Costa Rica Coffee Growers Struggle with Exchange Rate Policy Effects

Costa Rica’s coffee growers deal with tough times from a low exchange rate that cuts into their earnings, even as global coffee prices hit peaks not seen in decades. Producers in nearby countries cash in on the boom, but locals face falling incomes and shrinking farms. The Costa Rican Coffee Institute, known as ICAFE, reports …

US Visa Restrictions Target Central Americans Linked to China

The United States has rolled out a new policy that bars visas for certain Central American citizens linked to China’s Communist Party. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the announcement on Thursday, targeting people who help advance Beijing’s agenda in the region at the expense of local laws and stability. This move hits individuals who, …

A Venezuelan Migrant’s Ordeal in Bukele’s Maximum-Security Prison

For love, Andry Hernández left his native Venezuela to cross the dangerous Darién jungle between Colombia and Panama in an attempt to reunite with Paul Díaz in the United States. His dream ended locked inside a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. After four months imprisoned in the Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot), where he had been …

Costa Rica Outrage as Nicaragua Coach Questions Star Goalkeeper

Nicaragua’s Chilean coach Marco Antonio Figueroa fired off sharp comments ahead of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica, brushing off star goalkeeper Keylor Navas and raising doubts about the Mexican referee. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. local time in Managua’s National Stadium, where the synthetic turf has already become a flashpoint. Figueroa …

U.S. Senator Sounds Alarm on Cartel Grip Tightening in Costa Rica

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts raised concerns about Costa Rica’s growing role in drug trafficking during a recent Senate hearing. The Republican from Nebraska spoke out while questioning Melinda Hildebrand, nominee for U.S. ambassador to San José. He pointed out how our country’s long-held image as a stable democracy now faces threats from expanding international cartels …

Nicaraguan Brothers Die in Costa Rica Illegal Gold Mine Collapse

Rescue teams in Costa Rica pulled the bodies of two young Nicaraguan men from a deep tunnel in an illegal gold mine in Crucitas, San Carlos canton, after a grueling operation that lasted over 15 hours. The men, identified as Wayner Hilander Sequeira García, 24, and Nicolás Daniel Orozco García, 20, were brothers from El …

Costa Rica halts most postal services to U.S. due to 15% import tax

Correos de Costa Rica announced the temporary suspension of several shipping services to the United States due to new tariff provisions implemented by the Donald Trump administration. The affected services include EMS Inter Paq, Exporta Fácil, Encomienda Internacional, Correo Internacional, and EMS Internacional USA. “Some services to the United States are temporarily suspended due to …

U.S. Strike Kills 11 ‘Narco-Terrorists’ in Caribbean, Pentagon Says

The deadly U.S. attack on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean is a “very clear” message from President Donald Trump to the cartels, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday. On Tuesday, U.S. forces carried out a strike on a speedboat, and Trump claimed that 11 “narco-terrorists” were killed in the operation. According to …

Nicaragua’s Ortega Accuses U.S. of Using Drug War as Cover to Destabilize Region

The deployment of U.S. military ships in the Caribbean is an attempt to “overthrow Latin American governments,” declared Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega on Tuesday, denouncing the anti-narcotics operation as a “circus.” U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered a naval force to patrol Caribbean waters near Venezuela’s maritime territory, claiming the move was aimed at combating …

Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador Eye Historic 2026 World Cup Entry

Six Central American and six Caribbean teams will compete starting Thursday for the final Concacaf spots for the 2026 World Cup, in a never-before-seen final qualifying round made possible by the absence of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Three direct tickets to the North American World Cup and two intercontinental playoff spots will be …