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Crime

Costa Rica Removes Seven Police Directors After Polygraph Tests

The Tico Times - June 23, 2026

Rip Currents, High Surf Threaten Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast

June 22, 2026

Costa Rica’s Mid-Year Gordito Lottery Brings Big Prizes and Local Tradition

June 22, 2026

Colombia Shifts Right as Abelardo de la Espriella Wins Presidency

June 22, 2026

Costa Rica Removes Seven Police Directors After Polygraph Tests

The Tico Times -

Costa Rica’s government removed seven police directors from confidence posts on Monday after they did not pass polygraph tests tied to the administration’s security controls, President Laura Fernández said....

Messi Breaks World Cup Scoring Record as Argentina Advances

Steven Hodel -

For much of us here in Latin America, watching Lionel Messi at a World Cup has become a familiar ritual. On Monday, the Argentine legend delivered another moment that...

Rip Currents, High Surf Threaten Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast

The Tico Times -

Those heading to Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast this week are being urged to use caution as higher surf, rip currents and a pair of tropical waves create more dangerous...

Costa Rica’s Mid-Year Gordito Lottery Brings Big Prizes and Local Tradition

The Tico Times -

One of Costa Rica’s most familiar mid-year rituals is back on the streets. The Junta de Protección Social, known as the JPS, officially launched sales Monday for the 2026...

Colombia Shifts Right as Abelardo de la Espriella Wins Presidency

AFP -

Millionaire attorney Abelardo de la Espriella will govern Colombia aligned with the principles of a right wing that is regaining ground across the continent, with proposals to build megacarcels...

Middle Class Life in Costa Rica vs the United States

Don Mateo -

According to the website Franchisetimes.com, my household income in Costa Rica puts me solidly in the middle class. I live comfortably, if simply. Bills are paid on time, there...

Why Costa Rica’s Southern Zone International Airport Still Hasn’t Been Built

The Tico Times -

For more than two decades, Costa Rica's Brunca region, the southern Pacific zone that includes Osa, Golfito, Corredores, Coto Brus, Buenos Aires and Puerto Jiménez, has debated the construction...

Costa Rica’s Route 32 Faces Lane Closures Into Early July

Tico Times -

Drivers using Route 32, the main highway between San José and the Caribbean port city of Limón, should plan for lane closures on the Río Sucio bridge starting Monday...

Surfer in Costa Rica Survives Needlefish Strike to the Heart

The Tico Times -

A Brazilian surfer survived a rare and severe ocean injury in Costa Rica after a needlefish leapt from the water at Playa Pavones and struck him in the chest,...

Costa Rica Adds New Tree Species to Its Biodiversity Record

The Tico Times -

Scientists have confirmed the discovery of a new tree species in northern Costa Rica, a rare botanical find known so far from only a handful of trees in the...

Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo Makes Tennis History with Queen’s Club Title

Steven Hodel -

Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo claimed the biggest title of his career on Sunday, beating American Tommy Paul 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3 to win the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club and...

Uruguay Let Lead Slip in Costly World Cup Draw With Cape Verde

Steven Hodel -

Uruguay had Sunday’s World Cup game right where it wanted it, then let it slip away. The South American side drew 2-2 with Cape Verde in Miami, a result...

Costa Rica’s Week Turns Drier Midweek as Trade Winds Push Rain to the Caribbean

The Tico Times -

Costa Rica opens the week unsettled but should turn noticeably drier and windier across the Pacific and Central Valley by midweek, as strengthening trade winds and an incoming push...

Costa Rica Sets July 1 Deadline as Old Small-Change Coins Leave Circulation

Tico Times -

Costa Rica's old-design ₡5, ₡10 and ₡25 coins will stop working as money on July 1, leaving anyone who deals in cash about a week and a half to...

Costa Rica Wildlife Cameras Capture Rare Swamp Eel Encounters

Vincent Losasso -

I should have a near zero percent chance of recording freshwater eels with my camera traps. Not only are they found underwater, but they’re found in the type of...

On Father’s Day Costa Rica Quietly Rethinks What It Means to Be a Dad

Guest Author -

Costa Rica celebrates Father's Day today and anyone who spent August here will notice the difference immediately: the third Sunday of June arrives with a fraction of the fervor...

Costa Rica’s Strongest El Niño Impacts Expected Between October and March

Steven Hodel -

Costa Rica could face its most significant El Niño-related weather impacts between this October and next March according to projections from the National Meteorological Institute (IMN), raising concerns about...

Rural Cuba Still Struggles After Last Year’s Hurricane as U.S. Aid Arrives

AFP -

On a modified bicycle that serves as a wheelchair, Teodardo Debardet returns home after receiving a humanitarian aid package sent by the United States to victims of Hurricane Melissa,...

Costa Rica Celebrates Father’s Day the Tico Way — Slowly and Together

Tico Times -

Across Costa Rica today, you're going to get the smell of slow-cooked meat drifting over backyard walls, while abuelo (grandfather) is being handed the best chair, and someone is...

Ecuador Stalls as Curaçao Makes World Cup History

Steven Hodel -

For us here in Latin America, Saturday’s World Cup story was Ecuador’s missed chance. Ecuador controlled the ball, created the better chances and fired repeatedly at Curaçao’s goal. It...

Family Confirms Body Found in Costa Rica Is Missing U.S. Tourist

Tico Times -

The family of Ashley Nicole Phillips has confirmed that a body found in a river in Barú de Pérez Zeledón is the missing 30-year-old U.S. tourist, ending a search...

El Salvador Peach Festival Brings Highland Experience to Chalatenango

Tico Times -

The eighth Peach Festival opened today in Río Chiquito, a community in the San Ignacio district of Chalatenango Norte. Local producers and tourism operators host the two-day event through...

Panama moves 29 high risk inmates to Coiba prompting UNESCO warning

Tico Times -

Panama’s Defensoría del Pueblo stated that reopening a penitentiary facility on Coiba Island could compromise the area’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The office issued the warning...

U.S. Calls Cuba’s New Economic Reforms Superficial Smoke Signals

Tico Times -

The U.S. State Department on Friday dismissed Cuba’s newly approved economic overhaul as cosmetic, casting doubt on whether Havana’s biggest opening toward market-style reforms in decades will loosen state...

Enormous Papagayo Resort Collides With Costa Rica’s Forest Law

Guest Author -

On a stretch of Pacific coastline inside the Golfo de Papagayo tourism zone, an ongoing standoff between developers and environmental advocates reached a new flashpoint this week after the...

Costa Rica Arrests Man Over Alleged Death Threat Against President

Tico Times -

Costa Rican police arrested a man in San Carlos on Friday after authorities said he allegedly made a death threat against President Laura Fernández during her visit to Crucitas...

Ex-Costa Rica Coach Alfaro Leads Paraguay to Crucial World Cup Win

Tico Times -

Paraguay’s World Cup campaign came back to life Friday night under coach Costa Rican fans know all too well. Gustavo Alfaro, the Argentine manager who led Costa Rica through...

Costa Rica Faces Growing Pressure as Refugees Near 4.5% of Population

Tico Times -

Refugees and asylum seekers now account for about 4.5% of Costa Rica’s population, a sign of how deeply regional displacement has become part of daily life in the country. By...

Costa Rica Gender Violence Concerns Grow After Young Mother Shot

Tico Times -

The killing of Jocelyn Paniagua Gutiérrez in Alajuela has renewed concern over gender violence in Costa Rica, after relatives said the young mother had previously reported receiving death threats. Paniagua,...

Costa Rica Lawmaker Challenges ACAM Over Music Royalty Fees

Steven Hodel -

A ruling-party lawmaker has opened a public challenge against ACAM, the association that collects music copyright payments in Costa Rica, raising questions that matter directly to bars, restaurants, hotels,...

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Uruguay Let Lead Slip in Costly World Cup Draw With Cape Verde

Steven Hodel - June 22, 2026

Uruguay had Sunday’s World Cup game right where it wanted it, then let it slip away. The South American...

Costa Rica Wildlife Cameras Capture Rare Swamp Eel Encounters

Vincent Losasso - June 21, 2026

I should have a near zero percent chance of recording freshwater eels with my camera traps. Not only are...

Costa Rican Man Wanted by U.S. on Drug Charges Arrested in Limón

Tico Times - June 16, 2026

Costa Rican authorities arrested a 40-year-old Costa Rican man Monday morning in Puerto Viejo de Limón after U.S. authorities...

Costa Rica Tightens Prison Rules for Inmates Facing Extradition

Tico Times - June 17, 2026

Costa Rica has introduced new prison security rules for inmates facing extradition, cutting off physical contact during visits and...

Cuba Weighs Major Economic Reforms After Raúl Castro Gives Approval

Tico Times - June 18, 2026

Former Cuban President Raúl Castro gave his approval Wednesday to a package of economic reforms debated by top representatives...

Travel and Tourism

Costa Rica’s Route 32 Faces Lane Closures Into Early July

Tico Times -

Drivers using Route 32, the main highway between San José and the Caribbean port city of Limón, should plan...

Surfer in Costa Rica Survives Needlefish Strike to the Heart

The Tico Times -

A Brazilian surfer survived a rare and severe ocean injury in Costa Rica after a needlefish leapt from the...

Costa Rica’s Week Turns Drier Midweek as Trade Winds Push Rain to the Caribbean

The Tico Times -

Costa Rica opens the week unsettled but should turn noticeably drier and windier across the Pacific and Central Valley...

Costa Rica Sets July 1 Deadline as Old Small-Change Coins Leave Circulation

Tico Times -

Costa Rica's old-design ₡5, ₡10 and ₡25 coins will stop working as money on July 1, leaving anyone who...

Costa Rica’s Strongest El Niño Impacts Expected Between October and March

Steven Hodel -

Costa Rica could face its most significant El Niño-related weather impacts between this October and next March according to...

Expat Living

Costa Rica Residency Delays in 2026: What Foreign Residents Should Expect

Costa Rica’s Farmers Markets Are Still the Best Place to Buy Local

Guest Author -

Every weekend, towns across Costa Rica close off a street or fill a covered hall with tables of mangoes,...

IKEA Begins Costa Rica Rollout: Start Practicing Your Allen Wrench Skills Now

Tico Times -

IKEA is moving closer to opening in Costa Rica, and the country’s future furniture shoppers may want to start...

What It Really Costs to Live in Costa Rica as an Expat in 2026

Tico Times -

Costa Rica remains one of the most popular destinations in Latin America for retirees, remote workers and foreign residents,...

The Costa Rica Taxi Rule Every Newcomer Learns Fast

Don Mateo -

Newcomers to Costa Rica have to adjust to certain cultural and lifestyle habits here. A short list might include...

Latin America News

Colombia Shifts Right as Abelardo de la Espriella Wins Presidency

Millionaire attorney Abelardo de la Espriella will govern Colombia aligned with the principles of a right wing that is regaining ground across the continent,...

El Salvador Peach Festival Brings Highland Experience to Chalatenango

The eighth Peach Festival opened today in Río Chiquito, a community in the San Ignacio district of Chalatenango Norte. Local producers and tourism operators...

Panama moves 29 high risk inmates to Coiba prompting UNESCO warning

Panama’s Defensoría del Pueblo stated that reopening a penitentiary facility on Coiba Island could compromise the area’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage site....

U.S. Calls Cuba’s New Economic Reforms Superficial Smoke Signals

The U.S. State Department on Friday dismissed Cuba’s newly approved economic overhaul as cosmetic, casting doubt on whether Havana’s biggest opening toward market-style reforms...

Panama to Adopt Bukele-Style Prison Measures After La Joyita Escape

Panama will adopt the kind of "hardline" prison reforms of its Latin American neighbors to address failures of its penal system following a mass...

Cuba Weighs Major Economic Reforms After Raúl Castro Gives Approval

Former Cuban President Raúl Castro gave his approval Wednesday to a package of economic reforms debated by top representatives of the Communist Party, Cuba’s...

El Salvador Closes National Park for Conservation Work

El Boquerón National Park, one of the easiest volcano stops for visitors staying in San Salvador, is closed from June 15 to July 15,...

Arts and Culture

Costa Rica’s Mid-Year Gordito Lottery Brings Big Prizes and Local Tradition

One of Costa Rica’s most familiar mid-year rituals is back on the streets. The Junta de Protección Social, known as the JPS, officially launched...

On Father’s Day Costa Rica Quietly Rethinks What It Means to Be a Dad

Costa Rica celebrates Father's Day today and anyone who spent August here will notice the difference immediately: the third Sunday of June arrives with...

Costa Rica Celebrates Father’s Day the Tico Way — Slowly and Together

Across Costa Rica today, you're going to get the smell of slow-cooked meat drifting over backyard walls, while abuelo (grandfather) is being handed the...

Costa Rica Lawmaker Challenges ACAM Over Music Royalty Fees

A ruling-party lawmaker has opened a public challenge against ACAM, the association that collects music copyright payments in Costa Rica, raising questions that matter...

Costa Rica’s Farmers Markets Are Still the Best Place to Buy Local

Every weekend, towns across Costa Rica close off a street or fill a covered hall with tables of mangoes, hands of banana, fresh cheese...

Costa Rica Bookstore to Close After 130 Years

Costa Rica is losing one of its most historic bookstores. Librería Lehmann announced its permanent closure yesterday, bringing to an end 130 years of...

Costa Rica’s Landmark Same-Sex Marriage Stands as Court Tosses Annulment Case

A family court has rejected the Costa Rican government's long-running attempt to annul our country's first same-sex marriage, reaffirming the 2015 union of Laura...

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