Panamanian authorities arrested Francisco Smith, leader of the banana workers’ union SITRAIBANA, accusing him of orchestrating road blockades during a six-week strike against Chiquita Brands. The arrest, just days after a deal ended the labor dispute, has sparked outrage among workers and heightened tensions in Bocas del Toro, near the Costa Rica border. Smith faces …

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‘Tariffs’ is one of the buzzwords of 2025. Defined as taxes imposed by one country on goods imported from another country, tariffs are essentially trade barriers that raise prices and reduce available quantities of goods and services for businesses and consumers. They are also meant to create an economic burden on foreign exporters. This in …

Read more “The Hidden Costs of Living in Costa Rica: Tariffs, Monopolies, and More”

Police and protesters clashed in Panama on Saturday during an operation to clear a highway near the Costa Rican border, where teachers and Indigenous groups are protesting against a pension reform. President José Raúl Mulino’s government, which in previous weeks dealt with road closures led by banana workers, launched Operation “Omega” with the goal of …

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President Rodrigo Chaves has sparked controversy with his recent comments on oil exploration and the Escazú Agreement, defending his positions in an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI). While reaffirming Costa Rica’s commitment to environmental goals, including the High Seas Treaty, Chaves’ openness to studying hydrocarbon reserves and his rejection of the Escazú Agreement have …

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Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Nicaragua’s first female president and a key figure in ending her country’s civil war, passed away peacefully this morning in San José, Costa Rica, at the age of 95. Her family announced her death in a statement shared by her son, Carlos Fernando Chamorro, noting that she was surrounded by loved …

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On Thursday, the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) made headlines by seizing 56 weapons in La Guácima de Alajuela, marking the largest arms seizure in Costa Rica’s history. The haul, which included 37 assault rifles and 19 pistols, was found in a house alongside a significant amount of drugs, pointing to the growing reach of organized …

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Nicaragua announced that it is withdrawing from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), accusing the agency of making “biased” statements about Nicaraguans fleeing to other countries. The decision, outlined in a letter from Foreign Minister Valdrack Jaentschke to UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi, marks another step in the country’s retreat from international organizations. The …

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Ojochal, a small town in between the Pacific Ocean and the Fila Costeña in Costa Rica’s Osa, isn’t the sleepy agricultural community it once was. Over the past few decades, it has morphed into a high-end tourist destination, largely owned by foreign investors. A recent study by Oscar Leiva, spanning 1990 to 2024, lays out …

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Migration and drug trafficking dominated a meeting on Friday between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, according to the president. Landau concluded his regional tour in Guatemala, which also included visits to Mexico and El Salvador, where he met with Presidents Claudia Sheinbaum and Nayib Bukele, respectively. “The working …

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Costa Rican authorities are still investigating the tragic death of Miller Gardner, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, nearly three months after the incident at a resort in Manuel Antonio, Quepos. The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) and the Quepos and Parrita Prosecutor’s Office are examining whether Miller’s death on March …

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