Route 32 Reopens Following Preventive Closure Over Landslide Risk

Route 32, which connects San José with Limón, was reopened this morning after being closed for nearly 12 hours as a preventive measure due to heavy rains that saturated the soil in the Zurquí sector. The Traffic Police lifted the barriers shortly after 6:00 a.m. at the toll booth, after officials from the Ministry of …

Panama Canal Warns of Traffic Decline as Economic Uncertainty Grows

The Panama Canal will take in about $400 million less in the next fiscal year due to a drop in ship traffic caused by global economic “uncertainty,” the canal authority warned Tuesday. For the upcoming fiscal year beginning October 1, the canal is expected to generate $5.207 billion from ship transits and other services, announced …

End of Air Canada Strike Brings Relief for Costa Rica-Bound Passengers

Air Canada flight attendants ended their strike Tuesday after reaching a tentative agreement with the airline, paving the way for flights to resume gradually. The move comes after a chaotic few days that left thousands stranded, including many bound for Costa Rica, where routes to San José and Liberia faced repeated cancellations. The labor action …

El Salvador Schools Enforce Military-Style Uniform Inspections

El Salvador’s public schools will start enforcing daily inspections for students’ uniforms and haircuts from August 20, as ordered by the new education minister, Karla Trigueros. The military captain, appointed last week by President Nayib Bukele, aims to boost discipline in the nation’s over 5,100 public schools. Trigueros, a 35-year-old doctor and army officer from …

Panama Union Files Lawsuits Against Chiquita Over Mass Layoffs

Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino, will meet in Brazil with U.S. banana company Chiquita Brands in search of an agreement for the company to resume operations in the country, after shutting down and laying off its entire workforce due to a strike, a minister reported on Monday. Chiquita, which employed more than 6,000 people in …

The Most Clueless Gringo in Costa Rica: A Satirical Take on Expat Life

If part of your online day includes mindless scrolling through reels, you’ve probably seen the Dos Equis beer parody commercials. The original ads featured the supposed “Most Interesting Man in the World” doing all kinds of larger-than-life activities while a voiceover delivered lines like: His only regret is not knowing what regret feels like. Each …

US Cracks Down on Costa Rica’s Narco Network with New Sanctions

The US Treasury Department moved against a Costa Rican drug trafficking ring today sanctioning four individuals and two entities tied to cocaine smuggling and money laundering. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted former security vice minister Celso Gamboa Sánchez, along with Edwin López Vega (known as Pecho de Rata), Alejandro Arias Monge (Diablo), …

Costa Rica’s Tourism Sector Alarmed Over Rising Violence and U.S. Criticism

Tourism leaders in Costa Rica are warning that rising crime and international criticism could damage the country’s reputation as one of Latin America’s safest travel destinations, deepening an already growing crisis for the industry. The National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) said visitor numbers have dropped significantly, leaving many businesses on the brink of collapse. Hoteliers …

4,500 US Marines Launch Anti-Drug Operation in Latin America Waters

In a significant escalation of efforts to counter organized crime and drug trafficking networks, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has deployed more than 4,500 Marines and Navy personnel as part of a maritime-focused operation across the Caribbean Sea and Latin American waters. The deployment, which started on the 15th, aims to disrupt illicit activities that …