Costa Rica joins Regional Effort to Safeguard Ocean Resources

Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador are developing a joint roadmap to curb the exploitation of oceans, focusing on the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. More than 50 representatives from the four countries met in Panama to exchange legal frameworks and technological tools to combat illegal fishing, a regional problem that threatens marine …

USS Lake Erie Passage in Panama Canal Follows US Military Pressure on Venezuela

A US guided missile cruiser, USS Lake Erie, was seen crossing the Panama Canal from the Pacific to the Caribbean Friday night, after the Trump administration deployed warships near the coast of Venezuela. Journalists saw the naval vessel passing through one of the canal’s locks at around 9:30 pm (0230 GMT Saturday) and navigating east …

Spirit Airlines Bankruptcy Filing Puts Budget Travel to Costa Rica at Risk

Budget carrier Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection again on Friday, marking its second filing in less than a year. The Florida-based airline, famous for low fares and bright yellow planes, first sought protection in November and exited in March after cutting nearly $800 million in debt. Now, it faces ongoing losses and …

Uber Drivers in Costa Rica May Sue After Abrupt App Bans

Uber drivers in Costa Rica who allege they were wrongfully disconnected from the platform are considering legal action against the company after a landmark court ruling determined there was an employment relationship between a driver and Uber, requiring the company to pay compensation, August 2025. One former driver, who worked with Uber from 2015 to …

Hollywood Actress Anna Kendrick Marks Birthday with a Costa Rica Getaway

Hollywood actress Anna Kendrick chose Costa Rica for her 40th birthday celebration this month. The star, known for roles in films like Pitch Perfect and Twilight, spent time with friends and her boyfriend at a resort on our Pacific coast. Kendrick shared photos and a video recap on Instagram, capturing moments from the trip. She …

Chiquita to Rehire Thousands of Banana Workers in Panama

Chiquita Brands, one of the world’s largest banana producers, will return to Panama and rehire thousands of employees after shutting down operations three months ago due to a prolonged strike. The announcement was made Friday by the Panamanian government following a high-level meeting in Brazil between President José Raúl Mulino and Chiquita executives. The company …

El Salvador Mothers Denounce Prolonged Gang Crackdown Detentions

Ana Mercedes García spends her nights praying for her son, a construction worker with no criminal record who has been held in pretrial detention for three years. Prosecutors have already admitted he was wrongly accused of being a gang member. Her son, Ricardo Ernesto Martínez, was arrested on May 10, 2022, under President Nayib Bukele’s …

Unique Costa Rica Tours Beyond Ziplines You Should Try

I remember a time when there were no canopy zipline tours in Costa Rica. The first one didn’t open until 1997, in the cloud forest of Monteverde. Before that, tourism here revolved around the National Park system, which began with Poás Volcano in 1970, followed by Manuel Antonio in 1972, and more throughout the 70s …

Costa Rica Faces Decade of Lost Progress in Education, Report Finds

Costa Rica lost ten years of progress in education, according to the Tenth Report on the State of Education 2025. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with a lack of an effective education policy, has led to a substantial decline in reading, math, and science learning. The report highlights that the results of national and international tests …

Costa Rica Court Rules Uber Driver an Employee, Orders Vacation and Severance Pay

A court in Costa Rica has ruled that Uber must treat one of its drivers as an employee, not an independent contractor. The decision means the company has to pay out for vacations, a year-end bonus, and severance. This came from the Appeals Tribunal in San José, which backed up an earlier court finding. The …