The U.S. Department of the Treasury has sanctioned a prominent Costa Rican drug trafficking and money laundering group, highlighting our nation’s position as a critical link in the global cocaine supply chain. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) named five Costa Rican citizens and five local companies for their part in moving large amounts …

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I once got a speeding ticket for going about 30 kph over the posted speed limit on the Costanera Sur highway near Jacó. While 30 kph may sound like excessive speed, the actual, unrealistic speed limit was 80 kph, which few drivers obeyed. I was unlucky in that the Tránsito officer standing on the side …

Read more “Why Costa Rica Traffic Fines Feel Out of Proportion on Rural Roads”

Argentine Francisco Cerundolo delivered a strong performance to knock out Russian Andrey Rublev in the third round of the Australian Open on Friday, getting a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 victory in just over two hours. The 18th-seeded Cerundolo dominated from the baseline, breaking Rublev early in the first set and holding firm through a tense tiebreaker …

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Canatur and the Costa Rican Federation of Sport Fishing, FECOP, have launched a joint campaign aimed at boosting voter turnout in Costa Rica’s coastal communities and tourism zones ahead of the country’s next presidential election. The effort ties into the national civic campaign ¡Qué lindo vivir en demoCRacia! (How Beautiful It Is to Live in …

Read more “Canatur and FECOP Urge Coastal Costa Ricans to Vote in New Turnout Drive”

Health authorities in Costa Rica reported the first chikungunya case in nine years. The patient, a 24-year-old man from Esparza in Puntarenas province, tested positive for the virus after lab analysis by the Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health. The man shows no serious health issues at this time. Officials …

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Costa Rica residents and tourists alike face colder mornings through the weekend, with temperatures in the Valle Central dropping by up to 4 degrees Celsius and higher elevations seeing declines of up to 6 degrees. Cold fronts continue to move through the region, delivering stronger winds and drier air. The National Meteorological Institute notes that …

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The recent spike in gang violence in Guatemala has exposed weaknesses in the country’s security apparatus, but it has also fueled allegations of a plot against the government aimed at shielding a long-denounced alliance between politicians and criminal networks. After ten police officers were killed over the weekend in retaliation for the state’s takeover of …

Read more “Guatemala Gang Violence Surge Exposes Security Weaknesses”

Sebastian Baez’s strong start to the 2026 season hit a roadblock on Thursday at the Australian Open, where the Argentine fell in the second round to Italy’s Luciano Darderi in a hard-fought four-set battle. The 36th-ranked Baez, who arrived in Melbourne with an 8-1 record and fresh off a runner-up finish in Auckland, couldn’t sustain …

Read more “Argentina’s Baez Eliminated by Darderi at Australian Open”

Patients at San Carlos Hospital in northern Costa Rica are facing staggering delays for medical appointments, with some waits stretching as far as 26 years into the future. The situation has prompted swift action from the Defensoría de los Habitantes, our country’s ombudsman’s office, which is demanding answers from hospital officials and pushing for systemic …

Read more “Costa Rica’s San Carlos Hospital Under Fire for 26-Year Appointment Waits”

Laura Fernández, the conservative candidate backed by the ruling party, holds a commanding lead in the race for Costa Rica’s presidency, with recent polls showing her support at levels that could secure a first-round victory on February 1. Surveys from the University of Costa Rica and OPol Consultores, both released on Wednesday, place Fernández ahead …

Read more “Laura Fernández Leads Costa Rica Polls with First-Round Win in Sight Ahead”