Source: Flickr CC Dear Readers, It has come to the attention of the Costa Rica Star that our previous article on the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the growing number of United States citizens around the world who are choosing the drastic step of renouncement as a means to mitigate their tax liability has raised many questions. This article seeks to answer some of those conc...

Source: Wikimedia Commons A woman in Costa Rica has spent the last ten years of her life surrounded by bats. Her name is Ana Iris Cruz, but her neighbors call her Batgirl. She lives in a farm in Cedral, in the Monte de Oros canton, province of Puntarenas, and her chiropteran friends hang from the rafters of a small produce storage shed in her house. According to tabloid newspaper La Teja, M...

Beautiful ocean view 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom condo with super large roof top terrace in Playas del Coco Guanacaste, Costa Rica for $349,000. You can view more photos at the bottom of this listing page. Enjoy the views from this beautiful ocean view condo project located on the hills of Playas del Coco, 5 minute drive to the beach. This condo community consists of a total of 5 condos. ...

Charles Boyd is a huge supporter of community development projects and here at The Costa Rica Team we are always looking to edify the community in which we operate. Most recently, one way in which we have accomplished this is through our proud sponsorship of our local heroes at the Jaco Volunteer Fire Department, Bomberos Voluntarios Compania 63. The Jaco Garabito District has a paid Fire Depa...

The number of murders in Costa Rica this year to date is 227, the majority from “sicariato” or “murder for hire” in English. The concern of authorities is not only the increase in murder for hire, but also the increased use of motorcycles by attackers, complicating the process of solving the homicides, due to a fast getaway. The method most applied by hitmen are of two men on a motorcycle,...

The inauguration of train service to Cartago recently has resulted in a 10% reduction in the number of passengers carried in Lumaca company buses, but manager Roberto Rivera says he is not worried. The La 400 bus company in Heredia is not in a good position, having lost 35% of their passengers. But the government’s plan to expand train service in order to reduce traffic congestion in the capita...

The Chinchilla government and the private sector are joining efforts to reverse the sharp decrease in cruise ship arrivals in Costa Rica, that has halved between the 2011-2012 season and the current one. The Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) – Costa Rican Tourism Institute – and entrepreneurs are seeking to streamline procedures and improve safety at the Pacific and Caribbean ports. F...

The number of complaints filed against police, accusing officers of abuse, has risen drastically during the last few years, although Security Minister Mario Zamora says that the situation looks worse then it is. In 2012 alone, the 15 judicial jurisdictions received 2,061 complaints compared with the 1,196 filed in 2008, the 865 increase being an average of six per day in 2012. But Zamora points...

If you would like The Costa Rica Star to publish your business press release please contact us. The ecological car hire company, Green Motion, confirmed today that the international development of its brand is continuing with the sale of its first Master Country Franchise in Central America, being Costa Rica. Green Motion’s master country franchise for Costa Rica has been purchased by Toyot...

Interesting fact, the founder of The Costa Rica Star newspaper attended CDSG for his high school years, definitely one of the best schools in Costa Rica. With the first day of school just 3 days away, we at Country Day School Guanacaste (CDSG) want to take this opportunity to let the community know that our doors are open and we are looking forward to a fantastic school year! We have a won...

A surveyor works atop a hillside overlooking Papagayo Bay Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste- The Board of Directors of the Asociación de Vecinos y Empresarios de Playa Hermosa in Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste, recently had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the new Meliá Paradisus Papagayo Bay Hotel & Villas project that is under construction in the Polo Turistico between Playa Hermosa ...

In the past year, the Public Force in Nicoya trained about 2000 children to say no to drugs and family violence through a series of discussions, expositions and videos, and this year they hope to reach out to a similar amount of youth, according to Nicoya Police Chief Omar Chavarria. The program has existed in Costa Rica for about 10 years, but wasn’t implemented in this rural area until a year...

The parents of a teenager killed in Costa Rica two years ago are having to return to the Central American country next month. Their son’s killer has been granted a new trial and they’re worried justice may escape them this time. Justin Johnston, 16, was on a student field trip with his high school Spanish Club when he was shot and killed by a hotel security guard. Justin and a classmate were re...

Hard Rock Café Franchise developers expect to open their first restaurant in Costa Rica by the end of September. It will be located inside the Wyndham Herradura Hotel in Belen, Heredia. The new restaurant has been advertised and promoted as Hard Rock Café San Jose, and as a new entertainment option and casual restaurant in the country. It expects a large international audience, in other words, ...

Costa Rica’s central bank is buying dollars at the fastest pace in three months after foreign companies brought in cash to pay workers, not because of a return of speculative capital to the country, according to brokerage Aldesa Puesto de Bolsa. Costa Rica’s central bank bought $41.5 million this week through yesterday, the most since May 17. Dollar purchases have exceeded $750 million this yea...

The Puente La Amistad de Taiwán (English: “Taiwan Friendship Bridge”) in Guanacaste could soon be a toll bridge, if a proposal by legislator Ernesto Chavarria is approved by the Legislative Assembly. The plan is to charge ¢500 colones for passenger vehicles, ¢150 for motorcycles and more for heavy vehicles. The legislator says the proposal is to raise funds to maintain the bridge, a bridge t...

The President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, ruled out any possibility of dialogue with Nicaragua after the President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, said he aims to "recover" the Costa Rican province of Guanacaste. "We do not accept talking to Nicaragua about Guanacaste. Costa Rica does not accept that they challenge its absolute rights over the province of Guanacaste," affirmed the preside...

If you want The Costa Rica Star to publish your business news press release, please contact us for details. Grupo Islita’s El Silencio Lodge & Spa and Hotel Punta Islita showcased as exemplary for upscale travelers who are considering Costa Rica as a vacation spot. With the inclusion of El Silencio Lodge & Spa in luxury travel authority Andrew Harper’s August Hideaway Report, Grupo Islita’s ...

The first of 17 radars to be installed in the country for environmental protection and monitoring of marine resources will be set up on Cocos Island, announced Costa Rican authorities last Wednesday. This radar will cost $2 million and will be powered by the hydroelectric plant Olivier, which also needs to be built. José Lino Chaves, Deputy Minister of Agua y Mares, emphasized the importance...

Source: Flickr CC UPDATE: we have published a new article answering some of our readers feedback, please read this one below and then CLICK HERE for an updated version with new insights. Author's Note: The use of the noun and adjective “American” in this article conforms to the definition in Princeton's WordNet: (A native or inhabitant of the United States), and the recommendation by the As...

Guanacaste coffee producers could suffer losses of at least 30% of their crops, according to the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE) and, although there are no effects yet on the price of coffee, it could increase at the beginning of 2014. The worst impact would happen in the next harvest (2013-2014), since, according to Wilberth Roman, Manager of Coopepilangosta, Hojancha, a plague of blight ...

On July 23, the formal and official ceremony was held by the Central Government to initiate the construction of the building for the Public Library of Nicoya. The construction begins in late August and will hopefully be ready by January of 2014. Construction cost is 235 million colones ($470,000), of which 200 million ($400,000) will be donated by the National Library System (Sinabi) of the...

The article below is a long detailed guest post by Margie Thompson of Escribana “This place is magical. … the Southern Caribbean has such an attraction that when people come here they can’t explain why they want to stay.” (Maritza Morales Williams, young Afro Costa Rican from Puerto Viejo) Famous for being one of the most biologically rich areas in the world with a population comprised of a uniq...

The Regulatory Authority for Public Services (ARESEP) will define in a month the rates for private generators of renewable energy. They also seek to unify criteria, to upgrade and have clear transparent methodologies in private generation, said the spokeswoman Maria Carvajal to ARESEP. Last Monday ARESEP had a public meeting to explain the changes that they want to implement to the rate-setting...

Costa Rica’s ban on clearing of “mature” forests appears to be effective in encouraging agricultural expansion on non-forest lands, finds a study published today in the journal Environmental Research Letters. The research, which was led by Matthew Fagan of Columbia University, is based on analysis of satellite data calibrated with visits to field sites in the lowlands of northern Costa Rica. ...

Costa Rica have warmed up for September's crucial World Cup qualifier against the United States with a 4-0 win over the Dominican Republic. The Costa Ricans were guilty of some wasteful finishing despite dominating the first half, with the sides going to the break scoreless at the Estadio Marcos Henriquez on Wednesday. But Jorge Luis Pinto's side showed their class in the second half as a br...

Ocean Mall is one of the 35 shopping centers that are being built in Costa Rica. If all goes well, inhabitants of Puntarenas will be able to visit Ocean Mall in 2015. The mall will have 22,000 square meters of construction within an area of ​​6 hectares, located one block west of the intersection between Route 23 and 17 (in Esparza). It will be similar in size to Outlet Mall in San Pedro, Monte...

Source: Wipeout Films Wipeout Films, the premier audiovisual production label for outdoor extreme sports and events such as surfing, stake boarding, mountain biking, body boarding, and others in Costa Rica, will be celebrating its fourth anniversary with a Surfing Awards ceremony and party at the Luxe Lounge in Escazu tonight. The mission of Wipeout Films is to highlight Costa Rica and to p...

Once in awhile there comes along a drink recipe that is so abstract and unique, you ask yourself why in the world am I drinking this? This is definitely one of those times. Everyone has heard of Cacique Guaro, Costa Rica's most well known hard liquor. But fewer have heard or tried the following drink recipe. We must warn you that these shots go down very smooth and you can drink them quickly d...

Source: MSP Costa Rica, date unknown The United States Embassy in Costa Rica recently published this update on its Twitter stream: @CostaRicaStar Interesting article on #Erson seizure. However, Erson wasn't seaworthy. It wasn't towed or lost. Evidence safely transferred. — US Embassy San Jose (@usembassysjo) August 14, 2013 The article mentioned above was published in the Costa Rica Star ...

Thank you to our dear reader Katie Jackson for submitting the following article, if you would like The Costa Rica Star to cover your business or press release, please contact us. Quepos, Costa Rica Aug. 15, 2013— Using a private Facebook group open only to the residents of Manuel Antonio—one of Costa Rica’s most popular tourist destinations—author Evelyn Gallardo determined what to include in h...

During community consultations conducted in June and July by representatives of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), they found four common problems among the four cantons most affected by the earthquake on September 5, 2012. The first concern is the need for training organizations and community leaders, said Lucrecia Siles, project coordinator. Currently, only the community of Nosara...

If you would like The Costa Rica Star to publish your business press release, please contact us. The fifth International Banana Congress takes place on in Costa Rica. A conference which brings together large numbers of producers, businessmen, academics and researchers from around the world, directly related to the banana industry. Program highlights will include scientific research, policy a...

The pollution in Costa Rica’s capital city, San José, is a threat to Costa Ricans health, a study by the Laboratorio de Análisis de Calidad de la Universidad Nacional (UNA) – National University´s Quality Analysis Laboratory has mentioned. Harmful particles in the air were recorded at 37 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), according to the research. The figure is almost double the maximum conta...

Nicoya is on the top of the list of cantons with the highest number of dengue cases in the country. So far in 2013, there have been 2,680 cases in Nicoya canton, 3 of which are hemorrhagic dengue. Health officials now consider the numbers alarming, especially since it seems to be increasing. In the last week, 307 people were diagnosed with dengue fever, which shows a progressive increase in ...

Source: Fuerza Publica San Jose, Costa Rica – In a sense, Sara Ortiz Esquivel is a typical mother in Costa Rica. She is sweet and kind to her six children, who have given her 15 grandchildren. She has experienced some hard moments in her life, but yesterday was particularly challenging. Over the last 22 years, Mrs. Ortiz has dedicated her life to protecting life and property in Costa Rica. ...

Candidate Solis Editorial Note: This is a communication by a politician who is a candidate in the upcoming elections in Costa Rica to succeed President Laura Chinchilla. Being informed about political intention is an important part of the democratic process that Costa Rica holds dear; however, this content shall not be construed as an endorsement by the Costa Rica Star. Position by Luis Guiller...

Source: Flickr CC Monsanto, a controversial biotechnology and agro-industrial giant, may not have a future in India. Angry farmers from across 20 populous states in India converged in New Dehli earlier this month in support of a rally named “Monsanto, Quit India.” By urging their Congress to adopt measures against the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority Bill, farmers in India are adopting a ...

Source: Wikimedia Commons Officials from the National Animal Health Service (SENASA in Spanish) in Costa Rica decided to put down a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) that had persistently beached itself despite repeated efforts to return it to sea. The marine mammal in question was initially found on the beach by surf fishermen in Playa Lagarto, province of Guanacaste. They returned t...

The Ministerio de Hacienda (Ministry of Finance) wants you to use your credit card. And to promote its use it is holding the first “raffle” of the year, “Lotería Fiscal del 2013” with a total prize package of ¢50 million colones to those who have charged more than ¢3,000 colones with their credit or debit card. The draw will be held today, according to an announcement made Tuesday afternoon...