Category: Blog

A joint Costa Rica–Panama operation has dismantled a transnational criminal organization involved in human smuggling and money laundering. Authorities carried out 23 raids Wednesday across Golfito, Ciudad Neilly, and Los Chiles as part of “Operation MATSU.” The coordinated action included the Professional Migration Police, the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), the Ministry of Public Security, the …

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Magdalena Martínez has always lived on the banks of the Indio River. But her house will be submerged by a new reservoir for the Panama Canal, and like her neighbors, she plans to resist until the end. The 49-year-old woman shares a simple wooden home with a zinc roof in Boca de Uracillo with her …

Read more “Panama Canal Expansion Faces Resistance from Rural Communities”

Costa Rican authorities intercepted a fishing boat carrying 950 kilograms of cocaine off the country’s South Pacific coast near Golfito, the Ministry of Public Security announced. The National Coast Guard Service detained three Costa Rican nationals aboard the boat in a patrol targeting illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and marine resource protection. The operation, conducted with …

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Costa Rican and Colombian authorities have dismantled a transnational cybercrime ring that defrauded victims of over ₡35 million (about $67,000 USD) by creating fake banking websites to steal login credentials. Today the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ), in coordination with Colombia’s National Police and Public Prosecutor’s Office, carried out nine raids—six in Costa Rica and three …

Read more “Cybercriminals Steal $67,000 in Costa Rica Using Fake Bank Websites”

One of my hiking routes around San Isidro de El General features what I think may be the world’s steepest street. Like many streets here, it has no name. One local called it La calle muy cuesta que conecta Barrio Pocito con Barrio Sinai (The very steep street that connects Barrio Pocito with Barrio Sinai), …

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In Pavones, a quiet surfing haven in Golfito, Puntarenas, recent evictions have stirred tension between residents and the local municipality. The conflict centers on properties built within the maritime-terrestrial zone (ZMT), a 200-meter coastal strip regulated by Costa Rica’s 1977 Maritime Zoning Law. The municipality claims these buildings encroach on public land, but locals argue …

Read more “Costa Rica Pavones Evictions Maritime Zone Dispute Sparks Outrage”

United Airlines started a new daily nonstop flight from San Francisco (SFO) to San José, (SJO) on May 22, connecting the U.S. West Coast with Costa Rica. The first flight landed at 7:15 a.m., greeted with Costa Rican gifts and a traditional folk dance. Here is the rest of the schedule: Route Departure Arrival Frequency …

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One of the five capybaras rescued during an operation against illegal trafficking on Thursday died over the weekend due to mistreatment and malnutrition. The young male was unable to recover from the damage suffered during transport. “His digestive system was completely empty, with no gastrointestinal contents and the presence of gas, indicating that he had not …

Read more “Capybara Dies After Rescue from Wildlife Trafficking in Costa Rica”

Costa Rica just scored a big win for its farmers and exporters. The European Union classified the country as low-risk for deforestation under its Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR), set to take effect December 30, 2025. This means easier access to EU markets for Costa Rican coffee, cocoa, timber, and other key exports. The EUDR targets seven …

Read more “Costa Rica Celebrates EU’s Low-Risk Deforestation Classification”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s party swept the board in parliamentary and regional elections that were boycotted by the opposition in protest over his disputed re-election last year. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela won 23 out of 24 state governor positions and scored 82.68 percent of the votes cast for lists of National Assembly members, the …

Read more “Venezuela’s Maduro wins landslide in election boycotted by opposition”