El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele on Saturday shared images of gang members in a mega-prison to discredit statements made by two leaders of the Quarter 18 gang to the digital newspaper The Lighthouse about an alleged deal that helped him rise to power in 2019. “Bukele made a pact with the gangs,” the president wrote …
Read more “El Salvador Denies Gang Pact Amid New Allegations from Barrio 18 Leaders”
Anyone who has lived here more than a few months is well aware of the myriad problems present in 21st century Costa Rica: Violent crime (our murder rate per capita is not far behind that of Chicago); Theft (on all levels, from a crackhead stealing a bicycle off your porch to an elected official pocketing …
Read more “Living in Costa Rica as an Expat Isn’t Perfect—But It’s Better Than You Think”
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warns that a 41% funding cut is jeopardizing support for refugees in Costa Rica, especially Nicaraguans fleeing repression. With over 222,000 asylum claims pending, the country’s asylum system is buckling. Nicaraguans escape political crackdowns, human rights abuses, and economic collapse, sparked by 2018 protests and worsened by …
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A 10% tariff on imports from Costa Rica, rolled out by the U.S. government in April, could slash the country’s economic growth from 3.6% to 3% in 2025, says the International Center for Economic Policy for Sustainable Development of the National University (CINPE-UNA). This hit stems from Costa Rica’s tight trade ties with the U.S., …
Read more “How Trump’s Tariffs Threaten Costa Rica’s Exports and Jobs”
Costa Rica violated the rights of over 200 migrants deported by the United States—including 81 children—according to a report by the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), the Jesuit Migrant Service (SJM-CR), and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). A lawsuit filed before the U.N. claims the detentions risked long-term harm to minors. The …
Read more “Costa Rica Faces Backlash Over Migrant Detentions and Rights Abuses”
Costa Rica’s economic growth rate slowed to 3.9% in the first quarter of 2025, down from 4.6% during the same period last year, according to new figures released by the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR). The drop is largely attributed to setbacks in two major sectors: agriculture and hospitality. Agricultural production, which had posted …
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An expedition of marine archaeologists from Denmark has unraveled the mystery surrounding two shipwrecks lying in the shallow waters of Cahuita National Park, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. For nearly two centuries, local fishermen, who first settled in the area in 1826, believed the wrecks were pirate ships. However, a 2015 discovery of …
Read more “Costa Rica’s 1710 Danish Shipwreck Redefines Slave Trade Narrative”
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner returns to competition Saturday after his suspension, 104 days after winning the Australian Open.That Melbourne final in late January was his last ATP Tour match before it was announced in mid-February that he had reached an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), accepting a three-month suspension to resolve a …
Read more “Tennis Star Jannik Sinner Back on Court After Doping Suspension”
At 69 Leo XIV was elected pope at a significantly younger age than his two immediate predecessors, Francis and Benedict XVI — something observers, including his own brother, believe will bring fresh dynamism to the Holy See. Sure enough, the Chicago-born pontiff né Robert Francis Prevost is said to be a baseball fan that enjoys …
Read more “A pope for the ages: Is Leo XIV a young pontiff?”
An agreement signed by the United States and Panama a month ago does not allow for the installation of U.S. military bases in the Central American country, as claimed by some Panamanian sectors, said newly appointed U.S. Ambassador Kevin Cabrera on Thursday. A month ago, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed an agreement in …
Read more “US Denies Military Base Plans in Panama Amid Public Outcry”