Category: Blog

Costa Rica’s growing insecurity, declining education system, and persistent infrastructure deficiencies are severely weakening the country’s competitiveness as a destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), according to experts from the Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED). Professor Velia Govaere Vicarioli and Karen Jiménez Morales, head of UNED’s Police Sciences Department, issued the warning, pointing to a …

Read more “Costa Rica Faces Investment Setback Amid Rising Crime and Infrastructure Failures”

IHOP and Applebee’s are bringing their breakfast and casual dining menus together in a new dual-branded restaurant at Plaza Tempo in Escazú. The chains, both owned by Dine Brands Global, announced the upcoming opening on social media, generating buzz among Costa Ricans wanting to have the combo of pancakes and burgers under one roof. While …

Read more “Costa Rica’s First IHOP-Applebee’s Opens in Plaza Tempo”

Canadian airline WestJet is adding new routes for the 2025–26 winter season, including expanded service to Costa Rica. Beginning in December 2025, the airline will offer more direct flights to Liberia, Guanacaste as part of its broader push to grow its winter schedule. For us here in Costa Rica, the standout addition is the first-ever …

Read more “More Canadians Headed to Costa Rica as WestJet Expands Liberia Routes”

Costa Rica’s tourism board is making it easier for locals to explore the country during the mid-year school vacation. The Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) has launched a series of free digital travel guides through its “Vamos a Turistear” campaign. The collection includes 12 regional guides and 13 mini-guides, all available for free download online. …

Read more “Costa Rica Launches Free Digital Guides to Boost Local Tourism”

Costa Rican scientists have created a patented medical device that allows for the lab-grown development of muscle and bone tissue—offering a new alternative for treating serious injuries without the need for traditional grafts from other parts of the patient’s body. The technology was developed by researchers at the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (TEC) and …

Read more “Costa Rica Scientists Develop Lab Device to Grow Muscle and Bone Tissue”

The Madre de Dios lagoon in Batán de Matina, Limón, has once again been contaminated by pesticides, causing the death of thousands of fish. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident, and fishermen have repeatedly denounced pesticide contamination in the area. The environmental damage worries the local community, which relies heavily in eco-tourism and fishing. …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Lagoon Suffers New Pesticide Spill”

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit Costa Rica’s Pacific coast today near Playón Sur in Parrita, Puntarenas, at 1:59 p.m. local time. The quake, centered at a depth of 31 km, caused no reported injuries or damage to buildings. Residents felt the tremor across Parrita, Pérez Zeledón, Puntarenas, Santa Ana, Montes de Oca, and San José. …

Read more “5.2 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast”

Mexico defeated the United States 2-1 on Sunday in Houston, Texas, successfully defending its CONCACAF Gold Cup title in a boost of confidence ahead of co-hosting the 2026 World Cup. The U.S. team, coached by Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, struck first with a goal from Chris Richards in the 4th minute before Mexico began its comeback …

Read more “Mexico Defeats USA 2-1 to Win 2025 Gold Cup”

The humanitarian organization Cristosal denounced on Saturday that Salvadoran lawyer Ruth López, head of its anti-corruption unit and considered a “prisoner of conscience” by Amnesty International, was arbitrarily transferred to a harsher prison despite having health conditions. The 47-year-old activist was arrested on May 18, accused by the Attorney General’s Office of illicit enrichment in …

Read more “El Salvador Anti-Corruption Lawyer Ruth López Transferred to Harsh Prison”

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) resumes negotiations Monday in search of rules to regulate deep-sea mining, amid controversy over Donald Trump’s decision to unilaterally authorize this controversial industry. The ISA, created by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), has spent more than a decade negotiating a “mining code”—a package of …

Read more “Calls Grow for Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium as ISA Talks Restart”