Author: allthingspanama.net

Costa Rica’s reputation as an environmental leader is under scrutiny. A formal complaint filed by environmental lawyer Marco Levy has called for a criminal investigation into Minister of Environment and Energy Franz Tattenbach. The accusations? Prevarication, corruption, and favoritism that could harm the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge, a protected Ramsar site in Talamanca, Limón. This …

Read more “Costa Rica Minister Faces Accusations Over Gandoca-Manzanillo Development”

I recently wrote about my fear that three decades after learning Spanish, I was now slowly losing my fluency, forgetting words I had once known, and mispronouncing others. This should come as no surprise. According to the experts on gray matter, my cognitive abilities peaked around the turn of this century. It has been a …

Read more “From Bookie to “Pura Vida”: A True Costa Rica Expat Story”

While other CONCACAF teams have their sights set on the 2026 World Cup, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Canada are raising the stakes by targeting a Gold Cup title. The tournament will take place in the U.S. and Canada from June 14 to July 6. A year before the North American World Cup, high-profile teams from …

Read more “Gold Cup 2025: Costa Rica, Mexico and Canada Aim for Glory”

Costa Rica’s fight against drug trafficking hit a snag, and it’s raising eyebrows. Seven months ago, the United States donated two high-tech scanners to help detect drugs at the ports of Caldera in Puntarenas and Moín in Limón. These machines were supposed to be game-changers, catching illegal shipments and tightening security. But today, they’re still …

Read more “Costa Rica’s US-Donated Drug Scanners Sit Unused for Seven Months”

Costa Rica’s Tortuga Island is making waves in marine conservation. On World Oceans Day the National Learning Institute (INA), State Distance University (UNED), and Bay Island Cruises announced a major milestone: the planting of 2,000 corals as part of an ongoing effort to restore the island’s degraded reefs. This project is a big step toward …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Tortuga Island Hits Coral Milestone in Marine Restoration Push”

Costa Rica is bracing for a challenging economic landscape through 2025 and into 2026, marked by slower growth, exchange rate pressures, and mounting uncertainties, according to economic analysts. While our country is not teetering on the edge of a recession, key sectors are losing steam, signaling a broader slowdown that could impact livelihoods and stability. …

Read more “Costa Rica Faces Slower Growth and Rising Exchange Rate Pressures”

Costa Rica’s high-profile role in the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, has triggered fierce criticism from lawmakers and environmentalists, who accuse President Rodrigo Chaves’ administration of hypocrisy. The June event, co-hosted by Costa Rica and France, aimed to advance global ocean conservation, but critics argue the government is using the platform …

Read more “Costa Rica’s UN Ocean Conference Role Slammed as Hypocritical”

Workers at U.S.-based banana company Chiquita Brands in Panama ended their protests and road blockades on Wednesday after reaching an agreement over pension reforms. The workers had gone on strike on April 28, blocking roads in the Caribbean province of Bocas del Toro, which borders Costa Rica, in response to a pension reform that removed …

Read more “Banana Workers’ Strike Ends in Panama After Pension Agreement”

Porter Airlines is gearing up to connect Canada with Costa Rica, following approval from the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to operate direct international flights. The decision also greenlights service to Jamaica and the United Kingdom, marking a big step in the airline’s expansion plans. This move ends Porter’s reliance on codeshare agreements for these routes, …

Read more “Canada’s Porter Airlines to Launch Direct Costa Rica Flights”

Costa Rican authorities struck a major blow against international drug trafficking dismantling a criminal network that smuggled over five tons of cocaine to Europe. The Drug Control Police (PCD) led the operation, named “Purge” internationally and the “Embassy Case” domestically, resulting in 12 arrests in Costa Rica and 25 more across Spain, Germany, Portugal, and …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Massive Drug Raid Targets Cocaine Network to Europe”