Route 32 Reopens at Km 28 After Crews Clear Landslide Debris

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) reopened traffic on Route 32 at kilometer 28 after clearing rocks and earth from a landslide that blocked the road for more than 12 hours. The closure affected the main route between San José and Limón. It started late Saturday when material fell in the Zurquí sector …

Trump to Host Allied Latin American Presidents in Miami

U.S. President Donald Trump will welcome the leaders of Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Honduras in Miami next month, in the first regional summit since he took office a little more than a year ago. A White House official, speaking to AFP on Wednesday on condition of anonymity, said the meeting between the …

Families March in San Salvador to Block Mass Trials of El Salvador Detainees

Relatives of prisoners detained in El Salvador’s anti-gang campaign marched through the capital on Sunday to reject plans for mass trials. They say the proceedings will convict innocent people alongside actual gang members. More than 100 demonstrators gathered in a plaza in northern San Salvador and walked to the central cathedral. They carried signs and …

Near-Freezing Chill Hits Costa Rica’s Peaks, Catching Tourists Off Guard

Preliminary data from the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) shows temperatures dipping to 0.7 degrees Celsius at Volcán Irazú early Saturday morning, the lowest reading across the country. Other high-elevation spots followed close behind: Cerro de la Muerte hit 2 degrees Celsius, Volcán Turrialba reached 3.1 degrees, and Volcán Poás clocked in at 8.2 degrees. These …

Costa Rica Faces Coastal Crisis with Manzanillo Losing to Sea Rise

Waves pounded Manzanillo’s shoreline last week, claiming more ground from the beach. In a matter of days, the sea pushed forward several meters, exposing tree roots and putting the main road linking this village to Puerto Viejo at risk. Local residents say the water now reaches the foundations of homes and paths, a sharp sign …

Hidden Flaws in Costa Rica’s Customs Overhaul Leads to Audit

The Ministry of Hacienda has launched an internal audit into potential flaws in its new customs management system, ATENA, following complaints about reliability and costly delays. The review, now underway, examines issues raised in pilot tests and questions the value of a multimillion-dollar contract taxpayers are funding. ATENA forms one pillar of the broader Hacienda …

Costa Rica’s Route 32 Shuts Down Again After Landslide Near Zurquí

Drivers heading to Limón faced another roadblock Saturday night when a landslide closed Route 32 at kilometer 28 near the Zurquí sector in Braulio Carrillo National Park. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) halted all traffic in both directions around 8 p.m. to protect travelers from falling rocks, soil and branches. This marks …

Argentine Tennis Player Suspended for Sports Betting

Argentine tennis player Hernán Casanova, No. 397 in the ATP rankings, was suspended for two months by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for placing sports bets and for failing to report an attempted match-fixing approach. The ITIA sanction comes less than a week after the final of the Challenger 125 tournament in Rosario, Argentina, …

European Accusation Ties Navalny Death to Rare Frog Toxin

Five European governments point to a South American frog toxin in the 2024 death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The claim spotlights epibatidine a chemical from poison dart frogs that does not occur naturally in Russia. Costa Rica has species that generate related toxins in their skin a fact that draws fresh attention to …

Costa Rica Closes 150 Schools in a Decade as Enrollment Drops

The Ministry of Public Education (MEP) reports that 150 schools have shut their doors over the past 10 years, a direct result of falling student numbers tied to the country’s shrinking birth rate. Education Minister Leonardo Sánchez Hernández laid out the numbers during a recent briefing, pointing to a steady decline that has reshaped classrooms …