Missing Person in Costa Rica

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Someone is Missing in Costa Rica

Do not waste any time initiating an investigation. The longer you delay, the greater the chances that they may never be found.

Calls to investigate the disappearance of people who visit Costa Rica mostly have failed to find the missing person. The main reason for this was the lack of effort from the earliest known moment that the person went missing. Unlike the United States where there are all kinds of alerts for missing persons or endangered people, Costa Rica has no viable system in place to alert people of the missing person.

Why it is Important to Report someone missing in Costa Rica Immediately

Almost everyone here is busy scratching out a living. They really do not have time to stop what they are doing to volunteer for a search. Such was the case recently when a woman came up missing in Guanacaste under suspicious circumstances. We were not retained until three weeks after the initial disappearance. As far as I know, she is still missing.

Considerations

Having prior law enforcement experience I know the value of early response to a reported missing person. Because of earlier response time to such reports, many of the missing were located. Others who were found to be the victims of a crime, the early response assisted in bringing those responsible to justice.

In Costa Rica, law enforcement is understaffed and under-resourced. They lack the adequate resources and equipment to undertake a search for a missing person. Much of Costa Rica is endowed with lush tropical forests and jungles that lure many inexperienced and novice hikers. Unaware of the lack of cell communication once in these areas and being poorly equipped, many of the best hikers get lost.

Reality

Dangers in the jungles range from Jaguars to over thirty-nine species of poisonous snakes, not to mention crocodiles and scorpions. Medical response and medical facilities are spread out and it could take hours in some instances to get to a medical facility. Once there, of course, there is a concern that they will have the necessary equipment and staff to treat the injury.

Thus the need to report a missing person and contact someone here in Costa Rica to start looking for that person will play a vital part in finding and returning the missing person.

Arenal La Fortuna

Private Property Registry in Costa Rica

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Private Property Registry in Costa Rica (PPR)

updating its records. The first step is that a lawyer, or their assistant, will present documents requesting the change to the registry. Upon this presentation, a notation is made on the property records regarding the proposed change.We here at Cody L. Gear and Associates, have learned of a service provided to owners of private property in Costa Rica. The name of this service is Private Property Registry (PPR). PPR currently protects over 15,000 properties in Costa Rica. If you are an absent owner this service is an absolute must. Likewise, by living here you no doubt know the problem with squatters. The private property registry (PPR) updates daily by connecting with the National Registry of Costa Rica. The amount charged for this service is pale in comparison to the loss of your property.

How PPR Works

Fijatevos.com each night the PPR robot connects to the National Registry’s data feed and downloads the day’s transactions. Then, once the data is generated, the company’s software takes over. Likewise, the data is analyzed and compared to the previous day’s snapshot. By 1:30 am a report is generated detailing any change whatsoever to any property related to one of the clients. At 5:30 am this report is reviewed by the company’s legal department. Each change is analyzed to determine whether it is harmless or whether it represents a possible threat to the client. On average, about 90 changes are detected and only 1 is deemed a threat to be taken seriously.

At this point, the PPR legal team notifies the client by email, telephone, or fax. The client can specify the preferred method of contact, or also additional contacts, such as the client’s personal lawyer. At this point, the client can confirm whether it is a legitimate change or not. For example, they have taken out a loan or sold the property. If the change is not authorized, the client or PPR can take action immediately.

Registry Procedures Explained

The National Registry is required by law to follow certain procedures when

The process is for a registry bureaucrat to review the documents presented. The registry determines if they are valid and if there are any errors in the descriptions or clauses. If they are deemed valid and correct, then the change is approved and entered into the registry. A key factor here is that by law a change may not be submitted and approved on the same day. Caveat Emptor while normally there is a 7 to 10-day delay in this process there is a risk. When schemers and shysters have obtained cooperation from an unscrupulous registry employee, then the changes are expedited.

The PPR system takes advantage of this mandated time delay. The automated software reports annotations overnight. This means that if a change is recorded or noted, the property owner or PPR may submit a document opposing the change on the same business day. Thus, effectively freezing the process and obligating the registry to determine the validity of the documents.

PPR Services and Pricing

The PPR offers 2 types of services. The first level is called Monitor and Notify, which costs $143 per year. You, and anyone you specify, will be notified in the event of any change to your property. The notification is sent by email, fax, and telephone as soon as the PPR legal department determines there is a problem. If you have more than one property in Costa Rica, you can get a package that will monitor up to 8 properties for $384 per year.

The higher level service is called Maximum Security and includes the first level plus an automatic procedure for stopping the transactions. It costs $250 annually. This service, requires a power of attorney that allows the PPR legal department to file a prepared statement in the registry on your behalf. The statement opposes any change to your property information in the registry. Subsequently effectively stops the transaction. The registry is required to investigate both claims and provide additional documentation for proceeding with the change. In the case of a fraudulent claim, this alone will stop the perpetrator’s cold.

For more information concerning other services available to protect your investments in Costa Rica, call Cody L Gear and Associates at 321-218-9209

Finding a Person, Place or Thing in Costa Rica

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 Persons, Places, and Things in Costa Rica

Finding a Person, Place or Thing in Costa Rica? Hunting for a missing person, or simply trying to locate someone? Need to find an address or asset in Costa Rica? Whatever the reasons are for looking, you have come to the right place. For fast, reliable, trustworthy, and affordable professional help in locating someone, we can help. Searching for a location in Costa Rica? A bigger challenge than most realize. Trying to recover an asset? Costa Rica is rife with fraud and the laws here actually help the scammers hide assets.  There are many reasons why you may need to locate someone, find a place or locate a thing.

We are not a database mill

I am not a “People Finder Instant Search” database company that provides you with old, outdated public record information. We are a professional private investigation agency physically located in Costa Rica (Not Nicaragua) that specializes in finding people, quickly and cost-effectively. I have access to data, resources, and other information that allow us to get you the result you want, not excuses. Why pay someone who is not here to find the information you already have? When you work with the private investigators in our firm, you will find that the more information you have about the target, the less it will cost you. Our basic locate investigations take as little as three 3hours of investigative time and fewer than 50% take more than that amount to complete. Of course verification of the location and identifying the target as being there have added costs.

Obviously, some people are more difficult to locate than others.  Costa Rica is known as the land of the wanted and the unwanted. Those wanted by law enforcement, hiding from creditors, drug users, and others require more work to locate than the average person. We encourage you to tell us as much as possible about the person we are trying to locate ahead of time. This allows us to give you an accurate perspective of the time and cost required. As the most trusted private investigator in Costa Rica, we have reunited adoptees with their birth parents. Likewise, we have, located people that are in need of medical assistance. In some cases located missing persons, are either the victim of a drowning or of a crime.

We have investigated the disappearance of people due to suspicious circumstances. We have assisted in, and, the recovery of the remains when they have fell victim to a crime or a drowning. It is reported that there are more deaths here from drowning than from automobile accidents. The Government here is not user-friendly and getting assistance to look for someone is difficult at best.

What makes our missing person and people locate services stand out from the crowd?

  • Our firm is a Private Investigator Agency, not a database search company
  • We provide 50 years of professional experience and judgment
  • We tell you where all of the information we provide came from
  • There will be an actual investigator to speak with about your locate investigation
  • Our locate investigations are conducted by investigators, not databases.
  • You will be given a detailed report of our findings
  • Our relationship with you is strictly CONFIDENTIAL

If you find that you need more than just a simple locate or person search, our background check services will give you all the information you will need about someone’s background. Our firm is a full-service private detective agency able to bring the full assets of our agency, with international and domestic resources, to the table.

Missing Persons in Costa Rica

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What to do in Locating Missing Persons in Costa Rica

Kim ParisLocating missing persons in Costa Rica is much different from the methods and techniques used in the United States. There are numerous people that have gone missing in Costa Rica and have to date not been found. It is important that if you find yourself in this situation, you understand that the authorities here neither have the resources nor the motivation to find the missing person. The one thing that is absolutely necessary is to get someone involved to start looking for the missing person. The longer the time the greater the chance that the person will not be located. Please remember that the longer you wait the colder the trail will become. Additionally, don’t expect much help from the U.S. Embassy. They will take the information and tell you they will contact Costa Rica Police. However, make sure you report the missing person to the Embassy.

 

1st Thing to do in Locating Missing Persons in Costa Rica

The first thing you should do in locating missing persons in Costa Rica is to report the incident to your local law enforcement agency. When you do so give them as much information as humanly possible. Although the local law enforcement agency will have little to lend to the search and recovery of the missing person, it is one of the first things that the American Embassy in Costa Rica will ask you. Do not delay in making the missing person report to the police. All of the cases that we have handled have had considerable time lapses between the disappearance and reporting of the person missing. Each moment that passes with nothing being initiated to locate the person further reduces the chances of the person being found.

2nd Thing to do in Locating Missing Persons in Costa Rica

Call the American Embassy in Costa Rica. If you are calling from the States dial 011-506-2519-2000 and ask for extension 2453. Alternatively, if it is after business hours or the weekend, send an email to acssanjose@state.gov and provide all of the information about the missing person including but not limited to; photographs, flight itinerary, hotel reservation, date of arrival, anticipated date of departure, photographs, and the reason you suspect the person is missing.

3rd Thing to do

It is necessary that the missing person be reported missing to the Judicial Police in Costa Rica. They are commonly referred to as OIJ. If you call them be prepared to have someone who speaks Spanish as there are no resources for English. Costa Rica Law requires that an immediate member of the missing person’s family report the incident. They will not accept the missing person report from a third party. This must be done in person by the immediate family member. Thus be prepared to make arrangements for the immediate family member to travel to Costa Rica to make the report.

Alternatively, an immediate family member can go to the nearest Costa Rica Consulate and report the person missing. They will need the same information as previously outlined for the American Embassy. This will further delay the missing person investigation as the bureaucracy of the Costa Rica government moves slowly.

The Last thing to do

Probably the most important of all is not to procrastinate in reporting the missing loved one in Costa Rica. Also, equally important to retain the services of a professional and reliable private investigator to begin searching immediately.  The longer time in retaining the services of such a professional only means that the trail will be colder by the minute. Years of experience have taught me that it is imperative to get on this search as soon as possible.

Prep for surveillance

Conducting Surveillance in Costa Rica

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Prep for surveillanceConducting surveillance in Costa Rica presents challenges not faced by private investigators in the United States. When a client calls and wants surveillance conducted here in Costa Rica I try to give them reasonable expectations on the results of such surveillance. Unlike the United States, private investigators can have sufficient time to capture indiscretions> Here we usually have less than a week. In some instances even less time. If you call me to conduct surveillance, I will tell you, “the target of surveillance never performs on cue”.

 

What is necessary

Surveillance is being in the right place at the right time and discreetly capturing the indiscretion on video. That means that the target cannot know they are being watched or their activities are being recorded. Many of the venues in Costa Rica have ramped up security in the form of CCTV and security guards. They are sensitive to videoing and will not hesitate to ask what you are doing. Thus not only does the PI need to be discreet, but they must also be discreet and vigilant as to their surroundings.

For this reason, we use teams of investigators usually comprised of two or three to carry out a surveillance. There are some P.I.’s that are on the web that use just one person for surveillance. Indeed, they subcontract the surveillance to someone you don’t know and refuse to identify them. I know of one PI that was deported from Costa Rica and is advertising services here and he can’t even enter the country. Thus it pays to vet the PI and make sure he has the experience and resources to carry out the surveillance.

Case Review

Recently we had a surveillance in a resort that has extremely tight security. Many of the places that people rent are private residences within the resort and are only accessible through a guarded gate. If you are not a guest you are denied entry. The resort is patrolled by security guards who check visitors and routinely ask them their purpose for being there. Fortunately, the resort rents golf carts which don’t draw the attention of a roaming car. Use of the golf cart helps but if you remain stationary for any length of time a guard will approach you. This means that you have to be on a constant move.

Surveillance Targets

Targets that are involved in an affair are sensitive to seeing the same person or car more than once. This requires that you change personnel frequently. Through diligence and perseverance usually enjoy success. Many of our clients think that capturing public displays of affection is commonplace. Here again, targets do not perform on cue. You have to be in the right place at the right time to capture PDA’s. Investigators cannot manufacture or script such activities.

All in all, if you have reasonable expectations you will not be disappointed in the results. If your expectations are those that are shown on TV programs such as “Cheaters” you will be disappointed in the results. Make sure you discuss expectations and results with your private investigator in order to make your surveillance successful.

Cold Case Missing Persons in Costa Rica

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Cold Case Missing Persons in Costa Rica Private Investigations

Barbara Barbara Stuncova a Czech Republic citizen, has been missing from her residence in Tamarindo since December 5, 2010. According to sources close to Struncova, she attended a party with friends on the night of Dec. 4. She returned home around 1 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 5. She has not been seen since. On the night of Dec. 4, Struncova, 31, went to a party with several friends who were visiting from the Czech Republic. She was accompanied by her boyfriend, U.S. citizen Bill Ulmer. Ulmer who sources say returned home early from the party. He did so because he was frustrated by his inability to communicate with the Czech visitors. Struncova’s friends report that around 1 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 5, she returned to her residence. Barbara lived with Ulmer and four other roommates.

“At 1 a.m. that night we watched her walk inside the house,” said a source close to Struncova who asked to remain anonymous. “By 7 a.m. that morning, Dec. 5, Bill woke up and told us that Barbara had left with her friends. Alleging that, in the middle of the night she had gone to  the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.”

In the days following her disappearance, worried members of Struncova’s family contacted her friends in Tamarindo. The last time family members heard from her was Dec. 4.

Struncova’s belongings are still in her Tamarindo residence.

2. Cold Case Missing Persons in Costa Rica

Kim Paris When the family of Kim Paris contacted me it had been almost 11 days since her disappearance. She had allegedly left a note at the hotel (Latitude 10) where she and her husband Gabriel Orozco were resident managers. Kim allegedly told Gabriel she was going shopping. During my investigation, there were unverified spotting of Kim after the day of her disappearance.  Several things about this disappearance made me question the stories I had been told. The fact of the matter was if Kim was the victim of a crime there are almost limitless places to dispose of the body and cover any potential evidence and or witnesses. Lacking resources and assistance it was challenging to search the area and the locals were of no assistance.

Kim Paris is a dual citizen of France and Canada, moved to Santa Teresa from Montreal at the age of 33. She arrived with her boyfriend, Gabriel Orozco, whom she married in Costa Rica in January 2010.

The reason that I am posting this information again is in hopes that if someone stumbles across skeletal remains they remember this young woman who disappeared and has yet to be found. Also, this is in the same general area as the disappearance of Barbara mentioned above.

Costa Rica and “Mickey Finn”

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Coming to Costa Rica and “Mickey Finn”

A social media working girl had a lot more on her mind than friendship, Costa Rica investigators say.

A Costa Rica woman woman prowled for victims on the social networks and then arranged for an intimate rendezvous according to Costa Rica Private Investigator.

Our client as well as several others, I imagine took the bait. The woman was a “mickey finn” scammer who quickly spiked the drink of her new male victim and then clean out the apartment or house. The Judicial Investigating Organization (OIJ) suspects she obtained at least $15,000 in jewelry in one case. OIJ suspects the same woman of committing the same crime against another man where she took almost $10,000 in cash. There are many stories similar to this one. Our reason for mentioning this is due to the Costa Rica culture being one that is given to stealing. Some say it’s competition but in my book its stealing.

Costa Rica and “Mickey Finn”

Many who come here in search of establishing a relationship with a women are susceptible to this type of scam. The problem here is that these women are using some type of drug to incapacitate the victim in order to carry out their theft. Many of the men who visit here are older and many have health conditions that places them in peril if they are drugged with the wrong type of medication.  By taking up an ad on a person that is offering an intimate relationship, that no one knows, is like a crap shoot. You may or may not survive it.

News reports that OIJ Agents said they located some of the items when they searched the woman’s home in Desamparados Tuesday. When OIJ agents searched the woman’s home in Desamparados Tuesday, agents said they located some of the items. She faces charges of aggravated robbery and attempted murder.

This is another example in a long line of examples of scammers who prey upon the unsuspecting. More often than not the the victim is an expat. Most victims say they were overcame by sudden drowsiness after taking one or more women to their apartment.

Deception happens

Costa RIca Private Investigator Log

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Costa Rica Private Investigator Log;  July 2019

The Costa Rica Private Investigator log for the month of July saw several cases that came to us from all over the United States. Below is a few of the cases we handled in August.

These are a few of the cases we handled for the month of July. If you or if you know someone who need private investigator services in Costa Rica call or visit us at on our blog.

 

Deception happensCosta Rica Private Investigator log for July 3; Domestic case involving a suspected cheating husband who had booked a vacation with his “buddies” in Jaco. Told his wife that they were going to fish for Marlin. Wife suspicious as his trips to Costa Rica were becoming more frequent and she didn’t like some of his “buddies”. Surveillance began at the airport and wound up in Jaco at the Beatle Bar which has been recently remodeled and opened for business again. The group went to the Cochal, a favorite watering hole for partying and shopping for the weekend girlfriend. Sure enough the target wasn’t at the Cochal for more than an hour when he latched onto a stunning professional working girl probably 25 years of age and he was off to the hotel. Whole thing captured on video.

Costa Rica Private Investigator log for July 5;

Bigamy/domestic case where in an American man had married a Colombian woman in the States and was going through a nasty divorce. He knew she had spent time in Costa Rica and wanted her background checked. A due diligence check revealed that the Colombian was married to a Costa Rica National. She had been married to him for over eight years and was married to the Costa Rica National at the time she married the American.

Costa Rica Private Investigator log for July 9;

Land Fraud case involving a fraud in the inducement from a developer that collected money from investors on a beachfront condominium development in Coco (Northwest Costa Rica). Developer took money from investor after convincing investor that his money was going for an unimpeded ocean view from the 5th floor of a 10 floor condominium in Coco. Due diligence revealed that no such development had been approved on a one story model. In Costa Rica all developments must have licenses and be approved by the government. Investors money gone but we were able to get a lien on the property in order for the investor to recapture from his loss.

Costa Rica Private Investigator log for July 17;

Lottery scam reported by an elderly woman in Florida. This lady is 87 years old and was contacted by someone purporting to be an agent with the United States Department of Consumer Affairs. (No such organization) The agent told her she had won 2nd prize in a lottery and that in order for her to collect her check of $987,000 she needed to send $5,000 to Jose Gonzalez via Western Union in Costa Rica to cover the cost and expenses in transferring the winnings to her. He gave her a telephone number with a 305 exchange and when she called it a person answered the phone “United States Department of Consumer Affairs, how may help you”. She asked for the agent was transferred to the same person who called her. He assured her this was a legit. She sent the $5,000 and another $87,000 over a three month period. This is a SCAM. If you win the lottery no one will ever call you! I referred this nice lady to the U.S. Postal service who has agents in the United States who are working with the Costa Rica authorities to bust these miserable and despicable scammers.

These are a few of the cases we handled for the month of July. If you or if you know someone who need private investigator services in Costa Rica call or visit us at our blog.

Are you having doubts about what you are being told? Do you have that gut feeling that something is not right? Call us on WhatsApp for a free consultation.

Losing your passport in Costa Rica

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If you’ve had to go get a new passport after losing your passport in Costa Rica, you know what a challenge it is. Indeed, many have actually discovered it’s no more the simplest thing to prove who you are. If you’re a first-timer, you need to appear in person with a birth certificate and at least one government-issued ID. If you lose your passport while taking a trip abroad, you have to show up at an embassy or consulate. Worse yet, as highlighted by the current news, your key could have a lot of value to bad guys.

This is because they are so difficult to obtain and increasingly tough to counterfeit. The Wall Street Journal reports that Interpol has  40 million lost or stolen passports in its database already. Subsequently, but those travelers boarded planes 1 billion times in 2013 without their keys being checked against that database).

So what can you do to keep your key safe both before and after you take a trip?

If you must replace your passport, you should submit your present ticket to allow the State Division to cancel it. But while it’s appealing to merely stick a couple of stamps on it and throw it in the closest mailbox, do not! Send it by means of signed-up mail with a return receipt requested so that the Post Office keeps a much better eye on it and you know that it showed up– since if it goes walkabout, you have to go back to square one.

Do not Take It With You If You Don’t Need to

If you have another form of government-issued ID, there’s no need to be lugging around a ticket (and, if you do not, all states concerned low-priced non-driver ID cards, which are worth getting for precisely this reason). Purses get taken, wallets get lifted and IDs get left behind so often that it’s worth a delay in line at the DMV for an alternate ID.

Shop It Safely

Though it’s appealing, don’t save your ticket in your underwear drawer, your desktop organizer, or your precious jewelry box– all locations that are the first look for any would-be burglar or identification burglar. Establishment it someplace others will not believe to look or can’t quickly remove– like a safe. Your ID is valuable: treat it that way.

Keep a Photocopy

If you lose your passport abroad, you will need a photocopy (or a scanned copy) of the initial in order to make your method house. Shop the document like you would the initial: in a safe, secured area that you can access and others can not. If you’re working with an electronic document, see to it it’s an encrypted file or on an encrypted drive.

Report Its Loss Promptly

If you presume your key is swiped or lost, particularly if you’re currently abroad, don’t take an extra day to retrace your steps: report it quickly. The worst thing you can do is wait and wish it shows up– only to discover that whoever made off with it likewise going out of town on it.

It has actually ended up being so widespread for individuals to misplace credit cards and driver’s licenses (or have them stolen) that companies and even states have actually made them reasonably simple to cancel and replace. But when it concerns super-IDs like keys, birth certificates as well as Social Security cards, the procedures are long and challenging since they develop who you are as best the governments can– and because they want you to take additional care not to lose them in the first place.

Losing a super-ID like a ticket can make you susceptible to identification burglary. It is essential after losing an ID like this that you closely monitor your bank accounts and credit to ensure you do not end up being a sufferer. You can monitor your credit totally free using the Credit Report Card, a free device offered by my company that updates 2 of your credit ratings monthly. Any major, unexpected changes in your scores might signal identity theft and you need to pull complimentary copies of your credit reports to make certain your identification is safe.

Costa Rica Safety

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What about Costa Rica’s Safety?

Concerns about Costa Rica’s safety are among those thinking about relocating to Costa Rica. Recent murders of American citizens, Kurt Hergis in La Fortuna in February and Stephen Rutkiewicz in Guanacaste in December have served as an impetus for the rise in concern. Unbiased responses can be challenging. Many who contribute information from the English-speaking community, slant their views. Because they have a vested interest in bringing in ex-pats who are liquid and looking to invest in Costa Rica. You need to exercise caution when listening to a real estate agent or relocation adviser.

According to recent statistics, Costa Rica is less violent than its neighboring countries in Central America. This is in comparison to the United States which has a murder rate (of 4.7 per 10,000). In Canada, the rate is even lower (1.6 per 10,000). The statistics have been compiled globally by the United Nations in 2012.

Costa Rica Safety and Crime

Costa Ricans have an unrealistic view of relative criminal activity as compared to the United States. This is the result of the periodic mass shooting in the United States has the tendency to dominate world news. Physical violence in the United States for the most part is focused in urban city centers, such as Detroit. (54.6 murders per 100,000) or Baltimore (34.9 murders per 100,000). Total rates for murder continue to be low in the United States since it is a nation of 313 million individuals.

Costa Rica, with 4.8 million people is by per capita more dangerous than the United States. Some say that much of the physical violence is a direct result of the drug trade that exists between South and Central America and the United States. For example, neighboring Honduras (91.6 murders per 10,000) and El Salvador (69.2 murders per 10,000) are the two most violent nations in the world. The Security    Ministry furthered this opinion by reporting that immigrants and others that are difficult to account for contributing significantly to the violence in Costa Rica.

Expats tend to notice the violence as it affects their own peer group or comes into their community. There is relatively small English language coverage of the shootings and murders that take place in southern San Jose or the Caribbean coast. Objectively, the drug-related violence in these areas is the kind of thing that is not likely to affect a tourist or ex-pat directly. However, violence has a tendency to eventually cross borders and social divisions. Thus violence in places like Limon will eventually impact everyone who lives in Costa Rica.

Reach out to a member of our investigative team, get the answers to any questions you might have.

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