Author: allthingspanama.net

If the United States withdraws certification from Colombia as an ally in the fight against drugs, “the drug traffickers win and the nations lose,” warned Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez in an interview. Before September 15, Donald Trump’s government must decide whether to continue providing the multimillion-dollar support it gives to Colombia’s military forces to …

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Thousands gathered on Sunday at the Vatican to celebrate the canonization of the first saint from the millennial generation, Italian Carlo Acutis, a teenager known as the “influencer of God,” who died at just 15 years old. During the solemn mass, which began at 10:00 a.m. (08:00 GMT) in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV …

Read more “Carlo Acutis Becomes First Millennial Saint at Vatican Ceremony Led by Pope Leo XIV”

Panama’s seasonal upwelling in the Gulf failed to appear this year, marking the first such event in at least 40 years. Scientists point to reduced trade winds as the main cause, with ties to broader climate shifts that could harm local fisheries and coral reefs. Each year from January to April, strong northerly winds push …

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A new modern visitor center has opened at Tenorio Volcano National Park, enhancing the experience for tourists eager to explore the famed Río Celeste waterfall, the turquoise waters of Los Teñideros, and the rich biodiversity of the area. The facility, unique among Costa Rica’s conservation areas, includes a 626-square-meter building with reception areas, ticket offices, …

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After over three decades here, experiencing a new “first” is a rarity. But yesterday afternoon, while idling at a stoplight, a young man approached my car and, without me asking or even nodding in approval, wiped my windshield clean with a squeegee. This experience, while common when driving the streets of DC or Baltimore, was …

Read more “Life at Costa Rica’s Stoplights: Street Vendors, Jugglers, and Survivors”

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz voiced sharp concerns about China’s growing hold in Central America at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday. He focused on Costa Rica’s deep ties with Beijing and pressed nominees on ways to push back against that pressure. Cruz, fresh from a late August trip to El Salvador, Panama, and …

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Costa Rica’s national team traveled to Managua expecting a strong start in the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers but left with just a point after a 1-1 draw against Nicaragua last night. La Sele took the lead early yet failed to capitalize on their advantage when the hosts went down to ten players, allowing Nicaragua to …

Read more “Costa Rica Held to 1-1 Draw by Nicaragua in Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers”

San Jose plans to start building a new security monitoring center next month with $4 million in funding from the United States. The project, delayed by nearly a year, aims to improve public safety as crime rates climb in our capital. Mayor Diego Miranda announced that work on the center begins in October after setbacks …

Read more “Costa Rica’s San José to Build Advanced $4 Million Security Hub”

The death of two imprisoned opposition figures in Nicaragua has raised alarms among exiles and human rights defenders, who attribute this new “repressive era” to an early transition of power from an ailing Daniel Ortega to his wife Rosario Murillo. Ortega, who turns 80 on November 11, has been handing over more responsibilities to Murillo, …

Read more “Murillo’s Grip on Nicaragua Tightens After Opposition Deaths”

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 …

Read more “Costa Rica Coffee Growers Struggle with Exchange Rate Policy Effects”