Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Nicaragua’s first female president and a key figure in ending her country’s civil war, passed away peacefully this morning in San José, Costa Rica, at the age of 95. Her family announced her death in a statement shared by her son, Carlos Fernando Chamorro, noting that she was surrounded by loved …
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On Thursday, the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) made headlines by seizing 56 weapons in La Guácima de Alajuela, marking the largest arms seizure in Costa Rica’s history. The haul, which included 37 assault rifles and 19 pistols, was found in a house alongside a significant amount of drugs, pointing to the growing reach of organized …
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Nicaragua announced that it is withdrawing from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), accusing the agency of making “biased” statements about Nicaraguans fleeing to other countries. The decision, outlined in a letter from Foreign Minister Valdrack Jaentschke to UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi, marks another step in the country’s retreat from international organizations. The …
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Ojochal, a small town in between the Pacific Ocean and the Fila Costeña in Costa Rica’s Osa, isn’t the sleepy agricultural community it once was. Over the past few decades, it has morphed into a high-end tourist destination, largely owned by foreign investors. A recent study by Oscar Leiva, spanning 1990 to 2024, lays out …
Read more “Costa Rica’s Ojochal: From Farms to Luxury Tourism Hub”
Migration and drug trafficking dominated a meeting on Friday between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, according to the president. Landau concluded his regional tour in Guatemala, which also included visits to Mexico and El Salvador, where he met with Presidents Claudia Sheinbaum and Nayib Bukele, respectively. “The working …
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Costa Rican authorities are still investigating the tragic death of Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, nearly three months after the incident at a resort in Manuel Antonio, Quepos. The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) and the Quepos and Parrita Prosecutor’s Office are examining whether Miller’s death on March …
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With great fishing and a renewed focus on family fun, the Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo presented by Marina Flamingo is set to take center stage in the world of sport fishing in mid-July 2025 in Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica. Final registration and a welcome party hosted by Marina Flamingo and Gurme will take place on July 18th. Tournament fishing …
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The UN Ocean Summit concluded in Nice with advances in protecting the high seas—but without any clear financial commitments. After bringing together around 60 world leaders, the summit also ended with tougher warnings against deep-sea mining. Environmental advocates and leaders from island nations, however, criticized what they see as backsliding on fossil fuels and expressed …
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Costa Rica’s reputation as an environmental leader is under scrutiny. A formal complaint filed by environmental lawyer Marco Levy has called for a criminal investigation into Minister of Environment and Energy Franz Tattenbach. The accusations? Prevarication, corruption, and favoritism that could harm the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, a protected Ramsar site in Talamanca, Limón. This …
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I recently wrote about my fear that three decades after learning Spanish, I was now slowly losing my fluency, forgetting words I had once known, and mispronouncing others. This should come as no surprise. According to the experts on gray matter, my cognitive abilities peaked around the turn of this century. It has been a …
Read more “From Bookie to “Pura Vida”: A True Costa Rica Expat Story”