Author: allthingspanama.net

The US Treasury Department moved against a Costa Rican drug trafficking ring today sanctioning four individuals and two entities tied to cocaine smuggling and money laundering. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted former security vice minister Celso Gamboa Sánchez, along with Edwin López Vega (known as Pecho de Rata), Alejandro Arias Monge (Diablo), …

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Tourism leaders in Costa Rica are warning that rising crime and international criticism could damage the country’s reputation as one of Latin America’s safest travel destinations, deepening an already growing crisis for the industry. The National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) said visitor numbers have dropped significantly, leaving many businesses on the brink of collapse. Hoteliers …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Tourism Sector Alarmed Over Rising Violence and U.S. Criticism”

In a significant escalation of efforts to counter organized crime and drug trafficking networks, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has deployed more than 4,500 Marines and Navy personnel as part of a maritime-focused operation across the Caribbean Sea and Latin American waters. The deployment, which started on the 15th, aims to disrupt illicit activities that …

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Air Canada has backtracked on plans to restart flights after its flight attendants chose to continue striking, leaving travelers — including those heading to Costa Rica — facing more cancellations and uncertainty. The airline had announced Sunday morning that operations would gradually resume, including routes to San José and Liberia. But by afternoon, the company …

Read more “Air Canada Strike Extends Flight Cancellations to Costa Rica”

Drivers heading between San José and Limón can use Route 32 again. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) reopened the road this Sunday morning, after confirming no fresh landslides hit the troubled spots. MOPT teams inspected kilometers 28 and 31 early today and found no new debris had fallen. That cleared the way …

Read more “Route 32 Reopens After Landslide Cleanup, Preventive Closures Still Possible”

Air Canada is back in the air today after a quick intervention by the Canadian government halted a strike by its flight attendants. While the airline plans to restart operations this evening, travelers headed to Costa Rica could still face delays or cancellations over the coming days as normal schedules resume. The disruption began Saturday …

Read more “Air Canada Resumes Flights to Costa Rica After Strike Ends”

Guns N Roses heads back to Costa Rica for a concert at Estadio Nacional on October 1. The show starts their fall Latin American tour after dates in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East earlier this year. Fans get a chance to see the band live for the first time since their last visit here …

Read more “Guns N Roses Returns to Costa Rica for Latin American Tour Kickoff”

Costa Rica’s Constitutional Chamber has struck down a resolution that increased visitor quotas at Corcovado National Park, ruling that the measure lacked scientific justification and violated environmental safeguards. In its August 8 ruling, the court ordered Paula Mena, director of the Osa Conservation Area (Acosa) of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), to revoke …

Read more “Costa Rica Court Blocks Visitor Hike at Corcovado Park”

The U.S. Department of State published the 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, highlighting there “were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Costa Rica during the year,” and no credible reports of significant human rights abuses. However, the document did point out certain findings that sounded the alarms, particularly regarding freedom …

Read more “Costa Rica Faces Criticism Over Press and Labor Rights”

El Salvador’s Congress, controlled by President Nayib Bukele, voted Friday to extend the detention of tens of thousands of alleged gang members until at least 2027, giving prosecutors time to prepare charges for around 600 planned mass trials. The measure is part of a reform to the Organized Crime Law, passed just ten days before …

Read more “El Salvador extends mass gang detentions until 2027”