AGP Executive Report

Dollar Pressure on Households: Costa Rica’s colón kept sliding on Monex, closing at ¢446.93 per US$ and extending a record-low streak that’s quietly squeezing dollar-linked pensions and rent budgets. Family Courts & FX Rules: The San José Appeals Court says child support orders for dollar earners must use a clear, checkable exchange rate when converting to colones—no more vague or outdated conversions. Roads vs. Climate Risk: The Comptroller General warns Costa Rica is still rebuilding roads in “react mode” after washouts instead of funding real risk-reduction like drainage and slope redesigns. Cybersecurity Watch: MICITT opened an investigation into an alleged massive data leak tied to credit reporting firm Cero Riesgo, with officials saying the scope can’t yet be confirmed. Business & Trade Links: British Airways plans a 25% Latin America capacity boost and adds year-round service to San José, signaling continued travel demand into Costa Rica. Digital Connectivity: Starlink Mobile launched in Panama via +Móvil, and the same direct-to-phone push has already reached Costa Rica through Liberty. Drug-Control Designations: The US named Costa Rica among 23 major drug transit/producing countries for FY2027, while also removing Venezuela from its “failed” list.

Currency Watch: Costa Rica’s colón kept strengthening, with the dollar hitting a new record low on Monex at ¢446.93 per US$—the fifth straight session of declines—raising fresh pressure for firms and households that earn in dollars but pay in colones. Cybersecurity: Costa Rica’s MICITT opened an investigation into an alleged massive data leak tied to credit reporting firm Cero Riesgo, with a dark-web post claiming hundreds of millions of records, though officials say authenticity and scope aren’t confirmed yet. Business & Trade: Costa Rica joined a digital trade agreement backed by Singapore, New Zealand and Chile, signaling a push to modernize cross-border commerce. Politics & Governance: Opposition legislators questioned Rodrigo Chaves’ conduct during Cartago Independence Day events, with calls for his resignation after videos circulated of mocking remarks toward a citizen. Regional Risk: El Niño is worsening drought conditions across Central America, threatening water and food supplies in the Dry Corridor that includes Costa Rica. Aviation & Tourism: British Airways plans a 25% capacity boost across Latin America and will extend Heathrow-to-San José, Costa Rica, as a year-round service with three weekly flights.

Digital Trade: Costa Rica joined the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), expanding rules on digital identities, cross-border data flows and AI cooperation with Singapore, New Zealand and Chile. Tourism Marketing: Costa Rica’s “This is Pura Vida” campaign won Gold for Content Marketing Campaign of the Year and Silver for Media Partnership of the Year at the UK Travel Marketing Awards, including a partnership with The Independent. Aviation & Infrastructure: Universal Aviation will offer hangar space at Juan Santamaría International Airport via its partnership with GAT SJO, boosting services for general aviation. Public Finance & Jobs: Costa Rica businesses warn that a stronger Colón could threaten jobs, highlighting pressure on costs and competitiveness. Climate & Food Security: El Niño is intensifying drought across the Central America Dry Corridor, with dead animals, failed crops and hunger reported in the region that includes Costa Rica. Security & Politics: Independence Day protests in Cartago spilled into legal and police scrutiny, with the teachers’ union taking its complaint to Costa Rica’s top court.

Aviation & Trade: Universal Aviation says it now offers hangar space at Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaría International Airport via its partnership with GAT SJO, a move that could boost general aviation capacity. Public Health & Labor: Costa Rica’s CCSS health workers are preparing a nationwide 24-hour strike over ongoing payroll problems tied to a new payroll module introduced in July, with unions citing missing or incomplete salaries. Business & Investment Climate: A new report highlights Costa Rica’s MedTech momentum, saying 18 of the world’s top 35 medical device firms operate locally and that 2025 medical device exports topped US$10.9B. Cybersecurity & Consumer Risk: Costa Rica’s MICITT says it found a dark-web post claiming a massive data dump (including personal and court-related records) and that a sample includes real information, urging extra caution online. Environment & Food Security: El Niño-linked drought is worsening across the Central American Dry Corridor, with barren fields and dead livestock reported in the region including parts of Costa Rica. Governance & Social Tension: Independence Day protests in Cartago spilled into legal action and renewed scrutiny of security protocols around the Judiciary overhaul.

Climate & Food Security: El Niño is battering the Central American Dry Corridor, with AFP reporting dead livestock, barren fields and rising hunger across Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, where millions of small producers face water shortages and crop failures. Cybersecurity & Consumer Safety: Costa Rica’s MICITT says part of an alleged dark-web data leak is real, after reviewing a sample of about 10,000 records, urging residents to secure accounts and be cautious with calls, texts and emails. Tech & Investment: A planned AI data center in Limón—marketed as the “Quantum AI Free Zone Campus”—faces scrutiny because records cited by authorities show wetlands, forest cover, a protected aquifer zone and flood-prone areas on the site. Health & Procurement: Gilead and PAHO agreed to widen access to twice-yearly HIV prevention lenacapavir (Yeztugo) via PAHO’s regional purchasing system, including Costa Rica. Business & Industry: Zeus’ CathX Medical will expand catheter manufacturing with a new facility in Cartago’s La Lima Free Zone, boosting capacity for commercial-scale production. Local Economy & Infrastructure: Costa Rica is investing ¢20M in Cartago onion drying infrastructure, aiming to strengthen post-harvest handling and reduce losses. Governance & Public Trust: At Costa Rica’s Independence Day event in Cartago, Rodrigo Chaves faced backlash after mocking protesters over security restrictions, reigniting debate over access and government controls. Regional Trade & Media: Fox has secured rights to broadcast Concacaf Nations League and World Cup qualifiers across Central America, including Costa Rica. Press Freedom: Reporters Without Borders ranks the U.S. at #64 for press freedom in 2026, noting it sits behind Costa Rica in the same index. Business Spotlight: The Costa Rica Report 2026 highlights the country’s MedTech boom, citing major exports and new projects shaping the next phase of economic growth.

MedTech Investment: Zeus’ CathX Medical is expanding catheter manufacturing with a new facility in Costa Rica’s La Lima Free Zone, boosting capacity as programs move from development to commercial scale. Public Health Access: Gilead and PAHO agreed to widen access to twice-yearly lenacapavir (Yeztugo) for HIV prevention across 14 Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Costa Rica, using PAHO’s regional purchasing system. Security & Crime: Costa Rica’s OIJ says Mexican cartels are reshaping operations in the country via subcontracting networks that provide logistics, fuel, tactical security and transport—creating more fragmented local structures. Maritime Enforcement: Costa Rica participated in GALAPEX 2026 near the Galapagos, targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and broader illicit maritime activity. Business & Economy: The Costa Rica Report 2026 highlights the country’s rapid shift into global medical technology and advanced manufacturing, citing major export growth and new MedTech projects. Politics & Civic Tensions: Independence Day events in Cartago drew controversy over police restrictions and remarks by former President Rodrigo Chaves amid calls for democracy.

AI Infrastructure Push in Limón: A proposed “Quantum AI Free Zone Campus” could turn Limón into Costa Rica’s first AI-focused data center complex, starting with 50MW in phase one and scaling to 200MW by end-2027, including substations and water treatment. Cybersecurity Alert: Costa Rica’s cyber authority is investigating a dark-web post claiming tens of millions of personal records, but says it can’t yet confirm authenticity or whether a real breach occurred. Judiciary Budget Recalibration: President Laura Fernández reduced the 2027 Judiciary cut to ¢11 billion (from ¢27 billion), tying releases to audits and performance conditions while aiming to protect key security needs like weapons and bulletproof vests. Agribusiness Support: MAG will invest ¢20M in onion post-harvest drying infrastructure in Cartago to cut spoilage, stabilize supply flows, and help reduce price volatility. Solar Pricing Transparency: Solar Experts Costa Rica says it’s publishing real project proposals and quotes online to eliminate “middleman markups” in whole-house solar deals. Regional Trade & Diplomacy: Costa Rica’s embassies in Qatar joined Central American partners to deepen trade, investment, tourism, and food-security ties at the 205th independence anniversary. Business & Travel Connectivity: British Airways will shift some routes departing from London Gatwick to Heathrow, including San José, starting this October. Corporate Finance Watch: Dole reported revenue growth but weaker profitability as fruit sourcing costs squeezed results, alongside asset moves in Ecuador and Scandinavia.

Judiciary Budget Reset: Costa Rica President Laura Fernández says the 2027 cut to the Judiciary will be ¢11 billion, not ¢27 billion, with releases tied to audits and performance conditions—aimed at protecting core operations like weapons and bulletproof vests. Cybersecurity Alert: MICITT’s National Cybersecurity Directorate is investigating a dark-web post claiming tens of millions of Costa Rican personal records, including ID photos and court files, but says it can’t yet confirm a real breach or the data’s authenticity. AI Data Center Push: Limón may host the Quantum AI Free Zone Campus, a planned 42-hectare complex starting with 50MW (then 125MW and up to 200MW) to support AI training, GPU cloud services, and high-performance computing. Solar Pricing Transparency: Solar Experts Costa Rica is publishing real, unedited solar project proposals and client quotes online to cut “middleman markups” and make ROI and hardware costs easier to compare. Independence Disruption for Businesses: Cartago merchants are challenging a municipal order requiring closures around the Palacio Municipal during Independence Day events, citing late notice and security-driven restrictions. Holiday Traffic Closures: Traffic Police will close key San José routes Monday evening and Tuesday morning as the Independence Torch moves toward Cartago, with reopening times changing by the caravan’s progress. Weather Watch: Tropical Wave #43 keeps conditions highly unstable, with heavy rain and storm risk across the Caribbean and Central Valley, plus flooding and landslide concerns.

Design & Sustainability: Floating House by Costa Rica-based designer Oliver Schutte won a Silver A’ Design Award for sustainable, regenerative development, highlighting passive design, renewable energy and locally sourced materials. Banking Upgrade: Banco de Costa Rica completed modernization of its ATM network, installing 421 next-generation contactless machines with touchscreen and accessibility features nationwide. Road Safety: Costa Rica’s Comptroller General ordered CONAVI to fix safety problems on Route 32 after finding roundabouts were designed for shorter trucks than those using the corridor, with redesign costs already topping $1.4 million. Public Health Policy: A Costa Rica bill proposes banning conversion therapy, defining it as coercive or deceptive practices aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Tech & Misinformation: Meta is testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking Latin American countries including Costa Rica, but its Oversight Board warns it shouldn’t replace professional fact-checking. Weather Watch: Tropical Wave #43 keeps conditions unstable this Sunday, with heavy rain, thunderstorms and flood/landslide risk across multiple regions. Business & Tourism: Costa Rica Whisky Fest returns today at Campo Lago in Lindora, with tastings, food and music, as the local spirits scene keeps growing.

Banking Upgrade: Banco de Costa Rica has finished modernizing its ATM network, installing 421 next-generation contactless machines nationwide with faster service, touchscreen interfaces, and accessibility features. Road Safety Oversight: Costa Rica’s Comptroller General ordered CONAVI to fix safety issues on Route 32 after finding seven roundabouts were designed for shorter trucks than the ones actually using the corridor, driving added costs and raising collision and lane-encroachment risks. Public Health Law: A Costa Rica bill would ban conversion therapy practices aimed at changing or suppressing someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, defining the efforts as coercive, pseudo-therapeutic interventions. Tourism & Culture: Costa Rica Whisky Fest 2026 returns today in Lindora with tastings, food pairings, jazz, and a Prohibition-era themed experience. Tech & Misinformation: Meta is testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, after its Oversight Board warned against replacing professional fact-checking. Entrepreneur Spotlight: A Costa Rican entrepreneur is highlighting opportunities where others see problems, pushing a practical view of business growth.

Banking Upgrade: Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) has rolled out 421 next-generation ATMs nationwide, adding NFC contactless withdrawals, touchscreen interfaces, and accessibility features to make self-service banking faster and more inclusive. Road Safety Oversight: Costa Rica’s Comptroller General ordered CONAVI to fix safety issues on Route 32 after finding seven roundabouts were designed for shorter trucks than the ones actually using the corridor, with redesign costs already adding up to over $1.4 million. Consumer & Culture: Whisky Fest 2026 returns today at Campo Lago in Lindora, with tastings, food pairings, and a speakeasy-style theme drawing more than 50 brands and an expected 1,500 attendees. Digital Trust: Meta’s Oversight Board urged the company not to replace professional fact-checking with Community Notes as Meta tests the crowdsourced system across Latin America, including Costa Rica. Environment & Public Health: A new report links China’s plastic-waste import ban to rising health risks in Latin America, flagging multiple hotspots where waste is dumped with limited capacity to manage it.

Public Finance & Accountability: Costa Rica’s Ministry of Finance has launched an administrative process that could lead to the dismissal of 36 officials accused of using software to simulate remote work activity, reigniting debate over how public institutions should verify performance beyond computer logs. Infrastructure Safety: Costa Rica’s Comptroller General ordered CONAVI to fix safety problems on Route 32 after finding seven roundabouts were designed for shorter trucks than the ones actually using the corridor, with redesign costs already piling up. Labor & Business Impact: Western Union plans to relocate some operations out of Costa Rica to Guatemala, Lithuania and the Philippines as part of an efficiency and technology push, though money-transfer services will continue and the company says it will keep an active presence locally. Digital Platforms & Misinformation: Meta is testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, after its Oversight Board urged it not to replace professional fact-checking with crowd-sourced notes. Local Economy & Tourism: JacoBeach.com launched a new independent travel guide for hotels, restaurants, tours and visitor info, aiming to make planning easier for Costa Rica’s Pacific beach destination.

Social Media Governance: Meta’s Oversight Board urged the company not to replace professional fact-checking with Community Notes as Meta tests the crowdsourced system across 16 Spanish-speaking countries, including Costa Rica. Labor & Business Continuity: Western Union confirmed it will gradually shrink its Costa Rica operations center over the next year, shifting roles to Guatemala, Lithuania and the Philippines, while stressing money-transfer services for customers and agents will continue without interruption. Regional Security Deal: Peru announced it will join the U.S.-backed “Shield of the Americas” coalition against transnational organized crime, adding to a roster that already includes Costa Rica. Local Politics & Perception: A UCR survey says 84% of Costa Ricans believe Rodrigo Chaves still influences President Laura Fernández’s decisions, despite Fernández denying a “two-headed” government. Travel & Tourism Demand: A new Jaco Beach travel guide launches as the destination continues to draw international visitors, bundling hotels, tours, nightlife and local services in one resource. Tech & Finance: Nu launched U.S. deposit accounts, cards and remittances via FDIC-insured partner Lead Bank, with a stablecoin-based international product for users across more than 35 countries.

Political Perception: A new UCR (CIEP-UCR) survey says 84% of Costa Ricans believe former President Rodrigo Chaves still influences President Laura Fernández’s first 100 days, with Fernández denying any “two-headed” government. Remittances & Jobs: Western Union says it will gradually move parts of its Costa Rica operations to Guatemala, Lithuania and the Philippines over the next year, with local reports warning of more than 1,000 jobs potentially affected, while money transfers for customers and agents will continue. Digital Platforms: Meta has begun testing Community Notes in multiple Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, letting approved users add context while Meta says third-party fact-checking won’t be changed during the pilot. Energy Costs: Costa Rica is bracing for higher fuel prices as global oil climbs back above $100 a barrel amid renewed U.S.-Iran tensions. Tourism & Local Business: JacoBeach.com launched a new independent travel guide for hotels, tours, nightlife and visitor info, aiming to make planning easier for travelers heading to Jaco. Regional Security: Peru announced it is joining the U.S.-backed “Shield of the Americas” coalition against transnational organized crime, which already includes Costa Rica.

Exchange Rate Policy: President Laura Fernández rejected calls to artificially peg the dollar, saying the exchange rate should follow economic conditions as key export and tourism sectors watch currency swings. Political Power Perception: A CIEP-UCR survey found 64.4% of Costa Ricans believe former President Rodrigo Chaves still has a lot of influence over Fernández’s decisions, fueling talk of “dual presidentialism.” Corporate Expansion in Healthcare: Nanox Imaging signed a distribution deal with SOLME RC to market and support the Nanox.ARC in Costa Rica, with commercialization tied to CCSS-linked regulatory steps. Labor & Restructuring Risk: Western Union plans to shrink its Costa Rica operations center over the next year, with local reporting warning that more than 1,000 jobs could be affected, though customer services won’t stop. Digital Platforms & Verification: Meta began testing Community Notes in multiple Latin American countries including Costa Rica, while regional fact-checkers urged Meta not to replace independent verification. Climate & Food Security: El Niño is strengthening, with WMO/PAHO warning of higher heat and shifting rainfall risks that could raise drought, wildfire, and food spoilage concerns for Central America.

Security & Trade Blocs: Peru has joined the US-backed “Americas Shield” coalition against transnational organized crime, announced after President Keiko Fujimori met Secretary of State Marco Rubio—Costa Rica is already a founding member, keeping regional security cooperation in the spotlight. Tech & Media Trust: Meta is testing Community Notes across 16 Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, with fact-checking groups warning it could replace independent verification rather than complement it. FX & Business Confidence: President Laura Fernández rejected calls to artificially manage the dollar exchange rate, pointing to employment, tourism and FDI data while export-heavy sectors watch volatility closely. Politics & Governance Perception: A CIEP-UCR survey found 64.4% of Costa Ricans believe Rodrigo Chaves still has “a lot of influence” over Fernández’s government, fueling debate over who really drives decisions. Healthcare Imports & Investment: Nanox announced a Costa Rica distribution agreement for its Nanox.ARC imaging system via SOLME RC, targeting public and private healthcare after regulatory steps. Digital Trade Outlook: An IDB/WTO/World Bank report says digitally delivered services exports in Latin America and the Caribbean nearly quintupled to $87.7B in 2024, highlighting growth opportunities for regional firms.