Costa Rica, Sinaloa
Costa Rica is the name of a small town located about 30 minutes (by car) south of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico.
In its beginnings Costa Rica was a small peasant town created due to the existence of the sugar cane processing plant that was there. In the 1960s, there were just about 15,000 people in the town but it was thriving with commerce. Its people were known to be very polite. There were 2 movie theaters and plenty of restaurants. The more popular places were the Farmacia Del Capi, El Restaurante Lety, La Neveria De Juvencio, El Mercado Nuevo and La Ferreteria Gutierrez, among others.
The sugar cane industry was very prosperous. Then came the closing of the plant due to mismanagement and thousands became unemployed. Now most employment is offered by the service sector, but people continue to struggle to make ends meet. The city of Costa Rica, Sinaloa's condition is a result of corruption and narcotraffic. While most of the people try to make an honest living, there is a part of the population that live out of the narcotraffic business. Costa Rica, Sinaloa is a city plagued by corruption, a city where stolen cars are driven freely and the authorities do not care about it as long as they receive their cut. Costa Rica, Sinaloa is a city full of brand new cars and dirt roads. There is many businesses flourish without paying taxes, which contribute to the lack of public services available in the city. But as of late more of the city's tax money is being used for the prosperity of the people of Costa Rica, which includes its first street light. People in this little optimistic town are mostly old people who had never seen another place that does not belong to Costa Rica, humble, honest and working people with the best stories to tell and a lot of young people studying in the local high school with high hopes and dreams. Costa Rica nowadays is still populated and worth to visit if you are looking for an example of what people struggles everyday just to get a meal on their tables
Sinaloan Banda style music is very popular in this town, including corridos.
Coordinates: 24°5′8″N 107°3′8″W / 24.08556°N 107.05222°W