Month: September 2025

Costa Rica’s President Rodrigo Chaves expressed relief and defiance yesterday after congress failed to strip him of his legal immunity. The vote, which took place late Monday in San José, marked a first in the nation’s history—no sitting president had faced such a challenge before. Lawmakers rejected the motion with 34 votes in favor and …

Read more “Costa Rica’s President Chaves Claims Win as Congress Fails to Remove His Immunity”

A group of UN experts denounced on Tuesday that the Nicaraguan government has extended its repression of critics of co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo beyond the country’s borders. Ortega, a 79-year-old former guerrilla in power since 2007, and Murillo, 74, tightened control over opponents after the 2018 protests that left more than 300 dead, …

Read more “UN Experts: Nicaragua extends repression beyond its borders, targeting exiles”

Kim Torres, a filmmaker raised in Costa Rica, steps into the spotlight with her first full-length movie, “If We Don’t Burn, How Do We Light Up the Night.” The film premieres today at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain, marking a key moment for Costa Rican cinema on the global stage. Born in …

Read more “Costa Rican Filmmaker Kim Torres Unveils Feature Debut at Festival”

Costa Rica’s leading beverage company, FIFCO, has agreed to sell its core operations to Dutch giant HEINEKEN in a deal valued at $3.25 billion. The move hands over control of popular brands like Imperial beer to HEINEKEN, which already owns a quarter of FIFCO’s Distribuidora La Florida unit. FIFCO made the announcement yesterday, marking the …

Read more “HEINEKEN Acquires Costa Rica’s Imperial Beer Through FIFCO Purchase”

In a follow-up to our article published late yesterday on this fast-moving story, Costa Rica’s lawmakers decided against stripping President Rodrigo Chaves of his legal shield, letting him sidestep a corruption trial for now. The vote came up short at 34 in favor and 21 opposed, missing the 38 needed to move forward. This marks …

Read more “Costa Rica Lawmakers Reject Lifting Immunity for President Chaves”

Costa Rica’s Congress began today to debate whether to lift President Rodrigo Chaves’s immunity so he can be tried for alleged corruption. The special session was opened by the head of Congress, opposition figure Rodrigo Arias. This is the first time a Costa Rican president has faced a request to remove immunity. The conservative leader, …

Read more “Costa Rica Opens Debate to Lift President Chaves’s Immunity”

Costa Rica Surfer Leilani McGonagle took home the top prize at the 2025 Super Girl Surf Pro in Oceanside, California. She beat out strong competition to become the first non-American to ever win this event. The tournament wrapped up over the weekend of September 19-21, drawing crowds to the beach for high-level surfing and music. …

Read more “Costa Rican Surfer Leilani McGonagle Claims Historic Win”

Costa Rican authorities are probing reports of missing fentanyl from public hospitals, raising fears that the potent painkiller is slipping into illegal markets. The Costa Rican Social Security Fund, known as the CCSS, recently filed a formal complaint with the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) over suspected discrepancies in fentanyl stocks at Hospital México in San …

Read more “Costa Rica Hospital Fentanyl Thefts Spark OIJ Probe”

Google Maps has rolled out an expanded Street View feature across Costa Rica, giving people a chance to check out more streets and spots from their devices. The update captures fresh images from a pickup truck that traveled roads between May 2024 and July 2025, including remote areas and natural sites. Content creator Trevor Rainbolt, …

Read more “Google Maps Street View Expands in Costa Rica with Waterfalls”

In a Havana park, in broad daylight, a young man walks erratically, shuffling his feet with a vacant stare, like a zombie. It’s the effect of “el químico,” the synthetic drug that has set off alarms on the island. In a country accustomed to low levels of drug use, consumption of this highly addictive synthetic …

Read more “The Synthetic Drug Fueling Zombie-Like Scenes in Cuba”