San Jose, Dec. 28 (Prensa Latina) Costa Rica is currently suffering from increased US tariffs and a falling dollar, whose combined effects threaten to impact its economy for the remainder of 2025 and into the beginning of next year, according to local experts.

Both indicators place businesses and the rest of the population in a situation of uncertainty as we approach 2026, since external volatility is hitting exports, investments, and tourism—key sectors for growth, stated economist Leiner Vargas, quoted by Teletica.com.

The main problem, the expert commented, is not the specific amount of the tariffs themselves, but rather the lack of clarity and the instability of the rules of the game caused by this increase, even though inflation and interest rates remain stable.

The appreciation of the Costa Rican money (Colon) over the past three years is driven by lower demand for dollars for imports and seasonal factors such as tourism revenue and Christmas bonus payments.

This combination of a cheap dollar and unstable tariffs creates both winners and losers.

On the one hand, Vargas explains, importers and companies with costs in that currency see a reduction in their acquisition and production costs.

On the other hand, those who produce in colones and sell in foreign markets lose competitiveness, especially in agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.

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