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COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

US Open Celebrates Hispanic Heritage During 2026 Quarterfinals

Steven Hodel -
The US Open is putting Hispanic and Latin American tennis in the spotlight today with its annual Hispanic Heritage celebration at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center....

Costa Rica Airport Introduces Faster Biometric Immigration Checks

Steven Hodel -
If you are flying through Juan Santamaría International Airport on a Costa Rican passport, you can now clear immigration without talking to an officer. Automated biometric gates went live...

Costa Rica Route 1 Through Cambronero Closed Indefinitely After Truck Crash

The Tico Times -
One of Costa Rica’s main highways between the Central Valley and the Pacific remained completely closed today after a tractor-trailer crashed into a temporary bridge on Route 1 at...

Tropical Wave 41 Crosses Costa Rica With Afternoon Storms and 75 km/h Gusts

The Tico Times -
Tropical wave No. 41 moved into Costa Rica before dawn today, and the part that matters for the rest of your day arrives after lunch. Expect scattered downpours with...

Costa Rica Supreme Court Considers Changes After Judicial Corruption Cases

The Tico Times -
Costa Rica’s Supreme Court has ordered a review of the rules judges use to determine whether suspects remain in jail or are released under restrictions as organized crime and corruption cases put new pressure on the justice system

Costa Rica Begins Major Bridge Replacement on San José Beltway

Steven Hodel -
Work has begun on a new bridge over the Torres River along Circunvalación, starting a yearlong project that will eventually expand this busy section of the highway from four...

Costa Rica’s Rincón de la Vieja Sends Plume 1,000 Meters Above Crater

The Tico Times -
Costa Rica’s Rincón de la Vieja volcano erupted yesterday sending a plume approximately 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above its crater and bringing the number of eruptions recorded since the...

Legislator faces harassment complaint from adviser in his own office

The Tico Times -
A complaint against a governing party legislator is under review for alleged predatory harassment. Whether it reaches a court is now the Assembly's call.

A Bill Written for Route 32 Landslides Could Change National Park Law

The Tico Times -
The University of Costa Rica has recommended that lawmakers reject a bill easing construction inside national parks, warning its wording reaches far beyond Route 32.

Vaping Sends More Costa Rican Teens to the Doctor as New Rules Wait Until 2027

The Tico Times -
Four out of every 10 medical consultations for vaping-related disorders recorded in Costa Rica last year involved patients between the ages of 10 and 19, according to data from...

Tico Time and Why Life in Costa Rica Doesn’t Always Run on Schedule

Don Mateo -
I don't want to hear about Tico Time. Where did that expression even originate? It has been around for at least the 35 years I have lived here. It...

Panama Canal May Restrict Ship Traffic as El Niño Worsens

AFP -
Panama Canal administrator Ilya Espino de Marotta says further cuts to daily ship transits remain possible as El Niño worsens drought and strains water supplies.

Costa Rica Stops 4 Panama Gang Suspects at Border

The Tico Times -
Four men linked by Costa Rican intelligence to Panamanian groups involved in drug trafficking and contract killing were stopped Saturday as they tried to enter by land at the...

Costa Rica Vehicle Thefts Hit a Ten-Year High

The Tico Times -
If you own a car here, it is more likely to be stolen now than at any point in the past ten years. Costa Rica recorded 5,146 vehicle thefts...

El Niño Drought Could Leave 16 Million Without Enough Food in Latin America

AFP -
Drought caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon could leave 16 million people in Latin America without enough food, the regional director of the United Nations World Food Programme...

Costa Rica Adds Booking.com, Expedia and ChatGPT to 13% VAT List

The Tico Times -
Costa Rica adds Booking.com, Expedia, ChatGPT and 17 more platforms to its 13% VAT list on September 8. Here is what changes on your card statement.

Costa Rican Geologists Call for Referendum on Crucitas Gold Mining

The Tico Times -
Costa Rica’s professional association of geologists is calling for a referendum on the future of gold mining in Crucitas, arguing that lawmakers have failed to resolve the illegal extraction...

Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest Is Drying Despite Heavy Rain

The Tico Times -
Monteverde remains one of Costa Rica’s wettest places, receiving more than 2,500 millimeters (98 inches) of rain a year. Yet scientists are finding signs of drought in the plants...

Saprissa Ends Three-Year Morera Soto Drought With 2-0 Clásico Win

Steven Hodel -
Deportivo Saprissa beat Liga Deportiva Alajuelense 2-0 at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto on Saturday night, taking the Clásico Nacional in Alajuela for the first time since 2023 and...

Costa Rica’s Pacific Waters Reach Unusually High Temperatures

The Tico Times -
Ocean temperatures along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast are running unusually high, with researchers recording water up to 2°C (3.6°F) warmer than normal in some areas. One of the most...

Costa Rica under green alert as Tropical Wave 40 arrives

The Tico Times -
If you have plans in the mountains, on the Caribbean coast or along the Pacific this weekend, build in some flexibility. Rain is coming, and the ground in much...

National Geographic Germany Devotes 11 Pages to Costa Rica

The Tico Times -
National Geographic Traveler's German edition has given Costa Rica eleven pages in its September issue, describing Costa Rica as a treasure of nature and taking readers on a route...

Costa Rica Heads Into Peak Hurricane Season Without a Single Hurricane

The Tico Times -
The Atlantic has reached the second week of September without a single hurricane. That has not happened in a very long time, and forecasters do not expect it to...

Costa Rica Expects Major Cruise Tourism Jump in Puntarenas

The Tico Times -
Costa Rica expects around 150,000 cruise passengers to arrive in Puntarenas during the 2026–2027 season, a sharp increase that could bring more business to tour operators, restaurants, transportation companies...

Costa Rica Free Zones Lose Jobs for First Time in Seven Years

The Tico Times -
Employment in Costa Rica’s free-zone regime fell year over year in July for the first time in seven years, ending a long stretch of job growth in one of...

Costa Rica Route 1 Closing Overnight at Río Barranca

The Tico Times -
Route 1 will be shut at the Río Barranca bridge from 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday while crews pull three RECOPE fuel pipelines across the roadway, the...

Costa Rica’s president says US ground operations would benefit national security

The Tico Times -
President Laura Fernández said US ground operations on Costa Rican soil would be good for national security if they pursued shared targets, while stressing that nothing concrete is under...

Thousands of Olive Ridley Turtles Come Ashore in One of the Year’s Largest Arribadas

The Tico Times -
One of 2026's largest arribadas began Friday at Ostional in Guanacaste, as thousands of olive ridley turtles came ashore to nest. Counts are still pending.

IMF Agrees to Unlock $140 Million for El Salvador After Bitcoin Reforms

AFP -
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that it had reached an agreement with El Salvador that could unlock a $140 million loan disbursement, after securing commitments related to Bitcoin....

Rare Blue Octopus Returns to Galápagos as a Newly Identified Species

AFP -
The rare blue octopus that surprised scientists has returned to the Galápagos Islands. The specimen, about the size of a golf ball, will be preserved at the Charles Darwin...
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Popular Articles

Costa Rica Adds Booking.com, Expedia and ChatGPT to 13% VAT List

The Tico Times -
Costa Rica adds Booking.com, Expedia, ChatGPT and 17 more platforms to its 13% VAT list on September 8. Here is what changes on your card statement.

Costa Rica’s Two Biggest Soccer Clubs Meet Saturday Night in Alajuela

Steven Hodel -
Costa Rica's two most popular soccer clubs, Alajuelense and Saprissa, play each other Saturday night in Alajuela. Kickoff is...

US Demands Nicaragua Release Brooklyn Rivera’s Relatives

AFP -
The United States on Monday demanded that Nicaragua’s government release relatives of Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera, who died in...

Costa Rica University Students Protest Proposed Funding Freeze

The Tico Times -
Students from Costa Rica’s public universities marched through San José yesterday protesting a government proposal that would keep university...

Costa Rica Police Officer Jailed for Allegedly Helping Diablo Drug Network

Tico Times -
The Fuerza Pública officer, identified as Ureña, was detained this week during raids in Sarapiquí and Pococí. Prosecutors are...
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Travel and Tourism

Costa Rica Route 1 Through Cambronero Closed Indefinitely After Truck Crash

The Tico Times -
One of Costa Rica’s main highways between the Central Valley and the Pacific remained completely closed today after a...

Tropical Wave 41 Crosses Costa Rica With Afternoon Storms and 75 km/h Gusts

The Tico Times -
Tropical wave No. 41 moved into Costa Rica before dawn today, and the part that matters for the rest...

Costa Rica Begins Major Bridge Replacement on San José Beltway

Steven Hodel -
Work has begun on a new bridge over the Torres River along Circunvalación, starting a yearlong project that will...

Costa Rica under green alert as Tropical Wave 40 arrives

The Tico Times -
If you have plans in the mountains, on the Caribbean coast or along the Pacific this weekend, build in...

National Geographic Germany Devotes 11 Pages to Costa Rica

The Tico Times -
National Geographic Traveler's German edition has given Costa Rica eleven pages in its September issue, describing Costa Rica as...
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Expat Living

A Night With Costa Rica Soccer Fans in Perez Zeledon

Don Mateo -
Perez Zeledon is home to a team in the first division of Costa Rica soccer. Known as Los Guerreros...

Costa Rica Opens Legal Status Path for Thousands of Foreigners

The Tico Times -
Nearly 100 foreigners applied on the first day of a new Costa Rican immigration program designed to give legal...

Costa Rica Limits Car Imports to One Per Year and Taxes Them at Market Value

The Tico Times -
If you are planning to ship a vehicle into Costa Rica, two things have changed and both affect what...

Costa Rica Scrapped the Three Month Driving Limit for Foreign Licenses

Tico Times -
If you are driving in Costa Rica on a license from home, the rule you have probably read online...

The Lifeguards Who Transformed Playa Dominical in Costa Rica

Don Mateo -
Playa Dominical has a well earned reputation as one of Costa Rica’s premier surfing spots. Its powerful and consistent...
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Latin America News

Panama Canal May Restrict Ship Traffic as El Niño Worsens

Panama Canal administrator Ilya Espino de Marotta says further cuts to daily ship transits remain possible as El Niño worsens drought and strains water supplies.

El Niño Drought Could Leave 16 Million Without Enough Food in Latin America

Drought caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon could leave 16 million people in Latin America without enough food, the regional director of the...

IMF Agrees to Unlock $140 Million for El Salvador After Bitcoin Reforms

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that it had reached an agreement with El Salvador that could unlock a $140 million loan disbursement, after...

Why is Daniel Ortega Shutting Nicaragua’s Opposition Out of Elections?

Nicaragua approved a constitutional reform that bars the opposition from participating in elections and extends Daniel Ortega’s term in office, a measure aimed at...

How El Nino is choking the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal will restrict the number of vessels transiting the crucial waterway from Friday for the second time ever due to drought caused...

US Calls on Allies to Cut Off Nicaragua After Ortega Bars Opposition Parties

The United States asked its international partners to immediately end normal dealings with Nicaragua's government, hours after the Ortega-Murillo administration formalized a constitutional rewrite...

US Demands Nicaragua Release Brooklyn Rivera’s Relatives

The United States on Monday demanded that Nicaragua’s government release relatives of Indigenous leader Brooklyn Rivera, who died in prison three months ago. Rivera,...
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Arts and Culture

Parque La Libertad Layoffs Prompt Community Protest in Costa Rica

Communities surrounding Parque La Libertad are preparing a peaceful musical protest on Sunday after government budget cuts led to 15 layoffs and temporary salary...

Costa Rica’s Caribbean Comes Alive for Puerto Viejo’s Wolaba Parade

One of the South Caribbean’s biggest cultural celebrations returns Saturday as the Wolaba Parade fills the main street of Puerto Viejo with music, dancing,...

Costa Rica’s August 31 Holiday Falls on a Workday for the First Time

Monday, August 31 is a national holiday in Costa Rica. Plan for a three-day weekend, closed government offices, and a payroll question if you...

Is Costa Rica’s 98% Literacy Rate Really Accurate?

Costa Rica has long promoted itself as the most literate country in Central America, and by the numbers it is. Government statistics put the...

Public Institutions Pull Out of Costa Rica’s Festival de la Luz

Several major public institutions will not bring their traditional illuminated floats to San José’s Festival de la Luz this year, forcing organizers to rethink...

Costa Rica’s Maleku Chocolate Wins International Bronze Medal

A 70% dark chocolate grown, fermented and finished entirely in Costa Rica has earned international recognition for its Guanacaste-based producer.

What happened to Galeria Namu?

Founded in 1998, Galeria Namu had become a must-visit attraction for tourists visiting San Jose, as well as for many nationals, interested in seeing...
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Environment and Wildlife

Costa Rica’s Rincón de la Vieja Sends Plume 1,000 Meters Above Crater

Costa Rica’s Rincón de la Vieja volcano erupted yesterday sending a plume approximately 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above its crater and bringing the number...

A Bill Written for Route 32 Landslides Could Change National Park Law

The University of Costa Rica has recommended that lawmakers reject a bill easing construction inside national parks, warning its wording reaches far beyond Route 32.

Costa Rica’s Monteverde Cloud Forest Is Drying Despite Heavy Rain

Monteverde remains one of Costa Rica’s wettest places, receiving more than 2,500 millimeters (98 inches) of rain a year. Yet scientists are finding signs...

Costa Rica’s Pacific Waters Reach Unusually High Temperatures

Ocean temperatures along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast are running unusually high, with researchers recording water up to 2°C (3.6°F) warmer than normal in some...

Thousands of Olive Ridley Turtles Come Ashore in One of the Year’s Largest Arribadas

One of 2026's largest arribadas began Friday at Ostional in Guanacaste, as thousands of olive ridley turtles came ashore to nest. Counts are still pending.

Rare Blue Octopus Returns to Galápagos as a Newly Identified Species

The rare blue octopus that surprised scientists has returned to the Galápagos Islands. The specimen, about the size of a golf ball, will be...

Watch Spider Monkeys Return to Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula

A camera trap project on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula produced an unexpected discovery: Central American spider monkeys living wild in an area where the species had once disappeared.
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