A new bill in Costa Rica aims to give fathers in the private sector a full month of paid paternity leave, matching the benefit public sector workers already enjoy. Right now, private sector dads get just eight days—two days a week for four weeks—to bond with their newborns. Public sector fathers, on the other hand, …
Read more “Costa Rica Aims to Close Paternity Leave Gap with Bold New Proposal”
Costa Rica’s Northern Huetar Region, a sprawling area of 9,790 square kilometers, is home to over 437,000 people across districts like San Carlos, Upala, Los Chiles, Guatuso, Sarapiquí, and parts of San Ramón and Grecia. Famous for its vast landscapes and well-visited vacation spots like La Fortuna, Arenal Lagoon, and Caño Negro wetlands, the region …
Read more “Why Costa Rica’s Northern Huetar Region Struggles Despite Its Riches”
Panamanian authorities suspended internet and mobile phone services on Saturday in the Caribbean province of Bocas del Toro, following President José Raúl Mulino’s declaration of a state of emergency after nearly two months of protests against his government, according to official sources. On Friday, Mulino suspended the rights to assembly and free movement in the …
Read more “Internet Cut in Panama Near Costa Rica Border Amid Bocas del Toro Unrest”
Costa Rica’s recent drug busts, with tons of cocaine and marijuana seized across the country, shine a harsh light on its deepening role in global drug trafficking. What was once a quiet transit point has morphed into a key warehouse for international cartels, fueled by the country’s geography and strained police resources. The Judicial Investigation …
Read more “OIJ Warns: Costa Rica Now a Key Warehouse for Drug Lords”
The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica announced a new rule for anyone applying for F, M, or J nonimmigrant visas, which cover academic students, vocational students, and exchange program participants like professors, researchers, and au pairs. Starting immediately, applicants must set all their social media profiles to “public” to allow U.S. authorities to review their …
Read more “U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica Mandates Public Social Media for Student Visas”
More than 70 exiled Nicaraguans demanded international protection on Friday following the shooting death in Costa Rica of retired army officer Roberto Samcam, a prominent critic of the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo government. Major Roberto Samcam, 66, was gunned down Thursday morning at his home in a suburb of San José by unidentified assailants. …
Read more “Nicaraguan Exiles Demand Protection After Costa Rica Assassination”
San José is lighting up for the 13th Costa Rica International Film Festival (CRFIC), running June 19–29, 2025, with filmmaker Patricia Velásquez Guzmán taking the reins for the first time. A festival veteran who’s been involved since its early days in the 2010s, Guzmán is shaking things up while keeping the focus on bold, independent …
Read more “Costa Rica’s Film Festival Kicks Off with a New Vision”
Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino announced Thursday that he will take “constitutional measures” to stop the wave of protests and road blockades affecting the Caribbean province of Bocas del Toro for more than a month. The measures—unspecified for now—will be announced after a Cabinet meeting on Friday at 2:00 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT), according …
Read more “Panama Vows Constitutional Action Amid Worsening Bocas del Toro Unrest”
El Salvador has extradited two members of the Lev Tahor sect—an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group under investigation for alleged child sexual abuse—to Israel and Guatemala, authorities from both countries reported Thursday. Lev Tahor, which practices an extreme form of ultra-Orthodox Judaism, has been under investigation in Guatemala for months over child abuse allegations. In December 2024, …
Read more “El Salvador Extradites Lev Tahor Members to Israel, Guatemala Over Child Abuse Charges”
Costa Rica is taking a bold step to fix its overcrowded prisons with a new high-security facility. The Ministry of Justice and Peace has announced a $35 million bid for construction companies to build the Centro de Alta Contención del Crimen Organizado (CACCO), a mega-prison designed to hold 5,000 high-risk inmates. Drawing inspiration from El …
Read more “Costa Rica’s $35M Mega-Prison Bid Targets Overcrowding Crisis”