Central America

Economist to be sworn in as Costa Rica president

AFP

Economist and former finance minister Rodrigo Chaves is to be sworn in Sunday as Costa Rica’s president for a four-year mandate focused on reinvigorating one of Latin America’s most stable economies.

The former World Bank executive, who resigned from the global lender amid a sexual harassment scandal, has vowed to tackle Costa Rica’s severe economic problems: rising foreign debt — about 70 percent of GDP — a poverty rate of 23 percent, unemployment of 14 percent and public sector corruption.

Tourism, one of the country’s main economic drivers, was hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, and the country of 5.2 million people experienced an increase in unemployment equaled in the region only by Peru.

“It is fundamental for the country that Chaves improves the economy,” Adrian Aguiluz, a 35-year-old resident of the capital, said ahead of the inauguration.

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“This new government has an opportunity to do something different.”

Chaves, who served six months as finance minister in the outgoing government, won a runoff election over former president Jose Maria Figueres — himself tainted by a corruption scandal.

The 60-year-old Chaves had been a surprise qualifier for the April 3 runoff, having polled fourth ahead of February’s first round.

While he was a senior official at the World Bank, where he worked for 30 years, he was investigated over sexual harassment complaints brought by multiple women.

He was demoted, and later resigned to take on the role of finance minister in President Carlos Alvarado’s government.

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Last month, Chaves offered “sincere apologies” to two accusers, young subordinates, having previously said the alleged harassment amounted to mere “jokes” that were “misinterpreted due to cultural differences.”

This week, Chaves said his government would not ratify the Escazu Agreement that establishes protection for environmentalists, arguing it was unnecessary and would harm the economy. Costa Rica, a regional leader in environmental protection,had hosted the signing of the agreement in 2018.

The new president has also vowed to improve Costa Rica’s deal with the IMF for a loan of more than $1.7 billion.

Spanish King Felipe VI is set to attend the ceremony in San Jose, along with delegations from nearly 100 countries.

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Central America

Panama and Costa Rica strengthen border alliance to combat organized crime

Panama and Costa Rica strengthened a strategic alliance on Saturday aimed at enhancing border security and jointly tackling transnational organized crime, following a high-level bilateral meeting held in Paso Canoas, in Panama’s Chiriquí province, according to Panama’s Ministry of Public Security.

“The effort strengthens digital border control and enables a more effective response to organized crime,” said Frank Abrego, Panama’s Minister of Public Security. He added that “operational integration between both countries increases anticipation and response capacity to threats.”

During the meeting, Abrego and his Costa Rican counterpart, Mario Zamora Cordero, reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in territorial protection and citizen security.

Paso Canoas is a key customs hub in the region, handling goods arriving in Panama through the Panama Canal and the Colón Free Zone, which are then distributed across Central America, as well as regional exports.

Zamora described the meeting as “effective and productive,” emphasizing the importance of sustained police cooperation to confront criminal structures operating in the region.

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As part of the agenda, authorities inaugurated a new operations center for the National Border Service in the Progreso sector. The facility is designed to strengthen monitoring and control through surveillance technologies such as cameras and drones, as well as real-time information sharing between both countries.

Authorities also announced the delivery of eight vehicles to reinforce patrol operations, along with intensified joint operations at key border points.

Officials stated that these measures will increase operational presence, improve response capabilities, and enhance security for border communities.

Both ministers agreed that coordination between Panama and Costa Rica has helped maintain a “calm, stable, and developing” border, and announced further meetings, including one in San José, to advance new security agreements.

In this context, in February 2024, both countries inaugurated the Paso Canoas Integrated Control Center on the Costa Rican side, a 14,000-square-meter facility designed to streamline procedures and manage the daily flow of around 200 cargo trucks and 800 people crossing from Panama.

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The meeting brought together senior officials from both nations’ security forces, who advanced joint strategies to combat threats such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and smuggling, through coordinated action and intelligence sharing.

This bilateral effort underscores both countries’ commitment to ensuring citizen security and sends a clear message of joint action against organized crime.

Sports

Ancelotti leaves door open for Neymar’s return to Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad

Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, current manager of the Brazil national football team, has opened the door to the possibility of Neymar being included in the final squad for the 2026 World Cup, according to an interview published Saturday by L’Equipe.

“At the moment, he is being evaluated by the Brazilian Football Confederation and by me. He still has two months to prove he has the conditions to play in the next World Cup,” Ancelotti said.

Neymar, 34, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances, was left out of the most recent national team call-up for friendlies against France and Croatia. He is also still working to regain full fitness with Santos FC.

Since returning to his club, Neymar has played only a handful of matches in the Brasileirão and the Copa Sudamericana, including an upcoming match against San Lorenzo on April 28. These games could be key for him to convince Ancelotti ahead of the final squad announcement on May 19.

“Neymar has made and continues to make history in Brazilian football. He is a great talent, and it is normal for people to believe he can help us win the next World Cup,” the Italian coach added.

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When asked whether the former FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player must be at full fitness to earn a call-up, Ancelotti admitted he does not have a definitive answer but believes Neymar “is capable of returning to 100%.”

Central America

Seven arrested in Guatemala over disappearance of six near Mexico border

Authorities in Guatemala arrested seven individuals allegedly linked to the disappearance of six Guatemalans, including a 16-year-old minor, according to a police statement.

The arrests took place in the border city of Malacatán, near the nearly 1,000-kilometer frontier shared with Mexico, a region increasingly affected by criminal activity.

Police reported that ten firearms were seized from the suspects, who are believed to be connected to the disappearance of the six victims. According to witness accounts, the missing individuals worked on a farm in Malacatán and were taken away in a vehicle whose license plate matches that of the one used by those detained.

The border area has seen escalating violence involving organized crime groups. In August 2024, following the unprecedented displacement of Mexican farmers into Guatemala to escape clashes between rival drug cartels, both countries agreed to carry out joint security operations along the shared border.

Despite this cooperation, tensions have arisen. On June 8, security forces from the Mexican state of Chiapas crossed into Guatemalan territory during an anti-crime operation that left four suspected criminals dead. The incident prompted a formal protest from Guatemala, after which Mexico issued an apology.