Latest news in Costa Rica? September 6th, 2026

President Laura Fernández stated that potential U.S. ground operations targeting transnational drug cartels could benefit Costa Rica’s national security, sparking significant debate across the country. While she emphasized that no active deployment plan exists, any foreign troop presence would require a 38-vote qualified majority in the Legislative Assembly under Article 121 of the constitutiona high bar in a nation that abolished its military in 1948. The Tico Times+ 1The executive branch remains locked in a dispute with the judiciary over proposed budget reductions and judicial appointments. This tension follows a high-profile anti-corruption probe in Pococí, where multiple judicial officials and judges were recently detained over suspected ties and bribery involving organized drug trafficking networks. The Tico Times+ 1In conservation, Ostional Wildlife Refuge in Guanacaste is experiencing one of the largest arribadas of the year, with thousands of olive ridley sea turtles coming ashore to nest. Meanwhile, camera trap initiatives on the Nicoya Peninsula confirmed the return of wild Central American spider monkeys to areas where the species had previously vanished. ticotimes.net+ 1Infrastructure works prompted overnight closures along Route 1 at the Río Barranca bridge, while tourism officials in Puntarenas announced preparations for approximately 150,000 cruise passengers expected during the upcoming 2026–2027 season. ticotimes.net