All Things Panama

Shackled hand and foot, visibly aged, the MS-13 leaders on trial in El Salvador are now only a shadow of the violent gang members who once helped turn the country into one of the most dangerous in the world. They are 22 members of the “historic ranfla,” the leadership structure of MS-13, made up of …

Read more “What Is the Scope of the Mega-Trial Against MS-13 Leaders in El Salvador?”

Just days before Costa Rica inaugurates its new president, a deeply troubling development has cast a shadow over the country’s long-standing reputation as a beacon of democracy and free expression in Latin America. The United States has revoked the tourist visas of five of the seven board members of La Nación, one of Costa Rica’s …

Read more “Costa Rica Press Freedom Under Scrutiny After US Visa Revocations”

The Italian Open is underway at the Foro Italico, and for tennis fans across Latin America, this year’s tournament offers more than the usual final checkpoint before Roland Garros. It is a chance to measure the region’s strongest clay-court players against the world’s best on one of the sport’s most historic stages. The men’s tournament …

Read more “Latin American Clay-Court Hopes Take Center Stage at Italian Open in Rome”

Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court has ordered several state agencies and local governments to act together to address the degradation of the Tempisque River, after finding that the official response to sand extraction and environmental damage in the area has been fragmented and insufficient. The ruling stems from an amparo appeal over sand removal in the …

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A coalition of environmental organizations will hold a concert Friday night in San José to call attention to the decline of shark populations in Costa Rica and pressure authorities to strengthen protection for threatened marine species. The event, scheduled for Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Amón Solar, is organized by the UCR Kiosks …

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Marriott International will open the JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort & Spa, All-Inclusive, in Costa Rica on September 10, marking the JW Marriott brand’s first all-inclusive resort and adding a major luxury project to Guanacaste’s North Pacific coast. The property is located at Playa El Jobo in La Cruz, inside the Costa Elena resort-residential community. …

Read more “Marriott to Open World’s First All-Inclusive JW Marriott in Costa Rica”

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck off Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast on Tuesday afternoon, with an epicenter just offshore from one of the country’s most popular beach destinations. The Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN) at the Universidad de Costa Rica reported the tremor at 2:54 p.m. yesterday, with shaking felt across the Pacific region and into …

Read more “Earthquake Near Manuel Antonio Felt Across Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast”

Fresh Del Monte Produce will close four banana farms in Costa Rica’s Atlantic Region, affecting approximately 1,200 hectares of production and more than 850 workers in one of our country’s most important agricultural exports. The company said the decision was driven by deteriorating business conditions for banana production in Costa Rica, led by the sharp …

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President-elect Laura Fernández named outgoing President Rodrigo Chaves as minister of the Presidency and minister of Finance on Tuesday, giving her predecessor one of the most powerful roles in the new Costa Rican government just three days before she takes office. The announcement came during Fernández’s cabinet presentation at the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar in …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Laura Fernández Names Rodrigo Chaves Minister of Presidency”

Geothermal energy supplies about 21 percent of El Salvador’s net electricity, placing the country among the world’s leaders in its use of this renewable source. The state-owned utility LaGeo now plans to add more capacity after the World Bank approved a $150 million loan in March 2025. The six-year project will fund drilling and construction …

Read more “El Salvador Advances Geothermal Expansion with World Bank Support”