All Things Panama

Route 32 reopened Wednesday morning under regulated passage at kilometer 48, a spot hard hit by repeated slides from heavy rains. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport posted the update at 6:45 a.m. They maintain steady checks on the road because rain keeps falling in the area and raises the chance of fresh slides. …

Read more “Route 32 Reopens in Costa Rica with Traffic Controls at Key Slide Zone”

Half of the planet’s coral reefs suffered major damage from a heatwave that occurred almost a decade ago, according to research released Tuesday, which warns that a similar and more severe phenomenon is unfolding now. Corals are invertebrate animals that build reefs, colorful, multi-shaped structures that serve as habitat for marine species. Scientists have warned …

Read more “Study Finds Half of the World’s Coral Reefs Hit by Mass Bleaching”

Cuba’s ongoing energy shortfall has escalated into a full-scale crisis, with aviation authorities announcing a suspension of jet fuel supplies at major airports, including Havana’s José Martí International. The move, effective from February 10 through at least March 11, stems from tightened U.S. sanctions under President Donald Trump that have severed the island’s key oil …

Read more “U.S. Sanctions Fuel Cuba’s Energy Meltdown – Flights Suspended”

For those who haven’t been here before, La Fortuna sits in the northern part of the country, near Arenal Volcano. The area draws visitors with its hot springs, waterfalls, and dense forests. Travel + Leisure points out how the town has shifted toward wellness in recent years. People come to relax in thermal waters heated …

Read more “La Fortuna Tops Travel + Leisure’s List as Costa Rica’s Prime Wellness Spot”

The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) has rolled out a pilot program that allows some three-year-old children to begin preschool this year. The move targets earlier access to structured learning and aims to build stronger skills in young students across the country. Officials presented the plan to the Consejo Superior de Educación late last year. …

Read more “Costa Rica Starts Pilot Program for Preschool Education”

A significant corruption scandal has exposed how Costa Rican Coast Guard officers accepted substantial bribes to facilitate international drug trafficking operations, revealing the extent to which organized crime has penetrated national security institutions. Former Golfito deputy mayor Jimmy Vindas Aguilar, who served under the National Liberation Party (PLN) from 2016 to 2020, faces extradition to …

Read more “Costa Rica Coast Guard Corruption Scandal Tied to Drug Trafficking Case”

Nicaragua has reinstated the visa requirement for Cuban citizens, one of its few allies in Latin America, the Nicaraguan government co-led by spouses Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo reported on Sunday. The measure, which ends visa-free entry for Cubans that had been in place since 2021 to promote tourism and what the government called a …

Read more “Nicaragua reinstates travel visa for Cubans, official says”

Move over ChatGPT — Chile will launch Latam-GPT, an open-source artificial intelligence model designed to combat biases built by the primarily US-centric industry. Developped by the Chilean National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA), Latam-GPT uses millions of data points collected in Latin America to showcase the continent’s cultural diversity.  The program seeks to combat “prejudices” …

Read more “Chile Launches Latam GPT to Build a Less Biased AI for Latin America”

Juan Pablo Guanipa was free for less than 12 hours. The Venezuelan opposition leader returned to prison after a brief release, which he used to ride around Caracas on a motorcycle and meet with relatives of political prisoners. Guanipa is a close ally of María Corina Machado, the opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. …

Read more “Venezuelan opposition leader returns to prison hours after his release”

Authorities report that Route 32 stays shut down in the Zurquí sector as crews battle ongoing landslides triggered by heavy rains from cold front No. 14. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport confirms no set time for reopening, with work set to continue into Monday. The closure began Thursday evening when material fell across …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Key Highway to Caribbean Remains Blocked by Slides”