Month: May 2025

Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves, in his third annual report to be presented to the Legislative Assembly tomorrow, defended his administration’s security strategy, describing it as “titanic” and asserting that “Costa Rica is recovering peace.” The report structured around nine priority areas—poverty reduction, employment, fiscal stability, health, education, security, infrastructure, foreign relations, and state reform—paints …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Rising Violence Challenges Chaves’ Security Claims”

Panamanian police on Friday arrested a former soldier who had been a fugitive since 1994 for the murder of a Colombian priest in the 1970s, during the regime of nationalist leader Omar Torrijos, according to the authorities and local media. The arrest took place in the province of Chiriquí, in the southwest of the country …

Read more “Ex-Soldier Captured in Panama for Decades-Old Killing”

Costa Rica has long been a beacon of democracy in Latin America, with a proud history of protecting press freedom. But the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) paints a worrying picture: our country has slipped 10 spots, from 26th to 36th place globally. This marks the fourth year in a …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Press Freedom Decline in 2025: What’s Happening?”

MegaCon 2025, Costa Rica’s largest pop culture convention, kicked off yesterday, at the Costa Rica Convention Center. Running through Sunday the event is expected to attract thousands of fans for a weekend celebrating film, cosplay, anime, video games, and more, with a lineup of international stars, local talent, and eco-friendly initiatives. Event Overview MegaCon 2025 …

Read more “MegaCon 2025 Brings Global Pop Culture to Costa Rica”

Last Friday, April 25, the official presentation of the 2025–2030 National Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Plan took much of Costa Rica’s coastal fishing sector by surprise. Developed by the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA) in conjunction with the Executive Secretariat for Agricultural Sector Planning (SEPSA), the document outlines an ambitious roadmap toward …

Read more “Tourism and Sport Fishing Ignored in Costa Rica’s Blue Economy Roadmap”

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega on Wednesday accused U.S. President Donald Trump of committing “horrendous crimes” against migrants by deporting them, separating families, and having sent hundreds of Venezuelans to the mega-prison in El Salvador. Since March, Trump’s administration has expelled 252 Venezuelans to El Salvador, accusing them—without presenting evidence—of being part of the Tren de …

Read more “Nicaragua Condemns U.S. Migrant Policy Under Trump as Crimes Against Humanity”

Costa Rica is moving to ban highly hazardous pesticides, thanks to a new bill that is currently being discussed by congressional representatives in the Special Permanent Commission on Environment. The initiative would prohibit these chemicals, which have already been banned in at least 70% of OECD member countries. It was presented in June 2023 by …

Read more “Costa Rica Aims to Ban Highly Hazardous Pesticides”

As Costa Rica continues to battle rising crime rates, a recent robbery involving two American tourists has captured widespread attention, thanks to a series of viral TikTok videos. Anna Manocha and her friend Carolina López traveled to Costa Rica in early March in search of adventure and the famed “Pura Vida” lifestyle. But their vacation …

Read more “U.S. Tourists Share Robbery Experience in Costa Rica as Crime Concerns Rise”

Of the many strange and interesting species that many hope to encounter during their time in Costa Rica, arthropods are generally lower on the list. Of the 365,000 or so arthropods found in Costa Rica, the ones that may evoke the most feelings of fear and disgust are ticks. Ticks are ectoparasitic arachnids that practice …

Read more “Costa Rica Expat Guide to Ticks and How to Avoid Them”

The Costa Rican government, under President Rodrigo Chaves, has implemented stringent new regulations for inmates in maximum-security prisons, drawing inspiration from El Salvador’s controversial anti-gang crackdown led by President Nayib Bukele. The reforms, announced by the Ministry of Justice and Peace, impose significant restrictions on family visits, conjugal visits, telephone calls, and parcel deliveries, prompting …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Harsh Prison Reforms Spark Hunger Strikes, Protests”