Costa Rica Ransomware Attacks Rise 39%, Microsoft Reports
Costa Rica ransomware attacks rose 39%, placing the country ninth worldwide, according to Microsoft’s 2026 Digital Defense Report.
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National Team Defender Among Four Held in Costa Rica Loan-Shark Extortion Probe
Cartaginés and national team defender Carlos Barahona, 24, was detained with three men in Cartago raids tied to alleged gota a gota loan extortion.
Costa Rica’s Public Schools Have Lost 180,000 Students in Five Years
Public school enrollment in Costa Rica has fallen 16.5% since 2021 as births decline, while private schools have added more than 12,000 students.
Costa Rica Opens Prison Modeled on El Salvador’s CECOT
Costa Rica inaugurates its CECOT-style prison today. Inmates arrive late October under strict rules now facing two Constitutional Chamber challenges.
Snoop Dogg’s Costa Rica Concert Is Canceled and Ticket Refunds Will Be Automatic
Snoop Dogg's Dec. 3 Costa Rica concert is canceled. Refunds will be automatic, but a court workers' association's $2.32 million is unresolved.
Some Liberia Hospital Patients Have Waited Nearly a Week in a Chair for a Bed
Patients at Guanacaste's main public hospital in Liberia say they have spent up to six days sleeping in emergency-room chairs while waiting for a bed.
Snoop Dogg’s Costa Rica Promoter Says He Once Turned Down a Suitcase of Cash
Don Stockwell, the promoter of Snoop Dogg's now-canceled Costa Rica concert, told prosecutors he once rejected a suitcase full of cash and never suspected drug money.
Woman Sought After 74-Year-Old American Found Dead in Playas del Coco
Police in Guanacaste are seeking a woman seen leaving a Playas del Coco condominium where a 74-year-old American man was later found dead.
Top Chefs Gather at Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa for Exclusive October Gastronomic Series
LA FORTUNA, COSTA RICA — Eight guest chefs will join Saúl Umaña, Culinary Director of Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa, throughout October for the second edition of “Sabores de Autor” (Author’s Flavors). This exclusive culinary showcase features four distinct five-course collaborative dinners designed to highlight the…
Brisa Hennessy Wins in Portugal, Takes Key Step Toward 2027 World Tour
Costa Rican surfer Brisa Hennessy achieved a major victory in Portugal on October 12, winning the fourth event of the qualifying series and solidifying her path toward the 2027 World Tour. With this win, Hennessy remains firmly in qualifying position for next season, currently holding fourth place in the general…
Costa Rica Present at Meta Connect 2026: A Costa Rican Among the Few Guests at One of the World’s Most Important AI Events
Costa Rican content creator participates for the third consecutive year in Meta Connect and attends a private party with Mark Zuckerberg. Costa Rican content creator Iván Acuña (@ivanelgrande) was invited for the third consecutive year to Meta Connect, the premier annual event where Meta presents its latest…
How a Father’s Conversation with His Daughter Inspired GetRich: The Costa Rican Video Game Teaching Kids Financial Literacy
A simple household conversation between Ilan Meléndez and his daughter, María Pía, about money from the Tooth Fairy ended in tears—and became the spark for a major educational breakthrough. Unsure why she should save her money instead of spending it immediately, María Pía’s reaction pushed Meléndez to rethink how…
Space Week: Why Predicting Solar Storms Remains One of Science’s Biggest Challenges
The inability to accurately predict how severely a solar storm will impact Earth remains one of the greatest challenges facing scientists today. Originating from the central star of our Solar System, these massive space weather events hold the power to inflict severe damage on Earth’s infrastructure—particularly…
Costa Rica’s National Theater Celebrates 129th Anniversary with Open House and Free Concerts
The National Theater of Costa Rica is celebrating its 129th anniversary this October with an extensive lineup of cultural events, concerts, and public activities. Inaugurated in 1897, the iconic landmark in downtown San José invites locals and visitors alike to join in celebrating more than a century of art and…
International Biotechnology Congress in Costa Rica Highlights Potential to Transform Agri-Food Systems
The International Biotechnology Congress has officially opened at the headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in San José, Costa Rica. Bringing together more than 250 researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and students, the three-day event spotlights biotechnology as a…
Pura Vida Wilderness: Exploring Guanacaste’s Volcanoes, Beaches, and National Parks
Three to five hours from San José, Guanacaste presents itself as a land of contrasts, where the warmth of the sun bathes landscapes that oscillate between tropical dry forest and montane forest, in a natural setting that beats to the rhythm of volcanoes, azure rivers, pristine beaches, and a deeply rooted culture of…
What is FOMO When Buying Property in Costa Rica?
What is FOMO? According to the popular website Wikipedia, Fear of missing out is the feeling of apprehension that one is either not in the know or missing out on information, experiences, or life decisions that could make one’s life better. FOMO is also associated with a fear of regret, which may lead to concerns that…
Learn About The Digital Nomad Visa Option for Costa Rica
The long-awaited Digital Nomad visa option: Last year, the government announced the Digital Nomad visa option for legally staying past the traditional 90-day visa in Costa Rica. While, in principle, a viable option for those seeking to live and work virtually in Costa Rica for 1 or 2 years without having to do onerous…
The Residency Process in Costa Rica 2022
By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica What follows is a much-needed update on situations that stressfully impacted ex-pat migrants at the various stages of the residency process. We are emerging from two mutually exclusive events. The end of covid (sort of) and the installation of a new government handed a…
How do you Choose Where to Live in Costa Rica?
By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica How to choose where to live in Costa Rica. So, you are contemplating a move to Costa Rica after being intrigued by the promise of its unique beauty and livability. Going back to 1500, Christopher Columbus gave it the name which translates into “Rich Coast.” It had…
Renewal of your DIMEX/Residency Card for Expats in Costa Rica
By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica DIMEX Renewals: This information is a bit dated, but since many of you are still emailing me about renewals of your DIMEX (residency) cards, I thought it timely to post this review. Due to urgent needs to be outside of Costa Rica during COVID, some of you had/have not…
The New 49th President Will Make it Easier to Immigrate and Move to Costa Rica
By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Until 2018, the immigration (residency) process was relatively straightforward. Even though the DGME (Immigration) mandate was to process correctly prepared and submitted applications in 90 days, they went past that deadline. Still, my application approvals (and that…
Eminent Domain and Land Expropriation in Costa Rica
This article is based on a personal experience. In Costa Rica there is an Expropriation Law, designed for when the Government needs to use all or part of private property for public purposes. As examples we have when a new highway or road is built or expanded, when it is necessary to install high power lines…
Caja Costs Spike for Expats in Costa Rica
By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica CAJA sticker shock. For those who don’t yet know, one of the requirements for residency here in Costa Rica is that you must enroll in our national healthcare system (CAJA) upon approval of your residency application. You will be means-tested to assess “fairly” what you…