Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake Rattles Costa Rica’s Central Valley

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook Costa Rica late Monday night, rattling homes and buildings across the Central Valley and parts of the Pacific region. No major damage or injuries had been reported by early Tuesday morning. The tremor occurred at 9:49 p.m. last night, according to the Red Sismológica Nacional (OVISCORI), which placed the epicenter …

Drug Trafficking Threatens Costa Rica’s Protected Areas in Puerto Jiménez

Drug trafficking is taking a growing toll on ecosystems in Costa Rica’s southern Pacific region, where environmental authorities warn that criminal groups are moving into protected areas around Puerto Jiménez. The Environmental Prosecutor’s Office says organized groups are following a systematic pattern of occupation in mangroves, forests and protected wilderness areas. The activity has been …

Costa Rica’s River Pollution Threatens Beaches and Wildlife

Costa Rica is known for waterfalls, cloud forests, wildlife, beaches and the kind of green reputation that draws travelers from around the world. But the country’s river systems tell a more complicated story. Some of the same waterways that flow from the mountains toward the Pacific and Caribbean carry the weight of decades of urban …

San José Moves Forward With Upgrades to Parque Central and Key Plazas

San José will move ahead this year with upgrades to Parque Central, Plaza de las Garantías Sociales and Plaza González Víquez as part of a larger push to recover public spaces in the capital. The projects are at different stages of planning and contracting, with Parque Central already moving through the public procurement system. Mayor …

Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo Reaches Madrid Masters Last 16

Francisco Cerúndolo kept Argentina’s strong Madrid Open run alive Monday, defeating Italy’s Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-3 to reach the last 16 of the ATP Masters 1000 event. The 27-year-old Argentine, ranked No. 20 in the world and currently the top Latin American player in the ATP rankings, produced a controlled performance on the clay at …

Indie Drama “Hope/Esperanza” Filming in Costa Rica Through End of May

Cameras are rolling across Costa Rica on Hope/Esperanza, an indie romantic drama from Oscar-winning producer Mark Johnson, with principal photography set to continue at locations throughout the country until the end of May. The production began shooting on April 13 and will run for five weeks, employing more than 200 Costa Rican cast and crew …

Strong Colón and Higher Port Fees Squeeze Costa Rica’s Exporters

Costa Rican exporters are absorbing hits from three directions at once: rising port fees on the Caribbean coast, a colón that has strengthened to historic levels, and a 10% U.S. tariff that has complicated access to the country’s most important export market. Each pressure alone would be manageable. Together, they are testing the viability of …

Who Gets Costa Rica’s World Cup Tickets and Press Passes? A Question Worth Asking

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Canada, Mexico and the United States on June 11, Costa Rica will be watching from the sidelines for the first time in more than a decade. La Sele’s failure to qualify — sealed by a scoreless draw with Honduras in November — left millions of Ticos …

Costa Rican Town Gears Up for Its National Strawberry Fair

Vara Blanca will once again put strawberries at the center of local life as the Heredia mountain community prepares to host the 14th edition of the National Strawberry Fair from April 30 to May 3, 2026. The four-day event will bring together local growers, food vendors, artisans, cultural performances, and family activities in one of …