Guatemala Supreme Court Blocks Journalist Zamora’s Return to Prison

The Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala (CSJ) suspended on Monday the revocation of house arrest for journalist José Rubén Zamora, preventing his return to prison, where he spent two years on a disputed money laundering charge, according to his defense team. The Chamber of Protection and Preliminary Hearing of the CSJ granted an appeal …

46 Journalists Forced into Exile from Nicaragua in 2024, Report Shows

At least 46 journalists had to leave Nicaragua for exile in 2024 and four were detained, according to a report published this Monday in Costa Rica by the NGO Foundation for Freedom of Expression and Democracy (FLED). The four captured were Fabiola Tercero, in “unknown whereabouts” since her arrest and house raid in July 2024; …

Mass Protests Challenge El Salvador’s Anti-Gang Policy and Prison System

Around 2,000 Salvadorans demonstrated this Sunday in San Salvador to demand the release of their family members “unjustly” imprisoned during President Nayib Bukele’s anti-gang war, in effect since 2022. Displaying photos and banners of the detained, the demonstration began at Cuscatlán Park in the west and ended in the capital’s center without incidents. “I ask …

Pope Francis Names Costa Rican Coffee Best in the World

Pope Francis chose Costa Rican coffee. During the traditional Wednesday audience in Vatican City, the head of the Catholic Church expressed his appreciation for the Costa Rican coffee bean when he met with a group of 47 pilgrims from the Diocese of Ciudad Quesada. “You know you have the best coffee in the world,” Pope …

Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Dominican Republic reject Maduro’s inauguration in Venezuela

Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and the Dominican Republic rejected this Saturday the inauguration ceremony of President Nicolás Maduro for a third term in Venezuela following elections they consider fraudulent. The four governments, which make up the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD), rejected “in the strongest terms the illegitimate inauguration act of January 10 in …

Wildlife Secrets Revealed From a Single Tree Branch in Costa Rica

This morning, as I sat in my sweaty little office being slow-roasted by an incorrectly vented clothes dryer, my task, as it often is, was to review a couple hundred wildlife videos and enter information from each video into a database. It’s a repetitive, seemingly tedious task that for some reason I have no problem …

Costa Rica Luxury Property Tax Guide For Property Owners

By January 15th the tax for the so called “luxury properties” will come due. This is a tax established in benefit of, or for the development of, lower income housing and social infrastructure. The product of the tax is distributed amongst a number of government institutions that oversee the assistance to lower income groups. The …

Heavy Rains in Costa Rica: Hundreds Affected by Flooding

Although the dry season in Costa Rica has already begun, the country has been experiencing heavy rains caused by cold push #8. In December and January, it is uncommon to have heavy rains. However, this was the weather pattern last month and during the first days of 2025.  The impact of this natural phenomenon left …

Costa Rica Declares Obesity a Chronic Disease

Obesity is acknowledged as a chronic disease related to public health in Costa Rica, according to the Ministry of Health. The decree signed by health authorities emphasizes that individuals with obesity will have access to comprehensive care and treatment as one of its main provisions. The text also suggests that this condition is associated with …

Hospital Metropolitano Now Accepts Medicare Advantage

Hospital Metropolitano announces that, effective immediately, all patients with Medicare Advantage can now receive emergency care at any of our locations. This makes us the only private hospital in Costa Rica to offer this option, providing expatriate seniors with the convenience of prompt medical attention, delivered with the quality and professionalism for which Hospital Metropolitano …