AGP Executive Report

Biodiversity & Agriculture: Costa Rica researchers have confirmed a new endemic nocturnal tree frog—nicknamed the “coffee frog” or “spring frog”—found in San Lorenzo de Tarrazú, living among coffee shrubs and calling from the plantation at night; males have a translucent throat that inflates as they sing, and the frog eats small insects rather than coffee berries. Environmental Health: The discovery comes with a warning: pesticide use on coffee plantations may threaten the species, since chemicals can travel through air, seep into soil, and reach the waterways where tadpoles develop. Public Health: Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health confirmed 14 hepatitis A cases tied to an outbreak in Aserrí and San Juan de Dios de Desamparados, with active surveillance and an inspection of local water supply systems after lab testing of samples from affected networks. Tech & Skills: PROCOMER says it’s pushing specialized workforce training, including Talent Up scholarships tied to Google Cloud and AI, aimed at high-demand export and free trade zone industries. Mobility Tech: The MOPT is preparing “free flow” toll collection to reduce bottlenecks, using systems compatible with Costa Rica’s Marcahmo vehicle sticker rollout.

Biodiversity Breakthrough: Costa Rican researchers have identified a new endemic nocturnal tree frog, nicknamed the “coffee frog,” found in coffee plantations near San Lorenzo de Tarrazú; males have a translucent throat that inflates as they call at night, and the species hunts small insects around coffee shrubs. Agrochemicals Risk: The team warns heavy pesticide use could threaten the frog’s habitat, since airborne chemicals can seep into soil and reach the aquatic areas where tadpoles develop. Workforce & AI Skills: PROCOMER says Costa Rica is pushing specialized training for high-demand industries, including a Talent Up push with 10,000 Google Cloud and AI scholarships and incentives for exporting and free-zone companies. Public Health Policy: Costa Rica’s long-delayed vape regulation deadline has been moved again, extending the current rules through 2027 while keeping flavor limits, nicotine caps, and labeling/lab requirements in place. Mobility Tech: The MOPT is preparing “free flow” toll collection to reduce bottlenecks, using RFID-compatible vehicle registration tech (Marcahmo) planned for 2027.

AI in the wild: Costa Rican researchers tested an AI-powered touchscreen in a forest reserve, and capuchin monkeys learned to touch it for banana rewards—showing lab-style control can work in natural habitats. Space science: Using Webb data, astronomers flagged a new early-universe gravitational-arc candidate in the MACS J0308.9+2645 galaxy cluster, extending what Hubble first revealed. Public safety tech: Costa Rica’s MOPT is preparing “free flow” tolling to cut stop-and-go bottlenecks, using systems compatible with the Marcahmo RFID sticker rollout. Health & policy: Costa Rica recorded 28,104 domestic-violence protection-order requests in the first half of 2026, with specialists urging policies grounded in official stats and scientific frameworks. Environment & tourism: Research highlights pesticide runoff risks to the Caribbean tourism economy, with multiple chemicals detected in river systems near plantations. Higher education: Texas Tech University named Paul Vita dean of its Costa Rica campus, starting Sept. 1.

Wildlife Crossings Law: Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly unanimously approved a bill requiring wildlife-protection measures in road projects, including tunnels, underpasses, fencing, and elevated crossings where roads fragment habitats—now heading to the president for signature and publication. Pesticide Runoff: A new analysis links Costa Rica’s heavy pesticide use to chemical mixtures found in Caribbean rivers, raising the odds of toxic effects on aquatic life near plantations. AI in the Jungle: Costa Rican researchers helped deploy an AI touchscreen in the wild; capuchin monkeys learned to interact for banana rewards, showing lab-style control can work outdoors. Vape Rules Delayed: Costa Rica’s flavored vape deadline slipped again—liquids won’t be removed until Aug. 6, 2027, even though the same restrictions remain. Higher Ed Leadership: Texas Tech University named Paul Vita dean of its Costa Rica campus, starting Sept. 1. Tech & Business: Ticketplus priced its IPO at $8/share and plans to start trading Aug. 7 on NYSE American.

Wildlife Policy: Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly unanimously approved a Wildlife Crossings Bill requiring animal-protection measures in new and existing public road projects, with tunnels, culverts, underpasses, fencing, and rope/bridge options where science shows habitats are being split. AI in the Jungle: Researchers in Costa Rica’s Taboga Forest Reserve tested an AI-powered touchscreen in the wild; capuchin monkeys learned to touch the screen for banana rewards, offering a lab-like way to study cognition without taking animals out of their environment. Connectivity Gap: A UNED analysis using SUTEL data maps where fixed internet still fails—showing the biggest shortfalls in rural and coastal areas like Talamanca, Guatuso, and La Cruz. Public Health Watch: The CDC added Nicaragua to its chikungunya watch list as Costa Rica reports an active outbreak, shifting the travel-health picture for Americans heading to the region. Local Tech Leadership: Texas Tech University named Paul Vita dean of its Texas Tech-Costa Rica campus, starting Sept. 1, aiming to expand research and student access closer to home.

Wildlife & Tech in Costa Rica: Costa Rica researchers tested an AI touchscreen in the Taboga Forest Reserve, and capuchin monkeys learned to tap for banana rewards—showing lab-style control can work in the wild. Wildlife Protection Law: Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly approved a Wildlife Crossings bill requiring animal-safe structures (tunnels, underpasses, fencing, rope bridges, etc.) in road projects where studies show habitat fragmentation. Public Health & Travel: After Nicaragua was added to the CDC chikungunya watch list, the vaccine situation for U.S. travelers shifted—Costa Rica already has an active outbreak notice. Regional Research & Care: A Latin America dementia-prevention trial found coach-led lifestyle support improved cognition more than a flexible self-guided version across 11 countries, including Costa Rica. Local Connectivity: A UNED analysis using SUTEL data maps where fixed internet is weakest—highlighting rural/coastal areas with far fewer subscriptions than the national average. Science & Education: Texas Tech named Paul Vita dean of its Costa Rica campus, starting Sept. 1.

Higher Ed in Costa Rica: Texas Tech University named Paul Vita as the new dean of its Costa Rica campus, starting Sept. 1, aiming to expand research and leadership opportunities for students closer to home. Wildlife + AI in the Wild: In Costa Rica’s Taboga Forest Reserve, capuchin monkeys learned tasks on an AI touchscreen for banana rewards, using a field-ready setup that brings lab-style testing into natural habitats. Dementia Prevention (Latin America): A two-year trial across 11 countries, including Costa Rica, found a coach-led lifestyle program improved cognition about 55% more than a flexible self-guided version. Internet Access Gap: A UNED analysis using SUTEL data maps where fixed internet lags in Costa Rica, with the lowest coverage concentrated in rural and coastal areas like Talamanca and Guatuso. Public Health Alerts: Costa Rica is dealing with chikungunya activity, and the CDC has added Nicaragua to its watch list, raising the stakes for mosquito-bite prevention for travelers. Travel + Tech/Connectivity: Southwest announced a new nonstop Austin–San José route launching March 13, 2027.

AI & Jobs Risk: A new World Bank report says high-income countries face the biggest exposure to AI job displacement, with 14.2% of jobs highly amenable to automation versus 4.5% in low- and middle-income economies. Academic Freedom Watch: V-Dem’s 2025 Academic Freedom Index shows university autonomy is eroding globally since 2015; Czechia leads, while Costa Rica ranks among the notable Latin American standouts at 0.92. Local Connectivity Gap: A UNED analysis using SUTEL data maps where fixed internet still fails in Costa Rica—rural and coastal areas like Talamanca and Guatuso sit far below the national subscription benchmark. Public Health Update: Costa Rica’s chikungunya outbreak has prompted CDC elevated travel guidance, and Nicaragua was added to the CDC watch list as cases cluster around Managua. Costa Rica Tech/Science in the Wild: Researchers placed an AI touchscreen in a Costa Rican forest, testing capuchin monkeys with banana rewards and training them to interact with the system. Travel & Tech Infrastructure: Southwest announced a new nonstop Austin–San José route starting March 13, 2027, while a San José airport immigration system outage on Aug. 1 caused flight cancellations and delays. Conservation & Longevity: Nicoya Peninsula continues to draw attention as a Blue Zone, with researchers working to verify José Flores as a potential record-holder.

Wildlife & Health: Costa Rica’s chikungunya outbreak context is driving CDC travel guidance: Nicaragua was added to the U.S. watch list, with travelers urged to step up mosquito-bite prevention as vaccine access in the U.S. shifts. AI in the Wild (Costa Rica): Emory and Georgia Tech researchers deployed CapuchinAI in a Costa Rica forest reserve, using an AI touchscreen to run automated cognitive tests on capuchin monkeys. Conservation Tech: Costa Rica launched #WhatYouCarry to curb wildlife extraction, backed by airport/border seizures showing trafficking hits many species. Research & Longevity: A Latin America dementia-risk study finds culturally adapted lifestyle programs can improve memory and thinking, with stronger gains from coached, structured support. Local Tech/Infrastructure: A San José airport immigration system outage caused delays and a canceled JetBlue flight. Green Investment: PROCOMER says Costa Rica ranks top in Latin America/Caribbean for greenfield FDI per capita, citing talent, legal certainty, and sustainability. Travel/Connectivity: Southwest plans a new nonstop Austin↔San José route starting March 2027. Biodiversity Monitoring: A Costa Rica Nicoya Peninsula study used 16,658 hours of forest sound recordings to compare ecosystem recovery across land uses.

Renewables Funding: IRENA opened a proposal call for renewable energy projects across Central America and the Caribbean, with support routed through its Climate Investment Platform and Energy Transition Finance Accelerator, and Costa Rica included among eligible countries. Wildlife Tech in Costa Rica: Researchers deployed an AI touchscreen system in a Costa Rica forest reserve where capuchin monkeys learned tasks for banana rewards, showing a new way to study primate cognition in the wild. Conservation & Enforcement: Costa Rica launched a campaign urging tourists and locals to stop extracting wildlife, after authorities seized thousands of animal and plant specimens at airports and borders. Local Research on Ecosystems: A Costa Rica study used months of acoustic monitoring across forests, plantations, and pastures to compare how well ecosystems recover—using sound as a measurable indicator. Brain Health Program: A Latin America dementia-risk trial found culturally adapted lifestyle coaching improved memory and thinking in older adults, with stronger gains from the more intensive program. Travel Tech/Infrastructure: A system outage at San José’s immigration controls caused delays and a flight cancellation, highlighting how digital services can disrupt travel. Connectivity: Claro Costa Rica expanded 5G to over 2 million users and launched a mid-year promo.

Costa Rica Tech & Health: Costa Rican researchers are using AI in the wild: a CapuchinAI system places an AI touchscreen in a forest reserve so capuchin monkeys can complete tailored cognitive tasks for banana rewards, aiming to make primate studies more scalable without lab-only limits. Local Environment & Science: Costa Rica also reported wildlife-tracking progress and enforcement: authorities seized 4,366 animal and plant specimens at airports and borders, and launched the #WhatYouCarry campaign to curb illegal extraction. Biodiversity Monitoring: A Nicoya Peninsula study used 16,658 hours of sound recordings to compare forests, regeneration sites, plantations, and pastures—showing how acoustic data can track ecosystem recovery under the country’s Payment for Environmental Services program. Tech in Daily Life: A San José airport immigration system outage (Aug 1) delayed entry/exit nationwide, canceling one JetBlue flight and causing 36 passengers to miss connections. Travel Tech/Connectivity: Southwest announced a new Austin–San José, Costa Rica nonstop route starting March 13, 2027, one weekly Saturday flight.

Wildlife Protection: Costa Rica launched a campaign urging tourists not to extract wildlife, after authorities reported thousands of animal and plant specimens seized at airports and borders—showing how trafficking hits everything from reptiles and corals to orchids and psittacine eggs. AI in the Jungle: Researchers in Costa Rica used AI-powered systems to run cognitive tests with wild capuchin monkeys, bringing lab-style precision into the forest. Ecosystem Recovery by Sound: A Costa Rica study analyzed 16,658 hours of forest audio to compare recovery across logged forests, natural regeneration, plantations, and pastures—using soundscapes to track how ecosystems bounce back. MedTech Shift: Costa Rica’s MedTech sector is moving beyond factories into services, R&D, and analytics. Connectivity: Claro Costa Rica expanded 5G coverage to all seven provinces, reaching 2.1M people. Jobs Watch: Boston Scientific’s restructuring is reported to include Costa Rica layoffs as part of a broader global plan.

Costa Rica MedTech: Costa Rica’s MedTech firms are no longer just making devices—more than 30 life-sciences multinationals now run services, R&D and analytics from the country, showing how the sector is shifting from factories to higher-value support. Climate & Biodiversity: New research on mountain beetles in Costa Rica’s Área de Conservación Guanacaste finds warming is shrinking the already narrow habitat bands these insects rely on. Health & Aging Research: A LatAm dementia-prevention trial (LatAm-FINGERS) reports improved thinking skills from culturally adapted lifestyle programs, adding momentum to efforts to tackle risk factors early. Labor & Coffee: A coalition of 500+ groups and leaders is urging Costa Rica to guarantee decent conditions for Ngäbe-Buglé coffee workers ahead of the harvest. Connectivity: Claro Costa Rica expands 5G coverage to over 2.1 million people across all provinces, with faster speeds and a mid-year promo. Jobs Watch: Boston Scientific confirms Costa Rica layoffs as part of a broader restructuring plan. UN Leadership: Former Costa Rican VP Rebeca Grynspan emerges as a frontrunner in the UN Security Council’s first straw poll for the next secretary-general. Tech Policy: The U.S. rolls out more Section 301 tariffs, adding uncertainty for importers.

MedTech in Costa Rica: A new report says Costa Rica’s MedTech firms have moved beyond manufacturing into services like business support, R&D, and analytics—helped by bilingual talent and regulatory know-how. Telecom Upgrade: Claro Costa Rica expanded 5G coverage to all seven provinces, reaching 2.1M+ people, with speeds up to 10x faster than 4G LTE. Biodiversity Under Pressure: Costa Rican research on rove beetles in Área de Conservación Guanacaste finds tropical mountain species have less room to survive warming—supporting a classic climate idea from Daniel Janzen. Wildlife Crime Probe: Costa Rica’s OIJ opened a separate wildlife investigation after raids in Heredia and elsewhere turned up an apparent jaguar pelt, now being checked under wildlife law. Public Health & Dementia: A culturally adapted lifestyle trial in Latin America (LatAm-FINGERS) reported improved thinking skills for older adults, aiming to prevent cognitive decline. UN Leadership Watch: Former Costa Rican VP Rebeca Grynspan emerged as an early frontrunner in a UN Security Council straw poll for the next secretary-general role. Job Cuts in MedTech: Boston Scientific confirmed Costa Rica layoffs as part of an $800M restructuring plan.

Dementia Prevention Trial: A LatAm-FINGERS lifestyle study (exercise + brain training) reported improved thinking skills in older adults, pointing to culturally adapted prevention as a way to cut future dementia risk. Climate & Biodiversity: New Costa Rica research on mountain beetles supports a classic idea: tropical species face shrinking “escape room” as warming compresses the narrow temperature ranges they can survive. MedTech Shift in Costa Rica: Costa Rica’s MedTech sector is moving beyond factories, with multinationals adding services, R&D, and analytics—plus bilingual talent and regulatory know-how—around the existing manufacturing base. Indigenous Coffee Workers: Costa Rica is urged to guarantee decent conditions for Ngäbe-Buglé coffee pickers, after allegations of dehumanization surfaced ahead of the November harvest. Connectivity Upgrade: Claro Costa Rica expanded 5G to all seven provinces, reaching 2.1M+ people with faster speeds and a mid-year promo. Wildlife Crime Probe: OIJ raids in Heredia and elsewhere seized an apparent jaguar pelt, triggering a separate wildlife investigation alongside an organized crime case. UN Leadership Watch: Former Costa Rican VP Rebeca Grynspan emerged as an early frontrunner in UN Secretary-General straw polls.

MedTech Services Shift: Costa Rica’s medtech industry is moving beyond factories, with multinationals now running business support services, R&D, and analytics from the country. Climate & Biodiversity: New Costa Rica research on rove beetles supports the warning that tropical mountain species have shrinking “escape room” as warming tightens survival ranges. Labor & Coffee: A coalition of 500+ groups and people is urging Costa Rica to guarantee decent conditions for Indigenous Ngäbe-Buglé coffee workers ahead of the November harvest. Wildlife Crime: Costa Rica investigators opened a wildlife-trafficking probe after raids allegedly found a jaguar pelt in a Heredia home. Connectivity: Claro Costa Rica expanded 5G to all seven provinces, reaching 2.1M+ people, with speeds up to 10x faster than 4G. MedTech Restructuring: Boston Scientific confirmed Costa Rica layoffs as part of an $800M restructuring plan. UN Leadership Watch: Former Costa Rican VP Rebeca Grynspan emerged as an early frontrunner in UN secretary-general straw polls.