No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveFormer Costa Rican lawmaker wants three Caribbean communities to annex to Panama

Former Costa Rican lawmaker wants three Caribbean communities to annex to Panama

Edwin Patterson, a former lawmaker with Costa Rica’s Citizen Action Party, and a group of residents from the Caribbean province of Limón are promoting a plan for the coastal towns of Puerto Viejo, Cahuita and Manzanillo to become part of Panama.

A plan called “Panama By Our Own Will” would have the communities annex to the Panamanian province of Bocas del Toro.

Patterson told local news site elperiodicocr.com that the idea of annexation responds to the abandonment of Caribbean communities in recent decades by government officials in San José. He said the initiative also is supported by property owners whose homes or businesses were demolished for violating Costa Rica’s Maritime Zone Law.

The ex-legislator said he expects representatives from the administration of President Laura Chinchilla to seek dialogue with the group.

Patterson unsuccessfully presented the same idea during the administration of President Abel Pacheco (2002-2006). 

The annexation process would be similar to that held by the Nicoya Party (now Guanacaste) in 1824 to be part of Costa Rica.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Faces Growing Arms Trafficking Crisis

On Thursday, the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) made headlines by seizing 56 weapons in La Guácima de Alajuela, marking the largest arms seizure in...

UN Ocean Conference Opens with Push for Deep-Sea Mining Moratorium

The UN Ocean Conference began Monday in France with a call from Secretary-General António Guterres to prevent the ocean floor from becoming the “Wild...

Costa Rica’s President Stirs Debate with Oil Exploration Stance

President Rodrigo Chaves has sparked controversy with his recent comments on oil exploration and the Escazú Agreement, defending his positions in an interview with...

Panama Arrests Banana Union Leader After Chiquita Strike Ends

Panamanian authorities arrested Francisco Smith, leader of the banana workers’ union SITRAIBANA, accusing him of orchestrating road blockades during a six-week strike against Chiquita...

Costa Rica Faces Slower Growth and Rising Exchange Rate Pressures

Costa Rica is bracing for a challenging economic landscape through 2025 and into 2026, marked by slower growth, exchange rate pressures, and mounting uncertainties,...

Costa Rica’s Tourism Minister Dismisses Crime and Currency Concerns

Tourism Minister William Rodríguez López addressed growing concerns about crime and the strengthening colón’s impact on Costa Rica’s tourism industry, asserting that these issues...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica