Month: August 2025

Environmental crime in Costa Rica has escalated dramatically, with the illegal gold mining crisis in the Crucitas region now bearing all the hallmarks of organized crime, according to Environmental Prosecutor Luis Diego Hernández. Speaking on the growing threat, Hernández warned that criminal networks have seized control of gold mining operations not just in Crucitas, but …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Crucitas Faces Environmental Disaster from Illegal Gold Mining”

Guanacaste Airport, part of the VINCI Airports group, and the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) have shared news of more JetBlue flights coming from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Liberia International Airport (LIR) in Guanacaste. The route kicks off in November with two flights a week, then shifts to daily service starting December 18. …

Read more “JetBlue Ramps Up Boston Flights to Guanacaste, Costa Rica”

A surge in public insecurity and the sharp appreciation of the Costa Rican colón—up more than 20% since 2022—have become the leading threats to Costa Rica’s business tourism sector, according to a new survey by the Center for Tourism Studies (CET). The survey, conducted among businesses and organizations connected to the tourism industry, found that …

Read more “Costa Rica Tourism Leaders Call for Action Amid Rising Insecurity”

A man identified by the surnames Ulloa Bustos, suspected of killing at least 14 dogs in the rural town of Pocora, was released after being detained by police. The incident has sparked widespread anger among residents and animal rights advocates. According to witnesses, several dogs in the area had been disappearing or turning up dead …

Read more “Outrage in Costa Rica After Man Suspected of Killing 14 Dogs Is Released”

Guatemalan authorities freed hostages on Monday who were being held by gang members in two prisons, including a juvenile facility, in riots attributed to retaliation for the transfer of gang leaders to a maximum-security prison. On July 30, the government relocated 10 imprisoned leaders of the violent Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha gangs to the …

Read more “Guatemala Frees Hostages After Prison Gang Riots”

The Minister of Education ordered the dismissal of the director and deputy director of a public institute shown in a video shared by President Bukele. On Monday, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele defended the new discipline rules in the education system, saying they aim to prevent schools from becoming “gang recruitment centers.” Since August 20, …

Read more “El Salvador Fires School Leaders After Bukele Shares Gang Video”

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, who served as Costa Rica’s president from 1998 to 2002, returned to court on today, to face charges in the so-called “Reinsurance Case” involving allegations of corruption linked to contracts signed by the National Insurance Institute (INS) in 2001. The case centers on alleged payments totaling approximately $2.1 million made by UK-based …

Read more “Former Costa Rican President Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Faces Trial”

Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica’s main gateway managed by AERIS, has earned the prestigious Level 5 Customer Experience certification from Airports Council International (ACI), placing it among the world’s best airports for passenger satisfaction. This certification makes AIJS the second airport in Latin America and the Caribbean, and only the fifth …

Read more “San Jose Airport Achieves Top 5 Global Ranking in Passenger Experience”

For the past 15 months I have been the primary caretaker of a bona fide street dog, a barrio zaguate called Dorothy. My wife adopted and named her after she turned up in a box in the driveway of my brother and sister-in-law. I was away when she was brought to the house, but over …

Read more “An Expat’s Life with a Rescue Dog in Costa Rica”

Costa Rican police pulled off a big win against drug traffickers this Sunday, seizing over a ton of cocaine hidden in a tourism minibus and arresting two men in the Osa region. The operation unfolded in the Piedras Blancas area near Palmar Norte, where officers from the Public Force intercepted the vehicle after it ignored …

Read more “Major Cocaine Seizure in Costa Rica’s South Highlights Ongoing Cartel Fight”