Organized Crime Crackdown: Costa Rica carried out its largest police operation in recent history, the “Riverside” case, with about 1,500 agents and roughly 97 raids across Limón (including Cahuita) and other provinces, targeting an alleged drug-trafficking and money-laundering network linked to “Pecho de Rata,” Edwin López Vega. Security & Terror Links: Authorities also arrested a Palestinian man in Desamparados de Alajuela believed to have ties to Hamas, and Foreign Minister Manuel Tovar warned at the OAS about growing Russian military and Iran-backed militant presence in Nicaragua. Public Safety Leadership: President Laura Fernández removed seven Elite Force police directors after they failed polygraph tests tied to organized-crime and corruption checks. Wildlife Under Pressure: Poachers are threatening Curú Wildlife Refuge on the Nicoya Peninsula, with camera traps showing illegal hunting and even theft of monitoring equipment. Science & Nature: Researchers confirmed a new deep-sea “ghost shark” species, Rhinochimaera costaricana, off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Travel & Economy: Costa Rica hit a new all-time record for air arrivals in May, but U.S. arrivals at San José slowed while Europe drove growth; the country also ranked among top destinations for North Americans relocating in 2026. Regional Diplomacy: Russia rejected Costa Rica’s claim over Russian military presence in Nicaragua, while Costa Rica urged Panama to move from “good intentions to action” to resolve their trade dispute.