Central America

Costa Rica’s Poás volcano on orange alert amid rising magma activity

The colossus, standing 2,708 meters high, is surrounded by a dense forest and located 50 km from San José by road. On March 1st, it showed an increase in activity, prompting authorities to restrict visits—though not suspend them entirely.

“We have a lot of information indicating that fluids are rising from deep within the volcano. We don’t know what will happen, but this activity is concerning,” said French volcanologist Geoffroy Avard from the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (Ovsicori) in an interview with AFP.

“At this moment, [Poás] is at level three (orange alert), which we call ‘precaution.’ It is the third level out of four, and that’s because the volcano is showing several indicators that raise serious concerns,” he added.

According to the National Seismological Network, Costa Rica has over 120 volcanic sites, but most are extinct. Only five remain active: Poás, Rincón de la Vieja, Arenal, Irazú, and Turrialba.

“The [Poás] volcano is currently very unstable, and the shape of the gases indicates that it is magma,” the Ovsicori expertexplained.

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Visits to the Poás Volcano were suspended from April 2017 to August 2018 due to eruptions. When reopened, stricter safety measures were implemented, including shelters and protective gear for visitors.

“The most significant explosion we had in the last decade—or perhaps a bit more—was the April 22, 2017 eruption. Rocks were ejected up to 1.5 kilometers away,” the volcanologist recalled.

Central America

Honduras coffee exports jump nearly 30% in March despite price drop

Coffee exports from Honduras rose by 29.6% year-on-year in March, according to data released Monday by the Instituto Hondureño del Café.

During the third month of the 2025–2026 harvest season, Honduras exported 1,373,817 46-kilogram bags of coffee, up from 1,059,744 bags shipped in March of the previous cycle.

Despite the increase in volume, the average price per bag fell to $307.55, compared to $364.70 recorded in the prior harvest.

Between October and March, total export revenues reached $1.36 billion, representing a 32% increase from the $1.032 billion reported during the same period of the 2024–2025 season.

The United States remained the main destination for Honduran coffee, accounting for 36.5% of total shipments. It was followed by Germany with 16.1% and Belgium with 12.4%.

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In regional terms, Europe absorbed 52% of exports, while North America accounted for 42%, according to the institute’s report.

Honduras remains the largest coffee producer in Central America and ranks among the top six producers worldwide.

Central America

Guatemala extends state of prevention and expands it to new regions

The president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, announced on Monday that his government will extend the state of prevention for 15 more days in six departments and expand the measure to two additional regions as part of efforts to combat organized crime.

Speaking at a press conference, Arévalo said the decision was approved by the Cabinet and formalized through a decree. The measure will remain in place in the departments of Guatemala, Escuintla, Izabal, Petén, San Marcos, and Huehuetenango, and will now also apply to Sacatepéquez and Quetzaltenango.

The president emphasized that the strategy has contributed to reducing homicide rates in the country and will remain a key component of his administration’s security policy.

Defense Minister Henry Sáenz said the measures are “essential to strengthen the government’s presence in areas where security gaps existed” and to weaken organized criminal groups.

Under the state of prevention, the Policía Nacional Civil, supported by the military, is granted broader powers to confront criminal organizations, particularly gangs and drug trafficking networks. The measure also restricts public demonstrations, which can be dispersed by security forces.

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Guatemala has been under heightened security measures since January 18, following a coordinated attack by gangs that left 11 police officers dead, prompting the government to reinforce its response to organized crime.

Central America

Costa Rica urges China to halt actions against Panama-flagged vessels

The government of Costa Rica on Saturday called on China to halt retaliatory actions against vessels flying the Panamaflag, amid escalating tensions over control of two strategic ports linked to the Panama Canal.

In a statement shared on social media, Costa Rica’s Foreign Ministry warned that the situation “puts global trade at risk” and expressed its “deep concern and strongest condemnation” over what it described as “arbitrary and unjustified delays and inspections in Chinese ports.”

The Costa Rican government urged “full respect for international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” while reaffirming its “unconditional support and solidarity” with Panama.

San José’s position aligns with growing international criticism from countries including Honduras, Peru, Paraguay, Israeland Ukraine.

Paraguayan authorities described the detentions as “unacceptable” and pointed to what they called “undue pressure” on the Panamanian government.