A.M. Costa Rica top stories

Fish inspections yield dismal labeling practices

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:57:16 -0400

With the upcoming Semana Santa holidays, an inspection report sponsored by the commerce ministry yielded startlingly high results in the number of times fishmongers failed to comply with required pricing and labeling information.

Pristine Pacific region is the next marine reserve

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:50:42 -0400

One of the country’s most pristine and biodiverse sections of the near Pacific has been designated as a marine reserve to protect it.

Nationwide crackdown on crime to begin May 1

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:50:13 -0400

After a crackdown on a club and another raid yielding a substantial amount of drugs, the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública is announcing a zero-hour nationwide crackdown beginning the first of May.

Water bill for some yields staggering jump in cost

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:49:42 -0400

A sudden rise in the water bill is hitting some of the residents and business owners from Playa Hermosa and Esterillos Oeste hard. Both areas are located in the Pacific province of Puntarenas.

Issues important to expats unlikely to be in judicial report

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:49:11 -0400

The Poder Judicial will be the focus of an extensive report that will be released a week from today. This is another product of the Programa Estado de la Nación that is sponsored by the Consejo Nacional de Rectores and the Defensoría de los Habitantes.

Inactive corporations may be taxed if law passes

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:48:36 -0400

Plenty of expats hold or formed inactive corporations to their own dwellings, motor vehicles and boats. This is an asset protection measure, and an inactive corporation does not have to file tax returns, among other benefits.

Discovery lends name to new eco-tourism project

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:48:04 -0400

Discovery Communications Inc., owners of Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel, has licensed its name to a major eco-tourism project in Guanacaste, according to a tweet Sunday night.

Lack of permits and water crisis mar planned park

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:47:12 -0400

The lack of environmental and municipal permits along with the water distribution crisis in Guanacaste could be major roadblocks for the development of the Discovery Costa Rica theme park, announced Sunday.

U.S. officials say cartel links with terrorism likely

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:46:42 -0400

U.S. officials see immigration from the south not as individual Latin Americans seeking a better life but as a network used by criminal cartels and smugglers to move hundreds of tons of drugs into the U.S, and, until recently, tens of thousands of illegal immigrants.

Guardacostas rescues U.S. family

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:46:00 -0400

Four U.S. family members, two of them young girls, were rescued Wednesday afternoon at Guanacaste’s Playa Flamingo. Guardacostas said their rented kayak flipped over and forced them to swim over 200 meters to nearby La Penca Island.

Extraterrestrials aren't cattle rustlers in Costa Rica

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:45:26 -0400

Costa Rica seems to have been spared the hysteria over cattle mutilations, perhaps because there are real predators and real rustlers here.

Restricting hate speech to be topic for UNESCO

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:45:00 -0400

Restricting hate speech on the Internet seems like a no-brainer until the long-term complexities are considered.

$2.8 million given to Catholic Church by the State

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:44:29 -0400

In the last three years, the government under Luis Guillermo Solís transferred about $2.8 million in subsidies to the Catholic Church. The vast majority of funds have been used to support Christian-oriented education centers and the construction and restoration of parishes and chapels.

Frente Amplio proposes a grandiose tax overhaul

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:43:55 -0400

The legislative faction of the Frente Amplio political party submitted a bill that promises to curtail, what the party sees as a failing taxation system that allows many individuals and corporations to avoid paying their fair share.

A third of private security groups behind on debts

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:43:23 -0400

The relationship between private security and organizations within the government flits between an understanding as to the necessity of wanting safety for people and property but also an apparent conflict in terms of debt payments.

Libertarian group offers alternative ideology

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:42:39 -0400

The May Day parades in Costa Rica often espouses socialist, Communist and generally left-leaning ideologies. Most of the unions and leftist political parties participate in the pomp and pageantry of the spectacle. Another political group, however, stands against many of those economic policies.

Group proposing new regulatory law on realtors

Thu, 04 May 2017 14:41:58 -0400

The Cámara Costarricense de Bienes Raíces is working to propose a new bill that would require mandatory licensing for anyone working in the real estate business.

Montes de Oca unhappy with street ad displays

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 02:53:57 -0600

A conflict is brewing between the Municipalidad de Montes de Oca and the central government. The dispute illustrated the lack of power that local governments have in some cases.

Hidden horrors of household rapes come to light

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 15:28:03 -0600

The hidden horror of household rapes came to light again this week with an allegation that a 12-year old had become pregnant after relations with her father.

Government says hot water and no oxygen killed fish

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 01:16:49 -0600

The government's animal health service is blaming high water temperatures and a lack of oxygen for the death of millions of sardines. But the report released Friday does not disclose any root cause.

Security ministry accumulating plenty of firepower

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 00:03:18 -0600

Despite its reputation of not having an military, Costa Rica is quickly increasing its law enforcement personal and the equipment they use. The security minister was at the legislature Thursday asking for more.

Massive numbers of dead fish present a mystery

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 00:07:50 -0600

A major environmental disaster and a mystery have appeared at the northern beaches of the Gulf of Nicoya. Hundreds of thousands of fish have died and are now floating in the gulf or covering the beaches.

Lottery sales run in the family

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 00:00:30 -0600

Doña Castillo has been selling lottery tickets at the same spot at Mercado Central for almost 55 years. She took over from her mother who had also been selling those lottery tickets at that very same spot since the 1930s.

Parque Manuel Antonio gets a three-month reprieve

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 01:16:51 -0600

Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio will remain open for another three months, according to a Tuesday night report by the health ministry.

Horse meat, it's what's for dinner sometimes

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 01:16:18 -0600

Most expats probably would never dream of eating horse meat, but they probably have already. There is a steady trade, both legal and illegal, in horse meat in Costa Rica. And most of the horses end up in sausage where their presence is not obvious.

A big purchase for the finance ministry

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 01:01:33 -0600

The finance ministry said Monday it has entered into an no-bid agreement with the state telecom company to rent a data center for $551,898 a month. This is a three-year agreement that can be extended for one year more.

New rules for Corcovado upsetting to some

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 03:02:51 -0600

New rules are causing headaches among some residents on the Osa Peninsula who want greater and more efficient access to Parque Nacional Corcovado.

Japanese are promoting baseball in schools

Mon, 13 Feb 2017 02:52:43 -0600

A meeting here to promote baseball in the public schools begins Sunday with –- what else? -- a baseball game.

Bill would give caja access to secrets shareholder lists

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 03:40:41 -0600

Lawmakers have received a proposal that make shareholders in a company responsible for the firm’s debts with the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social.

Rice agency ready for another round

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 03:18:50 -0600

The Corporación Arrocera Nacional is a government agency that buys the rice from producers and maintains a market price. Imports have to be approved. And there is a 32 percent import duty. Although this is good for rice producers, consumers fail to benefit from the free market.

Scientists think solar storms might cause whales to beach

Wed, 08 Feb 2017 03:46:40 -0600

U.S. scientists say they will try to find out if solar storms cause whales, dolphins and porpoises to lose their orientation and beach themselves around the world.

Finance minister gives a grim report

Wed, 08 Feb 2017 03:46:00 -0600

The finance minister told lawmakers Monday that proposed increases in taxes would not solve the country’s unsustainable financial problems but that new levies would give some breathing space for more permanent action.

Sala IV orders more court info to be hidden

Tue, 07 Feb 2017 03:14:43 -0600

The Sala IV constitutional court has given the judiciary 30 days to hide the identification of individuals who are barred from leaving the country.

Agents detain suspect in murder of five in Liberia

Mon, 06 Feb 2017 03:57:39 -0600

Judicial agents today raided a home in Liberia and took into custody a man who is the principal suspect in the murder of four university students and a friend Jan. 19.

Rapid response many not all that rapid

Fri, 03 Feb 2017 01:39:23 -0600

Dial 911, and help should come, but expats may question exactly how long help will take to arrive in Costa Rica.

Officials to kick off convention center job today
Thu, 02 Feb 2017 02:05:18 -0600
Central government officials will renew their $35 million bets on a massive convention center when they hold a cornerstone ceremony this morning at the site.

New traffic rule targets tourists who overstay visas

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 01:26:35 -0600

A new traffic law calls for the removal of license plates on cars owned by foreigners who get caught driving past the three-month limit allowed tourists, according to the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes.

An update on the Duolingo language learning site

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 01:26:00 -0600

Duolingo continues to be a winner in language learning, a newspaper study has shown.

Iranian woman stuck in Alajuela for a time by U.S. policy

Tue, 31 Jan 2017 01:50:52 -0600

IHamaseh Tayari, a United Kingdom resident who holds an Iranian passport, had been on holiday in Costa Rica with her boyfriend for the last week. When she tried to leave, she inadvertently ran afoul of U.S. changes in immigration rules.

Convicts may get a chance to work in the community

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 02:16:18 -0600

Lawmakers have advanced a measure that would put an estimated 2,000 convicts at work in the community on what are being called useful projects.

Tattoo may or may not be a major clue in murders

Fri, 27 Jan 2017 03:06:32 -0600

Investigators trying to find the murder of five young people in Liberia have a tattoo as a clue. According to testimony from the young surviving female victim, a 14 year old, the killer had an Asian letter inscribed on the back of his right shoulder.

Demand for import duties frustrates donations

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 02:23:16 -0600

A shipping container bearing donated medical supplies for underprivileged people is being held for months over a demand for import duties at the Costa Rican port of Caldera.

The daily business of writing poetry

Wed, 25 Jan 2017 02:12:12 -0600

Newspaper editors have a kinship with poets because headline writers do much the same job: Arrange words to create a new and impactful way of looking at the world.

There were trump-inspired marches here, too

Tue, 24 Jan 2017 02:35:07 -0600

The shouts of solidarity and the marching along the beaches or in the streets for women’s rights and other issues of social justice took place in Costa Rica Saturday as well as around the world.

Property fraud investigation turns up many fake IDs

Tue, 24 Jan 2017 02:34:29 -0600

Investigators say that a trio of individuals accused of property fraud hag a great quantity of driver's licenses, passports, identity cédulas, school diplomas and other identification documents.

Expats are tight-lipped over political views

Mon, 23 Jan 2017 02:46:51 -0600

U.S. expats in Costa Rica are at least as divided and hesitant as those back home. On the day before Donald Trump is inaugurated president, few here wanted to voice an opinion.

Tourist got more than they bargained for

Mon, 23 Jan 2017 02:46:20 -0600

Tourists on a six-hour Pacific dophin-watching trip got much more than they bargained for when the motor of their boat failed and they overnighted on the ocean.

Multiple murders in Liberia

Fri, 20 Jan 2017 03:07:54 -0600

Three women and two young men died at the hands of a killer in Liberia, and another young woman barely survived, judicial agents said today. The scene was in Barrio La Victoria, and most if not all of the dead were believed to be university students.

Latest killing in murder epidemic brings protest

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 01:24:20 -0600

Chinese-Costa Ricans took to the streets of the capital Tuesday after what some called the last straw in lawlessness. The murder of a Chinese store clerk in La Teresa de Guápiles de Pococí ignited the protest.

Feds decline to give expats a break

Wed, 18 Jan 2017 02:58:20 -0600

The U.S. Treasury Department has declined to adopt the same country exemption that would free many expats from burdensome reporting requirements.

Sidewalk salesman caters to the sweet tooth

Wed, 18 Jan 2017 02:57:52 -0600

Joaquín Jiménez, lifelong resident of San José, has been selling his street treats for about 40 years. With a smile and a wink, he said it is because he likes to talk to people, whether foreigner or Costa Rican.

Rivers are going lower and the skies are clear

Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:59:42 -0600

The cold front that brought high winds and rain has moved on, and rivers in the northern zone are becoming lower.

Obama closes the door on Cubans

Mon, 16 Jan 2017 01:39:50 -0600

U.S. President Barack Obama pulled the plug on Cuban migrants who may be passing through Costa Rica on their way to the United States. The president announced a change in immigration policy that removed the official welcome mat that had been put out for refugees from the Communist island.

They will close the bridge lanes for six weeks!!

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 02:26:05 -0600

The public works ministry announced Wednesday night that, in addition to the 24-hour closing starting today, the Río Virilla bridge eastbound will be out of commission for six weeks beginning Jan. 21.

Another traffic disaster has been planned

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 01:59:20 -0600

Another traffic disaster is in the works. The public works ministry said Tuesday that the eastbound lanes of the Río Virilla bridge on the General Cañas autopista would be closed for 24 hours starting at 9 a.m. Thursday.

We think the answer is not more police

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 01:58:39 -0600

AN EDITORIAL: Costa Rica can do much more to reduce violence than just doing an ad campaign, as was reported Tuesday.

Well, they went ahead and did it

Wed, 11 Jan 2017 02:45:17 -0600

A proposed tax on corporations is being referred to the Sala IV constitutional court after the measure passed on first reading 40-10 Monday. The action by lawmakers from the Partido Liberación Nacional is likely to delay final passage of the measure.

Advocate for prostitutes seeks legalization

Wed, 11 Jan 2017 02:44:29 -0600

An organization that is an advocate for sex workers is renewing its crusade for legal status for the profession.

Some troubling news for those living on the coasts

Tue, 10 Jan 2017 02:34:03 -0600

An researcher in a new study in Antarctica warns that conditions may mark the beginning of another swift and long-lasting period of sea-level rise that would affect coastal areas and countries such as Costa Rica severely.

Plan to reduce traffic congestion limps ahead

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 02:43:12 -0600

The government keeps grinding toward a system where bus passengers will pay their fares electronically. A report Thursday said the project had completed the first phase, which was discussions of the ideas among bus firm operators, local government officials and others who are interested. That took three months.

Judiciary seems to have misplaced a few convicts

Fri, 06 Jan 2017 01:41:51 -0600

The judiciary says it would like a little help in locating 38 criminals that it has misplaced. The Poder Judicial noted Wednesday that it has a website that contains the identification and photos of crooks who are in flight.

Some contradictions in the war against sex

Fri, 06 Jan 2017 01:41:15 -0600

The war on sex seems to be faltering along with the drug war. In both cases, the United States and its Costa Rican surrogate are involved in battles punctuated by misinformation and strong ideologies.

Prolonged Turrialba ash emissions threaten health

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 02:43:24 -0600

Metro area residents might have burning eyes, and those with a respiratory illness may have suffered a reverse in the healing process.

Those scammers are back seeking to place fake ads

Wed, 04 Jan 2017 03:11:47 -0600

Those Nigerian scammers are starting the new year with a replay of the iPhone fraud. Expats need to be aware because English-language newspapers have published advertising submitted by these crooks in the past.

A more personal form of hacking

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 02:14:45 -0600

As Costa Ricans return to work today after a 10-day break, they will find a percentage of their colleagues hacking with a chest cough. This is the current wave of the flu virus that has been attributed to the deaths of 29 from Nov. 2 to Christmas.

The economy is the major variable for 2017

Mon, 02 Jan 2017 02:53:53 -0600

As the seconds tick away to 2017, thoughts turn to an exciting New Year’s Eve. But after the hangover, there are some realities to consider that affect expat life here.

New approach called for to fight sophisticated criminals

Mon, 02 Jan 2017 02:53:07 -0600

International crime is growing so sophisticated that the one-time cartels and terrorist groups are being called threat networks, basically separate groups of criminals working together for mutual benefit.

This is the taxing time of the year

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 02:46:46 -0600

For many expats the end of the year means the annual encounter with the government as they seek to pay a variety of taxes.

Tope Nacional blends tradition with commercialism

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 01:25:08 -0600

Through smatterings of rain, the Tope Nacional parade continued through Paseo Colón Monday with enough booze to sink a ship and a lot of decorated horses with their costumed riders.

There are big plans for the port at Limón

Tue, 27 Dec 2016 01:37:01 -0600

The tourism ministry and the agency that runs the Caribbean ports have plans to turn the Limón docks into a home port for passenger ships.

Government buys land for squatters

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 01:59:47 -0600

The government is coming up with $2.1 million to buy lands for squatters who were evicted or who face eviction from the Finca Chánguena.

The initial opinion of a Christmas tamal

Wed, 21 Dec 2016 02:54:50 -0600

The tamal still reigns as one of the archetypical dishes found in most of Latin America.

There's no break from the flu

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 02:44:39 -0600

Health officials say that in Costa Rica flu season is all year long. The tropics host a list of respiratory viruses that are active all year, according to the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social. In temperate areas, the flu season is considered from mid-fall to the end of winter when the population spends more time indoors.

'Tis the season for Las Posadas

Fri, 16 Dec 2016 02:17:40 -0600

'The nine days before Christmas are when the faithful take to the streets to imitate the biblical trek by Mary and Joseph for a place to stay in Bethlehem.

Police said they arrested 52,425 on drug charges this year.

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 02:11:51 -0600

The Fuerza Pública said Tuesday that its officers detained 52,425 persons already this year on drug offenses.

Tax fraud bill gives credit card users a discount

Wed, 14 Dec 2016 02:17:52 -0600

Consumers will pay 1 percent less sales tax if they pay with a credit or debit card under a bill that won final passage Monday.

Migrants open up a new source of corruption

Tue, 13 Dec 2016 02:19:01 -0600

Corruption problems within the police forces are far greater than 115 officers whose dismissal the Seguridad Pública minister announced Thursday.

Fake news is not something new

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 02:43:26 -0600

The flood of fake news has reached the real news headlines. Hillary Clinton, a frequent target of untruthful news-type stories, called such articles a danger that must be addressed quickly because the malicious fake news and false propaganda endanger democracy.

An expat human right wish list

Fri, 09 Dec 2016 03:31:30 -0600

The Defensoría, the nation's ombudsman, has put out a call for various sectors of the population to promote the importance of human rights and defend them. Here are some gripes that expats have that border on violations of their rights.

Expat seeks united stand on property fraud<

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 02:49:21 -0600

A long-time participant in a property dispute is trying to rally others similarly affected to bring such situations to the attention of the new U.S. administration.

Here comes another election year!

Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:07:34 -0600

Expats who may be sick of elections will be unhappy to learn that the drums are starting to beat for Costa Rica's presidential vote in February 2018. So the year that starts in less than a month will be filled with electioneering and campaigns.

Ruta 32 environmental study OK'd

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 03:24:17 -0600

The environmental agency has give a go-ahead to the reconstruction of 107 kilometers of Ruta 32 from Matina to Río Frio.

Bill introduced to regulate medical and wellness tourism

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 02:44:55 -0600

The legislature received this week a bill to formalize the control of the government over medical and what is being called wellness tourism.

Hurricane victims now facing diseases

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 03:05:39 -0600

Cantons hit by Hurricane Otto now face a spike in illnesses in the aftermath. The Ministerio de Salud said Tuesday that it had stemmed an outbreak of diarrhea in one of the public shelters.

Travel firm sues to get back its domain name from hacker

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 03:59:22 -0600

A travel Web site operator with the unique name costarica.com says in U.S. court papers that it lost rights to the domain to a hacker.

Costa Ricans open their hearts and their wallets

Tue, 29 Nov 2016 03:27:02 -0600

No one can fault Costa Ricans on their fabled generosity. The country’s residents always come up with unexpected donations after disaster strikes.

Officials are counting dead and assessing damage

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 03:21:15 -0600

Government and local officials are assessing the damage today in the wake of Hurricane Otto that killed at least eight persons in northern Costa Rica.

Landfall expected in southern Nicaragua today

Fri, 25 Nov 2016 03:40:09 -0600

A high probability exists that Hurricane Otto will not make landfall in Costa Rica. The system collapsed into a tropical storm Wednesday morning and started movement to the north. That gave hope to Costa Ricans that the system would miss the country completely. That was not to be.

U.S.-funded foundation filed case against U.S. sex tourist<

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 01:28:13 -0600

The Poder Judicial has confirmed that the Fundación Rahab was the organization that initiated a criminal case against David Strecker, a U.S. citizen, on a charge of writing about sex tourism in Costa Rica.

Heavy rains pound the south Pacific

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 03:59:39 -0600

Relentless rains have provoked evacuations, wrecked roadways and caused slides in the southern zone. One slide smashed into a building housing the director of the Golfito campus of the Universidad de Costa Rica and injured two persons.

Ants have their own elevated highways

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 03:41:27 -0600

Internet and phone connections are essential for effective communicators and for success in business. A new study at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panamá shows that connections between trees may also be important for maintaining the rich species diversity in tropical forests.

Dry canal idea would be $18 billion

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 03:02:25 -0600

A private firm has taken a step forward on the obvious possibility of a dry canal across the northern part of Costa Rica.

Here's evidence that the country is awash in drugs

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 03:36:19 -0600

Those not involved in the drug trade as dealers or users might not understand the economics that leads gangs to shoot competitors in the street.

New bill would create a bureaucracy to help business

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 03:58:30 -0600

A proposed law would require everyone doing business to register and pay a fee to the economics ministry and also would create an elaborate bureaucratic structure to promote entrepreneurship.

Opinions remain divided on elections results

Fri, 11 Nov 2016 03:12:25 -0600

Expats and Costa Ricans continued to vent Wednesday for and against the results of Tuesday’s election. One misinformed reader emailed “to all you losers who supported Clinton against Trump in this election: Hope your paper burns to the ground soon.”

Latins shocked by trump victory

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 03:43:28 -0600

Donald Trump gave a conciliatory victory speech early today, but most Latin Americas are deeply concerned.

Customs agency has accumulated thousands of shipments

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 03:53:52 -0600

The Ministerio de Hacienda admitted Monday that its customs unit had impounded 5,000 packages sent from abroad. This affects more than 1,500 would be recipients, it said.

Children's museum event is Dec. 1

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 03:53:22 -0600

What better way to welcome December, the month of Christmas, than with the illumination of the Museo de los Niño. This is a very big deal directed to families, so much so that major downtown roadways will be closed to provide security for spectators.

How my mother tried to swing the 1948 election

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 03:52:46 -0600

My mother got home late than night in 1948 because she was tied up swinging the election for Harry Truman.

Caribbean residents miffed at police failure to appear

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 03:44:06 -0600

Caribbean coast residents are upset today in the wake of a theft last Thursday. They are less upset with the petty thieves than with Fuerza Pública officers who never showed up despite multiple 911 calls.

Customs cracking down on air travelers' luggage

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 03:29:35 -0600

Customs inspectors are taking a closer look at arriving air travelers with big suitcases, according to the Ministerio de Hacienda.

Bill to eliminate price-fixing wins support

Fri, 04 Nov 2016 02:34:56 -0600

A legislative committee is considering a bill that would eliminate mandatory pricing by members of colegios, those government created professional organizations. There are many but not all have mandatory pricing.

Russia’s Latin moves worry U.S. military

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 03:34:23 -0600

On top of complex criminal networks that may, among other dangers, move terrorists into the United States, U.S. military planners are worried about increased Russian activity in Latin America.

Lawmakers give first OK to maritime plan

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 03:33:40 -0600

Lawmakers Monday gave initial approval to a bill that would impose a moratorium on evictions in the country’s maritime zone.

Separating the facts from the myths

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 03:16:08 -0600

Politicians are well known for playing fast and loose with the truth. Witness the presidential elections in the United States.

Countdown begins for Festival de la Luz

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 03:33:18 -0600

The Comisión de Fiestas de San José began the countdown Thursday for the big Christmas parade, the Festival de la Luz. The event draws perhaps as many as a million spectators and participants to the downtown of the capital.

Bugs move closer to the western menu

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 03:25:47 -0600

They say that someday insects will take over the earth. But first, they probably will take over the menu.

President praises his anti-poverty efforts

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 03:26:27 -0600

Costa Ricans have a soft spot for overkill, at least in statistics. In an assessment of poverty in Costa Rica, a lot of survey firms would randomly select a bit more than 1,000 homes and conduct interviews.

More oversight sought for inactive corporations

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 03:28:26 -0600

Expats who own inactive corporations to protect assets like vehicles and homes are being put in a bad light by a new proposal.

Mayors meeting to set course for metro area

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 03:41:10 -0600

Mayors from the metro area are scheduled to meet for two days, starting Wednesday, to set up a developmental agenda.

Methane is country's overlooked greenhouse gas

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 03:18:42 -0600

While Costa Rica seeks to put a lid on carbon dioxide emissions, tons of much more powerful methane gas are being liberated each day from the nation’s oceans.

Tragedy brings out the best in people

Mon, 24 Oct 2016 02:53:55 -0600

The response Thursday to a bus disaster showed the country at its best. Not only did the Cruz Roja, fire fighters, hospital workers and police demonstrate their training, but even farm workers and hotel employees pitched in.

University researchers work to reduce salt consumption

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 03:36:00 -0600

Anyone who worries about health knows that salt should be limited. But salt is a preservative as well as a flavor enhancer in food.

Neither of the major candidates deserves your vote

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 03:29:13 -0600

A.M. Costa Rica cannot endorse either of the leading candidates for the U.S. presidency. Both appear to be inept, irresponsible and dangerous.

Liberty online confab is full of inconsistencies

Tue, 18 Oct 2016 02:51:18 -0600

The Sixth Annual Freedom Online Conference opens today in Escazú full of contradictions. One of the principal supporters is the United States, one of 30 members of the sponsor, the Freedom Online Coalition, yet that country is engaged on massive spying on its own citizens and seeks to prosecute a major advocate of online freedom, Julian Assange of Wikileaks.

U.N. rights committee monitors Costa Rica

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 02:20:59 -0600

For Costa Ricans, the Constitution is not the highest law of the land. That document is outranked by international agreements that have a continual impact on the social system here.

Many expats will not exercise their political muscle

Fri, 14 Oct 2016 04:00:59 -0600

Some U.S. expats here say they are not voting in the general election Nov. 8. The reasons range from simple apathy to rejection of candidates of both major political parties.

Officials remind consumers of meat origins

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 03:51:24 -0600

That thick steak on the plate might have come from a critter that whinnied instead of mooed. Expats who buy their dinner at non-standard outlets are vulnerable to getting mystery meat.

Hidden dental tax is under attack

Wed, 12 Oct 2016 03:46:29 -0600

Costa Rican society is full of little hidden taxes that benefit a minority. There is the stamp for the Cruz Roja. The lawyer’s monopoly, the Colegio de Abogados, has a stamp.

Hurricane likely to increase numbers of Haitian migrants

Tue, 11 Oct 2016 03:30:20 -0600

Extensive hurricane damage in Haiti is likely to result in more illegal immigrants slipping into Costa Rica on their way to the United States.

Lawmakers reject fast track for corporate tax bill

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 03:27:40 -0600

Lawmakers defeated a proposal to give speedy consideration to a tax on corporations when 25 of the 41 present voted against the idea.

Now the issue is a excess of refugees

Fri, 07 Oct 2016 04:00:32 -0600

Costa Rica is getting five times as many refugee requests this year as it can handle administratively, according to an expert on the topic.

Flow of migrants continues unabated

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 03:33:27 -0600

Migrants who have money continue to move through Costa Rica and to the countries to the north even though Nicaragua officially has closed its border.

Government seeks to tackle off-the-books labor

Wed, 05 Oct 2016 03:11:13 -0600

Government officials agreed Monday to launch an effort to reduce the number of employees who are working off the books in Costa Rica.

'Spotlight' brings tale of priest abuse to Costa Rican screen

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 03:12:15 -0600

The HBO channel on the various national cable television networks is showing “Spotlight” as one of the featured films for October.

Even chief prosecutor is critical of the justice system

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 03:58:49 -0600

Many have launched criticisms of the country’s judicial system. Now the fiscal general, the nation’s top policeman has said the problem is the inconsistencies in the criminal policies that have been put into place in the country and have saturated the justice system so as to guarantee that the cases are delayed a long time.

Being in the wrong place at the wrong time

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 03:25:41 -0600

Crime sometimes is like a bolt of lightning, and the victims just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Migrants going to camp with U.S. tent

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 03:47:23 -0600

The government said that it will begin moving illegal migrants to two new and temporary camps near the country’s northern border.

Old murder case involving a current expat featured

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 03:46:48 -0600

An expat businessman now in Guanacaste has been thrust into the limelight again because the murder of his wife in Georgia reached its 10th anniversary.

Tourism and rescue agencies seek lifeguard bill

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 03:55:55 -0600

A bill in the legislature, No. 20043, seeks to create a national structure for lifeguard training and certification. The bill also orders municipalities that have beaches designated as dangerous to use money received from beach concessions to hire and train lifeguards.

Some are here seeking the U.S. tax break

Tue, 27 Sep 2016 04:00:33 -0600

The government has not prompted Costa Rica as a telecommuting location for foreigners. But some landlords are doing that now, and several travel and relocation agencies also have promoted the concept to foreigners.

How is your news IQ?

Fri, 23 Sep 2016 03:44:38 -0600

We present you with a simple news quiz.

The murder case that just will not die

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 03:12:22 -0600

Like everyone who had a front-row seat to the murder of JonBenét Ramsey and the subsequent investigation, I think I know who killed her, and it was not her 9-year-old brother Burke.

Solís and other leaders reach accord on immigration

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 04:20:15 -0600

Costa Rica’s president was in accord with other world leaders Monday when he called for countries of origin and those of transit and destination to collaborate to help migrants.

You won't believe what's going on at the California border

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 04:19:44 -0600

An independent San Diego, California, television station has done what many networks promise. They went there.

Talamanca airlift depends on bureaucrats

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 03:21:28 -0600

The nation’s public health agency wants to deliver medicines to remote areas by drone, but the biggest hurdle might be bureaucratic.

Tax proposed for plastic containers

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 03:32:20 -0600

Lawmakers are considering a bill that would apply a small tax to plastic drink containers and those small cardboard boxes known as tetrapaks.

Massive numbers on caja wait lists, unions say

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 03:02:29 -0600

Two unions of employees who work in the nation’s public health agency said Tuesday that there are 600,000 patients on various types of waiting lists and that workers face threats in order to keep the situation secret.

Lawmaker would expose faces of criminal suspects

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 03:11:17 -0600

A lawmaker seeks to end the curious Costa Rican practice of law officers covering the faces of criminal suspects.

Report shows that road dust can be really bad

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 03:32:16 -0600

An environmental report of dust problems in the lower Nicoya peninsula cites tangible dangers, particularly to the 1,446 youngsters who live there and are the most vulnerable.

Law enforcement efforts hardly make dent in drug trade

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 03:31:42 -0600

Everyone knows that Costa Rica confiscates tons of cocaine each year. Usually the drugs come from boats captured in the Pacific or from hidden places in international trucks.

New bill mandates prison for discrimination

Mon, 12 Sep 2016 03:02:28 -0600

Lawmakers are considering a bill that, if passed, will have an impact on society by outlawing discrimination. For the first time, discrimination would be a criminal offense drawing prison terms.

Major study launched on agricultural chemicals

Fri, 09 Sep 2016 03:37:26 -0600

The Defensoría de los Habitantes says it is launching a major study on the use of agricultural chemicals in Costa Rica.

Drug war chalks up one death

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 03:34:32 -0600

The U.S. Coast Guard appears to have moved its policy of shooting at the boats of smugglers further south. The latest reported incident, a fatal one, happened in the Pacific west of Costa Rica’s Isla de Coco last week.

Governent seeking opinions on corruption

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 03:34:00 -0600

The open government initiative, Gobierno Abierto, is asking residents to give their opinions on where they find corruption in their daily lives.

Workmen trying to make a Plaza de la Cultura deadline

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 03:19:12 -0600

The capital’s main meeting spot has been off-limits since February because the concrete expanse also is the roof of the Museos de Banco Central. And the roof has long been a source of leaks.

Why expats should be interested in budget stories

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 03:18:40 -0600

Expats can be forgiven for ignoring news stories about the Costa Rican budget and the national deficit. In the long run though, national finances, however boring, have a lot do to do with the quality of life here.

Trump and Mrs. Clinton asked to address expat concerns

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 03:43:56 -0600

An expat advocacy organization wants the leading U.S. presidential candidates to outline their positions on a number of issues affecting overseas Americans.

Another national budget heavy on debt

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 03:15:14 -0600

The finance minister was almost apologetic Wednesday when he outlined the national budget for next year.

We think that illegals in U.S. should come forward

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 03:14:41 -0600

We think Trump was wrong when he said he would deport all those who are in the country illegally.

Eliminating zika is more complex then just spraying

Thu, 01 Sep 2016 03:23:19 -0600

Killing adult mosquitoes is not enough to eliminate the zika virus,Texas researchers have determined.

Lawmakers try to regulate romantic relations

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 03:46:44 -0600

Lawmakers passed on first reading Monday night a bill that discourages marriage by persons under 18. The measure also stipulates prison penalties for older individuals involved in sexual relations with minors.

Guanacaste residents want answers on water woes

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 03:24:27 -0600

Residents of Playa Hermosa and Playa Panamá in Guanacaste plan to present a petition to the state water company today begging for better service

Country well publicized as sex tourism destination

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 03:23:49 -0600

Costa Rica has a 2012 law prohibiting calling the country a sex tourism destination. Based on an internet search, the law has not had much impact.

Expats seem to favor an end to the war on drugs

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 02:32:25 -0600

Expats reacted favorably Thursday to an A.M. Costa Rica editorial urging the Costa Rican government to just say no to the drug war.

Annual park stamp honors Las Baulas

Fri, 26 Aug 2016 02:43:23 -0600

Correos de Costa Rica came out with its annual national park stamp.This year the Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas on the Pacific coast is featured as well as the leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) that frequent the park.

We urge Costa Rica to just say no to war on drugs

Fri, 26 Aug 2016 02:42:36 -0600

We are suggesting that Costa Rica just say no to the war on drugs. And we renew our call to have the country legalize both marijuana, cocaine and the related substances.

U.N. steps up campaign for Central American kids

Thu, 25 Aug 2016 04:06:19 -0600

The United Nation’s Children’s Fund is urging that the United States do not detain illegal youngsters who are successful in sneaking into the country.

Myths proliferate as the elections approach

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 03:15:37 -0600

Modern myths always have been with us, and many, sad to say, were created by the news media. But today the Internet seems to rank high on myths, which become more shrilled as the November election approaches.

Washington meeting features two agendas

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 03:14:57 -0600

The meeting Costa Rican officials attended in Washington,. D.C., Monday was unusual. The schedule said they would meet with Vice President Joe Biden. President Barack Obama showed up, too, even though the meeting was not on his daily schedule.

Apparently really happy means more taxes

Tue, 23 Aug 2016 03:41:28 -0600

The New Economic Foundation ranked Costa Rica again first on its annual Happy Planet Index. But more and more news outlets are tumbling to the fact that this means something other than what the words imply.

Battle over music fees becomes public

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 03:36:39 -0600

Music may seem free when it flows from a radio, the television or an internet hookup, but like everything else someone has to pay.

Lawmakers get Paris climate accord

Fri, 19 Aug 2016 03:20:04 -0600

The environmental ministry presented the Paris climate accord to lawmakers Wednesday for approval. This is the agreement Costa Rica and other nations approved last December which now needs legislative approval.

Moving money for legitimate purposes is more difficult

Thu, 18 Aug 2016 03:13:34 -0600

Moving money into and out of Costa Rica is becoming more difficult even if the motive is clearly legal.

Solís to discuss Salvadoran refugee plan details in D.C

Wed, 17 Aug 2016 03:26:20 -0600

The Obama administration plan to put 200 or more youngsters from El Salvador in temporary quarters in Costa Rica is unusual and substantially less than what had been announced earlier.

The botanist who became Costa Rica's birdman

Wed, 17 Aug 2016 03:25:43 -0600

Finca Los Cusingos, the home of the famed naturalist Alexander Skutch for more than 60 years, attracts wildlife lovers and those wanting to see a sample of the simpler life of past times in Costa Rica.

Jacó was the real winner in the world surfing games

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 02:54:48 -0600

An estimated 60,000 persons showed up on Jacó Sunday for the finals of the World Surfing Games. Even though Costa Rica’s team finished out of the money, the successful week-long event was a victory for the Pacific coast community and the entire canton of Garabito.

First peer-reviewed article discounts chemtrail theory

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 02:54:18 -0600

A small percentage of readers are true believers in the theory that governments are sowing the atmosphere with evil chemicals.

Anti-harassment campaign targets street Romeos

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 03:12:16 -0600

The purpose of the $35,000 campaign is to raise awareness of women to street harassment and to warn off aggressive men.

Action plan for migrants expected in September

Fri, 12 Aug 2016 04:03:25 -0600

Casa Presidencial reported that one illegal migrant, a Haitian, has been deported. But the solution to Costa Rica’s growing migrant problem may be along way off. A vice minister said Wednesday that a plan to handle the migrants might not be ready until September.

Strawberry growers unite to create better berries

Fri, 12 Aug 2016 04:02:48 -0600

Better berries is the goal of an organization that has been formed by strawberry producers.

Hearing Thursday on unusual tax rule

Thu, 11 Aug 2016 03:49:23 -0600

One of the more powerful weapons in the arsenal of the Costa Rica’s tax collector is something called Artículo 144.

Words can cause self-inflicted wounds

Thu, 11 Aug 2016 03:48:43 -0600

One problem is that a phrase or concept can stick in the mind and falsely present itself as an original thought days or weeks later.

Man here reported to have Mafia links

Tue, 09 Aug 2016 03:06:37 -0600

A man reported to live in Costa Rica, Laurence Keith Allen, has been indicted in New York on a charge of illegal gambling. Others in the indictment are accused of extortion, arson, racketeers and other crimes.

Property fraud bill seen as just a first step

Tue, 09 Aug 2016 03:05:57 -0600

Expat reactions were mixed over a proposed law that would freeze suspicious property transfers to reduce fraud.

Bill proposed to reduce property theft

Mon, 08 Aug 2016 03:05:27 -0600

A lawmaker who is a presidential candidate has proposed a law that would let the Registro Nacional freeze transactions that are suspicious.

Government struggles to get a grip on the migrant situation

Fri, 05 Aug 2016 03:34:20 -0600

The central government is trying to come to grips with the new flood of migrants who are entering the country illegally at the rate of from 100 to 150 a day.

Bot fly gets country some unwanted publicity

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 03:39:24 -0600

Costa Rica got a bad rap last week when a local mom went public with her 7 year old’s bot fly problem.

Expats make Costa Rica No. 1 for weather

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 02:04:25 -0600

An international survey of expats puts Costa Rica first in having the best weather.

Pilgrims of today follow an ancient path

Tue, 02 Aug 2016 03:35:27 -0600

The pilgrimage symbolizes the difficult path of life upwards to a Christian heaven or, perhaps, a Buddhist nirvana. Those Costa Ricans who were on the trail Sunday or who will be on the trail today are involved in an activity that may well be at least 22,000 years old.

Political scientists want to monopolize the job category

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 02:44:47 -0600

Another group is trying to corner its labor market. A legislative committee just voted out a proposal to create a colegio for political scientists.

Any shareholder list is a long way off

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 03:01:14 -0600

There is a pretty good chance that an electronic list of the nation’s company shareholders will not be online any time soon.

U.S. to use Costa Rica as a temporary refuge for vulnerables

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 03:06:10 -0600

Costa Rica will host for six months about 200 people from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala as part of an Obama administration plan to bring more Central Americans into the United States.

President seeking free environmental inspectors

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 03:09:39 -0600

The central government is creating a plan so that interested citizens can take to the fields, forests and mangroves to enforce environmental laws.

Tamarindo crocodile mishap was highly predictable

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 03:05:19 -0600

The inevitable crocodile attack on a surfing tourist came as no surprise to some Tamarindo residents because they have been pointing out the danger for months.

Scientists figure out why the sloth is so s l o w

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 03:40:37 -0600

Although most of the terrestrial world is covered in trees, there are precious few vertebrates that make the canopy their home and subsist solely on a diet of leaves.

Fast, fast, fast relief from chile pepper mouth

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 03:30:38 -0600

This week University of New Mexico experts come out with a major finding. They determined that milk was the best way to stop the burning from eating chile peppers.

That stretch into Heredia is a troubled roadway

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 03:36:17 -0600

There are many traffic trouble spots in the metro area. But the route from La Uruca into Heredia most certainly is cursed.

Head of state rail agency said to have resigned

Tue, 19 Jul 2016 03:50:12 -0600

Casa Presidencial announced the resignation of Guillermo Santana as head of the state rail lines in an unusual Sunday night news release. The release said that Santana was leaving for personal reasons and that more explanations will be given today.

Troubled world have people thinking of pura vida

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 02:54:25 -0600

The possibility of terrorism attacks and the racial divide are causing some in the United States to look to other lands.

They are worse than their Sicilian counterparts

Fri, 15 Jul 2016 03:07:52 -0600

The presence of the Italian Mafia here extends much further than the silent ownership of a few sportsbooks.

Government staggering work hours to east traffic

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 03:11:13 -0600

The government has authorized staggered shifts for public employees and suggested the possibility of a four-day work week to reduce traffic congestion in the Central Valley.

Who knew those little monkeys were so smart?

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 04:10:23 -0600

There are some pretty smart creatures living in coastal Costa Rica, and they are not humans.

A few early birds are off to Cartago

Tue, 12 Jul 2016 03:17:15 -0600

A few early birds can be seen making the pilgrimage to Cartago. The few will become a crowd and then a flood culminating in the Aug. 2 celebration there.

Sentencing sheds new light on Tamarindo murder

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 15:46:22 -0600

Based on the amount of blood found in her Playa Langosta home, Barbara Struncova most likely was a murder victim even though her body never was found, judicial investigators have concluded.

Government formalizes Ms. Figueres' campaign

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 03:02:51 -0600

The country formally nominated Christiana Figueres to join the crowded field seeking to head the United Nations. The nomination took place at a campaign-like event in the Teatro Nacional.

Coffee pickers getting a raw deal, magistrate says

Fri, 08 Jul 2016 04:06:58 -0600

A supreme court magistrate brought up one of Costa Rica’s dirty little secrets when she visited lawmakers Wednesday.

Bill targeting war toys is back in legislature

Thu, 07 Jul 2016 04:11:23 -0600

The proposal to ban war toys is back in the legislature again, and the security minister gave his support for the measure Tuesday.

Government wants to help the street people

Wed, 06 Jul 2016 03:52:39 -0600

The central government is mobilizing a number of agencies to assist, protect and prevent abandoned individuals and street people.

Seasonal virus outbreak put strain on hospital

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 03:41:04 -0600

The beginnings of the rainy season brought a spike in the number of children with respiratory disease. A few youngsters have died of complications from respiratory syncytial virus.

Embassy produces another misleading trafficking report

Mon, 04 Jul 2016 02:35:52 -0600

The U.S. State Department came out with its annual human trafficking report Thursday, and once again the summary involving Costa Rica is internallly inconsistent.

Slaughter of majestic sailfish brings law enforcement action

Fri, 01 Jul 2016 03:06:04 -0600

As sports fishermen take to the Pacific today there are about 2.8 tons of sailfish they will not catch.

Two major developments with the zika virus

Thu, 30 Jun 2016 03:26:00 -0600

Researchers announced two major developments Tuesday in the battle against the zika virus. One group of researchers said that two vaccines being tested now on mice have proven to be extremely effective.

Municipal zoning plans get four years of grace

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 03:41:15 -0600

Lawmakers soon will consider a proposal to give municipal governments four more years to develop a zoning plan.

Another international organization to aid Costa Rica

Tue, 28 Jun 2016 03:26:26 -0600

British citizens have voted to leave the European Union, but Costa Rica is working hard to affiliate the country with yet another international organization which seeks to change profoundly life here.

Zika-microcephaly link questioned

Tue, 28 Jun 2016 03:25:50 -0600

If zika causes brain deformations, microcephaly, how come this epidemic is restricted to Brazil, asks a New England medical think tank.

Quick impact of British vote is the exchange rate

Mon, 27 Jun 2016 02:44:14 -0600

Despite the British vote Thursday, the European Union still is Costa Rica’s second largest trading partner. The decision by British voters to leave the European Union is not expected to have a short-term trade impact.

Massive fraud reported for U.S. Tricare program

Fri, 24 Jun 2016 03:09:56 -0600

Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have unveiled what amounts to a $161 million looting of the Medicare and Tricare health insurance systems.

U.S. joins Costa Rica in broadening police searches

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 03:30:30 -0600

One case that should be a warning to expats took place Tuesday morning in Esparza. Officers stopped a car and found that the driver was carrying $5,000 in U.S. 20-dollar bills along with about $1,800 in colons.

U.S. drug expert says cocaine use is way down

Wed, 22 Jun 2016 03:32:44 -0600

Costa Rica’s importance to drug dealers in the United States is declining as cocaine is losing favor and being replaced by heroin made in from México. That is the opinion of a man who should know.

Government continues to push for shrimp trawling

Tue, 21 Jun 2016 03:31:30 -0600

Despite a constitutional court prohibition and environmental opposition, the central government is trying to put together a consensus to reinstitute shrimp fishing by trawler nets in the Pacific coast.

Proposal would dedicate two new legislative seats to natives

Mon, 20 Jun 2016 03:11:10 -0600

Lawmakers will be asked to expand their number to include two seats reserved for members of the country’s native communities.

Raid unveils counterfeit booze racket

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 03:31:19 -0600

Sometimes that shot of Johnny Walker just doesn’t taste right. Some expats probably will blame their own mood or perhaps the lingering effects of a snack or dinner.

World health discounts zika threat at large gatherings

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 03:03:22 -0600

The World Surfing Games in Jacó got a boost Tuesday when the World Health Organization said that large gatherings do not mean a greater risk of zika virus transmission.

Release of prisoners suspended

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 03:07:22 -0600

The government has reversed itself and has suspended plans to ease prison crowding with a continued release of inmates.

Government quietly jacks up exit tax

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 02:57:51 -0600

The central government has slipped in another tax by decree. The tax ups the national exit tax at airports by $2 to $31.

El Niño considered dead and gone

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 02:57:23 -0600

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has declare El Niño dead. This is the giant weather phenomenon that has left Guanacaste and much of the Pacific coast parched. The situation has generated emergency alerts in Costa Rica and efforts to provide water to people and livestock.

Some congressmen want to go into the propaganda business

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 03:17:51 -0600

Some members of the U.S. Congress want to counter all the tall tales being distributed by the Russians and the Chinese, if any.

Trump would not be good for Costa Rica

Thu, 09 Jun 2016 03:37:17 -0600

A Donald Trump presidency in the United States likely will be bad news for Costa Rica.

Rail institute gets the green light to borrow $440 million

Thu, 09 Jun 2016 03:36:42 -0600

The legislature Tuesday gave final approval to a plan to let the nation’s rail institute borrow up to 40 percent of its gross worth.

Raped woman unintentionally is at center of prison dispute

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 03:23:12 -0600

A 25-year-old mother in Guácimo has become the unwilling central figure in a dispute over the government’s decision to release criminals to reduce prison overcrowding.

Artisans in Sarchí plan to develop a collective trademark

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 03:34:03 -0600

Artisans in Sarchí are taking steps to market their furniture products collectively.

Lawbreakers benefit from approved bill and court decision

Mon, 06 Jun 2016 03:33:16 -0600

The Tribunal Contencioso Administrativo will not rule on a request by private investigators and others to halt the release of criminals before they have served they sentence.

Lawmakers wants to make university admissions more democratic

Fri, 03 Jun 2016 03:12:53 -0600

Public school grads do not measure up academically as well as those who attend private schools, so a lawmaker wants to level the university admissions.

Indeed, this is a land of mysteries

Thu, 02 Jun 2016 04:05:16 -0600

Costa Rica usually is not considered a land of mysteries. There are no wee people running around and goblins hardly ever visit.

Ministry survey zeroes in on the supermarket specials

Wed, 01 Jun 2016 02:57:42 -0600

Shoppers in Costa Rican supermarkets known they are in uncertain territory. The large economy size costs more per unit than the regular size. Two bottles of Coke Light wrapped in plastic sometimes costs more than two individual bottles.

There are mafias by the dozen in Costa Rica

Tue, 31 May 2016 03:48:00 -0600

Expats need a spreadsheet to tell one mafia from the other. Costa Rica is an important country for a number of criminal organizations that generally are lumped under the term mafia.

Nine police officers held as home invaders

Mon, 30 May 2016 04:54:33 -0600

Judicial investigators detained nine Fuerza Pública officers Thursday and said they were members of an organized gang that invaded homes to steal and rob.

U.S. Embassy will raise the diversity flag

Mon, 30 May 2016 04:53:54 -0600

Staffers at the U.S. Embassy will raise the rainbow flag of sexual diversity Wednesday to show support to lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals and intersexuals, the embassy said in an announcement Thursday.

Police show little interest in migrating Africans

Fri, 27 May 2016 02:59:50 -0600

About 40 African migrants managed to cross the Río Colorado by boat in extreme northeast Costa Rica Wednesday morning. Then they walked unmolested by any police agencies along the Caribbean coast into Nicaragua.

Jacó area experiences an increase in zika cases

Fri, 27 May 2016 02:59:19 -0600

Home-grown reported cases of the zika virus now number 58, according to the Ministerio de Salud. There are 44 cases in Garabito, the canton that includes Jacó. But the latest report also said that one case turned up further down the central Pacific coast in Parrita.

Defensoría seeking stronger gun controls

Thu, 26 May 2016 03:05:05 -0600

The Defensoría de los Habitantes wants to tighten firearm regulations and estimated that there are 500,000 legal and illegal guns in the country.

Tax official says that avoidance is not legitimate

Wed, 25 May 2016 03:09:54 -0600

A ranking official of the finance ministry said Monday that legitimate tax avoidance is a fallacy. That was the title of a press statement she released that maintained that taxpayers should not put themselves above the state.

Remains found in Corcovado probably Alaskan outdoorsman

Tue, 24 May 2016 01:59:28 -0600

Judicial investigators have confirmed the discovery of human remains in the Parque Nacional Corcovado. The remains are presumed to be those of Cody Roman Dial, an Alaskan outdoorsman who vanished there nearly two years ago.

Expats pitch in to help save Jaco's word surfing games

Fri, 20 May 2016 02:41:36 -0600

A group of expats and others are seeking to create a sustained effort to halt the growing number of zika virus cases in the Jacó area. The outbreak threatens the World Surfing Games and the $36 million it is expected to bring to the local tourism economy, they said.

Extensive research says genetically modified products are safe

Thu, 19 May 2016 02:04:18 -0600

A detailed study by one of the top scientific organizations in the United States concludes that there is no substantiated evidence of risks to human health from current commercially available genetically engineered crops. The study also said it found no conclusive cause-and-effect evidence of environmental problems from the genetically engineered crops.

Some lawmakers want to send alcohol tax to municipalities

Wed, 18 May 2016 01:42:21 -0600

Part of the sales tax on alcoholic beverages ends up at three government-related but private organizations.

Vacation rental firm may have left many in the lurch

Tue, 17 May 2016 02:07:20 -0600

The vacation rental business Mead Brown in Jacó appears to have stopped servicing its customers.

Jacó officials act to clean up beach pollution

Mon, 16 May 2016 01:19:42 -0600

The community of Jacó, which is hosting an international surfing championship in August, is facing a double whammy. The problems are similar but not as grave as that facing Brazil which is hosting the Olympic Games this year: The zika virus and pollution.

Turrialba eruption spreads ash in many communities

Fri, 13 May 2016 03:04:16 -0600

Scientists said they thought Turrialba was entering a quiet phase, but no one told the volcano.

Zika outbreak is a menace to Jacó and its surf event

Thu, 12 May 2016 03:14:28 -0600

The mayor in the canton that includes the Pacific coast community of Jacó confirmed Tuesday an outbreak of the zika virus there.

Customs official says the biggest problem is bribery

Thu, 12 May 2016 03:13:48 -0600

Bribery of customs officials is one of the main challenges in the fight against smuggling and fiscal fraud, according to Margarita Villalobos, who heads the Dirección de Inspección Fiscal at the Ministerio de Hacienda.

Few Costa Rican entities in Panamá Papers data base

Wed, 11 May 2016 03:20:46 -0600

Only a few corporations set up by the Panamá law firm Mossack Fonseca & Co. involve Costa Rican entities. The question remains how many Costa Rican individuals will show up on corporate records elsewhere.

Another wave of Panamá Papers data due today

Tue, 10 May 2016 02:53:34 -0600

The journalism organization promoting the Panamá Papers disclosures said it will release mountains of searchable information today at 2 p.m.

Volcano has a bit of bad behavior

Mon, 09 May 2016 03:15:20 -0600

The Turrialba volcano increased its activity Thursday and began emitting an average of two eruptions hour.

Sunday date set for this year's Independence picnic

Fri, 06 May 2016 02:49:47 -0600

The U.S. Independence Day celebration will be July 3 at the Cervecería picnic grounds west of San José.

Dominical reports a dengue outbreak

Thu, 05 May 2016 02:44:14 -0600

A dengue outbreak has hit the population of Dominical town on the Pacific coast. Residents report at least 20 cases in the last two weeks and blame a nearby dike for creating the mosquito breeding ground.

Rail institute loan looks like another financial train wreck

Thu, 05 May 2016 02:43:37 -0600

AN EDITORIAL: Lawmakers are likely to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in loans for a valley electric train. The calculations seem to be based on a false premise.

Watch out for the lightning

Thu, 05 May 2016 02:47:33 -0600

With the advent of the rainy season, the time that Costa Ricans call winter, do expats have to be reminded to avoid golf during thunderstorms?

The start of my career 52 years ago

Thu, 05 May 2016 02:47:41 -0600

Today is World Press Freedom Day, and it also is a few days from my 52nd anniversary of being a newspaperman. That’s not exactly accurate. There was time spent getting the paperwork to eventually become a tenured professor and also time to earn money to support my journalism habit.

Reporter detained for photographing police

Tue, 03 May 2016 02:56:34 -0600

Fuerza Pública officers manhandled and then detained a contract reporter for A.M. Costa Rica because he was video recording police activity in an early morning sweep in Barrio California Friday.

Government vows to rebuild Limón's Black Star Line

Mon, 02 May 2016 02:56:07 -0600

Costa Rican officials already are promising to rebuild The Black Star Line, the iconic, 94-year-old community center in Limón Centro that fire destroyed Friday. A Costa Rican official equated The Black Star Line with the Teatro Nacional, the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles and the Ruinas de Cartago.

Bill contains super deals for electric vehicle buyers

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 03:41:33 -0600

A plan to encourage ownership of electric vehicles eliminates taxes, import fees and even the annual road tax.

Referendum possible to double minimum wage

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 03:21:06 -0600

Trade unions will be collecting signatures to allow voters to approve a new minimum wage of about $900 a month for unskilled workers. That is more than double the current legal minimum wage.

Peace might bring more Colombians, vice president says

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 03:20:40 -0600

Costa Rican officials expect a flood of Colombian ex-guerrillas and narcos once peace is reached in that country.

Tamarindo crocs are tragedies in waiting

Tue, 26 Apr 2016 03:13:50 -0600

Crocodiles have been apex predators for at least 55 million years. Their bite is the strongest ever measured in an animal, and they are experts at ambushes. Scientist consider them to be very smart, and they can sprint faster than most humans. They also are pack hunters.

U.S. identity tax fraud hits Costa Rica

Tue, 26 Apr 2016 03:13:19 -0600

Federal officials are investigating at least one case of attempted tax fraud involving a Costa Rican expat family. There are likely more victims here.

Caja says kidney epidemic is stressing resources

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 03:22:40 -0600

The national health service says it is concerned by the growing number of individuals afflicted with kidney disfunction.

This article is not for vegetarians

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 03:22:00 -0600

Fans of choripanes, churrasco, vacio and chorizo can find those famous succulent cuts of the Pampas at a number of places in San José.

New ditch in Panamá is a big help to scientists

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 03:37:11 -0600

Excavations to widen the Panama Canal have been a boon to researchers who have discovered much about the isthmus and, by extension, Costa Rica.

Corporate tax bill goes to full legislature

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 03:33:45 -0600

A legislative committee reported out a bill reinstituting an annual tax on corporations Tuesday, 7-2. Opposition votes came from the committee chairwoman, Rosibel Ramos of the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana, and Otto Guevara of Movimiento Libertario.

Mrs. Bender brings criminal charges to recover her jewels

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 03:33:06 -0600

Ann Patton Bender has filed a criminal charge against a top executive in the Costa Rican customs department alleging appropriation and illegal retention of some $7 million in jewels that has been confiscated by investigators, according to a family spokesman.

A day to honor native cultures

Wed, 20 Apr 2016 02:51:40 -0600

Today is called the Día del Aborigen Costarricense, which will be marked mainly in public schools.

Marijuana proponents seek to expand definition of medical

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 03:12:03 -0600

Activists for the legalization of marijuana seek to modify a bill to allow civilians to grow and process the plant under the concept of personal use, according to Gerald Murray, general director of Movimiento Cannábis Medicinal de Costa Rica.

Canadian voting case goes to the Supreme Court

Mon, 18 Apr 2016 02:38:50 -0600

The Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to hear the case for voting rights that currently are denied to 1.4 million Canadians living abroad for more than five years.

U.S. report on human rights leaves out a few items

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 03:42:11 -0600

The U.S. State Department human rights report, released Wednesday overlooks aspects important to Americans. Among these are the unconstitutional detention of a sex tourism blogger, land invasions, inconsistencies in government development approvals and censored court records.

Emergency alert issued over forest and field fires

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 02:44:08 -0600

The drought has turned much of forest, brush and grassland into tinder, and the national emergency commission issued an alert Tuesday because there are fires in many area of the country.

New exposition traces Spanish explorers in the Pacific

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 02:43:35 -0600

When explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa saw the expanse of the Pacific in 1513 he must have been filled with awe. The explorer was about to spark a wave of exploration and trade that gave the Spanish control of key Pacific lands for centuries.

Minimal impact seen from new rental law

Wed, 13 Apr 2016 03:15:21 -0600

The legislature’s latest effort at social engineering puts a cap on annual rent increases consistent with inflation.

Honors for country's first female soldier

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 02:40:01 -0600

This year is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Costa Rica’s own Molly Pitcher. She is Natalicio Francisca Carrasco Jiménez, who became a national symbol when she left her culinary duties, picked up a rifle and distinguished herself at the Batalla de Rivas.

Valley commuter trains collide

Mon, 11 Apr 2016 03:03:34 -0600

The Cruz Roja said that more than two hundred persons suffered injuries this morning when two trains in the valley line collided head-on in Pavas.

Owning an offshore corporation now is suspicious

Fri, 08 Apr 2016 02:45:11 -0600

May expats would be surprised to know that they are suspicious characters because they own offshore corporations.

Jacó lands the World Surfing Games

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 03:41:00 -0600

The World Surfing Games will be in Jacó from Aug. 6 to 14. The International Surfing Association announced its decision Tuesday.

Proposal would mean a leaner central government

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 02:41:22 -0600

A new proposed law would cap the number of ministries in the executive branch at 12. Depending on how they are counted, now there are at least 18 and perhaps 22.

Costa Rica promises investigation of Panamá Papers revelations

Tue, 05 Apr 2016 02:38:41 -0600

So far no Costa Rica political figures or business leaders have been named, but more information based on leaked documents from a leading Panamá law officer are promised.

Agriculture reported to be rebounding

Fri, 01 Apr 2016 02:35:51 -0600

The El Niño-provoked drought and the economy has taken its toll on agriculture, but there are signs of recovery.

There's no such thing as a clean campaign

Thu, 31 Mar 2016 03:03:15 -0600

Those who are seeking a clean, issues-oriented presidential campaign are in the wrong universe. Politics, whether local or national, always have been gutter affairs.

Import duties can be substantial

Thu, 31 Mar 2016 03:02:26 -0600

Most expats know that the import duty on books is negligible, just 1 percent of the stated value. But are they aware of the biggies?

High-level smuggling blamed on criminal organization

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 03:19:38 -0600

There is a criminal network bringing a high volume of personal-use goods, such as clothing and perfumes, into the country, according to customs director general Benito Coghi.

Las Olas case hinges on bribery allegations

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 03:30:09 -0600

Starting in December, if the case advances, an arbitration panel will consider, among other allegations, if the country is responsible if officials rebuffed in bribery attempts take revenge against a developer.

$1.4 billion hydro project ready to start generating

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 02:44:00 -0600

The $1.4 billion Reventazón hydro project is expected to go on line next week and begin providing power to the national grid.

Ancient fishing method a modern no-no

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 02:43:26 -0600

The method of fishing probably is older than modern humans. In fact, there probably would not be modern humans if ancestors had to outsmart the wily trout with a royal coachman dry fly plunked in the middle of a mayfly hatch.

Executive branch to resubmit controversial shrimp bill

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 01:30:38 -0600

The executive branch said Tuesday that it would resubmit the controversial shrimp trawling bill to the legislature.

Campaign developing against passport revocation law

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 02:51:54 -0600

Americans overseas and their advocates in Congress are reacting to a new law that allows the government to void the passport of anyone owing $50,000 or more of taxes.

Ann Bender, although back in States, still is legally entangled

Tue, 22 Mar 2016 03:09:28 -0600

Ann Bender may be back in the United States, but her legal problems are hardly resolved. The most pressing issue now is some $7 million in precious and semi-precious stones that she and her husband, John, collected as investments while they were living on the Pacific coast.

Veggie diet makes parasite carrier stronger, researchers find

Tue, 22 Mar 2016 03:08:57 -0600

Eat your vegetables, the usual admonition for children, also can be applied to the blood-sucking bug that spreads the worrisome chagas disease.

Missing children total 259 over 26 months

Mon, 21 Mar 2016 03:04:24 -0600

In a little more than two years 259 minors have gone missing and have never appeared, according to judicial investigator statistics.

Rainy season will be a little late, weather experts say

Mon, 21 Mar 2016 03:03:53 -0600

The rain in the capital Thursday settled the dust but it was not the start of the rainy seasons. In fact, the Instituto Meteorological Nacional says that the advent of the annual rains will be a bit later than normal this year.

Another dimension of the Irish legacy: big city politics

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 02:01:00 -0600

The Irish immigrant’s love of conversation and camaraderie quickly led to immersion into politics in the new country.

Government moves to help impoverished in Talamanca

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 03:45:47 -0600

The central government said Tuesday that it would take steps to provide better health services to the isolated Alto Telire territory in the Talamancas.

The challenges faced by a Cuban migrant

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 03:45:13 -0600

By the time this piece gets published, 20-year-old Magalys de Loyola should be arriving to join her mother and sisters in Orlando, Florida.

Region vulnerable to cyber attacks, report says

Wed, 16 Mar 2016 02:59:14 -0600

The country is the beginning stages of planning a national cybersecurity strategy, but unlike many Latin American countries, there does exist criminal penalties.

Consumer rights day suggests some consumer wrongs

Wed, 16 Mar 2016 02:58:34 -0600

Despite the efforts of the consumer agency that is part of the economics ministry, consumers have an uphill fight for rights in Costa Rica.

There is a troubling trend of missing minor girls

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 03:58:10 -0600

An even dozen teen girls have been reported missing since the beginning of February.

There's something fishy about Semana Santa

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 03:07:22 -0600

The consumption of fish is just short of mandatory for Catholics during Semana Santa. That is why there are large displays of sardines and other canned sea food at the local supermarket. That also is why supermarket officials have inched up the prices.

Booklets promote those unique spheres

Fri, 11 Mar 2016 03:10:30 -0600

The Museo Nacional has come out with promotional videos and booklets for the stone spheres in the canton of Osa on the south Pacific coast.

Democratic duo agree with Costa Rica on sea level rise

Sun, 13 Mar 2016 17:29:41 -0600

Both Democratic candidates for U.S. president supported alternate energy sources as a solution to halt sea level rise Wednesday.They did not suggest government action such as sea walls or dikes.

Our editorial is critical of corporate tax bill

Thu, 10 Mar 2016 03:48:33 -0600

The tax would generate $50 to $80 million annually for a security ministry slush fund. This is a dedicated tax that would not be part of the national budget.

Complex index of social progress instituted by government

Sun, 13 Mar 2016 16:41:27 -0600

They say that when a person has a hammer, everything looks like a nail. For Costa Rica, the hammer is the new index of social progress that is being promoted by Casa Presidencial to evaluate the quality of life in the nation’s 81 cantons.

Accord reached on bill protecting animals

Mon, 07 Mar 2016 03:42:08 -0600

A legislative commission has come to a compromise text of a bill protecting animals, and the draft gives private organizations the right to enforce the law. The bill also requires animal owners to pick up fecal matter produced by their charges.

Wind farm driving away neighbors and snakes

Mon, 07 Mar 2016 03:41:13 -0600

Wind generators appear to be gentle ways of producing electricity without the greenhouse gases of thermal projects and the river blockage of hydro systems. But what is not widely known is the downside caused by the vibrations generated by the devices.

Delays importing foodstuffs said to be costly to consumer

Fri, 04 Mar 2016 03:29:31 -0600

Residents and visitors are paying 20 percent extra for food products because foreign shipments are taking an excessive amount of time to clear agricultural inspections. That is the view of Randall Benavides Rivera, president of the perishable food chamber.

Nosara gets an uncritical plug from The New York Times

Fri, 04 Mar 2016 03:41:54 -0600

Nosara got a big tourism boost Wednesday when a New York Times reporter profiled the Pacific coast community. The article will appear in the printed newspaper Sunday, the newspaper said.

Government and U.S. citizen in land dispute

Wed, 02 Mar 2016 02:43:48 -0600

A strange property dispute is developing in northeast Costa Rica. Government agencies claim that a U.S. citizen is trying to sell lots on land that belongs to the coastal development organization.

Online shopping: the good and the bad

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 03:04:39 -0600

Be it electronics, home appliances, clothing, books or a childish gadget for the apartment, importing from abroad to Costa Rica can be both a rewarding and challenging experience.

Armed citizen 1; Roadway bandit 0

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 03:03:56 -0600

Warning for crooks: Sticking up a car mired in traffic can be hazardous to your health.

Government comes forth with two-pronged strategy for new taxes<

Mon, 29 Feb 2016 02:59:32 -0600

The government came out Thursday with a two-pronged effort to get new taxes. One the one hand, the Ministerio de Hacienda warned of the impact of a credit downgrade by Standard & Poor's. Then the same ministry unveiled the draft of a proposed law that would restrict government spending, if passed.

Tourism sector begins efforts against zika

Fri, 26 Feb 2016 02:55:03 -0600

Tourism organizations and the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo began a pilot project Wednesday to counter the zika virus in Nicoya.\

Sala IV rejects appeal favoring Palmar Sur squatters

Fri, 26 Feb 2016 03:16:15 -0600

The Sala IV constitutional court has rejected an appeal to stop the eviction of some 100 families on Finca Changuina in Palmar Sur.

Lawmaker questions tourism statistics

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 02:27:28 -0600

A top tourism official admitted to a legislative committee Thursday that the tourism statistics include plenty of Nicaraguans.

Arts festival loses international designation for this August

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 16:57:15 -0600

The culture ministry says the Festival de las Artes in August this year will be at a location yet to be determined in the southern zone.

The day was very chili in Atenas

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 16:57:21 -0600

The only sure thing about chili is that everyone has a different opinion on what makes it good.

St. Valentine's Day is a dangerous time

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 04:06:41 -0600

Romance is in the air, St. Valentine's Day is coming, and men have but one thought: "How am I going to stay out of trouble this Feb. 14."

Dan Fowlie is back, and immediately he is in the news

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:46:44 -0600

Dan Fowlie is back in Pavones, where he again says unscrupulous persons have stripped him of the land he owns there. And he seems a bit irked that La Nación quoted the immigration director as saying he had entered the country illegally.

Government decrees television tax break

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:46:46 -0600

The central government is under the impression that the poor have non-digital television sets.

First case of zika virus came from Colombia

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:46:49 -0600

The zika virus has come to Costa Rica in the person of a 25-year-old Desamparados resident who picked up the disease while visiting Colombia, according to the Ministerio de Salud

Government starting to put salaries online

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:46:36 -0600

The central government has put up a demonstration site to show how officials plan to deliver public information to citizens.

Expats report problems with internet service

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:46:53 -0600

Internet service for expats ranges from annoying to terrible, according to responses by readers to a news story last week.

Sala IV rejects appeal against coastal dwellers

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:46:55 -0600

The Sala IV constitutional court has rejected an appeal that could have jeopardized the property rights of occupants along the coasts.

Lionfish intrusion into the Pacific seems inevitable

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:46:57 -0600

The arrival of the lionfish in eastern Pacific waters seems inevitable, and the only question is how will the creatures make the move.

Rare photos snapped of forest dogs

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:46:58 -0600

Biologists say they have captured photos of one of the most elusive dogs in the world.

Internet speed appears to be facing problems

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:00 -0600

IInternet service appears to be in a state of decline, but the reason still is unknown.

Legislature appears to need a good editor

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:02 -0600

Either the legislature needs a good editor or someone else is making laws. The latest problem involves the text of a law that was designed to cap disproportionate pensions for lawmakers who served before 1992.

Happiness might be in the genes

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:04 -0600

Costa Ricans take pride in having the country rank high on world happiness scales, even though some of the surveys might be questionable. But now comes a possible answer. Researchers report that the DNA of residents is more likely to contain a specific allele involved in sensory pleasure and pain reduction,

Expat recounts his meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:06 -0600

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., had brought his program to fight poverty and discrimination against blacks to Chicago.

So you want to lose those holiday pounds?

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:07 -0600

For some expats, the appropriate Christmas Carol might better be "The 12 Pounds of Christmas" because that is what they put on with all the holiday food and drink.

More than half of emails are spam, industry says

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:09 -0600

Anyone with an email account knows that there are plenty of spam messages. Industry estimates are that from 52 to 58 percent of emails are unwanted spam.

We encourage U.S. citizens to welcome Cubans

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:11 -0600

Unlike many immigrants from the south, they are legal, the newspaper said.

Pilot plan seeks to reduce water deaths

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:13 -0600

The Costa Rican government and the Cruz Roja are taking steps to improve the safety of tourists at the nation's beaches.

How about citizenship for the kids and grandkids?

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:21 -0600

The circumstances that make a person a U.S. citizen again are being questioned.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is questioning if his opponent, Sen. Ted Cruz, is a natural born citizen as the U.S. Constitution requires.

Another tax being authorized for legislative action

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:23 -0600

The executive branch will be presenting another tax bill to lawmakers, according to the Cruz Roja, which will benefit from the measure.

Another black eye for Costa Rica

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:25 -0600

Criminals gave Costa Rica another black eye Tuesday when they violently robbed Dutch expats who run a hospitality operation in Sarapiquí in the northern part of the country.

Victims of flu seemed to have little in common

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:26 -0600

Those who have died of swine flu in December range in age from a 3-year-old male patient at the Hospital Nacional de Niños to a 77-year-old woman from Ciudad Quesada.

Finance minister seeking to make a deal with lawmakers

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:28 -0600

The country's financial minister said Monday that he is trying to make a deal with lawmakers so that the administration's tax plans are passed.

When firearms were considered just a useful tool

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:30 -0600

A fortunate fact was that my high school locker was of the long variety. Had it been shorter, I might not have been able to stow my shotgun there while I went to class.

Mortality at 3.7 percent for those hospitalized with flu

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:31 -0600

Medical professionals did not expect the arrival of a wave of influenza cases in November, December and now January. Typically August and September are the top months for flu season in Costa Rica.

Did you know that 2016 is a leap year?

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:34 -0600

2016, is another leap year. That means the calendar has a Feb. 29, a Monday this year

Ministerio de Trabajo will seek out illegal workers in 2016

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:36 -0600

An announcement Tuesday from the Ministerio de Trabajo estimated that 45.7 percent of the employees in Costa Rica work in what officials called informalidad.

Breakthrough announced for Cubans trapped here

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:38 -0600

Costa Rican officials announced a breakthrough Monday in its effort to help Cuban migrants move north.

Draft for new corporate tax has some good and some bad

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:40 -0600

A proposed new draft of a tax on corporations does not contain an exemption for registered small and medium enterprises.

There are two bullish events this Christmas

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:41 -0600

Call it the battle of the fiestas. Both the Fiestas de San José in Zapote and the upstart corridas de toros in Belén are opening Christmas Day for a run through Jan. 3.

A warning to tourists: The rip tides

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:46 -0600

Each year Costa Ricans and visitors become victims. They include individuals who are far more athletic and skilled in the water than you are.

New route established for Chirripo

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:48 -0600

Residents of San Jeronimo de Perez Zeledon are expecting a boost in tourism now that an alternate and shorter route has been established to reach the peak of Cerro Chirripo.

Marchamo dispute puts expats on the spot

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:50 -0600

Dec. 31 is the deadline for paying the annual marchamo or road tax without penalty.

Atenas farmers market improves in new facility

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:51 -0600

On a typical Friday morning at the Atenas farmers market you will hear a conglomerate of languages, everything from Spanish to Mandarin as well as English, French and German.

Mother nature to provide the Christmas lights

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:53 -0600

Rudolph can stay home and watch late-night television Christmas Eve. Santa will not be needing his nose so bright this year.

You don't want a rompope hangover

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:55 -0600

There may not be a white Christmas, but rompope is the Costa Rican lubricant for wassailing.

International court decision was pretty obvious

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:47:58 -0600

AN ANALYSIS: Most Costa Ricans were thrilled that the International Court of Justice reaffirmed the country's sovereignty over the Isla Calero.

World Court affirms Costa Rica's claim

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:00 -0600

The International Court of Justice reaffirmed Costa Rica's sovereignty to land south of the mouth of the Río San Juan in a decision announced Wednesday.

International bankers visit to push for tax increases

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:01 -0600

Representatives of the World Bank and the Interamerican Development Bank met with Costa Rican officials and some legislators Monday to push for approval of more taxes.

El Niño expected to begin to weaken in February

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:03 -0600

El Niño that has brought record drought to western Costa Rica is expected to begin to diminish by February.

Solís promises to accept World Court verdict

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:05 -0600

The country's reliance on international agencies will be put to the test Wednesday when the International Court of Justice issues its decision on the land dispute between this country and Nicaragua.

Safeguards for eating tamales

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:07 -0600

There is nothing that defines the Christmas season in Costa Rica more than the tamal, the corn dough treat carefully wrapped in banana leaves and baked and then boiled.

Major advance in controlling viruses

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:13 -0600

A U.S. university says it has developed a strain of pigs that resist an incurable virus disease.

Despite conviction, Milanes case is far from over

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:15 -0600

Savings Unlimited investors have won what one called a Pyrrhic victory with the conviction of Luis Milanes.

Odds are way against expats becoming millionaires

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:17 -0600

Expats do not need a super computer to tell them they will not win the $2.6 million Gordo lottery Sunday.

Scientists see link between Sámara quake and one in El Salvador

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:19 -0600

Scientists have been studying the Sept. 5, 2012, Sámara earthquake and have concluded that there was a relationship between the event and a quake 450 kilometers to the northwest and nine days earlier.

Expats once again in the Santa mode

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:21 -0600

Again this year expats are making sure that Costa Rican children have a Christmas.

Corporate tax bite is $85.5 million a year

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:22 -0600

The central government says that a tax on corporations collects 45 billion colons a year. That's about $85.5 million.

Government's shrimp trawler plan generates opposition

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:24 -0600

Ocean environmentalists and even those in the fishing industry are unhappy that the central government is pushing a bill to reinstate trawler nets for shrimp fishing.

Megafauna takes over the Museo Nacional

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:26 -0600

The Museo Nacional is exhibiting creatures that lived in Costa Rica up until about 11,500 years ago. These are the giant megafauna that are now extinct.

Swiss detain regional Americas soccer president

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:28 -0600

Swiss authorities detained early today Alfredo Hawit Banegas of Honduras, president of the soccer federation that covers the Caribbean, and North and Central America. This is the federation to which Costa Rica belongs.

President promotes passage of corporate tax

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:29 -0600

Some expats who own corporations are worried about the status of the annual tax, the impuestos a las personas juridicas.

That virus with the funny name can be really bad

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:31 -0600

Another troubling health dimension has been added to that virus with the funny name. Researchers are reporting that the mosquito-borne virus may lead to severe brain infection.

First tree fire of the season

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:58:00 -0600

The country has its first fire of the Christmas season when an overheated extension cord ignited a tree at a home in Barrio la Colina in Tirrases de Curridabat.

Climate participants are seeking a static world

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:38 -0600

AN EDITORIAL: An estimated 150 world leaders and climate experts, non-profit organization representatives and others are starting today to meet in Paris to maintain a static world.

Santa government handing out cash

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:40 -0600

The government that is very skilled in giving way other people's money will give away some of its own next week.

There's a lot to be thankful about

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:42 -0600

As expats bow their heads today, they can be thankful that they are not in Denver where the temperature is around 35 degrees F.

Neuromarketers are inside the heads of shoppers

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:44 -0600

Marketing researchers have a better idea of what is going on inside the heads of shoppers than the shoppers do themselves.

Tourism under review for carbon footprint

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:47 -0600

When those in the business talk of sustainable tourism, they mainly mean operations on the ground here. But tourism increasingly is being accused of causing damaging effects worldwide.

No progress on Cuban migrants

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:48 -0600

Government officials expressed optimism Tuesday night that a solution is coming for the problem of the Cuban migrants. Still the government of Nicaragua has been characterized as intransigent in its refusal to allow the Cubans to pass through the country.

Campaign begun against smuggled alcohol

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:55 -0600

The finance ministry embarked on a campaign Monday to combat smuggled alcohol, but by the ministry's own figures some 60 percent of the contraband comes in through legal channels.

City Mall opened too soon, reviewer says

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:57 -0600

After much anticipation, Alajuela’s City Mall opened Nov. 11. Developers should have waited longer.

Escazú expat detained in case involving rape of minor

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:48:58 -0600

Judicial agents detained a U.S. resident from Escazú Saturday just as he was leaving the country by air. The charge is rape of a minor, said the Judicial Investigating Organization.

Search of lawyer's office related to missing U.S. expat

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:00 -0600

Judicial investigators searched a lawyer's office in Ciudad Quesada Thursday, and this appears to be related with an effort to find a missing U.S. expat..

Five traveling on falsified passports visited Costa Rica

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:01 -0600

U.S. and Honduran officials are trying to determine the correct identity of five men who arrived at Toncontín airport in Tegucigalpa Tuesday night.

Three ways lionfish can spread to the Pacific

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:03 -0600

Concern is growing among some researchers and environmentalists that the lionfish in the Caribbean might make their way to the Pacific.

Cubans still stranded

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:05 -0600

One reason there are some 1,600 Cubans stranded in Costa Rica is because the United States affords special treatment to migrants from that country.

TV change to digital to be topic of campaign

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:06 -0600

The 36 percent of television viewers who are not hooked up to cable will be the target of a campaign to prepare them for the end of analog transmission Dec. 15, 2017.

El Niño reported to be one of the strongest

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:08 -0600

El Niño is expected to continue to strengthen and go down in the history books as one of the strongest ever, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Central America is the soft underbelly of the U.S.

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:10 -0600

Any expat who has had to walk in stocking feet through a U.S. airport knows that officials have put a lot of emphasis in securing the country from plane passengers.

Nicaragua rejects Cuban migrants

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:12 -0600

Some 1,100 Cuban migrants were denied entry into Nicaragua when they tried to cross Costa Rica's northern border Sunday.

Reform of immigration law gets support

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:14 -0600

The immigration director says that the law covering her agency needs a reform.

Stamp outlines cultural difference

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:16 -0600

A decision by Correos de Costa Rica involving the content of a commemorative stamp clearly shows a divide between Costa Rican and U.S. cultures.

Exit tax would be jacked up $4

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:18 -0600

Those leaving the country would have to pay $4 extra in taxes, according to a measure that received approval in a legislative committee Tuesday.

Steady stream of prisoners being released

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:19 -0600

The government's plan to give early release to hundreds of convicts is generating predictable discussion in the legislature.

Expats air their gripes

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:21 -0600

Each week a handful of expats here voice their complaints via email to A.M. Costa Rica.

Tourists unaffected by rise in murder rate

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:23 -0600

High profile murders are tarnishing Costa Rica's international reputation. This is bound to affect high season tourism. But tourists should be more concerned by luggage theft and street robberies than by fears of being gunned down in a driveby.

Plastic bag prohibition advances

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:27 -0600

A bill to prohibit the use of plastic bags by commercial establishments passed from a legislative committee to the full assembly Thursday.

Expat lost eye in violent highway attack

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:29 -0600

A U.S. expat lost his left eye Friday afternoon when another motorist broke his windshield with a rock.

Honey may not be as pure as shoppers think

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:30 -0600

Many shoppers are unaware of the dangers that lurk in a bottle labeled honey.

Government wants to know about sex lives

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:32 -0600

The government is embarking on another survey of sexual practices. Casa Presidencial said that 3,200 persons would be questions through the country in order to, in the words of Vice President Ana Helena Chacón, guarantee the right of an integrated sexuality.

Las Olas developer decries lack of action against squatters

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:34 -0600

The manager of the stalled Las Olas development in Esterillos Oeste said that neither the local government nor the police have taken action to eject squatters from the property.

Tricks and tips on driving in Costa Rica

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:36 -0600

A newspaper staffer is at the point of obtaining her long-awaited driver's license, so here is a baker's dozen of rules for her that they don't teach in traffic school:

Murders continue through the weekend

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:37 -0600

At least 10 persons died by knife or firearm from Friday until Sunday, according to Judicial Investigators. Among the total are three persons found in a common grave in Rancho Redondo de Goicoechea.

Lawmakers pass bill to give tourism operators debt relief

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:39 -0600

Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved Thursday on first reading a plan to provide financially distressed tourism operations up to $175,000 each in a low-interest loan.

Sex tourism web page was designed to trap foreigners

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:41 -0600

A private-public coalition against underage prostitution has been running a secret Web site to entrap foreigners. That was the revelation Wednesday at a press conference in Casa Presidencial.

Student study outlines airport train possibilities

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:43 -0600

A train stop at Juan Santamaría airport is a logical improvement, and students at Tecnológico de Costa Rica and a French university have outlined how this can be accomplished.

Credit legislation gives country big index boost

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:45 -0600

Government officials are cheering the improvement from 79 to 58 in the World Bank's annual assessment of its business atmosphere and 188 in other countries.

Festival de la Luz will be Dec. 12

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:46 -0600

The Christmas displays are starting to appear in stores, and another sure sign that the holidays are nearing is the announcement Thursday that the Festival de la Luz will be Dec. 12.

Proposed law would prohibit war toys and certain clothing

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:48 -0600

Lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit the use of warlike or violent video games, war toys, military ranks in public agencies and even salutes among members police forces.

Do you feel lucky, expat?

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:50 -0600

Some may call it a voluntary tax on stupidity, but for other the Christmas lottery is a lot of fun for an investment less than a dinner out.

There are a lot worse events than global warming

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:52 -0600

But global warming appears to be a minor concern of humanity when compared to super volcanoes, 800-foot tsunami waves, plagues, droughts and giant earthquakes.

How about a Tico Thanksgiving?

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:54 -0600

Expats complain about high, extortive prices, but then they head to the supermarket for the ritual turkey for Thanksgiving.

Solís to jump start economy with debt

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:56 -0600

The president proposed a series of steps Sunday night that are designed to improve the national economy. Nearly half of the proposals are based on borrowed money.

Banco de Costa Rica ATM limits irk some expats

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:49:58 -0600

Banco de Costa Rica has upset some expats because it has instituted low limits on dollar emissions from automatic tellers.

Ticos creative in fabricating homemade guns

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:06 -0600

Costa Ricans can be creative in the manufacture of weaponry. There is no secret that firearms can be purchased easily on the street, despite government prohibitions.

New tax-filing program confounds many

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:08 -0600

The finance ministry's new Web-based reporting system has caused confusion among many taxpayers, and they have sought face-to-face help.

Pirate problem on the increase at Gulf of Nicoya

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:09 -0600

Modern day pirates are invading communities along the coast of the Gulf of Nicoya and attacking fishing boats there, too.

Legislation being prepared against street harassment

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:11 -0600

A coalition of women's groups plan to present a proposed law to the legislature within three months to make illegal such street activities as whistling, flattering comments, obscene gestures, statements about the human figure or even clothing.

Traffic will be hell on earth today

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:12 -0600

Motorists in the metro area will think today that they have been transported to the hottest part of Satan's lair.

Mystery kidney disease still confounds researchers

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:14 -0600

Medical researchers are still confounded by chronic kidney disease, the ailment that seems to affect disproportionally sugarcane workers in Central America.

Protector of woman suffers stab wounds

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:16 -0600

At the center of public concern is a critically injured 22-year-old man who is in Hospital Calderón Guardia.

The dry season is coming earlier this year

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:18 -0600

The dry season is coming earlier this year, although that may not be cheerful news to farmers and ranchers.

New weapon prepared against leaf-cutter ants

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:20 -0600

Leaf-cutter ants can much through ornamental vegetation, trees and garden crops overnight leaving naked branches.

Friendships once again prompt responses

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:22 -0600

Expats who responded to a news story Tuesday disputed the idea that failing to make friends is a reason foreigner leave Costa Rica. But they did to for different reasons.

National strike set for Oct. 16

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:23 -0600

A coalition of unions has called for a national strike Oct. 16, a Friday. This is the strike that has been long promises by mostly public employees to protest changes in the way salaries are computed, the cost of living, taxes and other actions the group deems to be neoliberal.

Lack of friends reported as a reason expats leave

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:25 -0600

A San José retailer who does business with expats who are leaving the country said Monday that the cost of living is tops on the list. But in second place is the difficulty in finding friends, particularly among Costa Ricans.

Famous ex-inmate to participate in criminology conference

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:27 -0600

Criminal justice professionals and criminologist from all over the hemisphere begin a three-day meeting today in San José. Wednesday they will hear from a Costa Rican who probably has more first-hand experience than most at the meeting.

Domestic violence statement overlooks a dead male

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:29 -0600

The judiciary issued a formal statement expressing the governmental branch's sorrow at the deaths of two women in which their male companions are the principal suspects.

Not all the snakes are in the jungle

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:31 -0600

A lot of visitors worry about snakes in the jungle. They might be surprised to know that many snakes live in the city and go about their daily lives without causing any trouble.

Turtle midwives on the central Pacific

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:32 -0600

Members of the coast guard are taking credit for saving 7,800 turtle eggs that might otherwise have been snatched by thieves.

Businesses hope for a better fiscal year

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:35 -0600

Today is the end of the fiscal year, and those in business can only hope for better times in the next 12 months.

Costa Rica drops one spot on competitiveness report<

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:37 -0600

The country earned 52nd place in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report.

U.S. Embassy not anxious to protect dead man's land

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:47 -0600

The U.S. Embassy here has advised a dead man to take his case to the local courts. And it took staffers nearly a week to do that.

New gun law proposal presented

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:49 -0600

A legislative commission presented Monday a new rewrite of the country's firearms laws. Under the proposal, all foreigners except those with permanent residency are prohibited from possession a firearm, just as the law says now. But the new twist is that even those with permanent residency have to have held the status for five years before getting a firearm, according to the proposal.

More signals sought at rail lines

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:50 -0600

The transport ministry says it has awarded contracts to place warning signals at 91 rail crossings.

Smallest barrio may be the most supernatural

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:52 -0600

If sudden, violent death generates the phenomenon known as a ghost, the Barrio Otoya area in northeast San José must be ankle deep is spectres.

Starfish that eats coral called an epidemic

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:54 -0600

The long-suffering Costa Rican coral have yet another antagonist gaining ground. Coral reefs are important as home to marine species, and they suffer from a multitude of maladies, some natural and some man-made.

Missing aircraft will be subject of documentary

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:55 -0600

A 50-year-old Costa Rican mystery is about to become a movie. Argentine documentary film makers are arriving today in Costa Rica is search of more information and perhaps even the Fuerza Aérea Argentina aircraft that vanished in 1965.

Expats give Costa Rica decent marks for family living

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:57 -0600

The country ranked 20th in a survey of expat family life. The survey comes from InterNations, the expat organization.

Three bills directed against discrimination

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:50:59 -0600

Costa Rica has three bills in the legislative hopper that would prohibit discrimination. These bills come despite a long history of legislation and international agreements that would seem to do the same thing.

Legislature agrees to borrow $48 million for Sardinal

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:01 -0600

Lawmakers approved for the second and final time a $48 million loan to build a wholesale produce market in Sardinal, Guanacaste. The money would come from the Banco Centroamericano de Integración Centroamericana.

Dead man's land invaded

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:03 -0600

An 85-year-old Cuban-American turned up dead and stuffed into a barrel on his finca in Coloradito de Corredores last Sept. 6. Quickly squatters moved on to the property and set up tents and rude housing.

Ann Patton leaves the country legally

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:04 -0600

Ann Patton Bender, the poster girl for judicial excesses in Costa Rica, finally left the country Saturday, but not before navigating another bump in the road courtesy of the courts.

Tax fraud bill moves out of committee

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:07 -0600

A legislative committee approved Thursday night a substitute text for the anti-tax fraud bill presented by the central government more than a year ago.

Notaries have to belong to the Caja

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:08 -0600

Notaries have been put on notice that they have to affiliate with the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social. If they do not, they will be unable to work as a notary, said the Dirección Nacional de Notariado, the regulating agency.

Energy plan is a dream without price tag

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:10 -0600

OUR ANALYSIS: Like so many of the government's proposals, the latest plan for energy seems more like dreaming.

Amnesty's sex worker proposal not universally accepted

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:12 -0600

Amnesty International has recommended decriminalizing the sex trade as a way to improve the human rights of sex workers and lessen the risk of their human rights being violated.

Government to pay firms to hire employees

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:13 -0600

The Solís administration announced a plan Monday that would pay companies that hire new employees.

More statistics sought for study abroad programs

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:15 -0600

There may be as many as 10,000 firms that send U.S. students overseas, and the business is approaching $2 billion a year. To help the students and parents make an informed decision, a U.S. lawmakers is promoting a bill to require these country and program statistics.

Today is a grim anniversary

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:18 -0600

Just 14 years ago, Costa Rica was in crisis because terrorists had taken over aircraft and used them as missiles in New York and Washington.

Agents tracked Cuba Dave for 12 days here

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:23 -0600

A court hearing is expected today for the Key West man who is facing a charge of promoting Costa Rica as a sexual tourism destination.

Frauds are breaking out all over

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:25 -0600

Being a fraudster must be a good business, because the complaints are proliferating.

An historic day even if it involves sewage

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:27 -0600

Wednesday will be an historic day for the metro area. The day will see the inauguration of the Los Tajos sewage treatment plant.

No break on gas prices for a month

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:29 -0600

The price of gasoline has dropped about $16 a barrel, but motorists here will have to wait for a month before the pump price reflects the decrease.

In defense of free expression

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:31 -0600

AN EDITORIAL: The government cannot make this fact go away by making it a forbidden topic. The country has chosen not to prosecute prostitution, and that is a fact, too. Even the U.S. State Department says that Costa Rica is a sex tourism destination.

Well-known sex tourist detained on arrival

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:33 -0600

Judicial agents pick up a well-known sex tourists Friday, and the case raises a multitude of free speech issues. The arrest also might be the beginning of a crackdown on Web sites and businesses here that cater to North Americans in search of prostitutes.

Video prompts action from Fuerza Pública boss

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:35 -0600

The Fuerza Pública administration is unhappy with a new YouTube video that accuses officers of abuse of authority. But this is free speech, and there is not much that police officials can do.

Fingerprints are becoming the ID standard

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:36 -0600

A new system is online that will allow those in business to check electronically the validity of a person's identity.

Expat says mob attacked his car

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:38 -0600

A prominent Pacific coast expat said that he and three companions were the victims of a mob of protesters near the Daniel Oduber airport in Liberia.

El Niño expected to peak at end of year

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:39 -0600

America always has been vulnerable to droughts. A prolonged drought from 800 to 1000 A.D. destroyed the classical Mayan civilization. Whole cities were abandoned.

Beach sand can harbor nasty bugs

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:41 -0600

A cutting edge technical paper says that all kinds of microorganisms, including those that can harm human health are found in beach sand. A University of Miami researcher and an international team of scientists are recommending that sand be tested as well as ocean water at popular beaches.

Resident associations should have formal structures

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:43 -0600

Plenty of expats are paying into an informal committee to maintain the security of their gated community or to keep up the subdivision roads and common areas.

Security minister predicts a big jump in murder rate

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:45 -0600

The security minister told legislators Thursday that 2015 may end with 537 murders due to organized crime organizations operating here. That number would be nearly 19 percent higher than last year when investigators reported 453 murders.

Industrial chamber pushes for cuts in electrical rates

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:47 -0600

Expats grumble when they have to pay the monthly electrical bill. But those in industry have bills in the thousands of dollars each month.

Sea level rise is inevitable

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:48 -0600

As Costa Rica struggles to reach its goal of carbon neutrality in the next decade, not much is being said about sea level rise, which is inevitable.

Tourists in jeopardy in the gulf of Nicoya

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:50 -0600

Despite three recent tragedies in the Gulf of Nicoya boat captains still are taking chances with the lives of tourists, according to the Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas.

Canadian expats being campaign to recover right to vote

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:55 -0600

Other expats might be surprised to learn that Canadians living in Costa Rica can lose the right to vote in their country's elections. Local organizers of a crowd-sourcing campaign for a court appeal say the situation affects thousands of Canadian expats here.

Farmers market will cost $52 million

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:57 -0600

The central government is about to shoulder $48 million in debt to build what amounts to an elaborate farmer's market in Sardinal.

Downtown to be evacuated in simulation

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:51:59 -0600

The national emergency commission and the Municipalidad de San José will stage a disaster simulation Sept. 3 in which some 60,000 persons are expected to leave their schools and jobs for a mock evacuation.

Tax man in search of 26,000 sale tax deadbeats

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:01 -0600

There are 26,000 individuals or firms who have not submitted at least one sales tax monthly report this year, the Dirección General de Tributación, the tax collector, reports.

Property links studied in case of missing expat

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:03 -0600

Investigators have said nothing official about missing U.S. citizen Brian Lynn Hogue since the initial report of his disappearance in mid-June.

Government under fire from many sides over finances

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:06 -0600

The Solís administration is being characterized as a ship adrift. Politicians and news outlets are zeroing in on the administration, perhaps motivated by distaste for the proposed new taxes.

A new agency for innovation

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:08 -0600

Four ministries will roll out a proposal today for a new agency to promote innovation.

50 unions will march Thursday

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:10 -0600

Thursday will see another protest by unions whose members are unhappy with the tiny raise proposed for public employees by the government.

Art and design contest to honor the boyeros

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:12 -0600

Just 10 years ago the boyero, his bueyes and his oxcart were designated as intangible human heritage. To mark the anniversary, there will be a design contest on this theme.

Some good news and bad news on taxes

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:13 -0600

A lot is happening on the tax front in Costa Rica. The news is not so good for locals and expats alike. All is not lost. There are a couple of facts related to taxes that are actually good news.

That signature beef is ready for the market

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:15 -0600

An expat cattleman has taken a major step in his effort to create a signature beef line for Costa Rica.

Tourism rescue plan advances to full legislature

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:17 -0600

Small and medium hotels and restaurants in the tourism business will get a change to refinance their debts stemming from the economic downturn from 2008 to 2011, according to a bill that advanced Thursday.

Little action likely on those private airport fees

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:18 -0600

Any passengers with concerns about being slapped with extra fees when their commercial aircrafts land at a private field in Costa Rica probably will not get much help from the civil aviation authorities.

Expats react to tax package

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:20 -0600

The government's tax proposals, published Tuesday, certainly got the attention of expats. Most who wrote A.M. Costa Rica Tuesday wanted to know details that still are unavailable.

Taxman wants $1.5 billion more

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:21 -0600

A tax package that the central government says it will send to the legislature this week disproportionally affects expats. The measure would double the tax on transferring real estate, create a 15 percent capital gains tax and levy a 15 percent tax on money entering the country from elsewhere.

Bill to protect minority investors advances

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:23 -0600

Lawmakers are moving to provide more protection for minority investors in the nation's business enterprises. The measure is being characterized as a way to improve the investment climate in the country.

Anniversary prompts memories of the bomb

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:24 -0600

News of the atomic bomb had been released several days earlier. The Aug. 7 newspapers, at least in the New York area, did not appear to have photos. So the historic nature of the event was lost for a few days on a child not even 3.

Solís is between a rock and a hard place

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:26 -0600

The country's fiscal deficit could be brought down drastically by cutting the public payroll, reducing existing and future pensions and capping salaries. None of this appears to be possible despite promises by central government officials to take action.

Government still seeking an intelligence agency

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:28 -0600

Casa Presidencial ha included within its recent agenda for lawmakers the proposal for a non-political intelligence-gathering agency.

Watch out for Windows 10

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:35 -0600

The system is faster, more efficient and easier to understand. It is also designed from bottom up to spy on its users.

Government reports its booze bill is lower

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:37 -0600

The current administration is praising itself for only spending 37.2 million colons ($70,500) on food in the last year ending this June and just 7.4 million ($14,000) on alcohol. The amounts are lower than during the same first year of two prior administrations, according to an announcement.

Another hidden tourist tax

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:39 -0600

Operators of two local airports have been under investigation since last year because they have instituted their own landing fees for passengers, according to the Dirección General de Aviation Civil.

Genetically modified rice cuts down greenhouse gas

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:41 -0600

Opponents of genetically modified crops will soon face a conundrum. Rice cultivation is a major producer of methane, which is a gas 20 times more effective in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide in trapping heat.

Sala IV makes the expected decision

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:42 -0600

If there ever was a slam-dunk defamation case, it would be the one that two Caribbean coast expats could file against the Municipalidad de Talamanca, its mayor, its council president and dozens of locals who signed a statement against them.

Pilgrimages are an ancient search for grace

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:45 -0600

Most of the pilgrims on the way to Cartago today and through Saturday probably do not realize that what they are doing probably predates even modern humans.

Another flawed report on human trafficking

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:47 -0600

Once again the U.S. State Department issued a human trafficking report on Costa Rica that failed to mention that adult prostitution is not penalized here. This has been a repeated omission from the annual report, which skews the understanding of the complexity of the situation.

Emails contributing to the fall of a respected lawyer

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:49 -0600

The prosecution's case against well-known lawyer Arcelio Hernandez Mussio was aided by emails he had exchange with U.S. investors.

Government sets rules for those who work in the heat

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:51 -0600

The Consejo de Seguridad Ocupacional has approved rules that cover employees who work outdoors in hot conditions. The new rules are linked to an effort to reduce the cases of kidney failure in Guanacaste, but they cover the entire country.

Porous borders are flooded with smuggled goods

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:53 -0600

The country's porous borders are continual scenes of smuggling, and there is no way to figure out what quantity of merchandise gets through.

Puppy mill operator fined by court

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:54 -0600

An animal welfare organization engineered the liberation of 64 dogs and followed up with a court conviction of the owner of an illegal puppy mill.

Tragic story of a locked porton and death

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:56 -0600

When Marnelly Ortiz Bermúdez realized her home was on fire Tuesday morning, the 35-year-old mother chased after and grabbed her 2 year old son Jorge Arturo and raced for the front door.

Road agency plans to spend $40 million for a new building

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:52:58 -0600

The transport ministry has set Aug. 4 as the date to pick a contractor to erect a new $40 million building.

What to do when the corporate books are missing

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:00 -0600

Anyone with a company in Costa Rica is required to have legal books. The problem is the books are easy to lose or misplace. It is impossible to do business or maintain a company without the books. If there are assets in a company with no books and no person designated to represent the company, what assets they hold are locked up and out of reach even to legitimate owners.

Expat financial experts give their opinions

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:02 -0600

None wishes to be named, They fear extortion, kidnapping or worse. They have become critical observers of the financial scene, and a few even talk to reporters to share opinions.

Public employee salaries at center of controversy

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:04 -0600

The state telecom company said it filed a Sala IV appeal Wednesday to defend the rights of its workers. The case stems from publication of the salaries the workers receive.

Youtube video suggests new tourism area

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:06 -0600

Costa Rican tourism operators might be missing a bet by not embracing cryptozoology, that is the study pursuit of unknown animals.

Judiciary says to call in your narco tips

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:07 -0600

The Poder Judicial unveiled another aspect of its plan to attack the possible infiltration of drug gangs into the judiciary. The plan is to maintain a free hotline or email account.

Two House members seek IRS relief for expats

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:13 -0600

Democratic and Republican lawmakers are promoting a change in the U.S. tax rules that would create what is called the same country exemption.

Tourism and restaurants hard hit by blockades

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:15 -0600

Restaurants and tourism operators were big losers Wednesday when informal taxi drivers blockaded major highways. Both the Cámera Nacional de Turismo and the Cámara Costarricense de Restaurantes deplored the lack of action by the government.

Canal's impact on Costa Rica called devastating

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:17 -0600

The proposed Nicaraguan canal is completely within that country, but Costa Ricans are beginning to realize that the project has a direct impact on this country, too.

President tells traffic police to end blockades

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:19 -0600

President Luis Guillermo Solís blamed blockading taxi drivers for forcing a helicopter ambulance flight Wednesday. The president did not go far enough. The security ministry said that two persons died Wednesday afternoon when the driver tried to avoid a taxi blockade and pulled in front of a tractor trailer.

There's a lot of wild chemicals in the jungle

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:21 -0600

Expats may not realize that they are living amid a varieties of psychedelic options. The tropical jungle is like a big drugstore.

U.N. rights official criticizes China on overseas lapses

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:22 -0600

The U.N. human rights commissioner has expressed concern that Chinese companies and financing institutions have little concern about human rights violations surrounding projects promoted and financed by them across different countries.

Proposal to double sin tax is revealing

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:24 -0600

The detention of former lawmaker Justo Orozco focused public attention on the motel trade in Costa Rica. Orozco is accused of trying to trap a woman in one of the motel facilities and committing sexual abuse.

Opinions differ dramatically on U.S. fugitive in Cuba

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:26 -0600

One of nearly 100 U.S. fugitives living in Cuba is Assata Shakur, who was better known to me as JoAnne Chesimard. She has been called a major league terrorist but also a revolutionary fighter against imperialism.

How well are you following the news?

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:28 -0600

A little quiz is based on news stories that have appeared recently.

Domestic cost of medical tourism considered

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:30 -0600

First World governments and academics are beginning to look at the domestic cost of medical tourism.

Notary agency agrees to beef up guarantee fund

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:31 -0600

Notaries will be paying more each month to guarantee their activities because a Cartago legal practitioner noticed that the amount had not been raised since 1998

Bill would set up a formal medical tourism framework

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:33 -0600

Lawmakers have received a bill that would create another layer of bureaucracy in the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo specifically for medical tourism.

Prosecutors reveal property theft ring

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:35 -0600

A fraud prosecutor revealed Thursday the existence of an organized crime enterprise involved in stealing real estate, mostly from foreigners.

Vast changes sought in broadcasting

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:36 -0600

A legislative proposal seeks to counter the mostly for-profit model of Costa Rica's radio and television programming.

U.S. visa system recovering slowly

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:38 -0600

The U.S. visa system is recovering slowly although State Department officials are unable to say exactly what went wrong.

Pork producers ask for government action on prices

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:40 -0600

Costa Rican pork farmers are feeling the impact of the free trade treaty now, and other agricultural producers are likely to begin to feel the pinch. Many of the tariff reductions are staged in over five, 20, 15 or even 20 years for some chicken parts.

When a kid is missing, phone customers will get a message

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:45 -0600

When a minor is reported missing, law enforcement and the state telephone company will send a message and photo to 4 million residents, the security ministry said Monday.

President faces two options, both bad

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:48 -0600

AN ANALYSIS: Costa Ricans like to think of themselves as living in a peaceful country where respect for institutions reigns. That self image is likely to be put to the test as economic realities force unwanted changes.

Drug sweep includes unregistered medicines

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:52 -0600

Expats who want to bring medicines from their home country have a tough time when the pills are not listed with the Ministerio de Salud.

Wal-Mart takes a pounding over tax avoidance

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:55 -0600

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., is being singled out as a tax dodger because of its creative use of overseas tax havens and 78 subsidiaries.

Tourism chamber enters the battle over import barriers

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:56 -0600

The national tourism chamber has given backing to what it called the right of consumers.

U.S. high court supports secret visa denials

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:53:58 -0600

Costa Ricans who apply here for a visa to enter the United States never get a detailed reason if they are denied. This is one of the situations that creates hard feelings.

Here's the story on those unrefrigerated eggs

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:01 -0600

What U.S. expat has not been surprised by flats and cartons of eggs sitting out on the supermarket shelf.

Glitch in ham radio licensing

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:03 -0600

For both a citizen band permit and one of three classes of an amateur radio license, the decree specifically calls for a copy of a cédula or DIMEX, the Documento de Identidad Migratoria para Extranjeros, issued by the immigration agency.

Tamarindo tries to turn tide on water fatalities

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:05 -0600

When tourists come to Costa Rica's beautiful beaches they probably are not aware that danger lurks beneath the waves.

Government tries to defend its drought aid

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:07 -0600

The central government says that its response to the drought in Guanacaste began with a presidential decree in September.

A.M. Costa Rica calls for legalizing marijuana and cocaine

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:09 -0600

Regretfully and reluctantly, A.M. Costa Rica today calls for the legalization of marijuana and cocaine.

The Caja is not the INS and vice versa

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:11 -0600

Costa Rican workers find the system complex too. Others cannot cover themselves because it is overly expensive for them to do so.

Campaign aims to reduce animal road deaths

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:13 -0600

A central Pacific animal welfare organization has joined a campaign to save the lives of wild animals.

Key figure in case of missing women jailed

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:14 -0600

A man who could be a key witness in the 2010 disappearance of a female tourist in Tamarindo has been jailed in Denver on a identity theft charge.

San Rafael church restored

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:16 -0600

The neo-Gothic San Rafael Arcángel church is ready to face another century after an extensive restoration paid for, in part, by the government.

Missing child bill would put PANI in charge

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:18 -0600

The legislature approved Thursday on first reading a bill that would create a system of alert when a minor disappears. Final approval is expected today or tomorrow.

U.S. agrees that hurricane season will be below average

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:20 -0600

The U.S. government's official forecast anticipates a less active than normal Atlantic hurricane season.

Both coasts are experiencing extreme weather

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:22 -0600

A good reason exists why farmers and ranchers along the Pacific coast are suffering. Rain there from Jan. 1 through Wednesday was about 85 percent lower in Guanacaste than normal.

Costa Rican soccer chief among those detained in Zurich

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:23 -0600

Swiss police have detained at least 10 soccer federation officials and associates today on corruption charges that originated in the United States. Among those held is Costa Rica soccer federation president Eduardo Li, according to The New York Times.

New Sixaola bridge to fundamentally change region

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:29 -0600

The new four-lane bridge at Sixaola is expected to make major changes in the sleepy Caribbean coast and in the adjacent northern Panamá.

Does the moon influence volcano eruptions?

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:31 -0600

Some Cartago area residents are betting that the Turrialba volcano will produce a major eruption at the next full moon, June 2.

What the expat needs to know about insuring workers

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:33 -0600

Having workers compensation for all employees is the law in Costa Rica.

Proposed national zoning plan makes some land unbuildable

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:34 -0600

A proposed regulation by a government agency unknown to most expats seeks to impose what appears to be a national zoning plan. (This plan subsequently was withdrawn.)

Cardiologist tells of waits and deaths

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:36 -0600

The drama of the dead heart patients reached the legislature Thursday when Sofía Bogantes testified.

Tax agency seeks to assume more power

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:38 -0600

A proposed law to fight tax fraud seems to set up a judicial system within the Dirección General de Tributación

U.S. citizens with property woes can't count on embassy

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:40 -0600

U.S. citizens caught in a property scam in Costa Rica better not expect any help from U.S. Embassy staffers.

Are the quakes and volcanoes spawning ghosts

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:42 -0600

If you live near Cartago and you think you are seeing ghosts, the apparition may not be Aunt Millie. That also is true out on the Pacific earthquake belt.

Festival report shows serious problems of communication

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:45 -0600

A report on the failed Festival International de las Artes described a confused bureaucracy, lapses in communication and lack of institutional oversight.

New stamp features two educational institutions

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:46 -0600

The postal service has issued twin stamps marking the country's educational achievements.

Starting a new payroll can be a pain

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:48 -0600

Putting a worker on a new legal payroll as required by law is a pain. Not making an employee legal is asking for trouble.

$3.3 million tourism campaign appears to be lagging

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:50 -0600

The tourism institute's $3.3 million year-long promotional scheme is at the halfway mark, and an evaluation of the key Web sites shows that the campaign is not very popular in it target markets.

Couple honored for 40 years of success

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:53 -0600

People in business say that anyone who starts and keeps a company running here for a year deserves a medal. How about 40 years?

July 4 picnic will be on July 4

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:54 -0600

The American Colony Committee has quietly posted an invitation to U.S. citizens for the annual July 4 picnic. The day is a Saturday, but the committee said it still will be able to use the Cervercería Costa Rica grounds just off the General Cañas Autopista west of San José.

Legislature asked to standardize tax-free rules

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:56 -0600

A proposed law now in the legislature would make fundamental changes to the way Costa Rica provides exoneration from taxes for certain activities and agencies.

Turrialba expected to continue burping

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:54:59 -0600

The prediction for the Turrialba volcano is not what air travelers want to hear. A volcano expert said Tuesday that the mountain will be having its ups and downs over the next few months.

Dry law comes under fire from chambers

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:00 -0600

The tourism, hotels and restaurant chambers have issued a blunt criticism of the 27 municipalities that enforced a dry law over Semana Santa.

Readers tell their stories of being scammed

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:02 -0600

The two articles that follow by readers were in response to news stories about the problem of property theft in Costa Rica.

New legislative leadership opposes higher taxes

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:14 -0600

A change in the legislative leadership means that the executive branch will have a harder time getting new taxes approved.

Real estate fraud has its human costs, too

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:16 -0600

News stories about property thefts and similar scams that steal from expats and would-be expats usually feature the economic loss. Not as often do news stories address the physical, psychological and emotional impact.

Anglican church gets its own stamp

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:18 -0600

The nation's postal service has honored the downtown Anglican church, El Buen Pastor, on its 150th anniversary.

Vandal attacks bridge at container terminal site

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:20 -0600

Someone inflicted damage on the bridge erected over the Rio Moín to provide access to the APM Terminals construction site, said the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad.

Isla de Coco treasure is subject of spoof

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:22 -0600

Costa Rica's financial troubles are over, according to a sometimes clever online publication. The publication reported in March that park rangers in Isla del Coco discovered the long lost Treasure of Lima, which now is worth $200 million.

Real estate scams are bummers for expats

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:24 -0600

At least several times a month a reader send an email to describe how they have been defrauded in a real estate deal in Costa Rica.

Expats may get a second chance at dumping corporations

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:25 -0600

The legislature is cooking up a new tax law on companies. Of course, they are. The country does not want to lose any tax revenue.

Vehicle noise covered by new rules

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:27 -0600

The Dirección General de la Policía de Tránsito will have new rules after Oct. 23 to crack down on loud vehicles.

Volcano ash once again halts air traffic

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:29 -0600

Mother Nature delivered another blow to the country Thursday when an eruption of the Turriabla volcano let to the closing of Juan Santamaría airport in Alajuela and the Tobias Bolaños runway in Pavas.

First World dominates happiness index

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:31 -0600

So what happens when your country is no longer listed as the happiest in the world? At the very least, that misleading claim cannot longer be used to lure tourists. Costa Rica was once listed as the happiest nation. This year the country is listed in 12th place just three spots above the United States.

Classic Tico tale considered racist

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:33 -0600

The long-running battle to ban the book "Cocorí" and artistic works related to it has flared again. The minister of Cultura y Juventud, Elizabeth Fonseca Corrales, has yanked the funding for a series of orchestral performances based on the book that were to be given to schoolchildren

Nature caught genetically modifying a food crop

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:35 -0600

The battle by Costa Rican opponents to genetically modified crops took a surprising turn Tuesday. Researchers from Ghent University and the International Potato Institute said they discovered that sweet potatoes naturally contain genes from a bacterium, according to a summary from the university.

Judicial report mainly history with older data

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:36 -0600

The report on the state of Costa Rican justice reads more like a history text and does not address current problems.

Plans outlined for the Limón international airport

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:38 -0600

Promoters of a $700 million international airport in Limón said they had difficulty generating interest under the Laura Chinchilla government, but now the Solís administration appears to favor the proposal.

Law enforcement struggles to find solutions

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:40 -0600

Law enforcement officials are struggling to find solutions for increasing murders, drug smuggling and other crimes that suggest failure of the country's institutions.

Kid glove treatment in potential home invasion case

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:41 -0600

Of the four men found in a vehicle Saturday night with firearms, two-way radios, gloves, ski masks and plastic ties for presumed victims, only one has been ordered into preventative detention.

Home invasion epidemic has predictable results

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:43 -0600

The murder of a Pacific coast B&B owner during a home invasion is the logical consequence of an upswing in this form of crime.

Figueres outlines a 10-year plan for government

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:44 -0600

José María Figueres, the man many see as the country's next president, met Thursday with Luis Guillermo Solís and later said that the uncertain fiscal situation cannot be resolved just with more taxes.

Confidence in government continues to decline

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:49 -0600

As the central government plans to present legislation to raise taxes, the private sector is circling the wagons.

Expat acquitted in defamation case

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:51 -0600

A three-judge panel Wednesday acquitted expat Sheldon Haseltine of defamation in the latest development in his 17-year battle over property.

Popular expat on Pacific dies after home invader injury

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:53 -0600

A 74-year-old B&B operator from Playa Langosta died Tuesday morning from a beating administered April 1 by home invaders, said the Judicial Investigating Organization.

Government tightens rules on that 'fiscal value'

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:55 -0600

Costa Rican lawmakers have moved to crack down on a long-running practice that has cost the country untold millions in property transfer taxes.

New British law adds weight to identifying shareholders here

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:56 -0600

The United Kingdom has moved to curb abuse of anonymous companies, which are widely used for tax evasion and criminal purposes.

Credit card debt keeps increasing

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:55:58 -0600

An economics ministry report earlier this week showed that Costa Ricans owe 933 billion colons or about $1.77 billion on their 5 million-plus credit cards. A check of a similar report June 10, 2013, shows that the debt has increased some $293 million from 729 billion colons.

Big and small, congregations profess faith

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:00 -0600

Catholics by the hundreds turned out Monday night for a procession in downtown San José. The walk from the Mercado Borbón to the Catedral Metropolitana made the television nightly news.

Costa Ricans owe $1.77 billion in credit card debt

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:02 -0600

The economics ministry is emphasizing the impact of high consumer interest rates.

Condo ownership may hold hidden pitfalls

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:05 -0600

Gated communities in Costa Rica are double-edged swords. They usually give residents more security but take away individual rights at the same time. Ley 7933, Ley Reguladora de la Propiedad en Condominio, or the law to regulate condominium property is to blame.

An unspoiled forest close to San José

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:07 -0600

Less than an hour from San José one the most accessible spots in the national park system allows a short hike through untouched forest. The Quebrada González station is just off the main Braulio Carrillo highway in the park of the same name.

Administration embarks on a major anti-poverty push

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:09 -0600

The Solís administration announced a pan Thursday to reduce extreme poverty. One innovation is to assign social workers to supervise poor families and their use of government services.

Festival promotes transformative power of culture)

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:10 -0600

The culture ministry is making a $1.5 million bet that cantons outside San José Centro will appreciate culture.

Believe it or not, eruptions tend to have cooling effect

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:12 -0600

Volcán Turrialba has been emitting as much as 5,000 tons of sulfur dioxide a day.
Volcanoes are some of those unpredictable factors that influence climate change calculations.

Expats in Golfito face growing wave of criminality

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:14 -0600

Expats in the Golfito area say they are under siege from home invaders and other varieties of crooks.

Science requires much more than sincerity

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:15 -0600

OUR EDITORIAL: Most of those who will gather Tuesday to hear Steven Druker and Jane Goodall condemn genetically modified crops probably are sincere. They share the same fears about science that Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley exploited in her 1816 novel, "Frankenstein."

Modified food opponents likely to renew the controversy

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:18 -0600

Two crusaders against genetically modified crops will present their case Friday at a press conference. They are U.S. lawyer Steven Druker, who has been campaigning against modified crops for more than 25 years, and chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall, who lately has turned her attention to plants.

Iguana: It's what's for dinner

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:19 -0600

Police said they stopped three men carrying a suspicious bag in Tortuguero Wednesday. Officers quickly found that the bag contained three iguana.

Pre-Colombian Tico may have pioneered the modern papaya

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:24 -0600

Ancient plant breeders in Guanacaste may have created the papaya fruit that is found in stores today.

Ireland survived centuries of colonialism

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:26 -0600

The poster child for colonial blunders has to be Ireland, a tiny island divided by religion and politics.

Milk cows near Turrialba have dangerous disease

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:28 -0600

Animal health workers have uncovered 44 cases of brucellosis in cows grazing around the Volcán Turrialba. The infected animals present a danger for persons who drink their unpasteurized milk.

Corporate tax still is very much alive

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:30 -0600

Many Ticos and expats believe the law that assesses a yearly tax on companies in Costa Rica is dead because of a recent Sala IV ruling finding parts of it unconstitutional. Some people are still years behind in their payments and are not a bit worried. They should be.

Top U.S. general warns of Islamic State infiltration in Americas

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:31 -0600

The top U.S. general in South America is warning lawmakers on Capitol Hill of areas of weakness where Islamic State fighters could attempt to infiltrate the Western Hemisphere.

Some lawmakers balk at plans for new taxes

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:33 -0600

Not only Costa Rican business operators and investors are concerned about plans for new taxes. The major opposition party in the legislature spoke out against the plans Wednesday.

Readers and news sources may be in NSA's files

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:35 -0600

Readers may or may not be involved in the National Security Agency’s mass interception of online communications between individuals in the United States and abroad.

Draft of new tax laws posted for comments

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:37 -0600

A proposed change in the nation's sales tax laws would raise some 600 billion colons or about $1.34 billion a year in new income for the government.

Proposed decree taxes foreign money transfers

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:38 -0600

The Banca para el Desarrollo creates a way small businesses can obtain financing. The project has been approved by the legislature. A little known fact is that the government is expecting to skim money from foreign capital leaving the country to finance the project.

Piercy says his abduction was an extortion

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:40 -0600

Ryan Piercy said Monday that his abduction was an attempt of extortion toward Casa Canada.

Need any cement? it might become cheaper

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:42 -0600

The economics ministry said Friday that it had issued modifications in the regulations covering cement that eliminate technical obstacles for selling the product.

Plans advance for a four-lane bridge at Sixaola

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:44 -0600

Costa Rican officials hope to begin design work on a new Sixaola bridge later this year after the project works its way through the mandatory approval process.

Tsunami: The infrequent danger on the Caribbean, too

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:46 -0600

The danger of a tsunami is not restricted to the Costa Rican Pacific coast. The Caribbean has the potential for a devastating series of tall waves, according to the scientific literature.

St. Patrick's Day could be a bit expensive

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:48 -0600

Expats planning to celebrate St. Patrick's Day will have to dig down deep because the local liquor outlets are selling Jameson for 26,000 colons a bottle. That's more than $50, and that's not even for the top-shelf fluid that has languished in barrels for decades.

Expats need to be aware of fake or illegal drugs

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 15:56:50 -0600

Expats frequently face the problem of counterfeit products, be it razor blades or even kitchen appliances. But even more dangerous to the health are counterfeit drugs that may not even contain any of the chemicals needed for an ailment.