Central America
Costa Rica’s Homicide Rate Declines in 2025, But Crime Still a Major Concern
Increasing crime is challenging Costa Rica’s long-standing reputation for peace and safety. Although homicide numbers are showing signs of improvement in 2025, the more profound challenges of organized crime and drug trafficking remain. As of October 31, 2025, Costa Rica’s … Read more
Costa Rica Declares El Salvador Ferry Project Unviable After Failing to Attract Bidders
LA LIBERTAD, El Salvador — A long-promised maritime link between El Salvador and Costa Rica has stalled indefinitely, with Costa Rican authorities declaring the project unviable after no private company agreed to take on the service. Verny Jiménez, director of … Read more
Costa Rica to Build El Salvador-Inspired Mega-Prison Amid Surge in Drug Gang Violence
SANTA TECLA, El Salvador — Once considered Central America’s safest nation, Costa Rica is taking a page from El Salvador’s hardline security playbook as it confronts a record wave of drug-related violence. The government announced Wednesday it will begin construction … Read more
Trump Tariffs Take Effect, Triggering New Chapter in Global Trade War
LA LIBERTAD, El Salvador — A sweeping new set of tariffs ordered by President Donald Trump took effect Thursday, intensifying the administration’s hardline trade strategy and sending shockwaves through international markets. The move caps months of stalled negotiations and signals … Read more
Costa Rica’s Narco Scandal: Ex-Security Minister Celso Gamboa Sánchez Arrested
The recent arrest of Costa Rica’s former security minister and the revelations in his case have shed light on the corruption and drug trafficking networks engulfing the government in what may be the most significant drug scandal in the country’s … Read more
European Union Removes Panama from High-Risk Money Laundering List
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Panama has been removed from the European Union’s list of high-risk countries for money laundering, a decision celebrated by officials in the Central American nation as a significant step toward restoring global trust and unlocking … Read more
Thousands of Hondurans and Nicaraguans to Lose Legal U.S. Status as TPS Program Ends
SAN MIGUEL, El Salvador — Nearly 76,000 Hondurans and Nicaraguans living legally in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) could soon face deportation, following a decision by the Trump administration to end the decades-old safeguard. The Department of … Read more