Month: May 2025

The Costa Rican tourism sector, a key driver of our nation’s economy, is grappling with competitiveness issues even as it sees a slight uptick in visitor numbers. According to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), air arrivals in 2025 are projected to range between 2,663,245 and 2,869,809, aligning with planning for international visitors. In April, …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Tourism Sector Faces Competitive Challenges Despite Modest Growth”

Workers in Panama at a subsidiary of the U.S.-based banana company Chiquita Brands rejected on Friday President José Raúl Mulino’s demand to reopen roads they have blocked in protest of a recent pension reform. The company, which laid off 5,000 of its 7,000 employees after more than a month of protests and millions in losses, …

Read more “Banana Workers in Panama Reject President’s Demand to End Protests”

Independent Congresswoman Kattia Cambronero has put forward a bill to safeguard Costa Rica’s coral reefs and seagrass beds, addressing the growing threats to these critical marine ecosystems. The proposal aims to strengthen conservation efforts through regulation, restoration, and research. Here’s what you need to know about the bill and why it matters. Costa Rica is …

Read more “Costa Rica Pushes New Law to Protect Coral Reefs and Seagrasses”

Howler monkeys in Costa Rica are facing a growing threat from bot fly larvae infestations, and new research points to tourism and land use changes as key drivers. A study by the Awá Science and Conservation Association, the University of Costa Rica, and the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) found that Cuterebra baeri, a …

Read more “Parasite Outbreak in Costa Rica’s Howler Monkeys Tied to Tourism and Land Use Changes”

Every May 30, Costa Rica marks National Journalists’ Day, a time to honor the vital role journalists play in upholding democracy. Established in 2010 by then-President Óscar Arias, the day commemorates the tragic La Penca bombing of 1984, where three journalists, including Tico Times reporter Linda Frazier, lost their lives. This year, the celebration unfolds …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Journalists’ Day: Press Freedom in Crisis”

Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino, on Thursday demanded that unions lift road blockades to help facilitate an agreement that would end the strike at the Panamanian branch of U.S.-based banana company Chiquita Brands. Workers from the company, which laid off 5,000 of its 7,000 employees following a month of protests and millions in losses, continue …

Read more “Panama President Demands End to Road Blockades in Chiquita Banana Strike”

Reading about the massive fish kill on the Caribbean side—due most likely to pesticide and chemical run-off from banana plantations—reminded me once again of why I harbor a dislike for the monoculture industrial farming done in too many places in Costa Rica. I have lived near both pineapple and palm oil plantations. True, they provide …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Industrial Farms Are Harming Wildlife and Workers”

Costa Rica and France have announced a significant partnership to advance blue carbon conservation, timed strategically ahead of their co-hosting of the United Nations Oceans Summit in Nice, France. The French Development Agency (AFD) is providing substantial funding for the initiative, collaborating with Conservation International Costa Rica to safeguard coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrasses, and …

Read more “Costa Rica, France Launch Blue Carbon Initiative Ahead of UN Oceans Summit”

Costa Rica’s southern region, home to the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park, boasts some of the planet’s richest biodiversity. Jaguars, tapirs, and scarlet macaws thrive in rainforests that draw eco-tourists from across the globe. But local conservationists warn that infrastructure projects, like road expansions and potential electrification, could harm these fragile ecosystems if not …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Southern Infrastructure Push Raises Biodiversity Concerns”

Costa Rica’s proposed Law for the Development and Promotion of the Maritime Terrestrial Zone aims to loosen restrictions on commercial and tourist activities in our coastal public zones. However, the University of Costa Rica (UCR), backed by over 70 environmental and community organizations, warns that the bill threatens the nation’s ecosystems and coastal communities. The …

Read more “New Costa Rica Law Threatens Coastal Ecosystems and Local Communities”