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Urgent Information for Last Minute Overseass U.S. Citizen Voters

In case you help any California or Florida voters, or if you are one yourself, here are last minute updates. It is still possible...

Laura Fernández Invites Pope Leo XIV for 2027 Visit During Vatican Audience

Q COSTA RICA — Pope Leo XIV received Costa Rican President Laura Fernández in a private audience at the Vatican this Thursday morning, October...

Costa Rican man arrested in Argentina over alleged ¢18 million company funds

Q COSTA RICA — A 38-year-old Costa Rican man with the surname Fernández was arrested in La Plata, Argentina, on October 23. He is...

Entry of used cars 12 years old or older without an emissions certificate may not enter Costa Rica

Q COSTA RICA — Used vehicles that are 12 years old or older—that is, built in 2014 or earlier—may not enter Costa Rica unless...

Costa Rica’s governing party proposes consecutive presidential re-election

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s governing Partido Pueblo Soberano (PPSO) has introduced a constitutional amendment that would allow presidents to serve two consecutive...

The Tope (horse parade) will return to San José this year

Q COSTA RICA — Each December, the Tope Nacional (horse parade) has brought horses and riders into the streets of San José, turning the...

“Bikini Killer” arrested in Alajuelita

Q COSTA RICA — Agents from the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) arrested a 22-year-old woman surnamed Ortiz—popularly known as the "Bikini Killer"—this Tuesday;...

A Big Mac costs 12.5% more in Costa Rica. Who would’ve thought?

RICO's Q — I can’t remember the last time I ate at McDonald’s—whether in Costa Rica or anywhere else I’ve traveled. It’s just not...

Synthetic drug use raises concern among Costa Rican youth

Q COSTA RICA — Older adolescents and young adults are among the groups most often consuming synthetic drugs in Costa Rica, according to Mario...

Unprecedented: Costa Rica’s Three Branches of Government Are Led by Women

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica has reached a first in its institutional history: the country’s executive, legislative, and judicial branches are simultaneously led by...

Costa Rica’s crime-prevention message meets a budget-cut test

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rican President Laura Fernández has made a pointed case for education as crime prevention: keeping children and young people...

Laura Fernández compares her own life path to that of the drug trafficker “Diablo”

Q COSTA RICA — The president of Costa Rica, Laura Fernández, has argued that education can help prevent crime, using a striking comparison between...

With heads shaved and wearing orange uniforms Costa Rica began transfer of inmates to the CACCO

Q COSTA RICA  — On Monday, Costa Rica began moving prisoners to the new maximum-security complex, located within the walls of the La Reforma...

Dictatorships and Power in Central America and the Caribbean: A History That Still Shapes the Region

Q REPORTS — Across Central America and the Caribbean, dictatorships and military governments left a lasting imprint on political life. Throughout the 20th century,...

Why won’t Nicaragua extradite to Costa Rica the man accused of killing his wife and daughter?

Q COSTA RICA — Rafael Antonio Valdez García allegedly killed his spouse, Jasmina López Castro, and their 9-year-old daughter, Belkania Balezka Valdez López, in...

Nicaraguans Account for 87% of Refugee Applications in Costa Rica

Q COSTA RICA — Nicaraguans make up 87% of refugee applications in Costa Rica, according to Cindy Molina, head of the Refugee Unit at...

‘Don’t Make Me Use My Italian Voice’: A Joke That Turns Volume Into Heritage

RICO's Q —The warning is familiar: “Don’t make me use my Italian voice.” It sounds like a playful threat, delivered before a family argument,...

Released from prison despite an active sentence; after a 12-day search, he turned himself

Q COSTA RICA — Kendry Alberto Ferguson Madison, convicted of drug-related offenses, surrendered to the courts in Limón on Saturday, October 24—12 days after...

Costa Rica records 2,954 cases of syphilis and a 12% increase in patients with gonorrhea

Q COSTA RICA — The Ministerio de Salud (Ministry of Health) reported a marked increase in syphilis and gonorrhea diagnoses during 2026. The official...

Long Road to Expansion From San José to San Ramón

Q COSTA RICA  — The planned expansion of Ruta Nacional 1 between San José and San Ramón has been one of Costa Rica’s most...

San José – San Ramón Highway Expansion Set to Begin in Mid-2027

Q COSTA RICA — After three decades of waiting and five failed attempts, Costa Rica has taken another step toward expanding one of its...

Costa Rican legislators remove emergency contraception from sexual-assault care bill

Q COSTA RICA — Members of Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly Commission on Women approved a replacement text that removes emergency contraception from a bill...

Costa Rica farmers apply nearly twice the official pesticide rate to crops, study finds

Q COSTA RICA — A scientific study estimates that Costa Rica’s cultivated land uses an average of 21.9 kilograms of pesticide active ingredients per...

From pasta to pistachio: 12 flavors that tell the story of Italy’s regions

Q COSTA RICA — What do Parmigiano Reggiano, pasta made in Gragnano, a pistachio grown on the slopes of Mount Etna, and a tomato...

De la pasta al pistacho: 12 sabores que cuentan la historia de los territorios italianos

Q COSTA RICA — ¿Qué tienen en común el Parmigiano Reggiano, una pasta elaborada en Gragnano, un pistacho cultivado en las laderas del Etna y...

Carlo Díaz begins second term with a warning to Costa Rica’s “Political Class”

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s re-elected Attorney General, Carlo Díaz, is entering his second term with a sharper understanding of the country’s criminal...

Costa Rica braces for a hotter December despite the arrival of cold surges

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica is expected to experience a warmer-than-usual December, even as seasonal cold surges begin moving into Central America. The forecast...

Costa Rica takes step toward creating human tissues with UCR’s new 3D bioprinter

Q COSTA RICA — The Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR)—University of Costa Rica—has acquired its first 3D bioprinter, expanding the country’s ability to research...

Attorney General clarifies reason for absence from Cacco inauguration

Q COSTA RICA — His tenure is now secure following his unanimous reelection for the next four years as the country's Attorney General. So,...

Seven out of every ten restaurants in Costa Rica fail to comply with pricing regulations

Q COSTA RICA — An inspection conducted by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio (MEIC)—Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Commerce—revealed that seven out...

Why You Can’t Drive From North America to South America

Q — There is no continuous road connecting North America and South America. A driver can travel thousands of miles from Alaska or Canada...

When will the 2026 rainy season begin to recede?

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s 2026 rainy season is expected to begin withdrawing during the first days of November, though the transition will...

Costa Rica’s Public Universities Mobilize Against Proposed $17 Million Budget Cut

Q COSTA RICA — Hundreds of students, professors, university employees, union representatives and politicians took to the streets of San José on Tuesday to...

An arsenal of weapons, millions in cash, luxury vehicles, and a mansion: the multi-million-value seizure following raids in Costa Rica

Q COSTA RICA — Crime does pay—right up until the consequences, law enforcement, or betrayal catch up. Such was the case on Monday when...

Carlo Díaz will remain in charge of the Prosecutor’s Office

Q COSTA RICA — Attorney General Carlo Díaz will remain at the helm of the Fiscalía (Public Prosecutor's Office) for another four years. All...

Infiltrated officials and invisible drug traffickers: New priority for the DEA and the Fiscalía

Q COSTA RICA — The Fiscalía General (Office of the Attorney General), in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other international agencies,...

Suspect in double femicide in Liberia called a neighbor, asking them to “collect the bodies”

Q COSTA RICA — A woman identified as Xiomara stated that she received a phone call from a man—who is now the primary suspect...

OIJ arrested woman for allegedly transporting the suspect in the Fleming murder case

Q COSTA RICA — A 22-year-old woman surnamed Ortiz remains at large as the primary suspect in the homicide of American Mark Walter Fleming,...

Costa Rican Authorities Identify Seven Possible Human-Trafficking Victims at Sámara Restaurant

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rican authorities identified seven women as possible victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation during a raid on a...

Police officer arrested for trying to smuggle cellular phone into maximum-security prison

Q COSTA RICA — An officer from the Unidad Especial de Apoyo (UEA—Special Support Unit—an elite police unit that belongs to the Directorate of...

Prime suspect in murder of American in Guanacaste remains at large

The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) arrested early this Friday morning, following a raid in San Miguel de Desamparados, a woman as part of...

Government Tries to Move Past Questions Over Proximity to DEA-Tracked Drug Suspect

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s government is seeking to shift public attention away from unanswered questions about the apparent proximity of businessman Guobin...

Legislator files criminal complaint over intelligence chief’s appointment

Q COSTA RICA — Legislator Antonio Trejos Mazariegos has filed a criminal complaint against President Laura Fernández and former President Rodrigo Chaves over the...

Costa Rica debates social media ban for under-15s as experts question effectiveness

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica is debating legislation that would prohibit minors under 15 from creating and maintaining accounts on certain social media...

Why Costa Rica is unlikely to record an 8.0-Magnitude Earthquake

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s geology places a natural limit on the size of earthquakes the country can generate, according to seismologist Marino...

Costa Rican Boxer Ziggy Myrie Samudio Gains New Sponsorship from Peptides Costa Rica

Professional boxer Ziggy Myrie Samudio has secured a new sponsorship agreement with Peptides Costa Rica, marking another development in his growing career and bringing...

Laura Fernández: Can she ever come up with an idea of her own!

RICO's Q — Costa Rican President Laura Fernández said her government will examine El Salvador’s proposal to grant conditional early release to some prisoners...

Costa Rica’s economy loses momentum

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica’s economy continues to grow, but at a significantly slower pace than that recorded a year ago. The Monthly...

The Cost of Pleasure: 74-Year-Old American found beaten to death in Costa Rica

Q COSTA RICA — Authorities in Costa Rica are investigating the killing of Marc Walter Fleming, a 74-year-old U.S. citizen who had lived in...

Bukele Absent From Opening of Costa Rica’s CACCO Maximum-Security Prison

Q Costa Rica — Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele did not attend the opening Wednesday of Costa Rica’s new maximum-security prison, despite being invited to...

What happens when you throw a party and your special guests don’t show?

Q COSTA RICA — You send out invitations. Spruce the venue. Spend hours getting everything ready. Then you wait. At some point, the first...

Google categorizes Nicaragua as a “dictatorship” and the regime is unable to censor it

Q24N — Anyone searching for “Nicaragua” on Google today will encounter a definition that the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo cannot control....

The moral superiority of the GAM: living in a chicken coop and thinking you’re Switzerland

RICO's Q — I came across this personal critique of urban life, regional prejudice, and moral superiority in Costa Rica: "La superioridad moral del...

Absolute Ban: The dictatorship’s refusal of entry to Costa Ricans

RICO's Q — "You cannot enter...You are not permitted to enter Nicaraguan territory." On this basis, the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime has...

Suspect in Killing American in Playas del Coco Left Trail by Using His Credit Cards

Q COSTA RICA — Supermarket purchases, buying food at a local shop, and paying for a hotel stay are among the transactions reportedly made...

CCSS waiting lists for breast cancer treatment can be a dangerous enemy

Q COSTA RICA — It is no secret that cancer is a deadly disease that does not pause to wait for medical appointments, lab...

Authorities warn of roadblocks and acts of aggression attributed to motorcycle groups

Q COSTA RICA — Motorcyclists accounted for 247 deaths on Costa Rican roads between January and August 2026—a figure representing 58% of the 425...

“In Nicaragua, there are no property rights for Nicaraguans or foreigners”

Q24N (Nicaragua) A new Nicaraguan law has sharply expanded the area designated as state-owned territory along the country’s borders, leaving landowners, farmers, Indigenous communities,...

Nicaragua confiscates nine homes belonging to U.S. retirees

Q24N (Nicaragua) The transfer of nine homes located at Playa Gavilán, Tola, to the Nicaraguan Social Security Institute involved properties that belonged to U.S....

Costa Rica records more than 300 aftershocks following Panama earthquake

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rican authorities continue to monitor the seismic activity triggered by the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Panama last Friday,...

2027 Marchano comes with increase in mandatory insurance

Q COSTA RICA — Vehicle owners will face an average 4.03% increase in the cost of Mandatory Vehicle Insurance (SOA) for the 2027 vehicle...

Some U.S. Citizens in Costa Rica can still vote

The important United States midterm election takes place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Even though you live in Costa Rica, it is not too...

A link to organized crime would be sufficient for judges to order pretrial detention

Q COSTA RICA — Amid the country's battle against drug trafficking, magistrates from the Third Court are proposing that pre-trial detention be mandated for...

Panama records over 350 aftershocks following the 7.7 earthquake

Q24N — The earthquake that struck Panama on Friday, October 9, 2026, registered as a magnitude 7.7 earthquake according to the U.S. Geological Survey...

Landslide leaves 21 people trapped inside a busines

Q COSTA RICA — A landslide blocked the exit of the Los Bambúes Gastronomic Market (Food Fair) in Bolívar de Grecia, Alajuela, trapping some...

Better Late Than Never

Q — In a rare triumph of the rule of law in Costa Rica, Sheldon Haseltine won his battle to remove a group of...

Spiritual retreat in Costa Rica investigated for alleged fraud

Q COSTA RICA — Allegations of fraud, coercion, sexual offenses, and potential irregularities regarding the sale of lots and homes triggered an investigation into...

Costa Rica once again ranks among the best countries in the world for retirement in 2026

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica has been named the fourth-best country in the world for retirement in 2026, according to the Global Retirement...

Factors That Could Push the Dollar Higher Against Costa Rica’s Colón

Q COSTA RICA — Seven domestic and international factors could increase pressure on Costa Rica’s colón and drive up the value of the U.S....

A hit to the wallet: Fuel prices to rise by up to ¢89 in November

Q COSTA RICA — Fuel prices will rise again in November, according to preliminary data submitted by the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (Recope), the...

When the Prosecutor’s Office is doing its job effectively, the Presidency appears to feel threatened

RICO's Q — One might expect President Laura Fernández to welcome the Organismo de Investigación Judicial’s (OIJ) efforts to uncover corruption. Instead, she appears...

Ana Elena Pinto named Costa Rica’s new Foreign Minister

Q COSTA RICA — Ana Elena Pinto Lizano is the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, assuming the role following the dismissal of Manuel Tovar...

Costa Rica adds new air routes to Guanacaste from Austin and Nashville

Q COSTA RICA — Southwest Airlines will expand its connectivity to Costa Rica in 2027 with new service from Austin, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee,...

Chinese-Costa Rican man wanted by the U.S. to remain in maximum security pending extradition proceedings

Q COSTA RICA — Guobin Tam Zhang—a naturalized Costa Rican citizen of Chinese origin wanted by the United States for alleged links to international...

So, they’re going to revoke Chaves’s visa?

QCR — Recently, there has been persistent and repeated circulation of social media posts speculating that the U.S. government might revoke the U.S. visa...

Atenas Voter Assistance Event

By Rosalie Olds —  Atenas seems to be a gathering place for retirees from the United States to live. And no wonder: it is...

More than 557,000 minors live in poverty in Costa Rica

Q COSTA RICA — More than 557,000 minors live in poverty in Costa Rica, according to estimates from the study “La deuda de Costa...

PLN proposes excluding sexual offenses from constitutional immunity

Q COSTA RICA — On Monday, October 6, the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) caucus introduced a partial amendment to the Constitution seeking to exclude...

Freddy González: “… all Chinese people look alike”

Q COSTA RICA  — Kathleen Quirós—a cooperative sector leader and the romantic partner of Juan Carlos Tam Cheong, as Goubin Tam Zhang is known,...

Don’t Let Anything Stop You from Voting

By Angela Fobbs on Substack — Every American citizen living overseas is eligible to vote in the midterms. The process is simple, but timing...

Winning with one voter at a time

Working with one voter at a time will be the method in Atenas (Baruch Café 10 – 11:30 am) on Tuesday, October 6, 2026,...

Costa Rica to inaugurate its maximum-security prison on October 14

Q COSTA RICA — The Presidency announced on Sunday that the High-Security Center against Organized Crime (CACCO) will be inaugurated on October 14 at...

Between health checks and the night chill: The journey of Panamanian Indigenous people crossing into Costa Rica to work in the coffee harvest

Q COSTA RICA — For Gelina Abrego and her daughter Jessica, crossing from Panama’s Ngäbe-Buglé region into Costa Rica means more than just starting...

Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro face off in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election

Q24N — AFP — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro faced off on Sunday in the first round of Brazil's...

What was an alleged drug trafficker wanted by the DEA doing at Laura Fernández’s victory celebration?

RICO's Q — Juan Carlos Tam Cheong, as Goubin Tam Zhang is known, sought by the United States over alleged drug-trafficking and money-laundering offenses,...

Costa Rica urges increased regional pressure to restore democratic guarantees in Nicaragua

Q COSTA RICA — On Friday, October 2, Costa Rica condemned what it described as an "authoritarian drift" in Nicaragua and called for the...

San José Airport introduces QR codes to enhance safety for U.S. tourists in Costa Rica

Q COSTA RICA — Juan Santamaría International Airport, known as the San José airport (SJO), has introduced new informational resources aimed at U.S. tourists...

Gas hike in effect today Saturday

Q COSTA RICA — You may not have felt it yet, but you will. Fuel prices rose on Saturday, led by a sharp ¢97-per-liter...

Fill up today if you can: A sharp increase in fuel prices will take effect starting Saturday

Q COSTA RICA — Fuel prices in Costa Rica do not increase on a fixed seasonal schedule; instead, they fluctuate monthly based on global...

McDonald’s Opens Its 81st in Costa Rica

Q COSTA RICA — How many McDonald's are there in Costa Rica? Soon to be 81, located in Puntarenas, announced Arcos Dorados, the franchisee...

Fuel price hikes approved: Diesel to rise by ¢97, Super by ¢38 and Regular by ¢12

Q COSTA RICA — The Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep)—Public Services Regulatory Authority—approved a ¢97-per-liter increase for diesel; the price will rise...

U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica refutes rumors regarding visa revocations for Costa Rican officials

Q COSTA RICA — The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica addressed a series of social media posts claiming that the State Department had revoked...

Half of Costa Rican households can’t save as debt and low incomes rake rheir toll

Q COSTA RICA — Although more than 90% of Costa Rican households recognize the importance of cultivating a savings culture, only half manage to...

Can Foreigners Own a Business in Costa Rica?

Q COSTA RICA — Foreigners can legally own and operate businesses in Costa Rica, even if they do not hold residency or citizenship. The...

More Costa Ricans seek asylum abroad; activists and media figures flee due to political persecution

Q COSTA RICA — As the number of Costa Ricans forced to leave the country grows each year, activists and media figures in exile...

Costa Rica sent 45 tons of drugs to the United States for destruction due to budgetary constraints

Q COSTA RICA — Costa Rica transferred 45 tons of seized drugs to the United States for destruction in an operation coordinated by the...

Two women were arrested for alleged driving school scam

Q COSTA RICA — Two women were arrested on Tuesday, suspected of defrauding individuals interested in learning to drive and obtaining a license by...

Óscar Campos urges Prosecutor’s Office and DEA to monitor Rodrigo Chaves despite lacking evidence

RICO's Q — “I don’t have proof, but I have no doubts either.” With that admission, former Costa Rican union leader and legislator Óscar...

Manuel Tovar distanced himself from Rodrigo Chaves before his dismissal

Q COSTA RICA — Weeks before the abrupt dismissal of Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar, the then-minister had already distanced himself from the Minister of...