Costa Rica
Costa Rica embraces El Salvador's iron-fist model as drug violence surges
Costa Rica's decision to build a mega-prison modelled on El Salvador's controversial Cecot facility breaks sharply with the nation's democratic traditions and progressive criminal justice policies.
US warns investors over Nicaragua border seizures
The United States has cautioned American investors about risks in Nicaragua after the Central American nation passed legislation that critics describe as a sweeping land grab along its borders with Honduras and Costa Rica.
ECLAC raises Latin America growth forecast to 2.2% but warns of prolonged slowdown
The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has lifted its 2025 regional growth estimate to 2.2% from a previous 2.0% projection, whilst acknowledging that economic expansion remains constrained by global volatility
Russia quake triggers tsunami alerts along South America's Pacific coast
A powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 29 July, prompting a cascade of tsunami alerts across the Pacific, with varying responses across the region.
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Intel pulls back from Costa Rica in fresh blow to manufacturing hub
Intel Corp will close its chip assembly and testing facility in Costa Rica as part of a global restructuring programme designed to improve operational efficiency, in the latest withdrawal by a multinational manufacturer from the country.
Renewable energy surge puts Latin America on track for climate leadership
Latin America stands at a critical juncture in its energy evolution, with its largest economies showing both remarkable progress in renewable adoption and persistent challenges in weaning themselves off fossil fuels.
Spanish-led right-wing alliance plots Latin American electoral sweep
A coalition of conservative and far-right parties from Spain and Latin America has declared its intention to secure victory in seven general elections across the region scheduled for this year and 2026.
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Latin America splits over Iran-Israel conflict
The escalating Iran-Israel conflict has exposed deep fractures across Latin America, with governments from Buenos Aires to Caracas staking out opposing positions that lay bare deep-rooted political divisions.
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Former Nicaraguan president Violeta Chamorro dies in Costa Rica at 95
Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Nicaragua's first female president who ended a brutal civil war and oversaw the country's transition to democracy in the 1990s, died peacefully in Costa Rica's capital on June 14 at the age of 95.
Costa Rica extradition reform faces questions over crime-fighting scope
Costa Rica has amended its constitution to allow extradition of citizens for drug trafficking and terrorism, breaking with tradition amid soaring crime, though critics doubt the reforms address root causes.
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Latin America faces investment drought as fiscal space shrinks, ECLAC says
ECLAC report highlights the region's struggle with low public investment amid mounting debt pressures.
COMMENT: China and Latin America forge ‘shared future’ as US wields coercive diplomacy
China hosted Latin American leaders at the China-CELAC Forum, pledging $9.2bn and deeper ties. As US influence fades, Beijing’s “shared future” vision gains ground, fueling a shift in global alliances and challenging Washington’s dominance.
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Latin American EV market accelerates threefold in 2024
The number of light electric vehicles in Latin America and the Caribbean saw a dramatic surge last year, tripling in size from 154,966 registered units at the end of 2023 to 444,071 vehicles by December 2024, according to data from Olade.