All Things Panama

A rooster announces the start of the day at the San Rafael Cedros market, about 50 kilometers from San Salvador, where every weekend sellers and buyers plunge into a lively trade in livestock and farm animals. In this traditional space, roughly the size of two soccer fields, cattle, horses, pigs, rabbits, birds, and goats are …

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In the hills just south of San Salvador, the small colonial town of Panchimalco is preparing once again for one of the most visually stunning and spiritually meaningful celebrations in all of Central America. The Festival of Flowers and Palms, held annually on the first Sunday of May, draws visitors from across El Salvador and …

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Costa Rican authorities extradited José Johnny Angulo Fernández to Italy yesterday, making him the first Costa Rican citizen sent to Europe under the country’s new extradition rules. Angulo, also known as “John Cadenas,” is wanted by Italian authorities on drug trafficking charges and for alleged ties to the ’Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia group considered one …

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A magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook Costa Rica late Monday night, rattling homes and buildings across the Central Valley and parts of the Pacific region. No major damage or injuries had been reported by early Tuesday morning. The tremor occurred at 9:49 p.m. last night, according to the Red Sismológica Nacional (OVISCORI), which placed the epicenter …

Read more “Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake Rattles Costa Rica’s Central Valley”

Drug trafficking is taking a growing toll on ecosystems in Costa Rica’s southern Pacific region, where environmental authorities warn that criminal groups are moving into protected areas around Puerto Jiménez. The Environmental Prosecutor’s Office says organized groups are following a systematic pattern of occupation in mangroves, forests and protected wilderness areas. The activity has been …

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Costa Rica is known for waterfalls, cloud forests, wildlife, beaches and the kind of green reputation that draws travelers from around the world. But the country’s river systems tell a more complicated story. Some of the same waterways that flow from the mountains toward the Pacific and Caribbean carry the weight of decades of urban …

Read more “Costa Rica’s River Pollution Threatens Beaches and Wildlife”

Francisco Cerúndolo kept Argentina’s strong Madrid Open run alive Monday, defeating Italy’s Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-3 to reach the last 16 of the ATP Masters 1000 event. The 27-year-old Argentine, ranked No. 20 in the world and currently the top Latin American player in the ATP rankings, produced a controlled performance on the clay at …

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San José will move ahead this year with upgrades to Parque Central, Plaza de las Garantías Sociales and Plaza González Víquez as part of a larger push to recover public spaces in the capital. The projects are at different stages of planning and contracting, with Parque Central already moving through the public procurement system. Mayor …

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Cameras are rolling across Costa Rica on Hope/Esperanza, an indie romantic drama from Oscar-winning producer Mark Johnson, with principal photography set to continue at locations throughout the country until the end of May. The production began shooting on April 13 and will run for five weeks, employing more than 200 Costa Rican cast and crew …

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Costa Rican exporters are absorbing hits from three directions at once: rising port fees on the Caribbean coast, a colón that has strengthened to historic levels, and a 10% U.S. tariff that has complicated access to the country’s most important export market. Each pressure alone would be manageable. Together, they are testing the viability of …

Read more “Strong Colón and Higher Port Fees Squeeze Costa Rica’s Exporters”