Category: Blog

Costa Rica’s geographic position and economic openness make it a target for money laundering, primarily driven by drug trafficking, according to the 2025 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) from the U.S. Department of State. Though not a major financial hub, organized crime exploits various sectors to clean illicit funds, posing ongoing challenges for our …

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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $1.5 billion Flexible Credit Line (FCL) for Costa Rica, providing a two-year financial safety net. This precautionary loan, equivalent to 300% of Costa Rica’s IMF quota, bolsters the Central Bank of Costa Rica’s (BCCR) ability to manage potential economic shocks. The IMF commended Costa Rica’s strong policy framework, …

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Costa Rica’s Poás Volcano has been putting on a fiery show, with its crater glowing red from burning sulfur and molten rocks. Scientists from the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI-UNA) and the University of Costa Rica (UCR) have been tracking this incandescence—visible light from rocks heated above 500°C—since late April. Recent reports …

Read more “Costa Rica Volcano Update: Poás Glows Red, Alerts Shift”

Six Central American national teams, including Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras, will seek to strengthen their chances of reaching the 2026 North American World Cup this week as the second round of the CONCACAF qualifiers resumes. With the tournament expanded to 48 teams, three direct spots and two playoff positions are up for grabs in …

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Pavones, a small surfing paradise in Golfito, Costa Rica, faces a growing battle to protect its iconic wave, local community, and fragile ecosystem. Known for its 800-meter left break—one of the longest in the world—Pavones draws surfers and nature lovers to its grey-sand beaches and dense jungles. But recent actions by the Golfito Municipality have …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Pavones Resists Demolitions to Protect Its Legacy”

Costa Rica, celebrated for its rainforests and beaches, is facing sharp criticism for its treatment of migrants. The Jesuit Migrant Service of Costa Rica (SJM-CR), supported by the Spanish Jesuit organization ALBOAN, has called out the country’s harsh policies, describing it as “a paradise for tourists but a hell for migrants.” The focus is on …

Read more “Costa Rica’s Migrant Crisis: A Paradise for Tourists, a Hell for Detained Deportees”

The laughter of children running through the alleys of Gardí Sugdub is no longer heard. Everything changed a year ago when nearly all of the island’s Indigenous inhabitants fled this tiny Panamanian Caribbean island that is slowly being swallowed by the sea.The calm now contrasts sharply with the bustle of last June, when around 1,200 …

Read more “Panama’s Gardí Sugdub Becomes a Climate Migration Case as Sea Levels Rise”

Learning a new language later in life requires patience, perseverance, and the understanding that, no matter how fluent you become, you’ll probably never reach the level you have with your native tongue. I learned Spanish in my 30s and have worked several jobs that required as much—or more—Spanish than English. I speak Spanish with my …

Read more “Learning Spanish in Costa Rica: Lessons Beyond the Textbook”

Panama will break ground in January 2026 on a railway linking Panama City to Paso Canoas on the Costa Rica border. This 475-kilometer, $4.1-$5 billion project aims to transform travel and trade in Central America by connecting economies and slashing transit times. Here’s the latest on this ambitious plan. A Faster Way to Connect The …

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El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele declared Sunday that he “doesn’t care” if people call him a dictator, amid mounting criticism over recent arrests of human rights activists and actions against NGOs. In a nationally televised speech from the National Theater marking the first year of his second term, Bukele defended his government’s hardline policies, his …

Read more “El Salvador’s Bukele Says He Doesn’t Care If He’s Called a Dictator”