Year in Review: Our most popular stories of 2019

It has been an entertaining and newsworthy 2019 for Costa Rica.

For the last 12 months (and since 1956), The Tico Times has worked hard to bring you the biggest stories from Costa Rica and the region. We’re looking forward to serving you again in 2020.

Before we look ahead to next year, though, let’s look back at our most-read stories from 2019.

News

2019 marked a year of political and social unrest in Costa Rica and, more significantly, in several Latin American countries. Here are some of our most notable pieces of 2019:

• “A tragic day for the Bribrí people” as indigenous leader Sergio Rojas is killed
• Figuring out and fighting street harassment in Costa Rica
• “He was always respectful until he wasn’t”: Woman accuses Oscar Arias of workplace harassment
• U.S. sending Costa Rica $40.7 million to fight narcotrafficking and crime
• NASA image shows how well Costa Rica has prevented forest fires
• Costa Rica celebrates 71 years without an army 

Travel

Costa Rica continues to see increased international tourism. In 2019, several airlines added new flights to Costa Rica, the country was named a top travel destination, and more.

• Lonely Planet names Costa Rica as one of top travel destinations for 2020
• Selfie with a wild animal? Not in Costa Rica
• Becoming a legal resident of Costa Rica
• Airlines inaugurate new flights to Costa Rica:
  • American Airlines
  • KLM
  • JetBlue
  • … and more!

Sports

It wasn’t a banner year for the Costa Rica men’s national soccer team. But milestones for women’s club soccer and other noteworthy individual performances won’t soon be forgotten.

• Andrea Vargas makes history, places fifth at World Championships
• Record crowd watches women’s soccer final in Costa Rica
• Everything Keylor Navas did with his new club, PSG

Entertainment

It doesn’t get much bigger than this: “The Simpsons” visited Costa Rica, and Pope Francis said Costa Rica makes the world’s best coffee.

• Livin’ la Pura Vida: “The Simpsons” visits Costa Rica
• Pope Francis: Costa Rica has “the world’s best coffee”
• Costa Rican band performs at the Rose Parade
• Earthquake in Costa Rica was “un despiche total,” Tico says

Satire

Call us La Cebolla (The Onion), because by far our most popular stories of the year were satirical. Maybe we should pursue this full-time?

• Despite reports, Costa Rica continues to not be an island
• Costa Rica wins prestigious award for road quality