Costa Rica’s Security Crisis Threatens Tourism in Key Destinations

A report prepared by the Legislative Assembly, cited by local media outlet El Observador last week, concluded that rising insecurity in Costa Rica is undermining tourism activity, a critical economic sector contributing 8.2% to GDP. If Costa Rican authorities do not take immediate action, the impact could worsen, compromising tourist arrivals and the country’s global …

Nicaragua to Leave UNESCO After Press Freedom Prize Awarded to La Prensa

Nicaragua announced Sunday its withdrawal from UNESCO, calling it “unacceptable” that the organization awarded the Press Freedom Prize to La Prensa, a staunch critic of the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, whose journalists now work from exile. The announcement of Nicaragua’s withdrawal from UNESCO, which will become effective on December 31, 2026, comes …

Costa Rica’s High Costs Push U.S. Tourists to Cheaper Destinations

Costa Rica, known as one of the best places for a relaxing vacation is losing middle-class U.S. tourists as costs climb. Higher prices for lodging, food, and transportation, driven by a stronger local currency and inflation, have shifted the country toward an exclusive, high-end market, raising alarms in the tourism sector. A Yahoo Finance report, …

Keylor Navas Set to Rejoin Costa Rican National Team for 2025 Gold Cup

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas, a Costa Rican football icon, is poised to return to La Sele for the 2025 Gold Cup, nearly a year after announcing his retirement from international duty in May 2024. The 38-year-old, currently starring for Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina, reached an agreement with head coach Miguel “Piojo” Herrera following a pivotal …

UNESCO Awards Nicaragua’s La Prensa for Courageous Journalism in Exile

The UN culture agency awarded its annual press award to Nicaragua’s oldest newspaper, whose staff have been forced to publish from abroad as President Daniel Ortega tightens his grip on power. La Prensa, a title almost 100 years old, has been publishing online since Nicaraguan police in 2021 stormed its premises and arrested its manager …

Costa Rica’s Rising Violence Challenges Chaves’ Security Claims

Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves, in his third annual report to be presented to the Legislative Assembly tomorrow, defended his administration’s security strategy, describing it as “titanic” and asserting that “Costa Rica is recovering peace.” The report structured around nine priority areas—poverty reduction, employment, fiscal stability, health, education, security, infrastructure, foreign relations, and state reform—paints …

Ex-Soldier Captured in Panama for Decades-Old Killing

Panamanian police on Friday arrested a former soldier who had been a fugitive since 1994 for the murder of a Colombian priest in the 1970s, during the regime of nationalist leader Omar Torrijos, according to the authorities and local media. The arrest took place in the province of Chiriquí, in the southwest of the country …

Costa Rica’s Press Freedom Decline in 2025: What’s Happening?

Costa Rica has long been a beacon of democracy in Latin America, with a proud history of protecting press freedom. But the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) paints a worrying picture: our country has slipped 10 spots, from 26th to 36th place globally. This marks the fourth year in a …

MegaCon 2025 Brings Global Pop Culture to Costa Rica

MegaCon 2025, Costa Rica’s largest pop culture convention, kicked off yesterday, at the Costa Rica Convention Center. Running through Sunday the event is expected to attract thousands of fans for a weekend celebrating film, cosplay, anime, video games, and more, with a lineup of international stars, local talent, and eco-friendly initiatives. Event Overview MegaCon 2025 …

Tourism and Sport Fishing Ignored in Costa Rica’s Blue Economy Roadmap

Last Friday, April 25, the official presentation of the 2025–2030 National Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Plan took much of Costa Rica’s coastal fishing sector by surprise. Developed by the Costa Rican Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture (INCOPESCA) in conjunction with the Executive Secretariat for Agricultural Sector Planning (SEPSA), the document outlines an ambitious roadmap toward …