Cuban organizers announced on Saturday the postponement of the Festival del Habano, the island’s signature cigar event, as the country deals with a severe energy shortage. In a message sent to participants, Habanos S.A. said it was delaying the gathering, which had been scheduled for February 24 to 27. No new dates were provided. The …
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Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo said Sunday that the 30-day state of siege helped authorities regain control over gang activity after Barrio 18 members killed 11 police officers in January and set off prison riots. The measure, which Congress ratified, gave police and the army wider powers to respond to the violence. It ends Monday. “In …
Read more “Guatemala’s president says state of siege brought gangs under control”
The killing of Kurt Van Dyke, a 66-year-old American hotel owner, in a robbery at his home in Hone Creek near Cahuita has prompted the Costa Rica Hotel Chamber to speak out about risks to the region’s reputation for safety. Two armed men entered the apartment Van Dyke shared with his girlfriend around 10:50 a.m. …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
Read more “Near-Freezing Chill Hits Costa Rica’s Peaks, Catching Tourists Off Guard”
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 …
Read more “Hidden Flaws in Costa Rica’s Customs Overhaul Leads to Audit”
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 …
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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 …
Read more “European Accusation Ties Navalny Death to Rare Frog Toxin”