The issue of wages is debated globally. The pursuit of workers’ social and economic well-being drives negotiations between unions, labor federations, and government representatives. Recent reports from Bloomberg Linea indicate that three countries in Latin America have the highest monthly minimum wages: Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Panama, where salaries are $751, $648, and $637, respectively.

They are followed by Colombia, where workers’ income this year is $548, including the transportation subsidy.

Comparisons with European countries can reveal profound differences that affect the population’s quality of life. According to data from Globalization Partners, Luxembourg currently has the highest base salary in the world, exceeding $3,100 per month.

“This figure, which sets an unprecedented standard, reflects the high cost of living in Europe and legal frameworks designed to protect the financial stability of the workforce,” they note.

Back in Latin America, the differences from country to country are also significant, due to indicators such as inflation and the macroeconomic instability of each nation.

M.Pino

Source: eltiempo

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La entrada Three Latin American countries have the highest monthly minimum wages apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Laura Fernández is the new president of Costa Rica, after sweeping the first round of the electoral process. She has the support of US President Donald Trump and will begin her term on May 8.

Laura Fernández es la presidenta electa de Costa Rica. Titular oficialista supera el 50 % de los votos con el 61,5 % de las mesas escrutadas. Autoridades califican el resultado como irreversible. pic.twitter.com/8SrO1uTN35

— Hispania Informa (@HispaniaInfo) February 2, 2026

In her victory speech, Fernández mentioned key concepts for the transformation of the country, such as “profound and irreversible change,” “third republic,” as well as “dialogue and reconciliation.”

The 39-year-old political scientist, from the Sovereign People’s Party, won with more than 48 % of the vote, thus securing the presidential victory. His party also won 30 of the 57 seats in Parliament.

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La entrada Laura Fernández is the new president of Costa Rica apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) forecasts Costa Rica’s Gross Domestic Product growth of 3.8% this year.

The international organization presented the data last Tuesday through the OECD Economic Surveys: Costa Rica 2025 report, which shows an improvement compared to its last projection in December 2024, “when it placed it at 3.5%, although it is lower than the 4% growth that the Central Bank proposed in January of this year.”

According to OECD estimates, Costa Rica’s economy will experience growth of 3.8 % in 2025 and 2026. In January of this year, the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) projected economic growth for that period at 4 %.

At the presentation of the OECD report, Secretary-General Mathias Cormann noted that “Costa Rica must address the skills mismatch, increase women’s participation in the labor market, and reduce informality to boost medium-term growth.”

He also highlighted that the country has a well-trained workforce, as well as “significant untapped potential in wind, solar, and geothermal energy, which could meet this growing demand through the diversification and expansion of renewable energy production.”

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Source: semanariouniversidad

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La entrada OECD forecasts Costa Rica’s GDP growth at 3.8 % apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The Inter-American Development Bank signed the Alliance for Security, Justice and Development with Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Uruguay.

The objective of this regional alliance, open to new participants, is to design concrete policies and actions to fight organized crime.

“The Alliance, in which Ecuador will hold the first pro tempore presidency, will have a steering committee, a technical secretariat in charge of the IDB and three working groups that will promote policies and concrete actions and define metrics.”

The working groups will focus on the three pillars of the initiative: “protecting vulnerable populations, strengthening security and justice institutions, and reducing illegal financial markets and flows.”

The Alliance for Security, Justice and Development will have the support of at least 11 organizations, such as the Organization of American States (OAS), the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the World Bank (WB).

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Source: cnnespanol

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La entrada Latin America and the IDB create an alliance against organized crime apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Due to his resilience and ability to fight, Belkis García recently starred in one of the chapters of the Bancamiga audiovisual series “Repeatable Stories.” This Venezuelan, athlete and educator was involved in a traffic accident in 1991, when a truck collided with the car where she was traveling with some friends.

He recalled that the vehicle fell into an abyss and caught fire, which caused burns on 75% of his body. He lost the fingers of his right hand and the forearm of his left hand. None of that stopped him from continuing to work for his dreams and this Saturday, August 24, he will see one more fulfilled, when at the Doka ranch in Costa Rica he goes out to represent Venezuela in the OCR (obstacle course race) world championship.

“There is a phrase that I always keep in mind: the limit is in your mind. I like the competitiveness and being in this World Cup, facing rivals from other countries, is a way to see how far I am capable of going.”

García, who travels to the World Cup with the support of Bancamiga, explained that OCR is a sporting discipline in which participants must overcome obstacles on a specific route, which in their case will be 15 kilometers.

According to the official website, the event will take place between August 22 and 25, in two venues: at the national stadium of Costa Rica, located in the city of San José, and at the Doka farm, in the province of Alajuela, about 36 kilometers from the capital.

García: “Bancamiga is the best thing that has happened to me”

For this teacher it will be “a wonderful experience” and “I am full of expectations because I will compete in the Adapted OCR category with rivals from different countries.”

“On the journey we must overcome 50 obstacles such as walls, carry heavy objects, climb ropes, move rubber or crawl. I think the most difficult thing about this competition is the diversity of obstacles and its high level of demand,” said García, a teacher at the María Auxiliadora High School, in Corralito, El Hatillo, who also gives tasks aimed at low-income young people at the Hatillano Meeting.

The President of the Board of Directors of Bancamiga, José Simón Elarba, expressed that García’s presence at the World Cup in Costa Rica reaffirms the importance for the institution of promoting success stories that inspire others to fight for what they long for, despite the adversities they may face in life.

“At Bancamiga we are sure that the national tricolor will be held high in the World Cup,” added Elarba.

García maintained that the support offered by Bancamiga to both her and her coach, Jhon Hidalgo, has been fundamental, because otherwise “it would never have been possible to participate” in this competition.

“Having the support of Bancamiga is the best thing that has happened to me,” added this athlete who trains at the Simón Bolívar University facilities in Sartenejas and who will return this Saturday “to prove myself.”

Next, the chapter with Belkis García in Repeatable Stories, a communication effort by Bancamiga to publicize, in a fresh and innovative format, all those stories that enhance the country.

With information and images provided by Bancamiga Banco Universal

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La entrada Bancamiga takes Belkis García to the OCR World Cup: “The limit is in your mind” apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Costa Rica requested Japan’s support to enter the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The proposal was made during a visit last week by the Vice President of Costa Rica, Stephan Brunner.

The Central American country visited Japan to strengthen commercial ties. Vice President Stephan Brunner was accompanied by several ministers of the Costa Rican Executive in this meeting focused on strengthening cooperation in various areas.

Brunner held a working lunch in Tokyo on Thursday with the spokesperson and Chief Cabinet Secretary of the Japanese Executive, Yoshimasa Hayashi, “who highlighted that both countries share values ​​and principles and expressed Japan’s will to continue strengthening ties on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of bilateral relations, which will be held in 2025.”

From Tokyo, they recognize Costa Rica as a country of great importance for cooperation and have defined it as a “peace-loving, defender of free trade and leader in environmental matters” nation.

In this sense, Hayashi stressed that it is of great relevance to “maintain and expand a free, fair and rules-based economic order,” and called for “strengthening cooperation to guarantee economic resilience and economic security.”

Regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), he highlighted its strategic significance in reinforcing a free and fair international economic order. THE accession of Costa Rica would generate benefits for both regions in economic and commercial matters, but also in technology, telecommunications, energy, among others, in addition to boosting investments in the two countries.

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Source: swissinfo

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La entrada Costa Rica seeks its accession to the Trans-Pacific Economic Cooperation Agreement apareció primero en Bitfinance.

On Friday, April 12, the International Monetary Fund concluded a review of Costa Rica’s economic performance, which concluded with the approval of two loans amounting to USD 510 million.

The IMF technical mission issued a statement announcing the agreement with the Costa Rican authorities “for the conclusion of the sixth review of the loan called the Extended Facility (SAF) and the third review of the agreement known as the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (SRS).”

The agency said: “Subject to the approval of the IMF Executive Board, compliance with the sixth review in the context of the SAF will make available approximately $270 million, while compliance with the reform measures programmed in the SRS will make available approximately 240 million dollars.”

It is important to clarify that the SAF and the SRS are loans for USD 1,778 million and USD 725 million, respectively. For its approval, the IMF technical mission held meetings with economic authorities, deputies and members of civil society, including private sector organizations and academics from Costa Rica.

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Source: investing

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La entrada Costa Rica will receive disbursements of USD 510 million from the IMF apareció primero en Bitfinance.

Two American countries could ban Bitcoin. Costa Rica will propose a bill that restricts the use of cryptocurrency in daily transactions and Paraguay is in favor of eliminating the mining of this digital currency, since the high consumption of electrical energy affects the service to the population.

Bitcoin at risk in Costa Rica

In the case of Costa Rica, according to Cointelegraph, representative Johana Obando Bonilla has highlighted the introduction two years ago in the National Assembly of a comprehensive bill to legitimize the use of cryptocurrencies in the country.

Recently, discussions have advanced about limiting the ability of Costa Ricans to freely use cryptocurrency as a means of payment for daily transactions.

The controls would be focused on aspects such as “the integration of standard know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) controls by companies in the sector.”

Although Congresswoman Obando has emphasized the need for a legal framework that provides security and prevents money laundering, she has also warned that the new regulation could encourage the emergence of a clandestine market.

The Central American country seeks to establish the rules “for the exercise of activities related to the new class of assets”, as well as the “guidelines for the use and taxation of mining, marketing, custody, payments and other activities with digital currencies.”

Paraguay wants to limit bitcoin mining

Authorities in the country are weighing the consumption of electrical energy from BTC mining and how it affects the service to the population. In this sense, on April 4, legislators introduced a bill arguing that bitcoin mining steals energy and interrupts electrical service.

Although the restriction could cause the country to lose more than USD 200 million annually, if approved “it will last 180 days or until new laws are enacted and the national electricity grid operator can guarantee that it supplies enough energy.”

According to Hashlabs Mining co-founder and chief mining strategist Jaran Mellerud, “banning bitcoin mining could cost Paraguay more than $200 million a year, assuming the country has 500 megawatts of legal miners paying $0.05 per kilowatt-hour in operating expenses.”

Regarding electricity consumption, it is alleged that the Itaipú dam is the favorite place for mining, “since it supplies all of Paraguay’s local electricity needs and leaves a large surplus that can be used.”

In fact, the surplus produced by the dam “has been exported to Brazil at low prices. However, Mellerud noted that a wave of bitcoin miners has flocked to such electricity, paying slightly higher prices in recent months.

The legislators argue that since February, they have counted 50 electricity supply interruptions related to the illegal exploitation of these sources of electricity for BTC mining. On the subject, the National Electricity Administration of Paraguay “estimates that each cryptocurrency mining operation has caused damage and losses of up to USD 94,900 and that the total annual losses in the Alto Paraná area – where the Itaipú power plant is located – could amount to USD 60 million.”

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With information from Cointelegraph and Diariobitcoin

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La entrada Bitcoin at risk in Costa Rica and Paraguay apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The “Study of the economic impact of the Venezuelan migrant population in Costa Rica”, with data from 2022, shows that the country welcomes almost 30,000 Venezuelan migrants who contribute 40 million dollars annually to the treasury.

According to the document, “29,906 Venezuelans live in the Central American country, of which 11,000 have managed to regularize their immigration status and 18,405 still remain with an irregular status.”

The data from the report indicate that the fiscal impact of Venezuelan migrants is 40.2 million dollars annually, and that the figure could reach 47.5 million dollars “if the 18,405 people who are found with an irregular immigration status”, with which the return on the investment in immigration management that Costa Rica currently makes would be greater.

It is important to highlight that of the population of Venezuelan migrants in the country, 73.9 % have higher education, “including doctorates and master’s degrees” and 17.1 % have higher technical studies, which contributes to better job performance.

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Source: unionradio

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La entrada Almost 30,000 Venezuelans in Costa Rica contribute 40 million dollars annually to the treasury apareció primero en Bitfinance.

The Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) revealed a new strategic alliance with Amazon, marking a milestone as it is the first time that the tech giant and its supermarket chain, ‘Whole Foods’, collaborate with a tourist destination. This initiative aims to highlight Costa Rica’s natural wonders on the company’s digital platforms and supermarkets, seeking to attract more American visitors.

Carolina Trejos, Director of Marketing at ICT, shared that the partnership came about because of the affinity between Amazon and Costa Rica on key issues such as sustainability and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. “It’s something totally innovative to stand out from all the other destinations. It’s the first time a destination has managed to have coverage on so many channels,” said Trejos.

As part of the campaign, the well-known country brand ‘Essential Costa Rica’ is presented when customers use the Amazon Prime platform to make purchases at ‘Whole Foods’ supermarkets. In addition, the items purchased are delivered in recyclable and compostable paper bags, hand-decorated with images of Costa Rican tourist attractions.

The initiative will cover about 500 Whole Foods stores in cities such as Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. A million paper bags with illustrations of volcanoes, butterflies, hummingbirds, sloths, waterfalls, turtles, starfish, palm trees, flowers, papaya and cocoa trees will be distributed.

In addition, as part of the promotion strategy, videos about Costa Rica have been produced and will be available on the Amazon Prime platform. These videos will be complemented by audio that will be streamed through the Alexa platform, in the physical stores of Whole Foods supermarkets and at electric vehicle charging stations.

Trejos noted that the outbreak of the pandemic led to changes in the way travelers choose their destinations, which has prompted Costa Rica to innovate in its promotion strategy. “Tourists have an interest beyond visiting a place. They want places with their own benefits in terms of experience, and that’s where Costa Rica has a very valuable positioning and has been promoting that as one of its differentials: contact with nature and special experiences,” he explained.

The United States, which accounts for nearly 60% of total annual visitors, remains the main source of tourists to Costa Rica. Official projections suggest that by 2023, the Central American country will reach or exceed the figure of 3.1 million tourists recorded in 2019, the year before the pandemic.

K. Tovar

Source: Bancaynegocios

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La entrada Amazon and Costa Rica join forces to attract more American tourists apareció primero en Bitfinance.