By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica In response to some emails requesting clarification to my previous article, the following is a brief synopsis regarding visa expiries, the validity of foreign drivers' licenses, and border runs. 1. If you have been in Costa Rica on a Tourist Visa extended several times throughout 2020 and 2021, that visa expired on June 1, 2021. You need to d...

On January 8, 2010, the Red Cross received an emergency call for a dead American in Florida de Baru. The ambulance driver who was first on the scene described walking into John Bender’s bedroom and seeing “a blanket of jewels”, both cut and uncut, strewn about the bedroom and stuffed loosely into backpacks – over 3,000 jewels in total. What has happened to them all? When the police arrived at t...

During the daily press conference carried out by the health authorities in Costa Rica this Wednesday, June 10, they confirmed 86 new cases of Covid-19 in the country, this is the highest number registered since the virus reached the country. This brings the total number of Covid-19 positive cases to 1,461, out of which 722 are already recovered and 12 have died. 1,146 are Costa Rican citizens w...

Costa Rican Nadia Reiman has won the first ever Pulitzer Prize given for audio journalism for her ground-breaking ‘’The Out Crowd” episode of the radio show "This American Life". Her work was described by the New York Times as “revelatory, intimate journalism that illuminates the personal impact of the Trump administration's Remain in Mexico policy”, with heart-breaking details of life in refugee ...

Corona-virus....no pun intended Grupo Modelo, the company that makes the popular Corona beer (Mexican), announced via Twitter on April 3 that they were suspending marketing and manufacture of their iconic brew, in keeping with the Mexican Government’s 30-day moratorium on all manufacture of non-essential products and foods. Mexico decided to close these factories and industries after the number...

By Laura Gutierrez of Immigration Help Costa Rica Over the past ten years, there have been many exchanges between myself and clients or would-be clients about the advantages of living in Costa Rica vs other so-called popular countries recommended by such sources as International Living. The list includes but is not limited to Panama, Nicaragua, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Uruguay. Inquirer...

The announcement of the possibility of Central American Ferry between Costa Rica and El Salvador was made since 2018 as an alternative route for exports and imports between the ports of La Union in El Salvador and Caldera in Costa Rica; it was supposed to begin operations in January 2020, however, different difficulties faced by the governments of both countries, specially Costa Rica and negotiat...

“What bloody business has the USA to do with the Costa Rican immigration policies on border crossings?” - Posted reaction to a recent article published in TCRS (The Costa Rica Star) The answer: Plenty. The Bigger Picture: The issue is not just about border runners seeking to stay under the radar as Perpetual Tourists, or those needing to keep their foreign driver's licenses valid. Those con...

The U.S. Congress is on recess until Sept. 9, but rest assured President Donald Trump will not be taking six weeks off. Last week the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-to-4 decision gave the go ahead to the Trump Administration to transfer $2.5-billion in Pentagon military defense spending to continue construction of a barrier wall along the Mexico/U.S. southern border. These funds for President Trump’...

On June 22, the SSCA HF Radio Service confirmed having received an SOS from a ship’s Personal Locator Beacon (PLB1). Then there was silence. The Radio Service confirmed that the message came from the TRANAVIS, a trimaran sailing between St. Martin, French Antilles, to Barranquilla, Colombia. Aboard the TRANAVIS was Rocco Acocella Roverndom, a well known Eco-Friendly Tour Guide, on his way to Ecuad...

Mexican-American pastor of La Luz del Mundo (The Light of The World) who calls himself “Apostle” was surprised at LAX airport a little over ten days ago when he was arrested on 26 felonies for sexual abuse of children and child pornography. Naason Joaquin Garcia had his own surprise up his sleeve, it seems. The church has bought 25 – 100 hectares of land in Quepos to create a religious complex, si...

A Mexican with strong ties to Costa Rica and a 20-million dollar bounty on his head, Rafael Caro Quintero, is now #10 on the FBI’s Most Wanted List – and may well be hiding in Costa Rica where he has strong connections and many cartel friends. Quintero is wanted for the murder of Drug Enforcement Agent (DEA) Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, in July of 1985, as well as charges of drug trafficking, kidnappi...

Three or four years ago, I wrote a column for Gloucester Daily Times here in Massachusetts in which I described the sordid, bipartisan, history of the United States’ involvement in Latin America generally, and Central America specifically. (Central American Triangle) That letter predated Donald Trump’s election and included some pretty harsh criticisms of administrations of both parties. From  ...

On May 14, three people fled – or were chased – away from a narco submarine in Playa Llorona in Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica’s Corcovado Park. They left behind their ominous-looking gray homemade boat. The Fuerza Publica, Border Police and Coast Guard seized more than two tons of cocaine neatly stored aboard the otherwise messy boat’s interior. There have been several such boats found ...

By John McPhaul President Donald Trump has declared that the United States has an emergency on its southern border. In response to the emergency, one of the president's tactics has been to cut off humanitarian and development assistance to the so-called northern triangle -- Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador -- alleging that the counties have done nothing to with the assistance to stem the ...

In separate police raids, Costa Rican authorities confiscated almost three tons of cocaine this week with a street value of over 33 million USD. Police operations carried out in the South Pacific of Costa Rica concluded with a total 456 kilograms of cocaine seized and four men arrested. Public Police Force located a vessel carrying the load of drugs in the area of Dominical in the South Paci...

The Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) and the Canadian airline Air Transat confirmed an increase in the number of seats the company would offer to Costa Rica’s two international airports. Two flights originating in Toronto were added this winter, one to the Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport and another to Juan Santamaría International Airport. “Attracting airlines and a greater number of...

Costa Rica used to import between 12,000 to 15,000 tons of avocados from Mexico – the world’s largest exporter and producer of this popular fruit. In May 2015, Costa Rica banned this Mexican delicacy due to the risk of Avocado Sunblotch Viroid (ASVB) disease. Trees infected with ASVB show no signs of the disease until the fruit is opened, and inferior quality is revealed. Infected trees have a 30%...

The Government of Costa Rica reaffirms its rejection to any course of action of declaration that involves the use of violence against the Venezuelan people, the use of force or military intervention in Venezuela. This statement comes just days after the Costa Rican government granted 60 days to three Venezuelan diplomats in Costa Rica named under the regimen of Nicolás Maduro, to leave the coun...

Earlier Wednesday, January 23, 2019, President Donald Trump, recognized the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, as the Interim President of Venezuela and affirmed he will be using the weight of the United States economic and diplomatic power ¨to press for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy¨. ¨Today, I am officially recognizing the President of the Venezuelan Nationa...

Mainstream media has become the ‘enemy of the people’ as they collude with the Democrats in Washington, DC to continue their war upon the Trump Administration in ways that are impossible to deny. Many are saying that honest, fair and unbiased journalism is dead and they are right. Media studies continue to show that media coverage of the Trump Administration remains at 92-percent negative. Othe...

There is a strong effort underway in the British parliament to remove Prime Minister Theresa May from office and then conduct a second referendum vote on the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? The British people already voted last year to exit the EU, but the pro-EU forces cannot accept the vote and they are fighting tooth and nail to remain in the EU despite th...

In the wake of California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire in that state’s recorded history, political enemies joined hands  as President Donald Trump toured areas in and around Paradise, Ca. – a town of 27,000 residents – that was burnt to a crisp. Homes, businesses, government buildings, fire and police stations, churches, hospitals and schools were all gone with the scorching hot winds...

A small group of Hondurans living in Costa Rica gathered in front of the US Embassy the evening of Wednesday, November 21 to demonstrate their support to their countrymen who are part of the migrant caravan that intend to enter the United States. The group is formed by close to 30 people gathered in a peaceful manner. Police officers and security of the US embassy are also present to ensure ...

A second caravan of Central Americans – mostly Hondurans – is headed for the Mexico/USA border in an apparent staged confrontation to occur just before the 2018 midterm election Nov. 6. Mexico should stop them all at their southern border with Guatemala and keep them from entering Mexico and prevent this purely political display from happening. This new caravan is the second border showdown thi...

This Wednesday, October 17, 2018, Canada made history with the “Cannabis Act” which legalizes recreational marijuana, in doing so Canada became the second country in the world, only after Uruguay (2013), to allow the use of cannabis for recreational purposes. In the United States, consumption of recreational marijuana is legal in 8 states, but it is still illegal at a Federal level. The use o...

On Sunday, October 14 the Nicaraguan Police repressed protesters  in a violent manner, a situation that concluded with the arrest of 38 people, among them a Costa Rican and an American. In response to the situation, the Costa Rican government called on an immediate cease of the repression and arbitrary detentions against those participating in protests. “Costa Rica backs the concerns express...

The U.S.Embassy in Managua Nicaragua urges American citizens living or visiting Nicaragua to stay informed of scheduled demonstrations, which many times are also subject to change with little or no notice. The U.S. Embassy constantly provides information on these activities through their website and social media channels with the idea that citizens take all necessary precautions. These are so...

STATEMENT BY HEATHER NAUERT, SPOKESPERSON The United States condemns the Ortega government’s recent arbitrary detention of six prominent student members of the National Dialogue. These students are the latest example of the thousands of citizens who are peacefully and democratically protesting government actions, only to be harassed, detained, disappeared, or even killed. Five of these students...

President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega denied in an exclusive interview with EFE in Managua that his government has used repressive measures to suppress protests and said he does not feel responsible for the deaths that have resulted from the confrontations on the streets between the civil and the authorities that began back in April this year; Ortega, instead, blames the United States and internat...

Here we go again. Another high-profile murder case – Mollie Tibbetts – comes to the forefront allegedly committed by an illegal alien farm worker from Mexico – who police say has confessed. Through exhaustive police work, Tibbett’s body was found in a central Iowa corn field only about 12-miles from where she disappeared. This 20-year-old vibrant University of Iowa student – loved by everyone w...

Hundreds of people marched today in San Jose, Costa Rica to express their rejection to xenophobia and the violent acts that took place a week ago when a group of protesters yelled offenses against Nicaraguans and took to physical aggression. The activity began at 10 a.m., a group began their walk from the University of Costa Rica and another one from La Merced Park, they then met and walked tog...

Costa Rica’s Minister of Public Security, Michael Soto, confirmed the detention of a total 44 people, 38 Costa Ricans and 6 Nicaraguans, many of them with criminal records, during the protests in San Jose, this Saturday, August 18. A group of Costa Ricans organized the event to protest against the presence of Nicaraguans in La Merced Park and other areas of San Jose, the protest was organized ...

The Costa Rica Public Police Force (Fuerza Pública) had to intervene in riots this Saturday afternoon in the center of San Jose, more specifically in the La Merced Park and surrounding areas, after what began as a pacific protest ended up in acts of violence. A group of Costa Ricans organized the event to protest against the presence of Nicaraguans in La Merced Park and other areas of San Jose....

The Nicaraguan government announced that the Working Group of the Organization of American States (OAS) is “not welcome” in their territory. “They are not welcome in our country, and for this reason they will not be received in our Nation’s soil”, stated the release read by chancellor Denis Moncada during a government’s act. The Working Group, formed by representatives of 12 countries, among...

Costa Rican athlete Andrea Vargas classified this Friday to the 100-meter hurdles final of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association NACAC Track & Field Championship that is being celebrated in Toronto, Canada. Vargas finished second in the semifinal competition stopping the clock at 12:94, only behind USA’s Kendra Harrison who finished at 12:66. Harrison is the ...

In the past three months the Ministry of Public Security, Border Police and Migration Police have rejected over one thousand Nicaraguan nationals that have attempted to enter Costa Rica illegally, while they have detected at least 20 cases of people smuggling. “The Government of Costa Rica is working persistently in coordinated actions to guarantee national security in reason of the crisis in ...

Every presentation of the Costa Rican Philharmonic Orchestra sells out, this speaks of the high level of the musicians and the excellent show the artists guided by Director Marvin Araya deliver every single time. Their recently announced concert promises to continue offering the attendees an unforgettable experience, the opportunity to enjoy the music of the famous band Metallica interpreted i...

Early this July Costa Rica and El Salvador officially announce that both countries had everything ready for the Central American Ferry to begin its operations, establishing an urgent needed alternative route for exports and imports between the ports of La Union in El Salvador and Caldera in Costa Rica. The option of the Central American Ferry came as a solution for the commerce in the region s...

The General Directorate of Migration in Costa Rica will be renting a new building near the current headquarters in La Uruca with the purpose of giving service to the increasing number of people requesting refugee status in the country, the majority of them Nicaraguan natives. According to recent information released by Migration authorities, since April close to 8 thousand asylum claims have be...