Author: Manuel Antonio Espinosa

Panama was one of four nations to abstain from a United Nations General Assembly vote authorizing virtual participation for Palestinian officials during the 81st session. The resolution passed overwhelmingly with 152 votes in favor, three against, and four abstentions, according to official UN records. The measure, adopted as Resolution A RES 81 1, allows Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other senior officials to participate via videoconference or prerecorded messages when unable to travel to UN headquarters in New York. Colombia, Honduras, and Peru joined Panama in abstaining, while the United States, Israel, and Paraguay cast the only opposing votes. Panama…

A collection of roughly 3,500 Guna artifacts held in the United States for decades will return to Panama during the first half of 2027, in what officials describe as one of the largest Guna art repatriation efforts ever undertaken. The collection, valued between $650,000 and $900,000 by its donor, includes approximately 1,900 molas, more than 500 nuchus, textiles, ceremonial objects, instruments, documents, photographs and ethnographic material. The pieces belonged to the Hannaher Collection, administered by American businessman Thomas Hannaher, who donated them to the Geoversity foundation with the explicit commitment to eventually transfer them to Panama. The collection dates from…

Panama City’s historic Casco Antiguo district will transform into a car-free cultural corridor this Sunday, September 27, offering family Sunday activities that blend heritage tours, live music, and local gastronomy from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The municipal initiative, known as Casco Peatonal, opens museums, plazas, and waterfront spaces to pedestrians while imposing strict security measures for the daylong event. Officials confirmed the pedestrian zone attracted more than 800,000 visitors during its first year and generated roughly $15 million in economic activity, according to data from the Mayor’s Office of Panama. Sunday’s programming spans multiple venues, from Plaza Bolívar to…

The Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá (UTP) hosted two regional technology congresses in September, advancing the national Azuero Chiriqui development strategy through discussions on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and smart logistics. Specialists from seven countries gathered at UTP’s regional centers in Azuero and Chiriquí between September 15 and 18, 2026. The Azuero event ran from September 15 to 17 as the XII Congress of Engineering, while Chiriquí hosted the V International Congress of Sciences and Technologies for Sustainable Development (CITDES 2026) from September 16 to 18. Participants came from Panama, Argentina, Colombia, the United States, Uruguay, Mexico, and Costa Rica. National AI…

Panama’s Ministry of Labor has ordered a near-total work stoppage on the fourth bridge project over the Panama Canal after a worker fell from a platform at the Figali prefabrication site on Thursday night, September 24. Labor Minister Jackeline Muñoz confirmed the suspension during a visit to the consortium’s administrative offices on Friday. The injured worker fell from approximately two meters while performing duties on the project, according to a statement from the Consorcio Panamá Cuarto Puente (CPCP). The company said the employee wore personal protective equipment, received first aid on site, and was transported to a medical center. The…

A new study reveals that 47 percent of Panamanian households ate fewer than three meals a day during the past month because they lacked money. The finding underscores a worsening food insecurity Panama crisis that the country’s leading business chamber says demands urgent government attention. The data comes from the IX Quality of Life Report presented by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (Cciap). Researchers surveyed 1,238 adults between August 12 and September 1, 2026. The results paint a stark picture of daily hardship for millions of families despite gains in other quality-of-life indicators. Food Insecurity Panama…

A single 15-kilogram lot of Panama Geisha coffee sold for $270,060 at the Best of Panama 2026 auction, pushing total sales past $3 million and confirming the country’s dominance in the ultra-premium specialty coffee market. The Elida Geisha Torre lot from Lamastus Family Estates fetched $18,004 per kilogram, the highest price recorded during the two-day online bidding event that closed September 24. The auction, organized by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), generated $3,041,940 in total sales across 50 lots. Buyers from 11 countries secured coffee, with Chinese bidders leading the pack by purchasing 20 lots and accounting for…

More than 30 firefighters from four stations responded to the Macarronera fire incident in Panama City’s Calidonia district Friday afternoon, as low water pressure forced crews to rely on tanker trucks to contain flames engulfing an inhabited wooden barracks on 29th Street. No injuries had been reported at the time of initial statements, but Colonel Ángel Delgado of the Panama Fire Department confirmed the structure was occupied and said some residents could be displaced. Authorities had not yet determined how many people were affected. Macarronera Fire Incident Response and Water Supply Challenges Firefighters encountered immediate obstacles when hydrants in the…

New York City officially designated a section of Brooklyn as “Little Panama Way” on Thursday, cementing a lasting tribute to the New York Panamanian heritage that has shaped Crown Heights for generations. President José Raúl Mulino and First Lady Maricel Cohen de Mulino attended the unveiling ceremony along Franklin Avenue, where new street signs now bear Panama’s name. The designation follows the approval of bill No. A8904 in the New York State Assembly. A companion measure, Project S9429, is advancing through the State Senate to establish a formal Panamanian Cultural District spanning 22 blocks in the area. New York Panamanian…

The Panama Canal will maintain its current canal transit restrictions at 32 daily vessel crossings and a 48-foot draft through at least December, as improved rainfall patterns have eased pressure on the waterway’s reservoir system, canal administrator Ilya Espino de Marotta said Tuesday. The announcement marks a significant departure from the operational crisis that gripped the interoceanic route in 2023, when severe drought conditions forced the Panama Canal Authority to implement aggressive cutbacks that disrupted global shipping schedules and pushed freight rates higher across major trade lanes. Rainfall Recovery Reshapes Canal Transit Restrictions Recent precipitation across the Panama Canal watershed…