Costa Ricans elect a president this Sunday, with ruling-party candidate Laura Fernández the clear favorite, buoyed by promises of a tough crackdown on crime that her rivals say would push the country toward authoritarianism. About 3.7 million citizens are being called to the polls to choose a president and lawmakers for four years in a …
Read more “Costa Rica election 2026 hinges on security, prisons, and Chaves legacy”
Citizens formed long queues at the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) offices across our country in the days leading up to the national elections. People waited to collect or renew their cédulas de identidad, the required document for voting. At the central office in San José, lines stretched hundreds of meters, with some waits exceeding two …
Read more “Crowds Rush to TSE for Voter IDs Before Costa Rica’s 2026 Elections”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said football is growing “exponentially” in Nicaragua, a country he visited ahead of a Concacaf congress on Sunday and where boxing and baseball have traditionally been the dominant sports. “What’s being done in Nicaragua is truly exceptional (…) Football is the king of sports in the world, and I have to …
Read more “Infantino Says Football Is Growing Exponentially in Nicaragua”
The U.S. Department of Justice’s declassification of the Epstein files has uncovered repeated references to Costa Rica, with our country cited 324 times across emails, phone logs, and court records. These mentions, drawn from over three million pages released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, highlight visits by Epstein’s associates and discussions of real estate …
Read more “Costa Rica Mentioned Hundreds of Times in Epstein Files”
Elena Rybakina captured her first Australian Open title on Saturday, outlasting world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a tense three-set final that showcased the best of women’s tennis. The Kazakhstani player, seeded fifth, prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 18 minutes on Rod Laver Arena, securing her second major championship after her Wimbledon …
Read more “Rybakina Claims Australian Open Crown with Gritty Victory over Sabalenka”
Chile’s president-elect, José Antonio Kast, visited El Salvador’s mega-prison for gang members on Friday and asked President Nayib Bukele for “cooperation” to improve security in Chile’s prisons. Visits to the Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot) are part of the usual protocol for Bukele’s special guests. Bukele has turned the prison into a symbol of the crackdown …
Read more “Chile’s Kast Looks to El Salvador’s Model for Prison Security”
New rules for visa-exempt tourists heading to the United States may drive away millions of visitors and hit the country’s economy hard. A recent study points to potential drops in arrivals and spending, raising questions about the balance between security and economic growth. The World Travel and Tourism Council released findings on Wednesday showing that …
Read more “US Entry Rule Changes Could Cost Billions in Tourism Losses”
In her living room, Priscilla Herrera safeguards, alongside Vaquita, her mixed-breed dog, hundreds of ballots for Sunday’s elections in Costa Rica, where citizens are entrusted with helping ensure the transparency of the process. It is a singular case in Latin America, where electoral materials are usually stored in warehouses under the watch of soldiers and …
Read more “Costa Ricans Keep Election Ballots at Home in Rare Trust Based Voting System”
Carlos Alcaraz fought through the longest semifinal in Australian Open history to defeat Alexander Zverev and advance to the men’s singles final. The top-seeded Spaniard won 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5 in a five-set contest that lasted five hours and 27 minutes on Rod Laver Arena during the evening session. Alcaraz started strong, breaking Zverev …
Read more “Alcaraz Edges Zverev in Five-Set Epic to Reach Australian Open Final”
With national elections set for February 1, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) has stepped up reminders that only the physical cédula de identidad qualifies as valid identification at polling stations. The recently introduced Identidad Digital Costarricense (IDC) will not work for voting, leaving many to double-check their wallets before heading out. The TSE rolled out …
Read more “Your Digital ID Won’t Let You Vote in Costa Rica’s Elections”