Costa Rican Mother Demands Action Over Son’s Detention in Nicaragua

Rosa Ruiz faces each day with growing desperation as her son, Yerri Gustavo Estrada Ruiz, remains detained in Nicaragua without clear access or updates. The 30-year-old doctor, who holds dual Costa Rican and Nicaraguan citizenship, was arrested in August at the Japan-Nicaragua Friendship Hospital in Managua where he worked. Authorities linked the arrest to his …

Panama Denies US Military Exercises Target Venezuela Amid Tensions

Panama’s president says that ongoing US military exercises within the country carry no hostile intent toward Venezuela. The declaration comes amid rising regional tensions and speculation over American troop movements in Central America. Officials in Panama City clarified that the training involves around 50 US Marines operating in the Caribbean region’s dense jungle areas. The …

Uber Drivers in Costa Rica Join Union for Labor Rights and Benefits

A growing number of Uber drivers here have affiliated with the Union of Public and Private Employees (SIFUP) to press a collective claim against the company for unpaid labor benefits. The move targets recognition of vacation pay and Christmas bonuses, with individual claims reaching up to ₡6 million (about $11,400) in some cases. Labor lawyer …

China Sends Hospital Ship to Nicaragua as US-Venezuela Standoff Intensifies

A Chinese naval hospital ship has made its first stop in Nicaragua, marking a key moment in Beijing’s outreach to Central America. The CNS Silk Road Ark arrived at the Port of Corinto this week as part of a long-term mission to deliver medical aid across the region. Nicaraguan officials welcomed the vessel with a …

Costa Rica Jaguar Documentary Explores Olive Ridley Arribada in Santa Rosa Park

PBS’s latest NATURE episode, Jaguar Beach, brings viewers to Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, where jaguars and olive ridley sea turtles interact in ways that challenge simple views of predator and prey. Filmed in Santa Rosa National Park in Guanacaste, the documentary reveals how these big cats hunt turtles during mass nesting events but also help …

Costa Rica Aims for First Place vs Haiti in World Cup Qualifying Showdown

Costa Rica’s quest for a place at the 2026 World Cup heats up on Thursday, when they face Haiti. La Sele currently sits in second place, which would see them qualify for the inter-confederation play-offs, but with a home game against table-topping Honduras after this, they have their sights firmly set on snatching top place …

Panama Warns Costa Rica of Whooping Cough Outbreak in Border Region

Panama has alerted Costa Rican health officials to a pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak in the Ngäbe Buglé comarca, sparking concerns over potential spread across the shared border. The Panamanian Ministry of Health reported 16 confirmed cases along with one death linked to the disease. Officials point to seasonal worker migration as a key risk factor, …

HRW Says Venezuelan Migrants Tortured at CECOT Prison in El Salvador

Guards at El Salvador’s Center for Terrorism Confinement, known as CECOT, beat Venezuelan detainees with batons and fists almost every day. They denied them medical care, fed them sparse meals, and held them in filthy cells without light or fresh air. Detainees called the place “hell,” and a new report from Human Rights Watch backs …

U.S. Aircraft Carrier Joins Anti-Drug Operations in Latin America

The world’s largest aircraft carrier joined on Tuesday the U.S. operation against drug trafficking from Latin America, which Venezuela insists is aimed at toppling President Nicolás Maduro. The arrival of the USS Gerald Ford in the region coincided with a new Venezuelan military deployment in response to “imperial threats” and with Russia’s condemnation of the …