Category: Blog

Costa Rica’s Environmental Administrative Tribunal has issued a directive for the RIU Guanacaste hotel complex to repair mangrove and forest areas harmed during its construction in Playa Matapalo, Guanacaste. This decision wraps up a dispute that has dragged on for over 15 years, holding the developers accountable for altering sensitive coastal ecosystems. The tribunal’s ruling, …

Read more “Costa Rica Mandates Mangrove Restoration at RIU Guanacaste Hotel”

Costa Rica has recorded at least 3,058 homicides since President Rodrigo Chaves took office on May 8, 2022. Data from the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) shows our country’s security struggles, with 2023 as the deadliest year at 906 murders. As 2025 nears its end, the tally has reached 833 as of December 16, placing this …

Read more “Costa Rica Surpasses 3,000 Homicides Under President Chaves”

Swiss tennis star Stan Wawrinka has declared that 2026 will mark the end of his professional career, setting up a poignant send-off at the Australian Open where he claimed his first Grand Slam title more than a decade ago. The 40-year-old veteran, known for his powerful one-handed backhand and ability to rise against the sport’s …

Read more “Australian Open Champion Stan Wawrinka to Retire After 2026 Tour Season”

As the year winds down and the air fills with the scent of banana leaves and seasoned masa, tamales season has officially arrived in Costa Rica. For those of us here, it’s a cherished signal that the holidays have arrived. But for tourists and fresh expats, diving into this tradition often means navigating a set …

Read more “Costa Rica Tamales Season Tips Every Tourist Should Know”

Costa Rica’s Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR) has accepted a complaint and sent it to its oversight unit for review. The focus is on construction permits issued by the Osa Municipality in the Fila Costeña, a mountainous area in the southern Pacific region. The move follows claims of unchecked real estate growth in fragile …

Read more “Costa Rica Probes Osa Permits in Fila Costeña Amid Eco Concerns”

Thousands of travelers face gridlock at the Peñas Blancas border crossing between Costa Rica and Nicaragua this holiday period, with migration offices overwhelmed by the return of Nicaraguans heading home for Christmas and New Year gatherings. The surge started early this December, as workers and families based in Costa Rica began their trips north. By …

Read more “Long Lines at Costa Rica-Nicaragua Peñas Blanca Border”

Authorities arrested a 42-year-old man this week in connection with the deadly fire at Hotel Oriente that claimed five lives in early October. The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) confirmed the detention of the suspect, identified as Hernández Pérez, who faces charges of quintuple homicide and arson. OIJ agents from the Homicide Unit carried out …

Read more “OIJ Arrests Suspect in Deadly San José Hotel Oriente Fire”

Salvadoran prosecutors have secured convictions against 248 members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, resulting in prison terms that stretch into centuries for some defendants. The rulings come as part of President Nayib Bukele’s ongoing campaign against organized crime, which has drawn attention from neighboring countries, including Costa Rica, where leaders seek ways to combat …

Read more “Salvadoran Gang Sentences Spark Debate in Costa Rica Amid Security Alliance”

The National Stadium in San José transformed into a hub of holiday cheer yesterday, as thousands of children from across our country gathered for the 25th annual Fiesta Nacional de Navidad organized by the Asociación Obras del Espíritu Santo. Buses rolled in from urban neighborhoods and rural areas early in the morning, bringing boys and …

Read more “Children Fill Costa Rica’s National Stadium for Annual Christmas Fiesta”

Authorities in Costa Rica plan to recover archaeological artifacts from the site of the proposed Southern Zone International Airport in Palmar Sur de Osa. The General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) announced that the recovery effort will start in the first half of 2026, before any construction begins on the airport project. The DGAC selected …

Read more “Pre-Columbian Treasures to Be Saved Before Costa Rica’s New Airport Build”