Panama on Wednesday rejected China’s warning that it would pay a “high price” for annulling the contract that allowed a Hong Kong company to operate two ports in the Panama Canal, escalating a dispute unfolding amid the broader contest between Washington and Beijing. The Chinese government rejected a court ruling that annulled the contract held …

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Costa Rica’s president-elect, right-wing politician Laura Fernández, was sworn in on Wednesday as chief of staff to organize the transfer of power, an unprecedented move in the Central American country, President Rodrigo Chaves announced. Fernández, a 39-year-old political scientist who won Sunday’s election in the first round with 48% of the vote, will lead the …

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Far from curbing Donald Trump’s assault on the global human rights system, several Latin American governments are using the U.S. president’s policies as an excuse to commit abuses, the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned Wednesday. “With the United States undermining the global human rights system, who will stand up in its defense?” HRW Executive …

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In a landmark development for gender representation, women have claimed 30 of the 57 seats in Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly after the February 1 elections. This amounts to 52.6 percent of the total, making it the first time in the nation’s history that female lawmakers outnumber their male counterparts. The results, released by the Supreme …

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The Organization of American States (OAS) has given Costa Rica high marks for its national elections on February 1, calling the process transparent and well-managed. Still, the group’s observers point to ongoing problems with how campaigns get funded and how opinion polls shape the race. In its preliminary report released Tuesday, the OAS Electoral Observation …

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International visitors filled Costa Rica’s airports in early 2026, signaling a solid launch to the winter season. Both San Jose and Liberia Airports reported high traffic from North America and Europe. Tourism officials noted this uptick follows a year of modest growth, with arrivals up just 1% in 2025 compared to sharper increases in neighboring …

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Judges on the Court of Appeals in San José have confirmed the extradition of two Costa Rican citizens to the United States to face charges tied to international cocaine trafficking. The decision, handed down, marks a key test of our country’s recent legal changes that permit nationals to stand trial abroad for such offenses. Celso …

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Laura Fernández secured the presidency of Costa Rica on February 1, 2026, with 48.3 percent of the vote. She cleared the 40 percent mark needed to claim victory in the first round, avoiding a runoff. As the candidate from the Sovereign People’s Party, she follows Rodrigo Chaves, who leaves office in May. At 39, Fernández …

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A comprehensive review conducted by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies on Children and Adolescents (INEINA) at the National University of Costa Rica (UNA), based on more than 100 academic and policy documents, confirms that social programs related to housing, nutrition, and cash transfers generate tangible and lasting benefits for the productivity, health, and well-being of …

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Two cold fronts will mark the beginning of February in Costa Rica, maintaining windy conditions, rainfall, and low temperatures. At the same time, the National Meteorological Institute (IMN) forecasts a month with above-average rainfall in some regions of the country. Costa Rica is currently under the influence of cold front No. 13, which arrived on …

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