News briefs: Costa Rica news highlights to start your Tuesday

Happy Tuesday from The Tico Times!

We hope you’re reading this while drinking a delicious Costa Rican coffee or eating a traditional gallo pinto. Here’s the Costa Rica (and regional) news you should know as a new week begins.

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At least 27 people have died of suspected methanol poisoning after drinking adulterated alcohol, according to the Health Ministry. Do not consume the following liquor brands: Guaro Chonete, Guaro Cuerazo, Guaro Sacheto, Guaro Gran Apache, Aguardiente Estrella Roja, Guaro Montano, Aguardiente Barón Rojo, Aguardiente Timbuka, Aguardiente Molotov or Guaro Fiesta Blanca. Report any establishment selling the aforementioned brands to the Health Ministry.

A man received a four-month prison sentence in the first sentencing under Costa Rica’s new street sexual harassment laws. According to the Public Security Ministry, the man, surnamed Ríos, had been detained and charged after masturbating in front of a woman in public.

Avianca will resume flights to Costa Rica on November 1, according to La Nación. The Colombian airline will fly once-daily to El Salvador, offering connections from the Central American hub to destinations across the region. The date coincides with Costa Rica’s reopening to tourists from across the world.

The Justice Department will begin blocking cell phone signal at its prisons, it announced, with installation of signal-blocking devices planned by the end of the year. The move is expected to reduce the number of scam and fraudulent calls in Costa Rica.

Hurricane Zeta is making landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Dangerous storm surge is predicted through early Tuesday, while hurricane watches are in effect for parts of the United States Gulf Coast beginning later this week.

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We’ll have more news throughout the day, so keep checking The Tico Times home page for more.