All Things Panama

The national surf circuit launches its 2026 season this weekend at Playa Cocles in Talamanca, drawing over 140 competitors to the Caribbean coast. From February 13 to 15, athletes will chase the first 1,500 ranking points in a competition that spans 19 categories, from juniors to open divisions. Organized by the Costa Rican Surf Federation, …

Read more “Costa Rica National Surf Circuit 2026 Begins at Playa Cocles”

Puerto Rican artist Daddy Yankee plans to visit Costa Rica later this month to present his conference “El Testimonio.” The event takes place on Sunday, February 22, at Auditorio Casa Pasión in San José. Known for hits like “Gasolina,” the singer retired from music in 2023 to dedicate his life to his Christian faith. He …

Read more “Daddy Yankee Brings Faith-Focused Testimony to Costa Rica”

Police in Costa Rica arrested a 21-year-old man suspected of pulling the trigger in the June 2025 killing of Roberto Samcam, a retired Nicaraguan military officer living in exile. The capture marks a key step in the investigation into a crime that opposition figures link to the Nicaraguan government. Officials detained the suspect, identified only …

Read more “Costa Rica Captures Alleged Shooter in Nicaraguan Exile’s Murder”

Hotel operators in Guanacaste and the Central Pacific report lower occupancy rates for February 2026 than in the same month of 2024 and 2025. A survey by the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels shows an average national rate of 77 percent for early 2026, down from 84 to 85 percent in prior years. Guanacaste hotels …

Read more “February Slump Hits Costa Rica Hotels: Weather and Airfares to Blame”

Natural disasters and severe weather events led to more than ₡1 billion in payouts for damaged homes last year, data from the National Insurance Institute (INS) shows. The institute handled 342 claims from homeowners, totaling ₡1,039,170,709 in compensation. These payments went to policyholders with what people often call fire insurance, though the coverage extends far …

Read more “Costa Rica Faces ₡1 Billion Bill from Home Damages Due to Fires and Floods”

Former president of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) and newly elected deputy Marta Esquivel has pushed her defense in the Barrenador case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. She argues that the investigation amounts to political persecution and has caused significant harm to her reputation. This move comes as the probe into …

Read more “International Spotlight on Costa Rica’s Barrenador Investigation”

The short encounter was recorded on a cellphone by Keylor Monge, a local tour guide who was leading an excursion on Friday, Feb. 6. Monge said the sighting happened around 11:48 a.m., and that it was a reminder of “how unpredictable” nature can be. Puma sightings in Corcovado are not unheard of, but guides and …

Read more “Puma spotted near tourists in Costa Rica’s Corcovado”

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”