A new report from The Nation has put international attention on a remote corner of eastern Honduras, where Indigenous Miskito guardians are protecting the scarlet macaw while facing pressure from poachers, illegal ranching, forest fires and drug-trafficking routes. The story by journalist Roberto Lovato, focuses on La Moskitia, the vast rainforest region in Honduras’ eastern […] The post Honduras Macaw Rescue Effort Draws Attention to Narco Threats appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Nine Democratic members of the U.S. Congress sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking him to press for the immediate release of Salvadoran human rights lawyer Ruth López. The lawmakers called on Rubio to advocate actively for her freedom.
Costa Rica is again being presented to U.S. readers as one of the countries where Americans can still find a practical path to living abroad, after The New York Times included our country in a new service article on golden visa and residency options. The article places Costa Rica alongside Greece, Panama, Portugal and São […] The post New York Times Highlights Costa Rica as Americans Weigh Life Abroad appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
In his own recorded telling, it played out like a doting grandfather’s anecdote. Edwin López Vega — the alleged narcotrafficking kingpin known across the South Caribbean as “Pecho de Rata” — narrates a clip investigators describe in the style of a social-media “Story Time,” recounting how he told his four-year-old grandson to grab a banded […] The post Inside the Pecho de Rata Fortune and a Trunk Full of Cash appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
A plume of Saharan dust is helping bring hotter, drier and hazier weather to Costa Rica this weekend, with forecasters warning of reduced rainfall, stronger winds and high temperatures in several parts of the country. The National Meteorological Institute (IMN) expects dry conditions and limited rainfall across much of Costa Rica as accelerated trade winds […] The post Costa Rica Faces Hotter Weekend as Sahara Dust Reduces Rainfall appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Uruguay’s World Cup ended in frustration Friday night as Spain beat La Celeste 1-0 in Guadalajara, sending one of South America’s most decorated teams home without a win. Álex Baena scored the only goal in the 42nd minute after Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera failed to hold his shot, a costly mistake that changed the match […] The post Uruguay’s World Cup Ends Early After 1-0 Defeat to Spain appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Costa Rica has sent a rescue and humanitarian mission to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes left widespread damage, collapsed buildings and an urgent need for international search-and-rescue support. The first Costa Rican team, made up of 16 Red Cross specialists, left from Juan Santamaría International Airport to support emergency operations on the ground. The group […] The post Costa Rica Sends Rescue Mission to Venezuela After Devastating Earthquakes appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Garabito Mayor Francisco González has started a national backlash after proposing a 70-hectare “permissive area” in Jacó where sex work, nightlife and eventual regulated drug use could be concentrated away from the beach town’s center. The idea drew sharp rejection from lawmakers, the Attorney General’s Office, the National Tourism Chamber and the Ombudsman’s Office, turning […] The post Jacó Mayor’s Red Zone Plan Sets Off Backlash Across Costa Rica appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Russia has rejected Costa Rica’s concerns over the presence of Russian military personnel in Nicaragua, saying Moscow’s cooperation with Managua is legal, limited and not directed against any third country. The response came after Costa Rican Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar told the Organization of American States that San José is worried about the “persistent and […] The post Costa Rica Questions Russian Military Footprint in Nicaragua appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
The San Jose airport recorded a drop in international tourist arrivals in May, even as Costa Rica’s overall air tourism numbers continued to grow, showing a shift in the travel market and raising new questions about competitiveness. The latest tourism figures show that 126,053 international tourists entered Costa Rica through Juan Santamaría in May, a […] The post Costa Rica Tourism Growth Masks Warning Sign at San José Airport appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
The World Surf League will return to Costa Rica this August with the Garabito Surf City PRO 2026, bringing an official professional surf event back to the country after a nearly eight-year absence. The competition will take place from August 13 to 16 in Playa Hermosa, Garabito, and will feature both men’s and women’s QS […] The post Costa Rica to Host WSL Surf Event in Playa Hermosa This August appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Costa Rica has landed on a new international list of the most sought-after places for North Americans who want to live abroad, as demand from US citizens for foreign residency and citizenship climbs to record levels. A recent report from Condé Nast Traveler, built on data from Henley & Partners — a global firm that […] The post Costa Rica Makes Global Top 16 for North Americans Moving Abroad appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Costa Rican authorities have turned to Interpol to locate two women linked by investigators to the Riverside case, including the wife of extradited alleged drug figure Edwin López Vega, known as “Pecho de Rata,” after both left the country before one of the largest organized-crime operations in Costa Rica’s history. The Organismo de Investigación Judicial […] The post Costa Rica Seeks Interpol Help After Suspects Leave Before Raids appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
A powerful earthquake struck north-central Venezuela this afternoon, collapsing buildings in the capital, Caracas, knocking out power in parts of the city and prompting tsunami advisories across the Caribbean. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the magnitude 7.5 mainshock was preceded by about 39 seconds by a magnitude 7.2 foreshock — a closely spaced pair […] The post Powerful Earthquake Topples Buildings in Venezuela appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
For the better part of 2026, the story for anyone earning dollars in Costa Rica has been the same: the colón keeps getting stronger, and your dollars keep buying less. That trend now appears to be flattening out — and several of the most-watched economists here say the market may be approaching its floor. The […] The post Costa Rica Dollar Exchange Rate May Have Hit Bottom appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
If you’re planning a trip to Cahuita or Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, own property along Limón’s south Caribbean coast, or even live there, you’ve probably seen the alarming news about a massive drug raid. Here’s a review of what happened, what it does and doesn’t change, and how to think about it. What happened Yesterday, […] The post Costa Rica’s Largest Police Operation Hit Cahuita — Here’s What It Means If You’re Headed There appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Costa Rica’s First Chamber of the Supreme Court has upheld construction regulations for the buffer zone around the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge, reinforcing local rules meant to protect sea turtles, aquifers and wildlife corridors in one of Guanacaste’s fastest-growing coastal communities. In Resolution No. 000725-F-S1-2026, issued on June 4, the court rejected an appeal filed […] The post Costa Rica Upholds Construction Rules to Protect Wildlife and Water appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Garabito Mayor Francisco González has opened a heated debate over the future of Jacó’s nightlife, proposing that the canton use its regulatory plan to move bars, 24-hour businesses and adult-oriented activity away from the center of town and into a designated zone. The proposal, discussed during a Garabito Municipal Council session, comes after renewed scrutiny […] The post Costa Rica Beach Town Debates Moving Nightlife Out of Downtown appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Panama’s World Cup run is over after another painful, low-margin defeat. The Central American side lost 1-0 to Croatia on Tuesday night at Toronto Stadium, a result that eliminated Panama from Group L after two matches and kept Croatia alive in the race for the knockout round. Ante Budimir scored the only goal in the […] The post Panama Knocked Out of World Cup 2026 After 1-0 Loss to Croatia appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
A day after Costa Rica carried out the largest police operation in its history, authorities have arrested three children of extradited drug suspect Edwin López Vega, alias “Pecho de Rata,” and confirmed that several other relatives — including his wife — remain at large, two of them believed to be in Switzerland. The arrests deepen […] The post Tourists Evacuated, Kingpin’s Children Arrested in Costa Rica’s Biggest Drug Raid appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Costa Rican prosecutors are warning that environmental crimes such as wildlife trafficking, illegal mining, illegal logging and the unlawful trade in natural resources are increasingly tied to organized criminal networks with international reach. Judicial authorities say these crimes are no longer isolated cases carried out by small local groups. Instead, prosecutors describe a more sophisticated […] The post Costa Rica Warns Environmental Crimes Are Linked to Organized Networks appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Norway’s final report on international adoptions has turned Costa Rica’s recent file review into a sharper official finding: Norwegian authorities did not do enough to understand how some Costa Rican children were declared abandoned before being sent abroad for adoption. The finding follows PANI’s May decision to review 101 adoption files involving Costa Rican children […] The post Costa Rica Adoption Review Deepens After Norway Final Report appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
João Fonseca’s Wimbledon buildup took an unexpected turn Tuesday after the Brazilian withdrew from the Lexus Eastbourne Open because of discomfort in his right shoulder. Fonseca, 19, was the No. 2 seed at the ATP 250 grass-court event and had been scheduled to make his second straight appearance in Eastbourne.
A team of Costa Rican and Brazilian scientists has identified a new species of deep-sea fish living in the Pacific waters off Costa Rica, highlighting how much of our country’s marine biodiversity remains unexplored. The newly described species, Rhinochimaera costaricana, belongs to a little-known group of cartilaginous fishes known as long-nosed chimaeras, sometimes called ghost […] The post Scientists Discover New Deep-Sea Ghost Shark Species Off Costa Rica appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Costa Rican authorities launched one of the largest organized-crime operations in our country’s recent history today, carrying out more than 100 raids in a case tied to an alleged drug-trafficking and money-laundering network linked to Edwin Danney Lopez-Vega, known as “Pecho de Rata.” The operation, known as Riverside, was led by the Judicial Investigation Agency, […] The post Costa Rica Carries Out Historic Raids Against Alleged Drug Network appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 will be remembered long after the 2026 tournament ends. Messi scored both goals in Argentina’s 2-0 victory over Austria, becoming the all-time leading scorer in World […] The post Messi Breaks World Cup Scoring Record as Argentina Advances appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 conditions for swimmers and small boats. The Caribbean coast could see waves reaching up to 3.5 meters, or about 11.5 feet, between Tomorrow and Thursday, according […] The post Rip Currents, High Surf Threaten Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 and ally without reservations with the United States to fight drug trafficking. With a hardline discourse and a stance against traditional politics, the 47-year-old businessman was […] The post Colombia Shifts Right as Abelardo de la Espriella Wins Presidency appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 is food in the fridge and a car in the driveway.
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 of an international airport that never quite gets built. The project has repeatedly appeared in government development plans, cleared various bureaucratic hurdles and then stalled before […] The post Why Costa Rica’s Southern Zone International Airport Still Hasn’t Been Built appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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, puncturing his heart. Fabiano Duarte da Costa, a 42-year-old physical educator from Itajaí, Brazil, was surfing at Playa Pavones, one of Costa Rica’s best-known surf breaks […] The post Surfer in Costa Rica Survives Needlefish Strike to the Heart appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 Guanacaste Mountain Range. The species, Cryptocarya costaricana P.L.R.Moraes & N.Zamora, was described in Kew Bulletin by botanists Pedro Luís Rodrigues de Moraes and Nelson A. Zamora.
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 spend or swap them. The Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) confirmed that, as of that date, the previous-design versions of those three coins lose their […] The post Costa Rica Sets July 1 Deadline as Old Small-Change Coins Leave Circulation appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 water that isn’t easy to see through. Most eels prefer still, stagnant water with lots of detritus and tangled roots.
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 reduced rainfall, higher temperatures, water availability, agriculture, and wildfire risk across parts of the country. The IMN said the developing El Niño event is expected to […] The post Costa Rica’s Strongest El Niño Impacts Expected Between October and March appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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, which struck eastern Cuba last year. Despite the oil blockade and the tightening of economic sanctions against Cuba, Washington continues to provide assistance to Melissa’s victims […] The post Rural Cuba Still Struggles After Last Year’s Hurricane as U.S. Aid Arrives appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 inevitably running late to lunch. It’s Día del Padre, and while our country marks it more gently than the big August celebration for moms, the heart […] The post Costa Rica Celebrates Father’s Day the Tico Way — Slowly and Together appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 still walked away with only a 0-0 draw, a result that leaves La Tri under real pressure heading into its final Group E match against Germany.
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 that had drawn attention in Costa Rica and the United States. Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), confirmed that the body located in the Barú area […] The post Family Confirms Body Found in Costa Rica Is Missing U.S.
Argentine tennis player Francisco Cerúndolo advanced to the semifinals of the HSBC Championships at Queen's Club by defeating British wild card Arthur Fery, continuing his grass-court success this season.
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 Sunday centered on the peach harvest in the northern highlands. The festival features guided tours of peach and strawberry farms, where visitors learn cultivation practices and […] The post El Salvador Peach Festival Brings Highland Experience to Chalatenango appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 after the government transferred 29 high-risk inmates to existing buildings at the Teniente Nelson Tenas naval station inside Coiba National Park earlier this month. The Defensoría […] The post Panama moves 29 high risk inmates to Coiba prompting UNESCO warning appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 control or improve conditions for ordinary Cubans. The criticism came a day after Cuba’s National Assembly approved 176 measures, grouped around 23 areas of economic and […] The post U.S.
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 University of Costa Rica’s governing council formally voiced alarm over a government permit allowing the clearing of nearly 750 trees to make way for a luxury […] The post Enormous Papagayo Resort Collides With Costa Rica’s Forest Law appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
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 in the northern mining area. The suspect, identified by local media only by the surname Ordóñez, was detained in the Zona Norte after a complaint was […] The post Costa Rica Arrests Man Over Alleged Death Threat Against President appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
Paraguay's men's football team secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Turkey in a World Cup qualifier, reviving their campaign under new Argentine manager Gustavo Alfaro in California.
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 the end of 2025, Costa Rica hosted roughly 233,652 people in need of international protection, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Most were […] The post Costa Rica Faces Growing Pressure as Refugees Near 4.5% of Population appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate .
A 27-year-old woman, Jocelyn Paniagua Gutiérrez, was shot and killed Thursday afternoon in Tuetal Norte de Alajuela, Costa Rica; her relatives reported she had previously received death threats, intensifying concerns about femicide and gender violence in the country.
Costa Rica's Comptroller General has approved the path forward for the central section of the San Carlos highway project, allowing the government to proceed with contractor China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC). The decision clears a major regulatory hurdle for one of the country's longest-delayed road infrastructure initiatives.
President Laura Fernández was hastily evacuated from the Crucitas mining area on Friday morning after a loud blast disrupted her official visit to inspect illegal gold mining damage. The incident occurred around 8:10 a.m. while the president was touring the site with lawmakers.