El Salvador’s public schools will start enforcing daily inspections for students’ uniforms and haircuts from August 20, as ordered by the new education minister, Karla Trigueros. The military captain, appointed last week by President Nayib Bukele, aims to boost discipline in the nation’s over 5,100 public schools. Trigueros, a 35-year-old doctor and army officer from …

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Panama’s President, José Raúl Mulino, will meet in Brazil with U.S. banana company Chiquita Brands in search of an agreement for the company to resume operations in the country, after shutting down and laying off its entire workforce due to a strike, a minister reported on Monday. Chiquita, which employed more than 6,000 people in …

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If part of your online day includes mindless scrolling through reels, you’ve probably seen the Dos Equis beer parody commercials. The original ads featured the supposed “Most Interesting Man in the World” doing all kinds of larger-than-life activities while a voiceover delivered lines like: His only regret is not knowing what regret feels like. Each …

Read more “The Most Clueless Gringo in Costa Rica: A Satirical Take on Expat Life”

The US Treasury Department moved against a Costa Rican drug trafficking ring today sanctioning four individuals and two entities tied to cocaine smuggling and money laundering. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted former security vice minister Celso Gamboa Sánchez, along with Edwin López Vega (known as Pecho de Rata), Alejandro Arias Monge (Diablo), …

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Tourism leaders in Costa Rica are warning that rising crime and international criticism could damage the country’s reputation as one of Latin America’s safest travel destinations, deepening an already growing crisis for the industry. The National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) said visitor numbers have dropped significantly, leaving many businesses on the brink of collapse. Hoteliers …

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Air Canada has backtracked on plans to restart flights after its flight attendants chose to continue striking, leaving travelers — including those heading to Costa Rica — facing more cancellations and uncertainty. The airline had announced Sunday morning that operations would gradually resume, including routes to San José and Liberia. But by afternoon, the company …

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In a significant escalation of efforts to counter organized crime and drug trafficking networks, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has deployed more than 4,500 Marines and Navy personnel as part of a maritime-focused operation across the Caribbean Sea and Latin American waters. The deployment, which started on the 15th, aims to disrupt illicit activities that …

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Drivers heading between San José and Limón can use Route 32 again. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) reopened the road this Sunday morning, after confirming no fresh landslides hit the troubled spots. MOPT teams inspected kilometers 28 and 31 early today and found no new debris had fallen. That cleared the way …

Read more “Route 32 Reopens After Landslide Cleanup, Preventive Closures Still Possible”

Air Canada is back in the air today after a quick intervention by the Canadian government halted a strike by its flight attendants. While the airline plans to restart operations this evening, travelers headed to Costa Rica could still face delays or cancellations over the coming days as normal schedules resume. The disruption began Saturday …

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Costa Rica’s Constitutional Chamber has struck down a resolution that increased visitor quotas at Corcovado National Park, ruling that the measure lacked scientific justification and violated environmental safeguards. In its August 8 ruling, the court ordered Paula Mena, director of the Osa Conservation Area (Acosa) of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), to revoke …

Read more “Costa Rica Court Blocks Visitor Hike at Corcovado Park”