Costa Rica has put forward Rebeca Grynspan as its candidate for United Nations secretary-general, a move that highlights the nation’s push for stronger Latin American representation in global leadership. President Rodrigo Chaves made the announcement today, positioning the former vice president and current head of the UN’s trade and development agency as a frontrunner in the 2026 election.
Shipping companies have paid as much as $4 million in last-minute auction fees to send vessels through the Panama Canal, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed this week, as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Iran conflict forces global trade to shift routes.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado smiles as she leaves after Mass at the National Basilica Santa Maria la Antigua in Panama City on July 5, 2026