AGP Executive Report

Public Health: Chikungunya is still showing up in the U.S. only via travelers—89 Americans diagnosed after trips abroad, with zero local spread reported in federal surveillance through Aug. 11—so mosquito precautions and prompt clinician updates after fever and severe joint pain remain key. Environment & Restoration: Costa Rica’s mangroves are rebounding, with local community-led restoration efforts and new global research suggesting losses are slowing as natural regeneration offsets some historical decline. Digital Identity & Borders: Juan Santamaría Airport has started using biometric eGates, speeding eligible arrivals by matching facial data to passport credentials in seconds after a $3M upgrade. AI & Business in LatAm: Magnar, a Chilean legal AI platform, closed a $8M Series A to expand across Latin America, including Costa Rica, aiming to serve millions of lawyers with research, analysis, and drafting tools. Tech Policy: Meta is testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, as it moves away from its professional fact-checking model. Health Tech: Nanox reported Q2 progress, including a Costa Rica distribution agreement and continued rollout of its imaging network and AI pilots. Education Tech & Skills: OECD PISA 2025 results show 15-year-olds reading, math, and science at the lowest levels since 2000, with heavy screen use and AI study tools linked to weaker performance.

Biometric Border Tech: Juan Santamaría Airport in Costa Rica rolled out its first four automated biometric eGates, using facial recognition to speed eligible arrivals and boost processing capacity by 64%. Marine Research: UCR scientists fitted nurse sharks in Bahía Santa Elena with small cameras, challenging the idea that Pacific nurse sharks barely move and adding drones to track behavior. Digital Identity & Trust: Meta began testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, aiming to replace professional fact-checking—prompting strong pushback from the International Fact-Checking Network. Education Signals: OECD PISA 2025 shows 15-year-olds reading, math, and science at the weakest levels since 2000, with heavy screen time and AI use linked to lower scores. Health & Longevity: A Costa Rica-linked longevity “Blue Zone” home guide highlights shared lifestyle habits, while a Latin American dementia trial found hands-on coaching improved cognition more than general advice. Tech Finance: Nanox announced a Costa Rica distribution agreement as it expands medical imaging and AI pilots across Latin America.

Education & Skills: OECD reports PISA 2025 is the weakest for 15-year-olds in reading, math, and science since testing began, with Latin America broadly sliding and Argentina hitting its worst results since 2006. Public Health: Argentina confirms its first COVID-19 BA.3.2 cases via genomic surveillance, calling the global risk low and stable. Environment & Conservation: Costa Rica mapped nearly 500 dominant tree species to group forests into 10 ecosystem types, helping target biodiversity protection beyond just forest cover. Marine Governance: Gulf of Nicoya communities push for real decision-making power, backed by new governance tools from Fundación MarViva. Health Policy: Costa Rica delays vaping rules until Aug. 2027 while teen-related vaping disorder visits remain high. Tech & Research in Costa Rica: Emory’s CapuchinAI brings AI facial recognition and touchscreen tasks to wild capuchins in a Costa Rica reserve to study cognition in the field. Business & Innovation: Costa Rica markets itself as a medical-device export powerhouse, with medical devices topping exports in 2025.

Costa Rica Education & Health: A UCR-backed bill would keep tighter rules on earth-moving and construction inside national parks during disasters, after the Legislative Assembly was urged to reject a proposal that could loosen protections around places like Route 32. Public Health: Costa Rica’s CCSS reports vaping-related disorders are hitting teens hard—4 in 10 visits involve ages 10–19—while a stricter nicotine/flavor regulation is delayed until August 2027. Climate & Environment: Monteverde’s cloud forest is drying from within: scientists say fog and mist are reaching the canopy less often even though annual rainfall stays high, threatening epiphytes and the water cycle. Conservation Tech & Research: Emory researchers unveiled CapuchinAI, an AI + touchscreen setup that lets wild capuchins in Costa Rica’s Taboga Forest Reserve choose tasks and earn rewards, aiming to study cognition in natural settings. Local Economy & Tech: Costa Rica’s brand push highlights medical devices as a top export, positioning the country as a trusted tech partner for global healthcare supply chains. Science & Society: A Lancet trial across 11 Latin American countries—including Costa Rica—found structured coaching improved cognition in older adults more than lighter-touch advice.

Public Health: Costa Rica’s CCSS reports 5,901 vaping-related disorder visits in 2025, with 2,438 involving teens ages 10–19—while a nicotine/flavor regulation still won’t take effect until August 2027. Wildlife + AI Research: Emory researchers unveiled CapuchinAI, letting wild capuchins in Costa Rica’s Taboga Forest Reserve choose touchscreen tasks using AI facial recognition and automated rewards. Climate + Water Science: Monteverde’s cloud forest is drying from within despite heavy rain, as warming shifts cloud formation higher and reduces fog contact with canopy plants. Ecosystem Restoration: A long-running orange-peel “waste-to-forest” experiment in Guanacaste shows tree biomass jumping 176% after 15 years, after a Supreme Court fight froze the work for years. Connectivity Costs: A Broadband Genie study ranks the UK 46th for average mobile broadband data cost ($0.27 per 1GB), highlighting how pricing comparisons depend on caps and provider rules. Deep-Sea Discovery: Scientists described a new ghost shark species, Rhinochimaera costaricana, from deep waters off Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Coastal Costs: A new UNA/Idespo PIC report finds most Costa Ricans think everyday life near the sea is getting pricier, with 80%+ citing higher food and basic goods, and 85% saying coastal property sale prices have jumped—especially in Guanacaste. Cloud Forest Water Stress: In Monteverde, scientists say the forest is drying from within even with heavy annual rain, as rising cloud decks and less fog contact reduce the moisture canopy plants capture and release. Deep-Sea Discovery: Researchers exploring Pacific seamounts off Costa Rica have described a new “ghost shark” species, Rhinochimaera costaricana, based on unique traits and DNA. Coffee Waste Restoration: A Costa Rica experiment using orange-peel waste on degraded land showed major ecosystem recovery after 15 years, turning industrial byproducts into a long-term soil boost. Tech & Business: GEEKOM launched its A5 2027 mini PC aimed at long-lasting productivity, while Costa Rica’s global business pitch highlights medical devices as a top export driver. Housing Affordability: A study estimates 81.4% of renter households face major barriers to formal mortgage financing due to income vs. home prices.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Drying Despite Heavy Rain: Scientists say rising cloud decks and fewer fog contacts are drying the canopy from within, even with ~2,500mm annual rainfall—hurting epiphytes that act like moisture sponges. Deep-Sea Discovery Off Costa Rica: Researchers using the remotely operated vehicle SuBastian found a new “golden coral” species, Laurinque elenya, and even created a new coral family to classify it. Ghost Shark New to Science: A new deep-sea ghost shark, Rhinochimaera costaricana, was formally described from specimens collected off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Ecological Restoration in Costa Rica: Coffee pulp helped regenerate degraded pastureland in southern Costa Rica—trees covered over 80% of treated plots in two years, boosting soil nutrients and moisture. Housing Access Pressure: A Costa Rica study finds 81.4% of renter households face major barriers to formal mortgage financing due to down-payment and income mismatch. Water Infrastructure Tech: SIMFLO won a Central America municipal water project for well construction and maintenance in El Salvador, supplying custom vertical turbine pump assemblies. Medicinal Cannabis Lab: Costa Rica inaugurated its first lab for manufacturing medicinal cannabis medicines, marking a medical and biotech milestone.

Deep-Sea Discovery: Scientists have described a new “ghost shark” species, Rhinochimaera costaricana, from deep waters off Costa Rica, creating a new coral family after DNA and physical traits didn’t fit known groups. Conservation & Climate Tech: Costa Rica’s mangrove restoration push in Golfo Dulce has planted 12,000 seedlings, with early survival estimates around 75–80%, aiming to rebuild coastal protection and habitat. Ecological Restoration (Coffee Waste): A Costa Rica study found coffee pulp can regenerate degraded pasture fast—trees covered over 80% of treated land in two years, boosting soil nutrients and moisture. Biodiversity & Geotourism: Costa Rica is renewing efforts to get Chirripó recognized as its first UNESCO Global Geopark, tying geology research and education to sustainable tourism. Health & Aging Research: A Latin America lifestyle program study reported improved cognition in older adults after culturally adapted coaching, combining activity, diet, cognitive training, and social support. Housing Affordability: A Costa Rica study says 81.4% of renter households face major barriers to formal mortgage financing due to income vs. home prices.

Public Health: A growing kidney crisis tied to Mesoamerican nephropathy is hitting Pacific-coast communities across Central America, including Costa Rica, with researchers pointing to agrochemical exposure, heat stress from hard labor, and poor hydration as likely drivers. Marine Science: Deep-sea explorers off Costa Rica have described a new “ghost shark” species, Rhinochimaera costaricana, based on distinctive traits and DNA, underscoring how much remains unknown in the Pacific’s depths. Ecology & Climate Resilience: In Costa Rica’s southern Pacific, mangrove restoration is underway after heavy loss—12,000 seedlings have been planted and early survival is estimated at 75–80%. Volcano Watch: Costa Rica issued a preventive green alert for areas near Rincón de la Vieja as activity increased, with lahars a key concern during strong eruptions. Conservation Tech: Scientists also report coffee pulp can regenerate degraded land fast—an experiment in Costa Rica’s Sabalito reserve boosted native tree growth to over 80% coverage in two years. Education & Learning: UNESCO is preparing ERCE 2025 results for Latin America and the Caribbean, with Costa Rica among participating countries.

Deep-Sea Discovery: Off Costa Rica’s Pacific, scientists using a remotely operated vehicle found a striking “golden coral” unlike anything known, naming it Laurinque elenya and even creating a new coral family to classify it. Marine Life: A new “ghost shark” species, Rhinochimaera costaricana, was formally described from deep waters off Costa Rica, based on unique traits and DNA from specimens collected over two decades. Volcano Watch: Costa Rica issued a preventive green alert around Rincón de la Vieja after more than 100 eruptions in July-August, with officials monitoring for possible lahars that could affect nearby rivers. Climate & Restoration: In Costa Rica’s south Pacific, communities planted 12,000 mangrove seedlings in the Golfo Dulce region, with early survival estimates around 75–80%. Housing Tech & Policy: A new study says 81.4% of Costa Rican renter households face major barriers to formal mortgage financing, highlighting how income and down-payment rules block homeownership. Education Assessment: UNESCO is preparing ERCE 2025 results, with Costa Rica among participating countries, to compare learning in reading, math, and science across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Education & Learning: UNESCO is set to release ERCE 2025 results, the region’s key primary education assessment, with first findings due in December 2026 for Grade 3 Reading/Math and Grade 6 Reading/Math/Science—Costa Rica is among the 18 participating countries. Marine Science: Researchers have formally described a new deep-sea “ghost shark,” Rhinochimaera costaricana, found off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast from specimens netted between 2000 and 2023. Climate & Restoration: In southern Costa Rica’s Golfo Dulce, a community-led effort has planted 12,000+ mangrove seedlings, with early survival estimates around 75–80% as locals work to rebuild coastal protection and habitat. Volcano Watch: Costa Rica issued a preventive green alert for five areas near Rincón de la Vieja after more than 100 eruptions in July–August, including strong activity that can trigger lahars. Tech & Health: Costa Rica marked a medical milestone with the first implantation of a 3D-printed cranial prosthesis. Energy & Mobility: Costa Rica is among LatAm’s fastest-growing EV markets for electrified light vehicles, as electric vans move from pilots toward mainstream adoption.

Deep-Sea Discovery: Researchers identified Rhinochimaera costaricana, a new “ghost shark” species, from deep Pacific waters off Costa Rica, using physical traits and DNA—highlighting how little we still know about deep ecosystems under pressure from fishing, mining, and climate change. Volcano Watch: Costa Rica issued a preventive green alert around Rincón de la Vieja after more than 100 eruptions in July–August, with officials monitoring for possible lahars and no evacuation orders. Conservation & Restoration: In Golfo Dulce, communities planted 12,000+ mangrove seedlings; early results suggest 75–80% survival, aiming to rebuild coastal protection and habitat. Local Housing Reality: A new study says 81.4% of Costa Rican renter households face major barriers to formal mortgage financing, driven by down-payment and income gaps. STEM & Research Infrastructure: Costa Rica’s first medicinal cannabis manufacturing lab in Cartago (and related efforts) marks a medical milestone as the country expands lab capacity. Business & Investment: PROCOMER’s Costa Rica Trade & Investment Summit drew 1,000+ companies and buyers from 40+ countries for thousands of meetings. Education Funding Protest: Students across Costa Rica’s public universities marched against a proposed FEES freeze for 2027, warning scholarships, research, and services could be hit.

Costa Rica Tech & Climate: In the Golfo Dulce region, Costa Rica is restoring lost mangroves with 12,000 seedlings and rebuilt water channels, with early survival estimated at 75–80%—a practical boost for coastal protection and local livelihoods. Volcano Watch: The National Emergency Commission issued a preventive green alert around Rincón de la Vieja after more than 100 eruptions in July and August, including strong activity that can trigger lahars along nearby waterways. Science & Health Tech: Peptides Costa Rica rolled out a new transparency standard—expanded batch/lot IDs, easier certificate-of-analysis access, and tighter supplier checks—aimed at improving trust as the peptide market faces growing scrutiny. STEM & Education: Costa Rica’s first medicinal cannabis manufacturing lab opened in Cartago, while students and partners across the region keep pushing classroom and research capacity. Connectivity: Tarana Wireless and Costa Rica ISP Itellum demonstrated gigabit-tier fixed wireless access, supported by SUTEL resolutions that clear the way for automated frequency coordination in the 6 GHz band. Local Tech Economy: PROCOMER’s Costa Rica Trade & Investment Summit brought 1,000+ companies and buyers from 40+ countries for 3,600+ tailored meetings, signaling continued momentum for high-value sourcing and investment.

Conservation in Action: Costa Rica’s Golfo Dulce is seeing mangrove recovery after years of loss, with 12,000 seedlings planted and early survival estimated at 75–80%, alongside community-led restoration of water channels. Public Safety & Science: Costa Rica issued a preventive green alert for areas near Rincón de la Vieja after 100+ eruptions in July–August, warning about possible lahars and heightened river risk without evacuations. Tech & Connectivity: Tarana Wireless and Costa Rica ISP Itellum demonstrated gigabit-tier fixed wireless access, as SUTEL advances 6 GHz rules using automated frequency coordination. Health Tech & Research Integrity: Peptides Costa Rica rolled out a new transparency standard—expanded batch/lot IDs, easier COA access, and stronger supplier verification—as scrutiny grows in the peptide market. STEM & Med Cannabis Manufacturing: Costa Rica inaugurated its first laboratory for manufacturing medicinal cannabis medicines, adding to the country’s push to build local biotech capacity. Education & Funding: Students at Costa Rica’s public universities protested proposed FEES funding being kept flat for 2027, warning scholarships, research, and services could take a hit. Wildlife Protection: A new Costa Rica campaign (#WhatYouCarry) urges travelers not to take wildlife or plants home after thousands of specimens were seized at borders.

Volcano Watch: Costa Rica issued a preventive green alert for five areas near Rincón de la Vieja after more than 100 eruptions were recorded in July and August, with officials warning about possible lahars flowing down nearby rivers. Telecom Upgrade: Tarana Wireless and Costa Rican ISP Itellum demonstrated a live 1 Gbps fixed wireless access link, as SUTEL published resolutions enabling standard-power 6 GHz systems managed by automated frequency coordination. Medicinal Cannabis Manufacturing: Vantage Point Global inaugurated Costa Rica’s first medicinal cannabis manufacturing lab in Cartago, aiming to move from raw exports to finished medicines and create up to 420 jobs. Wildlife Protection: A new #WhatYouCarry campaign targets travelers who try to take wildlife, plants, and other natural specimens home, after thousands were seized at airports and borders. Deep-Sea Discovery: Researchers formally described a new “ghost shark” species, Rhinochimaera costaricana, based on specimens collected off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Health & Research Policy: Costa Rica’s police science expert warns that crackdowns may not stop violence unless the country also tackles recruitment of younger criminal leaders. Business & Trade: PROCOMER opened the Costa Rica Trade & Investment Summit with 40+ countries and 1,000+ companies lined up for thousands of meetings.

Telecom & Connectivity: Tarana Wireless and Costa Rica ISP Itellum demoed a live 1 Gbps fixed wireless access link in San José, backed by SUTEL resolutions that open the 6 GHz band for standard-power systems using automated frequency coordination. Health Tech & Biotech: Costa Rica inaugurated its first medicinal cannabis manufacturing lab in Cartago (Vantage Point Global), shifting the sector from raw exports to finished medicines, with up to 420 jobs projected. Medical Tourism Shift: Hospitals report more international patients coming for inpatient surgeries and complex care—not just quick procedures—signaling Costa Rica’s growing role in higher-acuity healthcare. Public Safety & Crime Prevention: A UNED police science expert warns Costa Rica’s crackdown may not stop violence unless it tackles recruitment of younger criminal leaders. Science Discovery: Researchers formally described a new deep-sea “ghost shark” species off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. Environment & Ocean Life: A Panama alert says vessel noise can cut whale song detection by up to 45%, complicating communication and migration. Education Tech: Costa Rica’s Hello Brete free English program saw 99,000 dropouts, raising concerns about retention in self-directed online learning.