” Biden said in a press conference.

During the meeting, women told Biden about the achievements they have had during their careers. Some of them are just starting their companies and are in the process of developing their skills to expand their businesses. While others are already successful businesswomen who also create job opportunities in their communities.

The U.S. government sponsors women's entrepreneurship programs, particularly those targeting women living in rural communities. These programs provide knowledge, networking and access to start and scale successful businesses.

“We are committed to supporting innovative leaders like this group of women, with programs that empower them economically,” Telles said. “We know that when women prosper their families and communities prosper as well.”

Biden’s first visit to Costa Rica was in 2016 when she was the U.S. Second Lady. Her husband, Joseph Biden, was the U.S. Vice President during the government of President Barack H. Obama.

That year she had a meeting with a group of female students who were also participating that year in the STEAM program financed by the embassy.

According to the embassy, ​​that meeting with the students is an example of the commitment that Mrs. Biden has to support gender equality in education during her career as a teacher, Second Lady and, now, First Lady.

On Monday, the First Lady's agenda includes visiting a community center supported through the Sembremos Seguridad or Planting the Seeds of Security in the English language. 

The program is led by the Costa Rican government with support from the U.S. Department of State. "It aims to transform the security of local communities by working with local governments, NGOs and law enforcement to provide highly successful prevention programs, including healthy outlets and safe spaces for Costa Rican youth," the embassy said. 

The First Lady's visit ends today when she departs for Joint Base Andrews, located in the U.S. State of Maryland.

Before arriving in Costa Rica, Biden's agenda included meeting with President Guillermo Lasso and First Lady María de Lourdes Alcívar at Ecuador Carondelet Palace. As well as met First Lady of Panamá, Yazmín Colón de Cortizo, at the Panama Presidential Palace.  

The First Lady's visit is part of her tour in the region before the U.S. hosts the Summit of the Americas that will take place in Los Angeles in June from 6 to 10.

The STEAM program has the goal of improving the quality of and access to, science, technology, engineering, arts and design, and mathematics (STEAM) education for girls at the elementary and secondary education levels. The embassy coordinates with the Ministry of Public Education, the development of this program for many scientific colleges.

STEAM is one of many programs for females offered by the embassy, such as:

• The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) gives enterprising women the knowledge, networks and access they need to launch and scale successful businesses.

• The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) is the U.S. Department of State’s flagship program for emerging entrepreneurs and business leaders from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.

• The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program.

• CRUSA-AFS Scholarship Programme, aimed at students in their tenth year at Science Colleges, with an average command of the English language, demonstrated academic excellence, a leadership profile and a desire to pursue a career in Science and Technology.