All Things Panama

The Organization of American States (OAS) has given Costa Rica high marks for its national elections on February 1, calling the process transparent and well-managed. Still, the group’s observers point to ongoing problems with how campaigns get funded and how opinion polls shape the race. In its preliminary report released Tuesday, the OAS Electoral Observation …

Read more “OAS Applauds Costa Rica Election Success Amid Calls for Finance Overhaul”

International visitors filled Costa Rica’s airports in early 2026, signaling a solid launch to the winter season. Both San Jose and Liberia Airports reported high traffic from North America and Europe. Tourism officials noted this uptick follows a year of modest growth, with arrivals up just 1% in 2025 compared to sharper increases in neighboring …

Read more “Tourism in Costa Rica Starts 2026 Strong Despite Health and Security Challenges”

Judges on the Court of Appeals in San José have confirmed the extradition of two Costa Rican citizens to the United States to face charges tied to international cocaine trafficking. The decision, handed down, marks a key test of our country’s recent legal changes that permit nationals to stand trial abroad for such offenses. Celso …

Read more “Two Costa Ricans Headed to US After Court Upholds Extradition Ruling”

Laura Fernández secured the presidency of Costa Rica on February 1, 2026, with 48.3 percent of the vote. She cleared the 40 percent mark needed to claim victory in the first round, avoiding a runoff. As the candidate from the Sovereign People’s Party, she follows Rodrigo Chaves, who leaves office in May. At 39, Fernández …

Read more “What First Round Victory Means for Costa Rica’s New President”

A comprehensive review conducted by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies on Children and Adolescents (INEINA) at the National University of Costa Rica (UNA), based on more than 100 academic and policy documents, confirms that social programs related to housing, nutrition, and cash transfers generate tangible and lasting benefits for the productivity, health, and well-being of …

Read more “Costa Rica Faces Rising Child Food Insecurity as Social Aid Shrinks”

Two cold fronts will mark the beginning of February in Costa Rica, maintaining windy conditions, rainfall, and low temperatures. At the same time, the National Meteorological Institute (IMN) forecasts a month with above-average rainfall in some regions of the country. Costa Rica is currently under the influence of cold front No. 13, which arrived on …

Read more “Cold Fronts Shape Early February Weather in Costa Rica”

The people have spoken. Laura Fernandez is our new president. The next four years in Costa Rica will be interesting. As the handpicked successor to Rodrigo Chaves, the thirty-nine-year-old Fernandez will lead the Partido Pueblo Soberano in its attempt to consolidate power and usher in a new Third Republic. The international press has framed this …

Read more “Costa Rica Voted for Change Now It Must Decide What Kind”

The president-elect of Costa Rica, the right-wing Laura Fernández, announced on Monday an ambitious plan to reform the state, which her critics say points to a concentration of power similar to that of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. With 48% of the vote, Fernández won Sunday’s election in the first round and managed to quadruple the …

Read more “Costa Rica President-elect announces plan that points to a concentration of power”

Sunday’s election day brings good news for all of Costa Rica: voter abstention decreased. This means that more people decided to participate in these elections compared to previous years. According to data reported by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), voter participation in Sunday’s elections reached 70%, while abstention stood at 30%, with 85.4% of polling …

Read more “Voter Turnout Rises in Costa Rica as Abstention Drops”

Voters across the country headed to polling stations today to select the next president and reshape the Legislative Assembly. The election drew 3.7 million eligible participants who chose among 20 candidates for the top office, along with deputies for the 57-seat congress. Laura Fernández of the Sovereign People’s Party led the pack as the day …

Read more “Costa Ricans Cast Ballots in Pivotal Presidential Election”