AGP Executive Report

Wildlife & Livestock Health: The U.S. USDA confirmed the New World screwworm fly in Texas for the first time in 60 years, detected in a calf near the Mexico border—raising alarms for cattle, pets, and wildlife and triggering quarantine and surveillance. Local Conservation & Policy: Costa Rica’s courts backed efforts to curb howler monkey electrocutions from power lines, ordering infrastructure changes in Nosara and reinforcing the push for safer grid design. Biodiversity Research: A new UC Santa Cruz study finds hummingbirds can outperform bees as pollinators in Costa Rica’s mountain forests, helping explain how tropical flowers evolved. Startup & Tech Ecosystems: Costa Rica launched “LEAPCR” to accelerate startups, investment, and new jobs, while a local report says 56.5% of Costa Rican university grads use AI tools at work. Ocean Tech & Science Outreach: ArtScience Museum’s “Into the Ocean: Journey Beneath” brings ocean exploration tech to visitors, including eDNA games and multi-sensory exhibits.

Wildlife Protection Ruling: Costa Rica’s courts are holding government agencies accountable for how power-line electrocutions harm animals, ordering infrastructure changes in Nosara after rescuers treated more than 100 victims, including howler monkeys that mistake lines for vines. Biodiversity & Climate Tech: A new study from UC Santa Cruz suggests hummingbirds are better pollinators than “careful” bees on Costa Rica’s tropical mountains, helping explain why flowers shift from bee-friendly shapes to hummingbird tubes higher up. Animal Health Watch: The New World screwworm—eradicated from the U.S. decades ago—has been confirmed in Texas, raising alarm for livestock and wildlife and highlighting how fast outbreaks can move through Central America. Startup & Jobs Push: Costa Rica is rolling out LEAPCR to accelerate startups, attract investment, and create new jobs. Workforce & AI Skills: A CONARE labor observatory report finds 68.5% of Costa Rican university grads (2020–2022) were first in their families to earn a degree, with 56.5% using AI tools in daily work. Regional Security: Costa Rica’s foreign minister says Russian troops in Nicaragua are a concern, given renewed military cooperation with Moscow.

Wildlife & Biosecurity: The New World screwworm—an invasive, flesh-eating parasite—has been confirmed in a 3-week-old calf in south Texas, the first U.S. case in decades, raising alarms for livestock and wildlife and prompting USDA and Texas officials to ramp up surveillance, quarantines, and sterile-fly eradication efforts. Regional Spread Watch: Reporting notes the fly has moved north through Central America and Mexico after detections in Mexico in 2024, with experts warning the “single case” may not reflect how many are already present. Costa Rica Wildlife Protection: Costa Rica’s courts are holding agencies accountable for how power-line electrocutions harm species like howler monkeys, ordering infrastructure changes in Nosara as rescues report rising incidents. Tech & Learning in Costa Rica: ArtScience Museum’s new “Into the Ocean: Journey Beneath” exhibition brings ocean science to life with multi-sensory tech, including eDNA learning games and installations tied to Costa Rica coastlines. Local Tech & Skills: A Costa Rica university-graduate study finds 68.5% were first in their families to earn a degree, and 56.5% report using AI tools in daily work.

Wildlife Protection Ruling: Costa Rica’s constitutional court has held government agencies accountable for howler monkey electrocutions from power lines, ordering infrastructure changes in Nosara and pushing fixes like insulated cables and safer crossings. Public Health Logistics: Costa Rica’s HPV vaccination rollout is in focus as health teams work through the “last mile” to boost parent buy-in and consistent coverage. Climate Risk Watch: Experts urge extreme-weather planning even as El Niño forecasts stay uncertain, warning Central America could still see major impacts. Animal Health Alert: The U.S. confirmed the New World screwworm in south Texas for the first time in decades, raising alarms for livestock, wildlife, and rare human cases—an important reminder for regional biosecurity. Earthquake Monitoring: A magnitude 5.0 quake shook Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula area; authorities kept surveillance but reported no major damage. Tech & Business: Costa Rica’s startup push gets a boost with LEAPCR, aiming to accelerate startups, investment, and new jobs.

Invasive Biosecurity: The USDA confirmed the first New World screwworm case in the U.S. in decades after larvae were found in a 3-week-old calf in Zavala County, south Texas—an alarming return of a flesh-eating parasite that can also affect wildlife, pets, and rarely humans. Public Health & Agriculture Response: Federal and Texas officials are testing samples, setting quarantines, and planning sterile-fly releases to stop spread, with the threat tied to open wounds and even small injuries. Local Science & Risk: Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula was hit by a magnitude 5.0 earthquake, prompting routine monitoring by OVSICORI. Costa Rica Tech & Startups: Costa Rica launched LEAPCR, a national program backed by the IDB and partners to accelerate high-potential startups, attract investment, and create jobs. Medtech Investment: CINDE says Costa Rica’s medtech boom is shifting toward AI-led healthcare, R&D, and higher-value manufacturing. Digital Economy: PaidBy® and Mastercard announced a partnership to scale open-banking-powered cross-border A2A payments.

Public Health: Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula was rattled by a magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Sitio Sirena, with OVSICORI reporting no injuries or damage and only routine monitoring afterward. Wildlife & Energy Safety: Costa Rica is moving to protect howler monkeys from electrocution after a constitutional court ruling, as power lines keep killing primates that mistake them for trees. Environment & Research: Scientists are testing a better way to judge forest recovery in Costa Rica by “listening” to ecosystem sound, since satellite tree cover can miss whether wildlife and insects are truly back. Local Tech & Business: Costa Rica’s medtech sector is pushing into higher-value work, with CINDE highlighting a shift toward AI-led healthcare, R&D, and advanced manufacturing. Startup Push: Costa Rica launched LEAPCR, an IDB-backed program to accelerate startups, attract investment, and create jobs. Digital Life: A UCR study finds Facebook still dominates in Costa Rica, while TikTok is the fastest-growing social network.

Medtech Momentum in Costa Rica: CINDE says Costa Rica’s US$10B medtech exports are shifting from manufacturing into R&D, advanced engineering, AI-led healthcare, and higher-value work as global firms rethink supply chains. Startup Push: Costa Rica launched “LEAPCR,” a national program run with the Inter-American Development Bank to accelerate high-potential startups, pull in investment, and create quality jobs through capacity building and early-stage financing. Digital Life in Costa Rica: A UCR study finds Facebook still leads (80% of adults), while TikTok is the fastest-growing network (58%), with usage spreading beyond younger groups. Education Quality Warning: Ghana’s GTEC flagged 70 unrecognized tertiary institutions across multiple countries, urging students to verify accreditation before enrolling. Forest Health, New Way to Measure: Researchers propose assessing forest recovery by sound—moving beyond satellite canopy cover to better reflect ecosystem functioning.

Startup Acceleration: Costa Rica has launched “LEAPCR,” a national program to speed up high-potential startups, pull in international investment, and create quality jobs, run with support from the Inter-American Development Bank’s BID Lab plus local partners including PCII, CRUSA and SBD. Digital Life in Costa Rica: A new UCR Communication Research Center (Cicom-UCR) report finds Facebook still leads in usage (80% of adults), while TikTok is the fastest-growing platform (58%), with growth spreading beyond younger users. Tech & Business Leadership: FIFCO has named former Intel executive Timothy Scott Hall as Director of Corporate Affairs, highlighting Costa Rica’s continued pull for global tech talent. Public Health Data: ESO Solutions released its 2026 Fire Service Index, using a large emergency incident dataset to flag gaps in decontamination documentation and track wildland fire trends. Education & Credentials: Ghana’s GTEC warns the public about 70 unrecognized tertiary institutions, including some with operations listed in Costa Rica, urging verification before enrolling or accepting degrees.

Intel-to-FIFCO Talent Move: Timothy Scott, a former Intel director known for helping steer Costa Rica’s semiconductor era, has been named Director of Corporate Affairs at FIFCO, signaling a major executive shift from global tech to the region’s consumer and hospitality giant. Diplomacy + Investment Tech: Israel’s “Isaac Accords” push is being framed as a way to route Israeli institutional capital—via IDB-backed funds—into Latin America, with Costa Rica listed among target countries. Biosecurity Alert: U.S. officials pushed back on a Texas lawmaker’s claim about screwworms being just a mile away, saying the closest detection is about 25 miles from the border and ramping public messaging as monitoring continues. Local Climate Impact: A Costa Rican shoreline restoration effort is credited with planting 100,000+ native trees across dozens of beaches, turning deforested coastlines into revived habitats. Security Ops Digitization: PatrolTech is expanding a platform that records security rounds with time and location-linked multimedia to reduce disputes and improve accountability. Education Credentials Warning: Ghana’s regulator flagged 70 unrecognized tertiary institutions, including a Costa Rica-based university, urging verification before enrolling or hiring.

Emergency Data & Fire Ops: ESO Solutions released its 2026 ESO Fire Service Index using 10.2M incidents, finding decontamination steps show up in 77% of documented fire/smoke exposure cases, but full on-scene best-practice documentation is rare (about 2%). Coastal Climate Watch: Costa Rica’s oceanographers at Cimar warn unusually warm Pacific waters are running well above normal, raising risks of erosion and flooding as sea levels and swell combine. Security Traceability: PatrolTech says it’s digitizing security rounds with time-stamped, geolocated multimedia records to cut disputes and reduce serious incidents for residential and client sites. Health & Travel Alerts: Doctors are urging travelers to stay informed about recent hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks, noting hantavirus spreads mainly through close, prolonged contact. Education Credentials Warning: Ghana’s GTEC flagged 70 unrecognized tertiary institutions, including one in Costa Rica, warning students and employers to verify qualifications. Local Environment Win: Costas Verdes says its tree-planting effort has restored Costa Rica’s Pacific beaches, planting 100,000+ native trees across 34 sites.

Coastal Climate Watch: Oceanographers at UCR’s Cimar say unusually warm Pacific waters are running well above normal, raising the risk of higher sea levels, erosion, and flooding as Costa Rica heads into the season when stronger swells often arrive. Digital Security for Communities: PatrolTech, a Costa Rican-born SaaS, is expanding across more countries to digitize security round traceability with time, location, and multimedia logs—aiming to cut serious incidents and disputes. Education Credentials Alert: Ghana’s GTEC warns the public about 70 unrecognized tertiary institutions, including some with operations in Ghana and at least one Costa Rica-linked provider, urging verification before enrolling or accepting degrees. Mobility Tech on Campus: Electric bikes are gaining traction with college students as campuses get larger and commuting stress rises—positioned as a practical, faster alternative to walking and traditional bikes. Tech & Markets: Ticketplus filed for a U.S. IPO (Form F-1) to list on Nasdaq, highlighting how live-entertainment ticketing tech is scaling across Latin America, including Costa Rica. Public Safety & Governance: Costa Rica President Laura Fernández expanded polygraph testing requirements for officials tied to her anti-organized-crime “Fuerza Élite” security strategy.

Education & Credentials: Ghana’s Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) warns the public about 70 unrecognized institutions, including 14 operating in Ghana, saying certificates may not be accepted for academic or job purposes. Public Safety Tech: PatrolTech says it’s digitizing security and concierge round traceability with time, geolocation, and multimedia logs—aiming to cut serious incidents in residential settings. Climate Watch (Costa Rica): UCR marine scientists warn unusually warm Pacific waters are raising coastal erosion and flooding risks, with sea surface temperatures running well above normal near Playa Herradura. Local Research Discovery: A new marine worm species, Sthenelais onca, was described from Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, highlighting how sandy intertidal habitats still hold surprises. Health & Longevity: Dan Buettner revisits Blue Zones ideas, arguing healthier aging is driven more by environment and daily habits than genetics. Tech & Business (Region): Ticketplus filed for a U.S. IPO, listing its live-entertainment platform footprint that includes Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Science & Nature: A new marine worm species, Sthenelais onca, was described from Costa Rica’s Playa Naranjo, adding to what we know about overlooked sandy beach ecosystems and their conservation value. Costa Rica Tech & Research: Costa Rica’s Pacific expedition is set to study sharks, manta rays, and sea turtles in the South Pacific corridor between Isla del Caño and Puerto Jiménez, with researchers planning systematic observations and data to support future marine management. Costa Rica Public Safety: Costa Rica’s OIJ arrested a migration official in the “Caso Sombra” investigation tied to alleged child sexual exploitation material, seizing devices for forensic analysis after a Meta alert. Local Governance & Security: President Laura Fernández expanded her “Fuerza Élite” polygraph order to include judicial branch personnel attending weekly security meetings, aiming to build “mutual trust” in the fight against organized crime. AI & Cyber Risk: A new global study flags major governance gaps as AI adoption outpaces cybersecurity readiness, with countries scoring near zero on preparedness measures.

Polymer Banknotes Watch: India’s central bank is reviving a pilot plan for tougher, longer-lasting plastic rupee notes, starting with Rs 10 and Rs 20, aiming to cut the cost of worn-out paper cash. Costa Rica Security Oversight: President Laura Fernández expanded her “Fuerza Élite” polygraph order, saying judicial branch staff attending weekly security meetings must also take lie-detector tests. Local Governance & Education: A Wilmington school committee voted down “School Choice” over space and funding limits, while approving a Costa Rica–Panama field trip for 2028. Migration & Child Safety: Costa Rica’s OIJ arrested a migration official in “Caso Sombra” over alleged child sexual exploitation material, seizing devices for forensic review. Marine Science in Costa Rica: A new marine worm species, Sthenelais onca, was described from Playa Naranjo, adding to what we know about overlooked sandy beach ecosystems. Ocean Research Expedition: For the Oceans Foundation launched “Operation Peace for the Pacific” to study sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, and more in Costa Rica’s South Pacific corridor. Tech & Health: Research links hotter temperatures and microplastics to faster spread of antibiotic resistance in Salmonella, with Latin America and the Caribbean flagged.

Marine Science in Costa Rica: A new marine worm species, Sthenelais onca, was described from Playa Naranjo in Guanacaste, with researchers linking its jaguar-like patterning to a predatory role in a sandy intertidal habitat. Ocean Expedition: For the Oceans Foundation launched “Operation Peace for the Pacific,” a Costa Rica South Pacific survey between Isla del Caño and Puerto Jiménez targeting sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, cetaceans, and other migratory species to support conservation planning. Local Biodiversity Discovery: Scientists also reported a new Costa Rican beach find: a marine worm species buried in sand, adding to what’s known about overlooked coastal ecosystems. Public Health & Travel: A travel medicine update warns that hantavirus spread typically needs close, prolonged contact, while highlighting that outbreaks shouldn’t automatically stop travel. Tech & Society: Costa Rica’s OIJ arrested a migration official in “Caso Sombra” over alleged child sexual exploitation material, seizing devices for forensic analysis. Plant Science: The “dynamite tree” (Hura crepitans) was highlighted for a physics-driven seed launch that can fling seeds up to 252 km/h.

Marine Science in Costa Rica: Researchers have described a new jaguar-patterned marine worm, Sthenelais onca, found buried in sand at Playa Naranjo in Santa Rosa National Park, with the formal write-up appearing in ZooKeys and using anatomy, illustrations, and DNA barcoding to confirm it as a new species. Ocean Expedition: The For the Oceans Foundation is launching “Operation Peace for the Pacific,” a scientific expedition in Costa Rica’s South Pacific corridor between Isla del Caño and Puerto Jiménez to monitor sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, cetaceans, and other migratory species. Public Health Watch: Costa Rica’s CCSS reports another jump in surgical delays, with 204,622 insured patients waiting for operations as of April 2026 and an average wait of 441 days. Local Crime & Tech: Costa Rica’s OIJ arrested a migration official in the “Caso Sombra” probe tied to alleged child sexual exploitation material, seizing devices after a Meta alert for forensic review. Biodiversity Discovery: A separate report highlights a new species of blue octopus discovered in deep waters near the Galápagos, adding to ongoing revisions of deep-sea life.