Theme: Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan extended her lead in the race for United Nations (UN) secretary-general with 11 votes in favor and 4 against in the 15-member Security Council, her strongest showing in seven closed-door ballots held in recent months to replace António Guterres, according to Reuters, in a text republished by Internazionale. Lana Nusseibeh of the United Arab Emirates, who entered the race, received 7 votes in favor, 6 against and 2 marked as no opinion in the first ballot she took part in.

Costa Rica’s government withdrew its bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and dismissed its foreign trade minister, Indiana Trejos, President Laura Fernandez said on Wednesday, according to Reuters, in a text republished by The Straits Times. The decision to scrap the application came after protests from producer groups, especially in the agriculture sector, according to Reuters.

Costa Rica inaugurated a mega-prison for 5,100 inmates on Wednesday that emulates the Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT), a symbol of Salvadorean President Nayib Bukele’s security strategy, according to the South China Morning Post. President Laura Fernandez promises the nation will become a “global benchmark” for prison security as the facility opens to confront the cartels.

Costa Rican President Laura Fernández dismissed Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after he attended a regional security meeting in New York chaired by Donald Trump without her knowledge or approval. The Costa Rican government said his negligence caused significant strategic damage by keeping Fernández from taking part in the meeting.