Johnny Araya of the ruling National Liberation Party is the leading presidential hopeful among registered voters who have made up their minds, according to the latest poll from the University of Costa Rica’s Center for Research and Policy Studies (CIEP). But he's a long way from avoiding a runoff.
However, the "Undecided" option remains the top choice in the poll.
Japanese fishermen were out at sea attempting to trap more dolphins on Wednesday, campaigners said, after the bloody slaughter of dozens of the animals the previous day was hidden from view behind screens.
When Indian activist Vandana Shiva began her speech at the University of Costa Rica’s agronomy auditorium Tuesday, you could still hear the drums and claps of hundreds outside waiting to get in.
Just two weeks before the presidential elections National Liberation Party candidate Johnny Araya's campaign is in full swing, stopping Tuesday night for a rally in the provincial capital of Liberia, in Guanacaste. But a photo of the rally posted Tuesday night on Araya's Facebook page set off a firestorm on social media, with critics alleging the photo is a fraud.
Who knew campaigning could be this fun? The Citizen Action Party, or PAC, got a publicity boost when supporter and designer Jorge Guntanis created a video game emulator based on the arcade classic Pac-Man. (Get it?)
Miss Nicaragua 2013 Nastassja Bolívar had her crown taken away, according to a statement from the country's local Miss Universe franchise. The surprise move has shocked the country.
The director of the franchise, Karen Celebertti, decided that Bolívar "will have no involvement in the official events" for the Miss Nicaragua Organization. Celebertti alleged that the conflict began shortly after Bolívar was elected to represent Nicaragua, and insubordination led to the beauty queen losing her title.
Several national and international press freedom groups have criticized alleged spying on Costa Rican journalists by the Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ), including the Inter American Press Association and Reporters Without Borders. Claudio Paolillo, chairman of the press freedom group’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information condemned the apparent snooping and said it threw into question Costa Rica’s respect for press freedom.
The Japanese loved the idea of Caroline Kennedy in Tokyo – Camelot meets the Chrysanthemum Throne. But what if the new U.S. ambassador proves to be a handful for a nation that prizes politeness and propriety above all else?
Ecuador, where the fatty beans used to make chocolate have been grown since pre-Columbian times, is surpassing Brazil as Latin America's top cocoa producer after boosting planting and offering education programs for farmers.
You could say that the Magón National Prize for Culture is kind of like the Pulitzer of Costa Rica. It's a national honor given to an exceptional artist or intellectual, and it celebrates an entire lifetime of cultural contributions. Described by the Culture Ministry as “the highest recognition awarded by the nation of Costa Rica,” this year’s Magón Prize went to 70-year-old poet Julieta Dobles Yzaguirre.
