Month: October 2025

A head-on collision on the Bernardo Soto highway in Buenos Aires de Palmares, Alajuela, turned deadly Friday morning, killing Éricka Benavides, advisor to Congressman and presidential candidate Eli Feinzaig, and injuring three others, including Feinzaig himself. The crash happened around 8 a.m. when the pickup truck carrying Feinzaig, Benavides, and their driver slammed into an …

Read more “Costa Rica Politics Shaken by Fatal Crash with Eli Feinzaig”

The Guatemalan government announced Friday that it will ask the United States for an FBI team of experts to help recapture the leaders of the Barrio 18 gang who escaped from a prison. Last week, the government revealed the escape of 20 members of Barrio 18—designated a “terrorist” organization by both countries—from Fraijanes II prison …

Read more “Guatemala Seeks FBI Help After Gang Leaders Escape Prison”

Immigrants in Costa Rica continue to deal with long waits for their residence cards, known as DIMEX, as the immigration system struggles with backlogs. Approval times for residency applications have stretched from six to eight months in the past to 14 to 18 months or more now, leaving many in uncertainty. The General Directorate of …

Read more “Costa Rica Residency Backlog Hits 38,000 in October”

US military strikes that Washington claims have targeted “narco-terrorists” ferrying drugs to American soil are having little to no impact on Latin America’s bustling narcotics trade, experts say. The strikes have killed at least 37 people, most of them in Caribbean waters, according to US figures.  Relatives and the home governments of many of the …

Read more “Latin America Questions US Boat Strikes in the Drug War”

Costa Rica’s health officials have stepped up alerts on the dangers of methanol poisoning from contaminated alcohol, aligning with similar actions across Latin America amid recent cases in neighboring countries. The Ministry of Health here has long monitored alcohol products for adulteration, a practice that persists in informal markets where methanol, a toxic industrial chemical, …

Read more “Costa Rica Warns on Methanol Risks in Alcohol Amid Regional Outbreaks”

Costa Rica added another spot to its list of inclusive coastal destinations this week. Playa Blanca in Punta Morales de Chomes now stands as the country’s 17th accessible beach, equipped with features that let people with disabilities reach the shore and sea without obstacles. A group of 40 visitors marked the opening on October 21. …

Read more “Costa Rica Adds 17th Accessible Beach at Playa Blanca”

The United States military carried out its first strike in the Pacific Ocean against a boat suspected of drug trafficking, killing two people near Colombia’s maritime territory. This action marks a shift from previous operations in the Caribbean and heightens friction between Washington and Bogotá. A source from Colombia’s armed forces confirmed to reporters that …

Read more “U.S. Strikes Drug Boat in Pacific Near Colombia, Killing Two”

A new poll from the University of Costa Rica’s Center for Political Research and Studies (CIEP-UCR) paints a picture of widespread indecision among Costa Ricans as the February 2026 national elections approach. The survey, released this week, finds that 55% of likely voters have not chosen a presidential candidate yet, leaving the race open to …

Read more “Uncertainty Dominates Costa Rican Voters Ahead of 2026 Elections”

Costa Rica’s under-17 women’s national soccer team marked a milestone in their history with a 1-1 draw against Brazil during the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco. The result gave the Ticas their first point ever in the tournament, a step forward after three losses in their only prior appearance as hosts in 2014. …

Read more “Costa Rica U-17 Women’s Team Earns Historic Draw vs Brazil”

In the weeks leading up to my trip to the US, I scanned several news sites both left-leaning and right-leaning to better inform myself on the happenings in the country of my birth. The more I read, the more discouraged I felt. The country appeared hopelessly divided, unable to even share the same table in …

Read more “Why This U.S. Expat in Costa Rica Chooses Local Over Headlines”