Q COSTARICA — The new COVID-19 variant, commonly referred to as “razor blade throat,” a sublineage of the omicron variant, Nimbus (NB.1.8.1), classified as VUM (variant under monitoring) by the World Health Organization (WHO), is circulating in Costa Rica.
Data from the Costa Rican Institute for Research and Higher Education in Nutrition and Health (Inciensa), as of June 17, confirm that of 262 samples this year, it has been detected in one, representing 0.38% of the total.
As the name implies, infection may lead to an incredibly painful sore throat, as if their throat is covered with razor blades, according to experts, who detailed that while not specific to Covid-19, this expression has been used to describe sore throat symptoms
Other symptoms, though, are more typical of a Covid infection, including fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, and the loss of taste or smell.
Rest, fluids and painkillers are the best remedies for the painful symptom.
The circulation of this and other variants coincides with an increase in confirmed cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Costa Rica.
According to the Ministry of Health, during epidemiological week 24, (from Sunday, June 8 to Saturday, June 14, 2025) it reported: 231 new cases, an increase of 15.5% compared to the previous week and 39 hospitalizations, including two patients in the ICU, representing a weekly increase of 30%.
So far in 2025, there have been 15 deaths from the COVID-19 disease.
Since last month, Costa Rica has had an updated COVID-19 vaccine, formulated to combat recent variants.
Roberto Arroba of the National Vaccination and Epidemiology Commission stated: “This new vaccine has the ability to protect us against the viruses that are currently circulating.”
The Ministry of Health has purchased more than 700,000 doses, which are available at public health centers.
Q COSTARICA — Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court of Sala IV ordered the release of the migrants deported to our country by the United States and still being held at the Temporary Migrant Care Center (CATEM).
“By majority, the appeal is partially granted, and Jean Paul San Lee Lizano, in his capacity as Acting Director General of Immigration and Foreigners, or whoever holds that position, is ordered to issue the necessary orders, coordinate the relevant actions, and make the corresponding arrangements within the scope of his or her powers, so that within 15 calendar days following the communication of this ruling, in relation to the foreigners deported from the U.S. and admitted by Costa Rica due to the cooperation agreement between the two countries, through a final, individual and reasoned decision, each person’s immigration status is determined and they are released.
“At the same time, within that same period, he or she must coordinate with the relevant public entities to assess the situation of each of these individuals in order to determine what type of health, education, housing, and, in general, social assistance they require from the State,” the Constitutional Court’s ruling states.
The ruling follows with: “Furthermore, the appeal regarding the alleged violation of the right of access to public information was dismissed, and it was clarified that the decision to allow entry for reasons of humanity is a political act beyond the control of constitutionality. The State was also ordered to pay damages resulting from the appealed acts.”
The Deportees
Earlier this year, a group of 200 migrants was deported by the United States to Costa Rica, specifically to the CATEM facilities in Corredores de Puntarenas.
The first group, consisting of 135 people, arrived in the country on February 20, landing at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). All were authorized exceptional and temporary entry, without having to comply with the usual immigration procedures, thanks to an agreement negotiated by President Rodrigo Chaves with the US government.
Costa Rica’s immigration service, the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME), detailed that the US conducted an individual analysis of each person, ruling out links to terrorist groups or Interpol alerts. Furthermore, all expressed their willingness to return to their countries of origin.
Days later, on February 25, a second group arrived, consisting of 65 migrants.
The migrants had arrived to the United States from countries such as Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Ghana, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, India, Congo, Nepal, Yemen, and Vietnam.
Migrants still in the country
On June 12, Omer Badilla Toledo, Deputy Minister of the Interior and director of the DGME, reported that 33 migrants from the original group remained in Costa Rica.
Badilla indicated that these individuals have freedom of movement within the country and the option to regularize their immigration status.
Extension in force
On April 21, a resolution was published in La Gaceta, by which the DGME extended the period of stay for this group, extending the original document.
According to the original resolution, the migrants could remain for three months, with the possibility of an additional extension for the same period, at the discretion of the institution. After this period, they must leave the country or begin a regularization process, in accordance with current regulations. Concerns of the Ombudsman’s Office
Defensora de los Habitantes (Ombudswoman) Angie Cruickshank emphasized that, according to international treaties, Costa Rica cannot deport people to countries where their lives are in danger. She also highlighted that few of the deported families wish to return to their country of origin.
One of the main problems identified by the Defensoría (Ombudsman’s Office) is the lack of clear information for deported migrants, who are unaware of their legal status in the country.
“They are not people who have committed any crime and, therefore, are not deprived of their liberty; they should be able to move if necessary, but they tell us that, if they request it, they must be protected,” Cruickshank stated.
The Ombudsman’s Office also expressed concern about the conditions at CATEM, which houses both migrants deported from the US and people in transit, the majority now seeking to return to their countries, such as Venezuela and others.
Although they receive medical care and food, the Ombudsman’s report warns that multiple deficiencies persist that must be addressed.
Q COSTARICA — Celso Gamboa, who once served as magistrate of the Sala III of the Supreme Court, as Deputy Attorney General, Minister of Security, Vice Minister of the Presidency, Director of Intelligence and National Security (DIS), and former Vice Minister of Public Security, is today behind bars, at the behest of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for being the representative of the Gulf Cartel in Central America.
Sources close to the case have confirmed the role attributed to Gamboa stated in the extradition request processed by the DEA with Costa Rican authorities, in their efforts to bring the Costa Rican to trial in a Dallas, Texas, court.
The investigation identifies Gamboa as the apparent representative of the Cartel del Goffo (Gulf Cartel), which operates in Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and other locations.
This criminal group, dedicated to drug trafficking and related crimes, is considered a terrorist organization and the oldest criminal network in Mexico. However, the document does not elaborate much on Gamboa’s role or his ties to the core or leadership of the Mexican cartel.
It also points to the existence of international connections between the politician and lawyer and his accomplices, with whom he apparently maintained contact and coordinated operations without leaving the country.
According to records from Costa Rica’s immigration service, the Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería (DGME), Gamboa has not left, not legally in any event, Costa Rica since May 2019.
Allegedly, the Costa Rican communicated through cell phone calls and chats, in which illicit business dealings and the logistics of transporting drugs were discussed.
Two former associates of Gamboa, Honduran nationals already extradited to the United States, reportedly provided these revelations and evidence linking Gamboa to the transnational drug trafficking network to the DEA.
The investigation alleges that Gamboa committed at least two crimes. The first is conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, with the intent, knowledge, and reasonable cause to believe that the drug would be illegally imported into the United States, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, sections 959(a), 960, and 963.
The second charge is the alleged manufacture and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine with the same intent, knowledge, and reasonable cause, as well as his participation as an accomplice, in violation of Title 21, section 959, and Title 18, section 2 of the United States Code.
The former Minister of Security and former magistrate of the Criminal Cassation Court, and once an advocate of the extradition of Costa Ricans, did not accept voluntary extradition and was placed in provisional detention (remand) for two months, along with Edwin Danney López Vega, alias “Pecho de Rata” following the detention by the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) at the request of the DEA and a U.S. court.
The pretrial detention period will allow a Costa Rican judge to formally process the extradition request.
Gulf Cartel
The Gulf Cartel, whose origins can be traced to 1984, is one of Mexico’s oldest criminal organizations. At its peak, its leader, Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, was considered the most powerful kingpin in the Mexican underworld.
However, in recent years, it has lost power and influence due to internal divisions among rival factions, as documented by Insight Crime.
These factions continue to control key areas of the US-Mexico border, especially in areas near the Gulf of Mexico. In recent years, they have benefited from the increase in migrant smuggling across the border.
Their strategic position at several border crossings has given them a historic advantage in smuggling drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, and high-caliber weapons and cash into Mexico.
When Juan García Ábrego took over his uncle’s drug trafficking business, then a modest marijuana and heroin operation, negotiated a deal with Colombia’s Cali Cartel, a powerful criminal organization seeking new routes to the US market after being affected by the US offensive in the Caribbean.
The deal was irresistible to both parties: García Ábrego would be responsible for crossing cocaine shipments across the Mexican border, assuming the risks, and keeping up to 50% of the profits.
By the time he was extradited to the US in January 1996, the Gulf Cartel was generating billions of dollars in annual revenue. That money was smuggled back across the border in suitcases, jets, and underground tunnels.
The organization built a distribution network that reached cities like Houston, Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles. Its influence also set a precedent for other groups.
Drug lords like Amado Carrillo Fuentes, alias “El Señor de los Cielos,” head of the Juárez Cartel, soon followed in García Ábrego’s footsteps, demanding greater control over distribution and higher profits from their Colombian partners.
The drug lord was captured in 2003 after the U.S. State Department offered a US$2 million reward for his arrest. His former security force evolved into Los Zetas, the most violent legacy of the Gulf Cartel.
Today, the cartel no longer exists as a unified organization. It is fragmented into several factions competing for criminal economies in Tamaulipas.
Among them are the Ciclones, the Escorpiones, the Rojos, the Metros, and the Panteras. These groups control border crossings, which they use to traffic drugs, weapons, and migrants, among other illicit activities.
Although the Escorpiones and the Ciclones wield the greatest power, the golden age of the Gulf Cartel under García Ábrego is over.
Celso Gamboa
According to statements from former associates of Celso Gamboa and DEA informants, as well as other evidence gathered by the agency, the Costa Rican allegedly became a sort of regional coordinator for the cartel, with influence in several Central American countries.
To achieve this, he allegedly allied himself with one of his former clients and convicted drug trafficker, Edwin López Vega, alias Pecho de Rata, who was arrested along with Gamboa on Monday.
Gamboa held the highest positions in public office, including Minister of Public Security and Supreme Court Justice.
The documentation alleges that Celso Gamboa provided logistical support to two Hondurans linked to the La H gang, who have already been extradited to the United States, where they face charges for international drug trafficking. This organization tapped into Gamboa’s expertise and supposed sway within Costa Rica’s National Coast Guard Service and port scanner management, drawing on his background in both the Executive and Judicial branches of Costa Rica’s government.
However, the DEA’s request indicates that Gamboa allegedly betrayed his associates, providing information to US authorities, which led to the capture and extradition of this criminal cell operating in the Costa Rican Caribbean.
According to the file, after the arrest of the foreigners, Gamboa assumed control of the operations alongside another individual with experience in illicit activities, thus consolidating his position within the criminal structure.
The politician. Celso Gamboa, son of a former Minister of Justice, has held several of the most important positions in combating crime and insecurity in Costa Rica. In the Public Ministry, he began as an assistant to the attorney general and later served as a prosecutor in towns such as Siquirres, Limón, and the Southern Zone.
The defence lawyer. More recently, Celso Gamboa has defended high-profile drug traffickers in Costa Rica, such as Pancho Villa, Turesky, Pecueca, Press, Pecho de Rata, and even Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, identified by the U.S. as the leader of the Cartel de los Soles.
Q COSTARICA — Users daily report irregular charges on their drinking water bill by the Instituto Costarricense de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AyA).
The cause has not yet been confirmed by the utility, but for now, it is suspected that it could be due to a new methodology issued by the regulatory body, the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep), which the AyA is now using to apply the charges.
AyA reported that 38,000 customers could initially be affected. However, the regulator general, Eric Bogantes, fears the impact could have spread to meters that supply more than one home on a lot. This means that the impact of the irregular charges could be greater.
What to do in these cases?
If you are one of those affected, the first thing you should do is go to the nearest AyA office and file a complaint. It is not important if the water service is not in the name of the person paying the bill, such as in the case of rentals or shared service.
The utility, with the service identification number (NIS), will receive the complaint and investigate. However, it needs to be noted that only the ‘owner’ of the service will be informed of the decision, irrespective of who filed the complaint.
Bogantes explained that all bills have a due date, and if the person hasn’t paid or filed a complaint before that date, the institution could still enforce the payment.
A user who disagrees with the amount has the right to a proper investigation to determine the cause and adjust the amount, if necessary.
“As long as there is a pending issue in the system, the cutoff order shouldn’t be generated,” Bogantes said.
This can be troublesome for tenants or users of a shared service not named on the bill, as the decision by the AyA may come much sooner than given at the counter when filing the complaint, affecting the service which could be cut while the user waits a reply that will never come to them, rather to the owner of the service, who in turn may not inform his or her tenant.
This could be detrimental for the user, but very lucrative for the water utility as it charges a disconnection AND reconnection charge.
If the user is not satisfied with the way the complaint is resolved, they should go to the AyA Services Comptroller’s Office. In the case of tenants, they will have to ask the owner to make the case. As a last resort, customers can file a complaint with Aresep until the previous steps have been completed.
Irregular charges in most cases are due to faulty meters and water leaks inside the property, to which the AyA no longer enters the property to investigate the cause of the leak.
In the case of a leak past the meter, the user needs to repair or contract a service to effect the repair and notify the AyA. The work is at the cost of the user and notifying the AyA will allow them to assess the complaint and adjust the billing accordingly.
González noted that by filing a complaint, “its status is claimed and technically does not allow a suspension order.”
As mentioned earlier, the notification of the decision will be sent to the owner of the service, effectively canceling the do-not-suspend order, and the bill will automatically become due and payable.
It is essential to check daily for any changes in the billing to avoid having your service suspended and additional charges.
Q COSTARICA — Costa Rica’s judicial police, the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), will investigate the possible presence of an arm of the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime that could be operating on Costa Rican soil to commit crimes against opponents in exile.
Roberto Samcam, a retired former Nicaraguan military commander and one of the most vocal critics of the dictatorship, was murdered by at least two people inside an apartment complex where he lived in San Vicente de Moravia last Thursday.
Randall Zúñiga, director of the OIJ, told the press, while it would be premature to conclude that the crime was orchestrated by the Ortega-Murillo government, this is a possibility being considered and will be investigated to rule out or confirm it.
Investigators are now trying to find the perpetrators of the murder: both the gunman who entered the apartment to kill Samcam and his accomplice.
The investigations will also focus on determining who planned and ordered the murder.
In the recent past, another attack was carried out against Joao Maldonado, a young Nicaraguan man whose opposition voice has resonated, and who was attempted to be assassinated in San Pedro de Montes de Oca in January 2024.
“As a precedent also occurred in Costa Rica, a few months ago, in a case that has already been clarified by the OIJ, another activist opposed to Daniel Ortega’s regime was attempted to be assassinated and shot multiple times.
“This person managed to survive this attack. Therefore, the OIJ is taking both cases with all due seriousness, and we hope to soon have some results,” said Zúñiga in public statements on the day of Samcam’s murder.
In the past, the OIJ has detected the presence of foreign criminal forces operating on national soil, primarily structures linked to international drug trafficking.
Roberto Samcam was murdered inside his home located in a residential area near Plaza Lincoln, on the east side of San José, when a gunman knocked on his door and killed him with at least eight shots to the chest and extremities.
At least two people are believed to be involved in the attack. The gunman and his accomplice were reportedly circling the residential area in a vehicle where the victim lived.
Warnings
Before being assassinated, the retired Nicaraguan Army major publicly denounced the existence of a cell of hitmen operating out of the Nicaraguan embassy in San José.
As he revealed in an interview with Darío Medios Internacional, the Ortega-Murillo regime had deployed intelligence agents to monitor and attack Nicaraguan opponents who had taken refuge in Costa Rica.
According to Samcam, this clandestine network, protected by the diplomatic structure, was composed of officers sent from Managua through the Dirección de Información para la Defensa (DID), Nicaragua’s Directorate of Defense Information, the intelligence agency of the Nicaraguan Army.
The operations had allegedly intensified after the repression of the April 2018 protests, which led to the migration of thousands of Nicaraguans to Costa Rica.
The opposition leader identified a structure with more than 20 officials without visible official positions. Samcam asserted that embassies and consulates function as espionage centers with institutional cover, and that some members of these cells were identified, causing them to retreat or return to Nicaragua.
He also stated that one of the most alarming cases was the attack on Joao Maldonado and his wife, an action he described as typical of this organization’s modus operandi: locating, following, and hiring hitmen to carry out the attack.
“They sent people to locate and try to cause harm. (…) Public denunciation is our only weapon,” Samcam asserted, noting that the Rodrigo Chaves government has denied the existence of this cell.
However, he warned that Costa Rica’s crime rates are used to camouflage political attacks as simple acts of violence.
Nicaraguan Leaders Denounce Persecution
Óscar René Vargas, economist, sociologist, and political analyst, is a veteran of the political struggle and one of Nicaragua’s most prominent and respected academic voices.
He went from being part of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FRN) and saving Daniel Ortega’s life to exile in Costa Rica, from where he has criticized and denounced the regime formed by the commander and his wife, co-president Rosario Murillo.
Vargas was one of the last people to see Samcam alive. They shared lunch with a third friend at an establishment near La Sabana, after Roberto returned to the country after two months of visiting his children and siblings.
Óscar René did not hesitate to hold the dictatorial regime responsible for the murder and publicly condemned Ortega and Murillo for ending the life of the opposition leader.
In an interview with CRHoy, he also asserted that there is an operation on Costa Rican soil to repress or eliminate voices that have denounced the regime’s actions.
“I think so. That’s a problem here, but what I believe is that this is a problem for the security of Costa Rica itself.
“Given the type of action, this is the work of hired assassins. I don’t think it’s the same people (as the masterminds of the murders), but it could also arise like the Maldonado case.
“It could be Costa Ricans who are bought off with money. The problem is that this hired assassination also has some connection to drug trafficking in Costa Rica.
“The Ortega dictatorship is using these types of people to carry out political actions, and this creates a security problem not only for those of us in exile here, but also for Costa Ricans themselves,” stated Óscar René Vargas.
Prior to his murder, Samcam informed the DIS that he was being pursued
At least one investigative agency, the Dirección de Inteligencia y Seguridad (DIS) – the Directorate of Intelligence and Security, an agency attached to the Ministry of the Presidency, was informed by Samcam about his safety concerns
After the OIJ concluded its investigation at the crime scene, Claudia Vargas, Samcam’s wife, in tears and, in a brief address to the press, recalled that she and her husband both shared concerns with the DIS for his safety.
She also hinted that they believe the crime may have been politically motivated, as her husband had no personal conflicts beyond his outspoken stance against the Nicaraguan regime.
“I remember him as coherent, I remember him as strong. Roberto had a powerful voice and he also directly denounced the dictatorship. He never engaged in any wrongdoing, or anything at all.
“His focus was the promotion of human rights in Nicaragua and the constant denunciation of what was happening,” Vargas stated, who also expressed her gratitude for the messages of solidarity and asked for space for the family.
On June 9, the Constitutional Court, also known as Sala IV, announced the elimination of a paragraph from the Code of Tax Norms and Procedures (CNPT), which in turn raised several questions regarding the public’s handling of the list of companies in arrears with the Ministry of Finance.
Although the full ruling has not yet been made public, and tax attorneys are urging calm to first understand the scope of the resolution, they also acknowledge some uncertainty on the matter.
The fifth paragraph of Article 18 bis was the one annulled by the judges.
Essentially, it was a legal directive that would allow the public to know the names and amounts on the list of delinquent companies with the tax administration until due process was completed and a final judgment was issued.
With the change, all this information could be accessed regardless of whether there are legal claims from those affected by disputes with the Treasury.
“The Court has ruled that this provision of the Code is unconstitutional; therefore, this rule has been removed from our legal system. The elimination of this restriction would allow any person, following the regular procedures, to request information on any tax debt that the Tax Administration intends to impute to a taxpayer (whether genuine or not), regardless of the status of that alleged debt,” said Adolfo Sanabria, a tax attorney at Consortium Legal.
Thus, the advance disclosure of delinquency could lead to: exclusion of taxpayers from public procurement processes; pressure to pay non-final debts, avoiding being listed as delinquent; and also government costs for interest on refunds if the Court revokes tax adjustments.
The claim was part of a constitutional action filed by ANEP.
Call for calm
The ruling does not mean that tax secrecy has been eliminated overnight.
Grettel Rodríguez, legal manager at Grant Thornton, indicated that with the current vote, it is possible to question whether information about delinquency could be disclosed even before the debt became final.
However, she clarified that the key issue is when the debt falls into the delinquency category, since “if the debt cannot be collected, it cannot become delinquent.”
In this sense, several provisions in the tax code clearly define when a delinquency occurs.
First, Article 40 establishes that obligations arising from a resolution must be paid within 30 days of the date it was notified; that is, after the appeal before the Administrative Tax
Meanwhile, Article 80 of the CNPT states that late payment interest must be paid 15 days after the 30-day payment period has expired, while Article 192 of the same code warns that it is not possible to certify the existence of a tax debt for enforced collection until the Administrative Tax Court issues a ruling or finalizes the resolution.
“Thus, if a taxpayer only becomes delinquent when the resolution establishing the additional fee becomes final and the deadline for payment has passed, in practice it would not be possible to provide information about a taxpayer who is delinquent even after the administrative procedure has concluded, since at that point they cannot be considered delinquent,” the expert explained.
In any case, all tax experts emphasize the need to await the full ruling of the Sala IV and thus understand the full scope of the resolution.
Say goodbye to traditional mining and welcome the new era of smart wealth
Imagine lying on a beach chair, drinking an iced drink, while your crypto assets are generating income for you 24 hours a day. This is not a fantasy – AI cloud mining makes it a reality! With AI-driven cloud mining technology, you can achieve anonymous and automated wealth growth without professional knowledge or expensive equipment.
Why choose Bow Miner?
Register and get $15 start-up capital immediately
24-hour non-stop mining operation, a real “ly earn money” experience
100% green energy mining, environmentally friendly and efficient
Military-grade security protection, worry-free fund security
Support: BTC, XRP, DOGE, ETH and other mainstream digital currencies
AI dynamically optimizes computing power, automatically selects high-yield currencies, and maximizes profits
Safe and reliable · Global enjoyment
We rent the computing power of the world’s top data centers, and the advanced AI system monitors the market dynamics of 200+ cryptocurrencies in real time 7×24 hours, intelligently switches to the optimal mining strategy, and automatically avoids market volatility risks, so that your income continues to grow steadily. The platform uses multi-signature cold wallet storage and SSL encryption + 2FA authentication, cooperates with regular third-party audits and real-time transaction monitoring, and builds a 72-hour risk protection mechanism to ensure the absolute safety of assets. Global users enjoy 0-delay withdrawal services, truly realizing “security without borders, zero waiting for income”!
As Michael T., a Singapore user, shared: “After using Bow Miner, my passive income soared 300%!” Sarah K., an American investor, also said: “The operation is so simple that even my mother can easily make money!”
Three steps to start your wealth journey
Visit the official website to complete the registration, no mining machine or technical experience is required, and you can start with $15
Choose a suitable AI smart contract, choose according to your budget, and invest flexibly!
Wait for the income, which will be automatically credited to your account every day, and you can withdraw cash without worry:
For more contract details, please visit the official website: —
If you are looking to create financial freedom through passive income, Bow Miner offers an exciting opportunity worth exploring. With potential earnings ranging from $100 to $1 million per day, scalability and innovative technology, it is an attractive option for anyone who wants to grow their wealth easily. Act now to seize this golden opportunity and let AI work for your wealth!
The cryptocurrency market is booming, and smart people are already earning passive income with Bow Miner, what are you waiting for?
Q COSTA RICA — The Banco Popular y de Desarrollo Comunal (BP) announced the successful deposit of more than US$5.8 million and ¢52 billion colones to more than 5,500 savers who held amounts exceeding ¢6 million colones, following the closure of the Coopeservidores savings and loan.
This action is part of the recovery strategy initiated after the cooperative’s intervention.
The funds were credited to more than 7,000 deposits previously authorized by Banco Popular, following the schedule announced on June 10 and authorized by the Consejo Nacional de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero (CONASSIF) – National Council for the Supervision of the Financial System.
According to official data, this transfer has recovered at least 63.44% of the original balance corresponding to unsecured deposits.
“This new stage of the process reaffirms our commitment to financial stability and to those who trusted the system. We have acted efficiently and professionally to support thousands of individuals, families, and organizations,” stated Gina Carvajal, General Manager of Banco Popular.
Banco Popular deposita más de 5,8 millones de dólares y 52 mil millones de colones a ahorrantes de Coopeservidores. Gina Carvajal, Gerente General del Banco Popular lo explica pic.twitter.com/UE69MTC03C
Since assuming a significant portion of Coopeservidores’ portfolio in 2024, Banco Popular has established itself as a pillar of stabilization in the Costa Rican financial system. The operation, which exceeds ¢451 billion colones, has already benefited more than 170,000 people across the country, under coordinated management.
In addition to disbursements, the Bank maintains an active financial education and support program for affected clients, as well as credit readjustment options with a social focus.
Q COSTARICA — The traditional decrease in rainfall during the rainy season known as Veranillo de San Juan (Veranillo) or “Indian Summer”, is not expected in Costa Rica this year.
According to the national weather service, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), this is due to wetter and more unstable conditions that will continue the rains through the week of June 24.
According to Daniel Poleo of the IMN’s Climatology Unit, next week is not expected to see the usual interruption in rainfall between June 23 and 25.
“It (Veranillo) consists of a brief pause in the rains, especially in the Central Valley and the North Pacific, occurring around June 24, the date on which San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist) is celebrated,” Poleo explained.
“However, this year we are going to have quite rainy conditions associated with the proximity of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. It is expected to be quite humid, and the trade winds will not be as pronounced as they normally are around the Indian Summer,” the expert reported.
These conditions will maintain a high humidity atmosphere, with sunny mornings and rainy afternoons, preventing a temporary interruption in the rains.
Does the Veranillo always occur?
Historical data shows that each year, in the last two weeks of June, there is a 60% chance of the Veranillo.
While there is only a 15% chance that, when it occurs, it will be of severe intensity, typically 7 or more consecutive dry days.
“It gets this name because it presents dry, sunny days (or very little rain); that is, conditions similar to the dry season for a few days,” indicated the IMN.
Scientific Support
Although the term “Veranillo” (a diminutive of “verano”) was originally used colloquially, IMN climate analyses have shown that it does exist.
“It has been shown that there is indeed a decrease in rainfall around June 24th in the Central Valley and the North Pacific, which are the two regions where this Indian summer season occurs,” Poleo emphasized.
Q COSTARICA — As we near the midpoint of 2025, Costa Rica is headed toward a third record year for violence and homicides.
As of Tuesday, June 17, there were 412 murders, three more than the same period last year.
Last weekend alone, there were 11 murders, including two triple homicides.
If the rate of 2.45 homicides per day continues, by the end of December, the number of murders for the year would be about 900, a figure close to the all-time high of 907 cases in 2023.
The majority of the violence is related to a dispute between criminal groups over territory for the distribution and sale of illegal drugs, according to authorities from the Organismo de Investigacíon Judicial (OIJ).
Given this situation, various political actors are questioning the work of the Rodrigo Chaves government and believe that the actions taken to date have been insufficient and ineffective, to the point that they argue that Costa Rica is losing the battle against drug trafficking.
Difference in Approach
“The 11 homicides in two days should lead us to deep reflection, but above all, to make a vehement, respectful, and urgent call to all the country’s police forces to coordinate their actions, so that they can confront organized crime together, since we see that with ordinary action we have not managed to reduce homicides in our country,” said Gilberth Jiménez, president of the Legislative Security and Drug Trafficking Commission.
To date, the current administration has stated that it is urgent to change the laws to prevent dangerous and repeat offenders, who repeatedly commit illegal acts, from walking free.
“Let’s leave behind the myth of the poor and the lack of opportunities that some people, like legislator Gloria Navas, propose. There is no way to solve the crime problem in the short term other than isolating individuals who are seen as unlikely to be rehabilitated. We have made some progress, but we still lack, for example, the extension of pretrial detention for certain crimes that pose a danger to society. We can’t continue hugging those who shoot,” Chaves has said in the past.
However, some believe that insecurity is not combated by increasing prison sentences, but rather by preventive actions and increased investment in social and educational areas, as advocated by independent legislator Navas.
This difference in approach has led President Chaves to abandon the dialogue table with the Legislative Assembly, the Supreme Court of Justice, the Attorney General’s Office, and the OIJ, while accusing the Judiciary of promoting an approach of benevolence and protection of criminals.
Spike on Weekends
On the other hand, Randall Zúñiga, director of the OIJ, warned of a marked spike in homicides on weekends, warning of a lack of “territorial control” in known conflictive areas.
Zúñiga added that this is because the judicial police cannot carry out raids on weekends or after 6:00 pm.
President Chaves vetoed the bill that had been passed, which would have enabled judicial authorities to work around the clock instead of just on weekdays and only after 6:00 am and not past 6:00 pm. The reasoning behind the veto was that it could potentially “infringe the constitutional right to the inviolability of the home, as well as other constitutional principles.”
“Since it was announced that the OIJ lacks the direct authority to carry out raids on weekends, or after 6:00 p.m., we have seen this upswing in homicides that have been occurring on these weekends,” Zúñiga concluded.
Violence continues
In the past four years, violent crime, such as homicide, has spiked from the 588 recorded in 2021 to 654 in 2022, and almost doubled to a record of 907 in 2023. The record dropped some in 2024, closing the year with 880 homicides.
As stated previously, if the current trend continues, it is projected that there will be 895 homicides in 2025, surpassing the number from last year and potentially breaking the record set in 2023.
Main causes of insecurity in Costa Rica
Many believe organized crime, temptations, shortages, and the provocation generated by ostentation appear to be the triggers for many crimes in Costa Rica, rather than unmet basic needs, poverty, and social marginalization.
QCOSTARICA — Older residents of Santa Ana, Costa Rica, are experiencing gentrification, and its effects can be particularly challenging for this demographic, characterized by rising housing costs and the influx of higher-income residents, leading to displacement and social isolation for those who have deep roots in the community.
Over the past two decades, the canton of Santa Ana has transformed from the quiet farming town many remember to one of the epicenters of the country’s most rapid real estate development.
Towers, luxury condominiums, corporate centers, and shopping malls now define an urban landscape that reflects a profound transformation: a silent but evident process of gentrification.
This phenomenon, which was only recently discussed, has changed not only the canton’s physical environment but also its social and economic fabric.
An Accelerated Transformation
Since the 1990s, the canton of Santa Ana has been subject to intense real estate pressure. Its proximity to San José and its direct connection to Escazú, Route 27, and high-profile free trade zones have made it fertile ground for residential development aimed at upper-middle- and high-income sectors, both domestic and foreign.
According to data from the Instituto Nacional de Vivienda y Urbanismo (INVU) – National Institute of Housing and Urban Development, Santa Ana is among the cantons with the highest urban land appreciation in the last decade.
Furthermore, recent real estate sector studies place it among the cantons with the highest prices per square meter in the entire country.
What is gentrification?
Gentrification is an urban process in which areas traditionally inhabited by low or middle-income people undergo transformation through private investment that raises land values and attracts more affluent sectors. As a result, original residents struggle to remain in their current location due to the rising cost of living.
In Santa Ana, this phenomenon manifests itself in multiple ways: from the displacement of families who can no longer afford rent to the transformation of traditional streets into high-density urban axes.
Between progress and exclusion
The areas of the Pozos, Uruca, and Lindora districts are clear examples of the canton’s new face.
Vertical developments, luxury shops, private clinics, and designer cafes proliferate in them. But there are also tensions.
In addition to rising land prices, the arrival of foreign residents—mostly North Americans, Europeans, and, to a lesser extent, South Americans and, more recently, digital nomads—has contributed to changing cultural dynamics, commercial preferences, and even the language displayed on some signs or menus.
What’s being lost?
The influx of foreigners and the expansion of luxury real estate projects have profoundly changed local identities. Businesses, fairs, services, and public spaces that once served the needs of the community now cater to the tastes of visitors and new residents.
For example, some local activities and small local businesses are losing ground to an urban model that prioritizes anonymity, exclusivity, and high added value.
Despite this, the local government has been implementing activities to ensure local people maintain their roots through weekly events where they display their products, such as the Mercado de Abasto Solidario.
What can be done?
Sociology experts warn that it is necessary to establish urban policies that promote housing inclusion, the recovery of public space, and the right to the city for all people, not just those who can afford the current high market prices.
Santa Ana is, without a doubt, an emblematic case of the urban development model that Costa Rica is adopting in its GAM. But it is also a wake-up call: progress cannot be measured solely in towers, shopping centers, and added value.
True development must ensure that no one is left out of their own home.
Q24N (Confidencial) For former guerrilla commander Dora María Téllez, the illegal arrest and rushed conviction of retired General Álvaro Baltodano—once one of Daniel Ortega’s closest political and economic allies—represents more than just a political purge. It’s proof, she says, that in today’s power structure, loyalty no longer pays.
“Being loyal to Daniel Ortega—or even to Rosario Murillo—no longer comes with any reward,” the historian said in an interview on Esta Semana, broadcast on Confidencial’s YouTube channel.
Baltodano wasn’t just any official. He was part of Daniel Ortega’s “inner, iron circle.” His downfall sends a clear message to the Sandinista leadership: “Anyone who isn’t part of the Ortega-Murillo family will end up in ‘El Chipote’ or ‘La Modelo,’ accused of anything,” warned the exiled and denationalized political prisoner Dora María Téllez.
According to her analysis, the silence surrounding the arrests of prominent Sandinista figures can be explained by one simple reason: fear. A fear that reaches from the mid-level ranks of the FSLN all the way to the top of the military, where figures like General Julio César Avilés could be “in line” to fall next.
On Monday, June 9, 2025, retired General Álvaro Baltodano was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a secret trial held inside the prison. Does this have any impact on the leadership of the Sandinista Front and the Nicaraguan Army?
“I think it does, because the message is crystal clear: loyalty no longer pays off. Being loyal to Daniel Ortega, even to Rosario Murillo, no longer brings any reward. Years ago, loyalty paid off, but not anymore. Baltodano was part of Ortega’s innermost, iron circle, just like (Alberto) Acuña, Ortega’s head of security,” said Téllez.
The message is very clear: anyone who isn’t part of the Ortega-Murillo family will end up in El Chipote or La Modelo, accused of whatever, because the paranoia within the Ortega-Murillo circle keeps growing.
Baltodano was captured in the early hours of May 14 on his estate by a contingent of officers from the Judicial Support Directorate. Now, less than a month later, he’s been sentenced in a video-conference trial held inside prison. Is this a sign that the regime is radicalizing?
“I think it’s a total sign of weakness, actually. If they’ve started to devour their own inner circle, then the military leadership is next. I believe General Julio César Avilés could be in line—he’s been the head of the army for 15 years and has accumulated a lot of power. The same goes for the two colonel-generals (Bayardo Rodríguez and Marvin Corrales); my impression is that naming them “colonel-generals” is just a way to start clearing them out. These are people who’ve gained a lot of power—and anyone who accumulates too much power or too much information is not to Rosario Murillo’s liking. I think the military leadership is clearly next. And they’ve likely already been warned.
Baltodano was convicted of the alleged crime of treason, with political motives attributed to his arrest. Following his detention, other former military officers were also captured, though their status remains unknown. Former council members and mayors from the CxL party were detained as well. Does this point to signs of discontent among Sandinistas with Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo?
“I believe so. Within the Sandinista Front, there is growing discontent, which is becoming more widespread. At the same time, the party’s base is significantly eroding. Among the mid-level ranks, there’s a sense that they could be imprisoned at any moment—just like dozens of government and party officials who are still being held at “El Chipote” under conditions of enforced disappearance. No one knows anything about them, and their families stay silent out of fear for their own safety.
“The Sandinista leadership is bound together by corruption, but below that level, people are afraid the rug could be pulled out from under them at any time. They know they could be dismissed, stripped of everything, or end up in prison—something that has already happened repeatedly over the past two years.
“As the regime feels increasingly weakened, this process of cannibalizing itself will only accelerate. They’re devouring their own ranks, their own circle, and in the end, the only ones left will be the Ortega-Murillo family and a small inner circle—whose identities are largely unknown—because even their most loyal followers are now falling out of favor,” concluded Téllez.
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro: A Woman Who Fought for Peace in Nicaragua
She dreamed of a democratic Nicaragua, and after defeating Daniel Ortega at the polls in 1990, she became the first woman president in the Americas.
RICO’s Q — “My Mother Will Return to Her Homeland When Nicaragua Becomes a Republic Again,” were the words of Carlos Fernando Chamorro, son of former President of Nicaragua, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, who died last weekend in Costa Rica, at the age of 95.
Carlos Fernando, the youngest son of the first woman elected president by popular vote in the Americas, is a Nicaraguan independent investigative journalist and the founder and editor of Confidencial, a news website covering Nicaragua. In January 2019, Chamorro went into exile in Costa Rica, after the police raid of Confidencial’s offices on 14 December 2018, returning in late November of the same year. Chamorro went into exile again in June 2021 after his siblings were arrested by the Nicaraguan authorities.
“In the early hours of June 14, 2025, the light of our mother, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, was extinguished, but that same day, hope was reborn in Nicaragua. A hope embodied in the example of her life, in her legacy of integrity and honesty, in her commitment to freedom and democracy, in the lived experience that it is possible to overcome fear in order to express the will of the people, and above all, in her stature as a stateswoman who governed democratically, even in the face of authoritarian threats,” wrote Carlos Fernando on his daily news site.
“This weekend in Nicaragua, some parishioners asked their priests to pray for my mother during Mass or to dedicate a service to her. The response was: ‘It’s better not to. We can’t, because it’s too dangerous’. We’ll include her in the prayer for all the faithful departed, we remember her fondly, and we would love to offer the Mass in her name, but we simply can’t take that risk”.
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro: A Woman Who Fought for Peace in Nicaragua. She dreamed of a democratic Nicaragua, and after defeating Daniel Ortega at the polls in 1990, she became the first woman president in the Americas.
“And one might ask: why is it dangerous in Nicaragua to offer a prayer or a Mass for Doña Violeta de Chamorro? Just as, in the past, praying for imprisoned bishops and priests has been treated as a punishable crime—why is there censorship against a woman of peace who has never posed a threat to national security? The only possible explanation is the regime’s fear of hope spreading,” explained Carlos Fernando.
In October 2023, Chamorro’s siblings Pedro Joaquín and Cristiana (who was thwarted from running against Daniel Ortega in the 2021 presidential elections) were released from prison and forcibly exiled and Claudia Lucía had to travel to the United States for health reasons.
“We made the decision to move our mother to San José so we could give her here the love and affection we were no longer able to give her in a homeland that had been taken from us,” wrote Carlos Fernando.
“She held on to life, and finally, in January of this year, the four of us were able to reunite in San José, to sing to her, to pray with her, to kiss her, to hold her, and to thank her endlessly for her life.
“And because I had the privilege of being by my mother’s side in Costa Rica, and because we know firsthand the pain of exile and the forced separation of families, we stand in solidarity with all political prisoners who never had the chance to see their mothers and fathers again before they passed.
“We stand in solidarity with all those in exile who haven’t been able to be with their loved ones in their final moments in Nicaragua, and with every family torn apart by the cruelty of the dictators who have turned Nicaragua into a nation of the banished.
“Thank you also to the people and the State of Costa Rica, who welcomed our parents during their first exile in 1957, when they fled the Somoza dynastic dictatorship. Since then, Costa Rica has continued to receive the Chamorro Barrios family, and hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans, migrants, and refugees, with solidarity through the ’70s, the ’80s, and now into the 21st century.
“The first time I truly felt proud of my mother, back when I was a child and thought she was the best mom in the world, she was a young and beautiful woman who loved playing baseball—and was quite a good hitter, too. My mother also knew how to ride horses to herd cattle, and I always remember her being very close to her children.
“My father was a powerful, earthy force who would arrive home punctually after the evening edition of La Prensa, back when it was an afternoon paper, and my mother could tell whether he was in a good or bad mood by the way he slammed the door,” continued Carlos Fernando.
On the afternoon of April 18, 2018, the day a protest was taking place on Camino de Oriente, Carlos Fernando said he left the Condiencial newsroom and went to visit his mother at her home in Las Palmas, as was his routine.
“We sat in her room and turned on the TV, which was showing images of the protest and the brutal police and paramilitary repression. After watching those images of repression for more than 30 minutes, she simply said, “What is this barbarity? What is this barbarity?”, said Carlos Fernando.
“Seven years later, we say to you: thank you, Mom, for planting the seed of hope with which we will bring change, so that Nicaragua can become a Republic again, rebuilt not with revenge, but with justice.
“Thank you, Mom, thank you Teteta, as your grandchildren and great-grandchildren call you, for your immense example of love and generosity.
“And I promise you that when Nicaragua becomes a Republic again, you will return to rest in peace in your homeland, so that all Nicaraguans can honor your memory and your legacy in a free country,” concluded Carlos Fernando.
Q COSTARICA — The Uber app announced a new safety feature that will allow partner drivers to see how many trips a user has completed before accepting a ride. This information will be visible directly in the app, along with the user’s rating score upon receiving the ride request.
“This new tool is the result of active listening to partner drivers. We know that having more information before accepting a ride, such as knowing the number of trips a user has taken, can make a difference. Therefore, we continue to work hand in hand with technology to develop tools that offer greater transparency and raise the standard of mobility safety,” said Manuela Bedoya, Safety Communications Manager at Uber for Central America, the Andean Region and the Caribbean.
This tool joins the more than 40 safety features that the Uber app has available in the country for partner drivers and users. For partners, the following stand out:
Audio recording: Allows both riders and co-riders to record audio during a trip and submit it as part of a safety report.
Video recording: Allows recording of the vehicle’s interior using technology that utilizes the front-facing camera of the co-rider’s phone, encrypting the recording so it can only be submitted as part of a report to Uber’s support team.
Blocking future trips with riders they have designated with a low rating.
Rider verification: This includes electronic payment validation and scanning of government-issued ID from the Uber app for those paying in cash, among others.
In addition to these features, the Uber app has a team of former police officers available to work with law enforcement 24/7 to respond to urgent information requests and support investigations.
“Safety isn’t a single goal, but rather an ongoing process. Each new tool we launch is part of a comprehensive approach to promoting more reliable travel, where both partners and users feel more at ease before, during, and after their trip,” Bedoya added.
Q24N (EFE) — Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino expressed his concern last week about the rising number of migrants arriving in the country from the north in their irregular transit southward, after being prevented from entering the United States.
“I am concerned that the number of people coming from north to south is increasing,” Mulino said during his weekly press conference on Thursday, in which he specified that to date, Panamanian authorities have counted 11,810 people in this reverse flow.
The majority of these travelers detected by Panamanian authorities are Venezuelan nationals, followed by Colombians, Peruvians, and Ecuadorians, among others, including non-continental migrants such as Nepalis, Cameroonians, and Iranians, the Panamanian president commented.
Mulino recalled that his administration, whose five-year term began on July 1, 2024, “closed” the roads in the Darien jungle used by “more than a million” irregular migrants on their journey north in recent years, amid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the region.
In fact, on May 14, the Panamanian government closed the main immigration station at the exit of the jungle border with Colombia, given the drastic drop in the flow of irregular travelers northward.
The so-called reverse migration flow from north to south has become almost the only one existing in countries like Panama, where before Donald Trump became president of the United States, hundreds of migrants crossed the Darien jungle daily on their way to the United States, with a record number of more than 500,000 in 2023.
On their return, instead of crossing the jungle, migrants now take boats from ports in the Panamanian Caribbean to a town on the border with Colombia, from where they continue their journey to South America.
Seismograph with paper in action and earthquake - 3D Rendering
Q COSTARICA — Costa Rica is one of the countries with the most earthquakes in the world, according to data from the specialized site earthquakelist.org, listing the countries with the most earthquakes.
Updated daily, using information from the U.S. Geological Survey and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, it includes any earthquake with a magnitude of 4 or higher, as long as the epicenter is within 300 kilometers of the country’s borders.
In the case of Costa Rica, its geographical position at the interface between the Cocos and Caribbean tectonic plates makes it an area prone to frequent seismic movements.
Although most events are of moderate magnitude and do not cause significant damage, the country has experienced earthquakes that have caused alarm, such as the magnitude of 6.2, which occurred in the North and Central Pacific, with its epicenter 41 km northwest of Tamarindo, in October 2024.
Mexico had the most earthquakes in the world in 2024, with 1,971 recorded during the year.
So far this year, Indonesia tops the list with 881, and Mexico is second with 801, followed by Papua New Guinea (556), Greece (492) and Turkey (482) in the top 5.
It was followed by Indonesia (1,872) and Japan (1,563). In these countries, tectonic activity is constant due to the convergence of multiple geological plates.
Top 100 Countries by number of significant earthquakes that hit nearby in 2025, the countries with the highest magnitude quakes include Naynmar with a 7.7, the Cayman Islands with a 7.6, Argentina with a 7.4, and China with a 7.1. See the complete list here.
In terms of countries with high seismic activity, in Latin America, they are Chile, Guatemala, Peru, and El Salvador.
Costa Rica landed in 24th place among the world’s most earthquake-prone countries in 2024. To date this year, it is ranked 31st.
Earthquakelist.org provides a complete overview of the latest earthquakes near Costa Rica, updated every minute. Did you feel an earthquake today in Costa Rica? If an earthquake is happening right now near Costa Rica, it will show up here within minutes.
According to the list, the latest quake to hit Costa Rica was 3 hours ago (1:08 am Costa Rica time), a 3.5 magnitude, 161 km west of Liberia, Guanacaste. A total of 1543 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of Liberia in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 154 earthquakes per year, or 12 per month.
On average an earthquake will hit near Liberia roughly every 2 days. The strongest was a M6.6, on Apr 21, 2022.
Q COSTARICA — Holding homemade signs that read “Democracy, Not Dynasty” and “No Kings in America,” among others, dozens of Americans living in Costa Rica voiced their concerns over recent actions by the Trump administration, which they believe undermine democratic norms.
They gathered on Saturday in front of the U.S. Embassy in San José to protest what they see as President Donald Trump’s attempts to act like a monarch.
The demonstrators, who align themselves with the Democratic Party and oppose the Trump administration, chanted for the president to leave office and accused him of violating the law through his policies.
Their central message—“No to kings”—was a direct response to Trump’s decision to order a military parade marking both the anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army and his own birthday.
Kathy Rothschild, one of the movement’s organizers and a member of Democrats Abroad Costa Rica, made this clear: “Trump is holding a military parade as if he’s royalty, putting himself above the law. That’s why we’re here: to resist and to say clearly, he can’t do that,” Rothschild said.
The protest, organized through social media channels and word of mouth, drew a diverse crowd that included long-term expatriates, retirees, and students studying abroad.
Organizers said their goal was to send a clear message to both the U.S. government and the international community: that Americans abroad are watching developments back home closely and are committed to defending democratic principles.
Q COSTARICA (From CRHoy) — Sara (pseudonym)’s voice trembles a little when she talks about her father. Don Álvaro (pseudonym) is 60 years old, was born in Costa Rica, but is a US citizen and served in the army.
He arrived in the United States when he was just 9, driven by the dream of a father who emigrated in the 1970s hoping to offer a better life for his family. He gave his youth, his health, and his loyalty to the United States. Now his daughter begs him not to go out on the street without a copy of his passport.
“I tell him, ‘Papi, have a photo of your passport on your phone.’ And he just answers, ‘No, calm down. I served in the army. I’m a citizen.’ But that doesn’t matter right now,” Sara says.
They live in California, where she was born and raised among Salvadorans, Mexicans, and a few Costa Ricans. However, in recent days, life in the neighborhood has changed abruptly. “It’s like the movie where Thanos appears, doing this with his fingers… and there’s no one left,” she says.
Don Álvaro served in the United States Army of his own free will. Because, although his mother dreamed of seeing him in college, he decided to wear a uniform and say yes to a country that wasn’t yet entirely his.
“I always tell him: ‘You weren’t even born here, and you said: I’m going to serve this country.’”
The family arrived in the 1970s. Sara’s grandfather worked in factories, lost half a finger in a machine, and still went to work the next day. He lived through times of fear, with bells ringing announcing the arrival of immigration officers, with documents torn up in his face by border agents yelling at his wife to keep their baby quiet.
“This fear isn’t new,” she says. “But now it’s worse.”
According to Sara, there are no more taco vendors on the streets. No more children running around. There are no people on the sidewalks. There is silence, patrol cars, and plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entering stores, churches, and schools.
“It doesn’t matter if you have papers. It doesn’t matter if you say you’re a citizen. They’re grabbing you on the street, throwing you into cars, and taking you away. Days later, they realize, ‘Oh, yes, you are a citizen.’ But they’ve already traumatized you. They’ve already put you through all that.”
Sara is a teacher. She has a master’s degree in education. She says she owes everything to her father and grandfather. She wouldn’t be where she is today if it weren’t for their sacrifices. But now she lives in fear. Afraid that one day her father won’t return.
“I’m afraid. Afraid of not finding him. Because it’s not like they arrest you and tell you, ‘He’s going to be here.’ No. They take him away, and no one knows where he is. Days go by, searching, until someone tells you, ‘Oh, he’s in such and such a place.’ And you wonder: How did he get there?”
Saturday was President Donald Trump’s birthday. And also the threat to protesters of the use of force, a threat that echoed in Sara’s head.
“I told my dad: don’t go out. If you need anything, let someone else go. Because they’re hunting us.”
“They’re arresting parents even at their children’s graduations. And no one says anything. What kind of country is this?” Sara asks.
Then she falls silent.
Maybe she’s remembering her grandfather, picking up torn papers from the ground. Her father, marching in uniform. To her, telling her that no matter what she’s done, fear has already entered the door and won’t leave.
“My dad always says he doesn’t look ‘mojado’. And I tell him: that doesn’t matter. You have coffee on your face. You’re tanned. And that’s enough.”
Translated and redacted from CRhoy.com. Read the original. in Spanish, here.
Q COSTARICA — Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended that citizens suspend all travel to Israel and Iran amid the escalating military conflict in that region.
“Given the recent military escalation in the region, the continued state of war in Gaza, and serious concerns that the situation may worsen, the Government of Costa Rica recommends that its citizens suspend all travel to Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jordan, Iran, and Lebanon,” the Foreign Ministry explained.
Similarly, it recommended avoiding non-essential travel to cities bordering the conflict.
The Foreign Ministry informed the public that the possibilities of evacuating Costa Ricans, whether residents or tourists, from a war zone, are “very limited,” as the country lacks the financial and material resources to do so.
“For this reason, Costa Ricans residing in the areas above are strongly recommended to consider taking steps to relocate to another region or return to Costa Rica as soon as possible,” the ministry added.
The Foreign Ministry added that if the conflict continues to escalate, the Costa Rican Consulate General in Tel Aviv “will make every effort” to secure space on evacuation flights organized by other countries, but reiterated that it there are no guarantees.
“Other evacuation routes, by land and sea, have been analyzed; however, these have proven to be impractical for security, logistical, and cost reasons,” it concluded.
If a Costa Rican is in the region and requires consular assistance, they can contact one of the following Costa Rican Consulates:
Tel Aviv, Israel, by email at (00 972) 3-613-5061 or by phone at concr-il@rree.go.cr.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, by email at concr-ae@rree.go.cr, or by phone: +971 521856070.
Ankara, Turkey, by email at concr-tk@rree.go.cr, or by phone: +90 (312) 439 2332.
Beirut, Lebanon, by email at conhcr-li@rree.go.cr, or by phone: +961 5 456 666 EXT. 200 and +961 70 270 227.
Amman, Jordan, by email at costarica@ak.com.jo, or by phone: 00 (962-6) 5822684.
The supply chain crisis could last into 2023 unless governments boost spending in ports, railways, and warehouses, a shipping exec warns
On Thursday, Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly unanimously approved Bill 24,682, with all 42 members voting in favor. The bill, proposed by legislator Katherine Moreira, toughens penalties in the Penal Code for receiving stolen goods valued at more than five times the base salary.
Under the new legislation, anyone found acquiring, receiving, or hiding high-value stolen property—without being involved in the original theft—could face between four and six years in prison.
The law keeps the existing penalties for lesser cases and adds harsher consequences for repeat offenders.
Lawmakers say the change is a direct response to the growth of organized crime, especially thefts involving shipping containers. According to the Comisión de Asuntos Jurídicos (Legal Affairs Committee), professional fencing operations know exactly how to navigate logistics networks and avoid law enforcement.
The real issue, they argue, lies with those who order the thefts and then take possession of the goods. Because the current punishment ranges from six months to five years—or just a small fine—these crimes often don’t even end up on a person’s record.
During the bill’s review, it drew support from a wide range of organizations, including the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública, the Ministerio Público, Ministerio de Justicia, the UCCAEP, the Cámara de Transportistas Unitarios (Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Unitary Transporters’ Union (UCCAEP), and the Chamber of Unitary Transporters).
Supporters argued that tougher penalties would reclassify these offenses as serious crimes, enabling investigators to use special techniques and making it easier to dismantle receiving and smuggling networks.
“This bill is a critical step in combating organized crime, especially the networks behind container theft, large-scale robberies, and trafficking in stolen goods,” UCCAEP wrote in a statement. “These crimes severely disrupt the daily operations of companies here, particularly those in foreign trade, logistics, transportation, and goods distribution.”
The Ministerio Público (Public Prosecutor’s Office) added that the higher penalties would open the door to more severe sanctions and give prosecutors more tools to handle complicated cases.
The Costa Rican Bar Association was the only group to object, saying the bill lacks strong technical backing. Still, the Legislative Commission did not hold public hearings and moved the bill forward unanimously on April 29.
The proposal now awaits a second vote and the president’s signature before it can become law and be published in the Official Gazette.
Background documents for the bill mention dozens of complaints in 2023 alone, with container and van thefts hitting goods like heavy metals, appliances, toilet paper, and liquor.
Transparency Note: This news story was written with the help of artificial intelligence tools to process available information. The content is based on verifiable sources and has been reviewed for accuracy and clarity.
Q COSTARICA — Although Costa Rica is one of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries with the longest working hours, it is the third-lowest productive country in this group of nations, according to reports from the organization.
What is the reason for the country’s low productivity?
The number of hours worked in Costa Rica has actually increased over the years. According to OECD data from 2023, people in Costa Rica worked 2,073 hours per year, compared to the OECD average of 1,716 hours. And according to OECD data from 2024, Costa Rican workers now work an average of 2,171 hours per year, compared to the average of 1,742 hours. Peru ranks first with 2,252 hours, and Mexico is second with 2,207 hours per worker per year.
In Costa Rica, the standard workday is eight hours per day, up to a maximum of 48 hours per week, a figure that is already above the world average. Working people in Costa Rica spend an average of 44.34 hours per week on their jobs and 20.5 hours on unpaid domestic work, according to data from the Central American Population Center (CCP) at the University of Costa Rica (UCR).
According to an analysis by the International Labor Organization (ILO), published in December 2024, workers worldwide work an average of 43.9 hours per week.
Colombia is the only Latin American country in the top 15 worldwide, with an average of 46.6 hours per week. In addition to Colombia, seven other Latin American countries have hours worked above the world average: Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Peru, and Costa Rica.
And what about productivity?
The most recent OECD productivity study shows that Costa Rica ranks 38th out of 40 OECD countries evaluated. It is the country with the lowest productivity after Mexico and Colombia, according to the “OECD Compendium of Productivity Indicators 2024” report.
Labor productivity is understood as the value measured at market prices for each hour of work, or the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per hour worked. Labor productivity in the OECD was US$67.50 per hour in 2022. In Costa Rica, GDP per hour worked was US$29.60, while in Ireland, which ranks first, it was US$162.50.
Productivity is not only already low, but is actually declining.
According to the “Quarterly Analysis of the Economy” by the Institute for Research in Economic Sciences (IICE) of the University of Costa Rica (UCR), productivity per hour of work decreased 0.26 percentage points in the first quarter of this year.
Why?
For Carlos Montenegro, executive director of the Costa Rican Chamber of Industries (CICR), one factor that undoubtedly explains the country’s long working hours and low hourly productivity compared to most OECD countries is that around 40% of jobs in our country are in the informal sector, a sector characterized by longer hours than in the formal sector, traditional low-value-added activities, and very low wages, which, furthermore, are not covered by social security contributions.
Another factor is the country’s low spending on innovation and development relative to GDP.
Montenegro also noted that for several years, Costa Rica has faced a dual economic growth pattern, with strong dynamism in Free Trade Zone activities, such as medical devices, the electronics industry, and specialized business services. While most formal activities under the Definitive Regime are less dynamic, meaning that productivity has increased at a much slower pace than those under the Special Regimes.
When consulted on this matter, the Costa Rican Union of Chambers and Associations of the Private Business Sector (UCCAEP) stated that micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, which make up 97.5% of the national productive fabric, face limitations in access to technology, digitalization, financing, and human talent training, which restricts their ability to generate more value for each hour worked.
Additionally, in economies where physical and technological capital has not been sufficiently incorporated into the production process, as in the case of Costa Rica, the marginal productivity of labor tends to stagnate; this is a clear and evident symptom of underinvestment in innovation and human capital, it noted.
Finally, the Uccaep recognized that the lack of alignment between educational offerings and the needs of the productive sector affects productivity, and gaps in technical, digital, and management skills persist, limiting workers’ ability to effectively integrate into high-value-added sectors.
For Luis Carlos Olivares, an economist, lawyer specializing in public policy, and vice president of the Market and Consumer Rights Observatory (Omercon), among the factors that influence productivity per hour worked are: the technical development of jobs and workers’ ability or access to make efficient and optimal use of the technological resources available to them; workers’ technical capabilities; the gaps (educational, technological, and infrastructure) that exist between regions; and market conditions, such as those that present competition issues.
For his part, economist Luis Paulino Vargas explained that a primary factor affecting productivity is technology, as more advanced and modern technologies versus more backward or rudimentary technologies determine higher or lower productivity. A second factor is that companies with better management organizations will foster better organization of the division of labor in terms of processes and collaboration.
And a third, which he pointed out as “extremely important and decisive,” is the motivation, sense of belonging, and interest of employees, something that is only possible when employees are in a work environment that makes them feel good, appreciated, and valued. “It is possible that in the case of Costa Rica, all three of these elements fail,” Vargas stated.
“We don’t have a motivated, identified workforce because we have a corporate culture that is very prone to, let’s say, milking people for their blood, exploiting them to the limit, believing that this way they will achieve greater efficiency in a context where, furthermore, the job is very vulnerable and the person knows that at any moment, for the slightest infraction, they can be fired, so that the person also has no reason to feel identified with the company for which they work,” Vargas complained.
Q COSTA RICA – Nicaraguans, Colombians, and Salvadorans top the list of naturalized citizens with the greatest presence on the 2026 electoral roll.
In total, 94,533 naturalized voters will be able to exercise their right to vote on February 1st, 2026 (and the second round vote if required) when the national elections are held.
According to data from the Statistics Unit of the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE), this group of voters is made up of 53,792 women and 40,741 men.
San José is the province with the largest number of naturalized citizens, with 41,924, followed by Alajuela with 15,266 and Heredia with 11,428.
Compared to the 2024 municipal elections, the number of naturalized citizens registered on the electoral roll grew by 10,117, representing a 10.7% increase over the 84,416 who would have exercised their right to vote in the previous election.
Costa Rica’s voter registry reflects the diverse origins of those who are now Costa Ricans: 140 different nationalities are represented.
The majority of naturalized citizens in Costa Rica come from Nicaragua, Colombia, El Salvador, and Panama. Specifically, 56.1% of naturalized citizens are originally from Nicaragua, according to the TSE. Colombians represent 11.4%, Salvadorans 5.6%, and Panamanians 2.8%.
Other naturalized voters in Costa Rica are from the Dominican Republic, the United States, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Chile, Taiwan, Spain, Ecuador, Argentina, Canada and Italy, among others.
As required by the country’s constitution, the deadline for naturalized citizens, that is they have been issued their ‘cedula’ (citizenship card) to participate in the 2026 presidential elections was January 31st.
For the 2026 presidential elections, the current electoral roll includes 3.6 million eligible voters, of whom 2.55% are naturalized citizens.
Transparency Note: This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence tools, with information sourced from reliable sources and reviewed for accuracy and clarity.
Q COSTARICA — It is undeniable. The Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) is facing a significant issue with its urban mobility. The roads are congested with excessive numbers of cars, and there are limited options for mass public transportation.
The Rutas 1, 2, and 27, the three major arteries in and out of the GAM, are heavily congested from early in the morning to evening. Weekends are no better. The same on the Ruta 39 (Circunvalacion). Every day. And this is without any major crashes occurring.
If she wins the 2026 presidential elections, Claudia Dobles, a pre-candidate for the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC), would once again attempt to build an electric train with five routes and a cost close to US$1.5 billion dollars.
In a video posted on her Facebook account, Dobles celebrated the decision of Rodrigo Chaves’s government to move forward with the construction of two lines during this administration, to which she responded: “We will finish the other three.”
“I’m glad the electric train project is being revived. Same layout, same financing, same technology (as that introduced during her husband’s presidency). However, a considerably smaller project with 30 fewer kilometers. In the original project, we had five lines; this project has two, has fewer frequencies, less equipment, and of course, based on that, there’s a decrease in costs. Curiously, the cost per kilometer between the original project and this project hasn’t decreased,” Dobles said.
Dobles’ position marks a direct contrast with the strategy followed by the current government.
After shelving the project promoted by Carlos Alvarado’s administration (2018 and 2022) —of which Dobles was one of the main architects in this area — the Chaves administration is preparing to unveil a reduced version of the plan, which includes only the Cartago and Alajuela lines.
The cuts also affected the scope of the service: from 70 trains originally planned, the current proposal contemplates the purchase of only 28 units, while the rush-hour service frequency has been reduced from five to ten minutes. Furthermore, the overall route has been reduced by 30 kilometers, according to a report by La Nación this week.
“I am glad that after three years of shelving the project, the administration wants to move these two lines forward in the remaining 11 months. We will finish the other three,” Dobles added.
Lower cost
According to a statement made by the Costa Rican Railway Institute (Incofer) to its board of directors, the Chaves administration’s project would cost close to US$800 million dollars.
Of that, US$550 million would come from a loan from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), which includes US$250 million previously approved by the Green Climate Fund during the Alvarado administration, and another US$250 million would be financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The timeline proposed by Incofer projects that the financing bill will reach the Legislative Assembly in the third quarter of 2025, with bidding opening in March 2026 and the awarding of contracts finalized by the end of that year, with construction starting in 2027 and the first two lines operational by 2030.
The Alvarado administration’s original project contemplated an investment of nearly US$1.5 billion, five train lines, and an annual subsidy of between US$50 and US$150 million. In the current proposal, the government estimates that the subsidy would be approximately US$10 million annually.
More roads don’t solve traffic problems
Investing hundreds of millions of dollars in road infrastructure to reduce traffic congestion will never solve this problem, despite the temporary relief provided by the completed works, as previously stated by Emma Grün, Regional Leader of Cities and Urban Design for Gensler Latin America.
The expansion of roads generates an effect known as induced demand, which basically indicates that building more road projects encourages people to use their cars more.
“Increasing road infrastructure may temporarily alleviate congestion, but it is not a sustainable solution. Various studies show that, as roads expand, more people prefer to use their cars, often with only one occupant, encouraged by the perception that the trip will be faster and more comfortable,” said Grün.
In just over 20 years, the Costa Rican vehicle fleet has almost tripled, which has deteriorated the quality of life of Costa Ricans as they spend more and more time stuck in traffic congestion.
At the beginning of this century, the national insurer, the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) collected 607,000 Marchamos (annual circulation permit), while last year, the number was 1.8 million.
The data supports this reality. According to the 2024 Competitiveness Index, drivers in Costa Rica can lose between 3 and 8 minutes for every 100 meters traveled in road congestion. In Orotina, for example, the worst average time is recorded: 7 minutes and 33 seconds to travel just one block.
However, congestion affects almost the entire country.
Cantons such as Santa Ana, Heredia, Alajuela, Escazú, San José, and Curridabat report time losses ranging between 3 and 6 minutes for every 100 meters.
Beyond the lost time and its impact on productivity and employment, daily traffic jams also affect the physical and mental health of the population.
RICO’s Q — Let’s face it, traffic congestion in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) won’t disappear overnight.
These are 5 recommendations from experts to stay calm on the road:
Accept the reality: Costa Rica’s reality dictates that you will regularly encounter traffic congestion at any time of the day and that this circumstance is beyond your control. It may be wishful thinking to consider different routes or leave earlier, for, eventually encountering traffic congestion is inevitable. It is important to acknowledge this reality in order to avoid adding extra pressure that could potentially heighten stress levels.
Carpooling: A highly improbable solution in Costa Rica. But we can try to make your commute a pleasant affair. Several people with the same destination can share a car, which reduces traffic jams and has psychosocial implications.
Manage your breathing: The advice is to periodically close your eyes (not while moving), inhale, exhale, and let the airflow through your lungs. It’s about being more in touch with yourself through breathing.
Music: Listening to music or a podcast can help you pass the time.
Pleasurable activities: Before a planned drive like going to work, or after a long day of work, do something that gives you satisfaction, such as going for a walk, walking your pet, or any other activity that makes you feel good.
QCOSTARICA — Toronto-based Porter Airlines has been authorized by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) to operate scheduled international flights to Costa Rica.
The approval also adds Jamaica and the United Kingdom to the airline’s destinations.
Removing a restriction that limited Porter to operating only through codeshares on these routes, the airline will be able to fly directly to these destinations, representing a significant expansion of its international network.
This decision, outlined in rulings A-2025-100, A-2025-101, and A-2025-102 issued on June 6, 2025, represents a key milestone in the airline’s growth strategy.
For these new routes, Porter will use its Embraer E195-E2 with a capacity for 132 passengers, no middle seats, and a range of up to 4,665 kilometers. This fleet allows it to efficiently cover routes to the Caribbean and also transatlantic flights from eastern Canada, according to international media, including aviacionline.com.
Porter, Canada’s third-largest airline, behind Air Canada and WestJet, currently operates domestic flights within Canada and to several cities in the United States. The airline also maintains codeshare agreements with other airlines to expand its international reach.
Although specific dates and arrival airports in Costa Rica have not yet been announced, the authorization marks a key step toward strengthening air connections between Canada and Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is currently a top destination for Canadians. According to Costa Rica’s Ministry of Tourism, there were 273,000 air arrivals from Canada in 2024, making Canada the country’s second-largest tourism market.
Analysts suggest that the increase in Canadian tourism to Costa Rica can be attributed to the impact of the Trump administration on travel to the United States.
QCOSTARICA — Starting today, Friday, June 13, the first adjustments to the tax exemptions applied to electric vehicles in Costa Rica will take effect.
The changes will directly affect customs duties and the selective consumption tax, which will go from being completely exempt to paying 25% of their original value.
This adjustment is part of the progressive implementation provided for in the Law of Incentives and Promotion for Electric Transportation, which contemplates a gradual reduction in tax benefits as the costs of this technology fall.
“The goal of the tax exemptions is to promote electric mobility so that the cost of an electric vehicle is equivalent to a similar combustion vehicle. We are currently seeing that the price of electric vehicles has been falling, the exemptions are fulfilling their purpose, and then they will begin to decrease in a planned and fiscally responsible manner,” said Silvia Rojas, Executive Director of ASOMOVE.
Starting today, the Selective Consumption Tax will increase from 0% to 25%. This tax corresponds to 30% of the vehicle’s value, so 25% of that 30% will be paid, equivalent to 7.5% of the vehicle’s price
Also starting today, the Customs Tax: will go from 0% to 25%. This tax corresponds to 1% of the CIF value of the vehicle delivered to port, so 25% of that 1% will be paid, i.e., 0.25% of the price.
Other incentives remain in place, such as the value-added tax (Impuesto sobre el valor agregado or IVA) remains at 3% for 2025, with gradual increases until reaching 13%; The vehicle property tax exemption included in the Marchamo, annual circular permit stays at 40% this year and will continue to decrease by 20% annually.
These changes will remain in place for the next three years, before a further reduction is implemented in June 2028.
Environmental Impact and Projections
In addition to the economic benefits, electric mobility continues to offer environmental advantages. It is estimated that by 2026, there will be 35,000 electric vehicles in circulation in Costa Rica, which would prevent the emission of approximately 117,250 tons of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to the annual capture of the same number of mature trees.
Costa Rica has established itself as the country with the highest electric vehicle penetration in the Americas, according to the latest Global EV Outlook 2025 report, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
According to the report, 15% of new vehicles registered in Costa Rica in 2024 will be electric, surpassing larger economies with better infrastructure such as Canada (12%), the United States (10.5%), Brazil (6.5%), and Mexico (3%). This figure positions Costa Rica as the leading benchmark for electric mobility on the continent.
2024 marked an important milestone in the transition to sustainable mobility in Costa Rica. According to data from Asomove, the country went from having 12,218 registered electric vehicles at the end of 2023 to reaching 22,731 zero-emission units by the end of this year.
By the end of 2025, Costa Rica is projected to have more than 30,000 electric vehicles in circulation.
QCOSTARICA — Legislator Pilar Cisneros announced her retirement from politics once her term in the Legislative Assembly ends in 2026.
Cisneros expressed her retirement from politics during an interview on the Punto de Encuentro program on Radio Monumental, where she stated that she has no plans to continue in public office after her current term.
“The truth is, I don’t see myself in a role like this, from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm or 8:00 pm every day in the Legislative Assembly. Politics has been a circumstantial part of my life and an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, but I doubt I’ll be involved in politics for any longer,” Cisneros stated.
The legislator, who has been a loyal advocate of President Rodrigo Chaves, also noted that, although she may provide occasional consulting services, she does not contemplate assuming high-level positions such as minister or similar positions within the government.
These statements confirm that his foray into politics was, in his own words, a one-time experience and not a long-term project.
QCOSTARICA — While representing Costa Rica at the Ocean Summit in France, President Rodrigo Chaves’ English proficiency is being openly criticized.
One of the critics is independent legislator Gloria Navas, who did not hesitate to join the criticism on social media, openly questioning the president’s pronunciation and proficiency during his speeches in English.
Navas is a staunch opponent of Chaves and has clashed with the president on several occasions over his approach to handling the country’s security.
“On social media, criticism of the president’s English has erupted since yesterday and today, and I was curious to hear what he said. He actually started a speech in English. He could have asked for a translator from Spanish to French, or from Spanish to English, but he took the risk,” Navas said, alluding to the fact that Chaves could have opted for an interpreter instead of speaking directly in a foreign language.
The legislator went further and, in an ironic tone, sent the president a message in English: “Mr. President, you don’t know how to speak English. You need some lessons. Stop talking and act.”
The accusation comes despite the president’s extensive international experience.
Rodrigo Chaves holds a PhD in Economics from Ohio State University and worked for 27 years at the World Bank, serving in more than 45 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
In his last role before joining the Costa Rican government, he was the World Bank Country Director for Indonesia, where he routinely communicated in English.
Watch the video above or use this link and decide for yourself.
QCOSTARICA — The Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) – Judicial Police, reported that on Wednesday, June 11, Costa Rica matched the same number of homicides recorded during the same period in 2024.
Thus, between January 1 and June 11, both last year and this year, there have been 394 murders.
As such, Costa Rica is on the verge of reaching 400 homicides, the number recorded on average in an entire year more than a decade ago. For example, in 2012 and 2013, both periods closed with 407 homicides.
Almost 10 years later, in 2024, Costa Rica closed with 880 homicides, and now for the current year, projections estimate the number to be even higher, close to 1,000 homicides.
The most violent year so far was 2023, with 905 homicides.
The Estado de la Justicia (State of Justice) Report published on Wednesday highlights that homicides are the crime that has grown the most in the wave of violence in the country, reaching a rate of 17 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024.
“The incidence of crime has a direct impact on the judicial institution, as it would increase workload due to the increase and complexity of cases,” the document states.
Costa Rica managed, to at least, contain the curve in 2024. At one point, projections estimated surpassing the 1,000-crime barrier in a year, which did not happen.
Why not decreasing?
There are conflicting positions among authorities and experts on the causes and how to address this wave of homicides.
For Mario Zamora, ministro de Seguridad Pública (Minister of Public Security), the homicide figures are not decreasing “because the sicarios (hitmen) are still on the streets and not in jail.”
According to Zamora, whose ministry is in charge of the Fuerza Publica (national police) the task of apprehending hitmen is the responsibility of the OIJ and the Ministerio Publico (Public Prosecutor’s Office).
“Because in addition to the number of homicides, the number of unpunished homicides has increased when the perpetrator is not identified; that didn’t happen before,” Zamora indicated.
Zamora added that, given the difficulty in determining who committed the crime, the possibility of bringing a specific murder case to trial, a process that can take more than three years due to judicial delays, decreases.
“… In the meantime, the hitman remains a hitman,” Zamora asserted.
For other security experts, the immediate measures should include providing more equipment, personnel, and resources to the various police forces, including the OIJ, the Fuerza Publica, and the Prosecutor’s Office.
Criminologist and former OIJ agent, Gerardo Castaing, has emphasized in various conversations with the media the need for more police control on the streets. He believes that changes in legislation would have long-term, but not immediate, results.
The most recent
Among the most recent cases is a triple homicide that occurred in Guararí de Heredia on Tuesday night. The alert was raised before 10 pm by neighbors who heard gunfire.
When Fuerza Publica officers arrived at the scene, they located three men with gunshot wounds. However, Costa Rican Red Cross personnel declared two of them dead, a 38-year-old man with the last name Dávila and a 17-year-old minor. The third, an 18-year-old man, was taken to San Vicente de Paúl Hospital, where he died later.
According to the OIJ’s preliminary report.
It is presumed that the victims were in public when they were approached by several individuals who shot them, and then fled the scene in a vehicle.
Online gambling worldwide has long recognized Costa Rica for its unique status. Many other nations struggle with creating laws for digital betting, but Costa Rica has turned into a key location for operating online casinos aimed at foreigners. It’s all due to a specific business registration called the data processing license.
Although it is not formally referred to as a gambling license, this recognition enables online casinos to operate smoothly and efficiently. For individuals looking to establish an online casino offering poker, blackjack, and especially online slots, Costa Rica is a suitable option due to both legal considerations and a streamlined setup.
Global audiences seeking casino games are targeted, with the online slots keyword being heavily utilized in the marketing strategies of Costa Rican gambling platforms. Because rules are relatively flexible and opportunities are abundant, these operators can introduce new services, grow, and promote their products freely.
What Is a License for Data Processing?
A data processing license for Costa Rica is not accepted outside the country as a gambling license. In other words, digital or online companies use this registration to offer services over the internet. Types of services include call centers, digital marketing companies and online gaming operators. Because it is easily accessible and subject to minimal regulation, it appeals to online operators in the casino industry.
Most jurisdictions ask for thorough background checks, detailed examinations of business software and ongoing checks, but Costa Rica’s system is somewhat laid back. Because of this, online gambling companies can start operating fast, handle teams online and offer their services worldwide. Among companies where lots of users play slots, the method has delivered excellent results.
Why Online Casino Operators are Attracted to Costa Rica
Many online casino operators are drawn to Costa Rica due to its business-friendly laws. No Costa Rican laws have been enacted to prohibit the operation of online gambling within the nation, provided the sites are not targeting its residents. Companies can use this to ensure they are following the law as they launch in various countries.
Costa Rica supports the use of modern technologies, strong privacy rules and talented workers who can speak two languages. Because of these factors, companies can set up and look after customer support teams, technical operations and marketing teams from the exact location. Many people running online slots and casino games take advantage of this centralized efficiency.
The International Perspective
Although Costa Rica is popular among online gambling firms due to its data processing license, worldwide regulators typically view it with caution. Since this type of license is not equivalent to a formal gambling license, casinos using it may appear less legitimate to certain countries with stringent gambling regulations.
Still, many companies have successfully started operating in the country. Several significant platforms begin by following the Costa Rican model. They create new operations using the data processing framework, find many customers, and eventually move to more licenses where the regulations are stricter. While going through this process, online slots remain a central part of what they offer since they are played the most and earn the highest amount of money.
Problems and Negative Reactions
The approach is often criticized, despite its widespread popularity. Many critics believe that in the absence of supervision, certain operators abuse the system. If consumer rules are not followed internally or no third-party examinations are conducted, players cannot obtain justice for suspected unfair treatment.
Because no regulatory organization oversees online casinos, players must resort to the company itself to deal with fraud, disputes and technical difficulties. Therefore, online slots rely heavily on being open and trustworthy, as players always pay close attention to fairness measures and payout rates.
Changes in the Market
With the global online gambling market evolving, Costa Rica may be compelled to update its regulatory system. Some are already discussing the creation of a formal licensing agency solely responsible for online betting. It may lead to better recognition globally, but keep the things that have made it attractive to digital casino businesses.
At the same time, the current model continues to support a large group of operators, primarily those focused on international expansion. Many businesses in the online gambling industry choose Costa Rica as their first market to establish a reputation and attract players before expanding to more regulated areas. The digital gaming world changes fast and Costa Rican companies are flexible in meeting those needs.
Whilst Costa Rica’s data processing license might not be as crucial as a gambling license, it opens the door for many online casino operators. Opportunities are easier to find, the business environment is helpful and the infrastructure supports global competition.
Ease of launching fast and running the business remotely is crucial for those who focus on online slots. When organizations act sensibly and are transparent, Costa Rica’s licensing can be a good way to compete quickly and manage changes.
Over time, Costa Rica may need to adjust its approach to remain competitive with other nations and meet international standards. As of now, it still significantly influences online casinos, thanks mainly to its data processing license.
QCOSTARICA — According to the Encuesta Nacional de Hogares (ENAHO) – National Household Survey, it was determined that 62.2% of Costa Rican households would have at least one dog or cat as a pet, meaning that approximately 1.7 million dogs and 956,185 cats live in our country.
Additionally, it was determined that there are approximately four times more dogs and cats than children under 12 years of age in Costa Rican families.
These data are striking, as they reflect that the new generations are more aware of the economic and social conditions required to have children. In this context, dogs and cats have become an integral part of the family unit, being considered an additional member of the household, what we now know as a multi-species family.
Owning a pet requires responsibility, time, and patience, but also offers several health benefits. According to the United States National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), interaction with pets increases oxytocin levels, which leads to a reduction in stress, blood pressure, and heart rate. Pets also provide other benefits such as reduced loneliness, improved mood, and emotional support.
On April 14, Royal Canin Argentina, founded in 1968 by a veterinarian with a vision: to improve the health of cats and dogs through nutrition, implemented a special day off for its employees when they adopt a cat or dog.
This allows employees to accompany their new pet during its first few hours of adaptation to the home, considering this a key period for its development and well-being. According to the company, this measure reaffirms its commitment to the health and well-being of pets, promoting responsible pet ownership.
Additionally, in countries like the United States, some companies have begun offering days off to facilitate pets’ adaptation to the home, known as ‘pawternity’ leave, a brief leave of absence for employees who are adding a new pet to their household, caring for a pet when it is sick or injured, or mourning the death of a pet.
In 2023, in an effort to find and retain talent, some employers in Canada began offering unique benefits. According to CBC News, communications agency Talk Shop Media introduced pawternity leave for its employees.
“We want to make sure that we were acknowledging the fact that families these days come in many different forms and shapes and sizes, and that includes and is extended now, often, to our family members with four legs,” said Katie Stevens, managing partner at Talk Shop Media.
Employers in Canada aren’t legally obligated to provide non-unionized staff with paid or unpaid time off work so that they can train their new pet and bond with them
These initiatives open a new debate on the need to update labor law, weighing the interests of all parties involved. We must remember that the objective of this branch is to promote a healthier, more productive work environment with a greater sense of belonging. The implementation of pet-friendly workspaces, granting insurance plans for pets, as well as leave for the adoption or death of a pet, goes beyond a simple well-being measure, as it requires a cultural shift in the way we conceive the relationship between personal and professional life.
In the specific case of Costa Rica, work leave can be granted by the decision of the employer or by agreement between the parties, provided that the leave in question is not expressly regulated by current legislation.
Currently, there are no regulations in Costa Rica that contemplate leave for the adoption or death of pets; However, their internal implementation is feasible, provided the employer decides to grant them voluntarily as part of a strategy aimed at improving the well-being and responsibility of its employees.
This would also generate a social commitment by supporting the adoption processes of many pets currently housed in shelters.
Article adapted and translated from the opinion piece by Ericka Montero Murillo published at Delfino.cr. Read the original, in Spanish, here.
In the current era of advancing healthcare, planning for unforeseen medical emergencies is not just prudent but essential. Critical illness insurance plays a crucial role in this planning. Let’s get to deeper into its significance, what it covers, and why selecting the right health insurance plan can make all the difference.
What is Critical Illness Insurance?
Critical illness insurance is a specialised financial product designed to offer coverage for life-threatening conditions such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and major organ transplants. These illnesses often come with significant medical expenses and prolonged recovery periods, making financial preparedness indispensable.
Unlike standard medical insurance plans, critical illness insurance provides a lump-sum payout upon the diagnosis of a covered illness. This benefit allows policyholders to focus on recovery without worrying about immediate financial pressures.
Key Features of Critical Illness Insurance
Lump-Sum Benefit: The payout from critical illness insurance can be used at the discretion of the insured. Whether it’s for treatment costs, household expenses, or lifestyle adjustments, the choice is yours.
Wide Range of Covered Illnesses: Policies typically cover several major illnesses, but it’s essential to review the list of covered conditions before purchasing.
No Restrictions on Usage: Unlike some health policies that only reimburse specific expenses, critical illness insurance gives you the flexibility to use the funds as needed.
Add-On or Standalone Option: You can purchase critical illness coverage as a rider to your existing health insurance plan or as an independent policy.
Why You May Need Critical Illness Insurance
Rising Healthcare Costs: Modern treatments for critical illnesses are often expensive, even with the best medical insurance plans. Having a dedicated policy can help mitigate these costs.
Lifestyle Diseases: Sedentary lifestyles and stress have increased the prevalence of critical illnesses, making insurance a wise investment.
Financial Security: The lump-sum payout ensures you’re financially supported during recovery, which could take months or even years.
Family Protection: A critical illness diagnosis doesn’t just affect the patient but the entire family. The financial cushion can help maintain stability.
What Does Critical Illness Insurance Cover?
While coverage details vary between providers, most policies include:
Cancer: Coverage often extends to major stages of cancer.
Heart Conditions: Includes heart attacks and other cardiac surgeries.
Stroke: Covers permanent neurological damage caused by strokes.
Kidney Failure: Supports those requiring dialysis or transplants.
Organ Transplants: Includes liver, lung, and heart transplants.
Other Conditions: Policies may also cover blindness, paralysis, or severe burns.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Plan
Policy Features: Look for a plan with an extensive list of covered conditions and reasonable claim payout terms.
Age of Entry: Some plans offer lower premiums if purchased at a younger age.
Renewability: Opt for plans with lifelong renewability.
Waiting Periods: Check the waiting period for specific illnesses to understand when the coverage begins.
Premium Costs: Balance affordability with coverage benefits to find a suitable plan.
Insurance Provider Reputation: Trustworthy insurers with a high claim settlement ratio are ideal choices.
Among the leading providers, Niva Bupa offers robust medical insurance plans tailored to meet diverse needs. Their critical illness insurance policies come with comprehensive coverage, ensuring policyholders receive financial support during challenging times. With transparent claim processes and a customer-centric approach, Niva Bupa has earned a reputation as a reliable partner in health insurance.
Integrating Critical Illness Insurance with Health Plans
While critical illness insurance is valuable, it works best when paired with a solid health insurance best plan. General health insurance covers hospitalisation costs, while critical illness insurance provides additional financial security for severe conditions. This combination ensures holistic protection against medical contingencies.
Who Should Opt for Critical Illness Insurance?
Primary Breadwinners: A critical illness diagnosis could disrupt family income. This coverage ensures financial stability during recovery.
Those with a Family History of Illness: If your family has a history of conditions like cancer or heart disease, this policy is especially pertinent.
Self-Employed Individuals: Without employer-provided coverage, critical illness insurance becomes a crucial safety measure.
Young Professionals: Securing a policy early often results in lower premiums and extended coverage.
Tips for Maximising Your Coverage
Review Policies Thoroughly
Take the time to carefully examine the terms and conditions of the critical illness insurance policy. Pay special attention to the list of covered illnesses, exclusions, waiting periods, and any specific requirements. Understanding these details will help you avoid unexpected surprises when filing a claim. Don’t hesitate to ask the insurer or your agent for clarification on points that seem unclear.
Disclose Medical History Honestly
Ensure you provide complete and accurate details about your medical history during the application process. Any discrepancies or omissions, whether intentional or accidental, can lead to claim denials or even policy cancellations. Full transparency ensures that your coverage is valid and reliable when you need it most.
Combine Policies Wisely
Consider pairing your critical illness insurance with other types of health coverage, such as basic medical insurance or income protection plans. This integrated approach ensures a more comprehensive safety net, covering both treatment costs and potential loss of income during recovery periods. Evaluate your options to build a balanced and financially sound insurance portfolio.
Regularly Update Coverage
Life circumstances and health conditions can change over time, so it’s crucial to periodically review your critical illness policy. Major events like marriage, the birth of a child, or significant changes in health status may require adjustments to your coverage. Keeping your policy aligned with your evolving needs ensures it remains effective and relevant when required.
Wrapping Up
Critical illness insurance offers more than financial relief; it provides peace of mind during life’s most challenging moments. With the right plan, you can focus on recovery without compromising your financial stability. Evaluate your needs, research thoroughly, and consider providers like Niva Bupa to ensure you and your loved ones are protected against unforeseen medical emergencies.
Taking proactive steps today can help secure a healthier and more secure tomorrow.
