Author: Manuel Antonio Espinosa

Relatives of the seven Cuba Panamanian detainees issued a formal statement Thursday distancing themselves from a vocal activist organization while simultaneously endorsing the diplomatic work carried out by Panamanian authorities. The families, whose loved ones remain in Cuban custody under circumstances that remain largely unexplained, made clear that no outside group speaks for them or the imprisoned citizens. Families Draw a Hard Line Against Activist Interference The relatives categorically rejected any representation by Camino a la Democracia, a platform known for pushing political transition in Cuba. Their communiqué demanded that the organization and any third parties immediately cease issuing public…

The metro expansion Panama agenda took a concrete step forward this week when Metro de Panamá officials presented a recommended budget of $873.8 million for 2027, a package that includes funding for preliminary studies on the future Line 2A corridor through Tumba Muerto. César Pinzón, the agency’s director general, and Evar Caballero, its director of finance, delivered the spending proposal to the National Assembly’s Budget Committee on September 10, 2026. The investment plan reflects the growing weight of a rail system that now carries more than 400,000 passengers on a typical weekday across the capital region. The network’s transformation since…

President José Raúl Mulino has called for a second face-to-face meeting between business representatives and older adults as the fate of expanded Panama retiree benefits and pensionado discounts hangs in the balance. The session, tentatively set for September 15 at the Palacio de las Garzas, arrives after the National Assembly’s approval of Bill 226 and before the president decides whether to sign the measure, issue a partial veto, or reject it entirely. Both sides have agreed to sit down with legal advisers from the Ministry of the Presidency to review the controversial text and search for workable compromises. The meeting…

Coiba National Park’s sprawling marine territory is about to get a much stronger line of defense against illegal fishing and other threats. Panama marine conservation efforts took a concrete leap forward this September with the delivery of three purpose-built vessels, a combined investment of B/.488,000 drawn from the Coiba Fund. The Ministry of Environment, known locally as MiAmbiente, handed over the boats during a ceremony in Veraguas province, marking a renewed push to safeguard one of Central America’s most ecologically significant ocean reserves. Panama Marine Conservation Funding Reaches $488,000 The funding breaks into two clear operational priorities. A specialized research…

The feasibility study for the Panama David railway has been formally delivered to Panama’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and now sits under active review, officials confirmed during a binational gathering in David, Chiriquí. This milestone, announced September 9, 2026, marks a critical step forward for an initiative that aims to link western Panama with southern Costa Rica and, eventually, other Central American markets. Manuel Arias, who represents the Ferrocarril Panamá-Chiriquí, said the MEF has the document in hand and is evaluating it carefully. The ministry’s review process also involves multilateral organizations tasked with validating the technical and economic…

Two South Korean companies paid $14,710 per kilogram for a nano-lot of Panamanian Geisha at a private Geisha coffee auction this week, establishing a new benchmark for one of the world’s most exclusive agricultural products. Ruli Coffee and GSC International secured the 2-kilogram lot from the first harvest of Luito Estate after a marathon bidding session that stretched across 11 hours and 15 minutes. The event, organized by Lamastus Family Estate and titled “First Light, Before the World Wakes,” began at 6 p.m. on September 8 and didn’t conclude until 5 a.m. the following day. The winning lot attracted 3,881…

Young Panamanians looking for a first break in the labor market can now earn while they learn under a new national program. President José Raúl Mulino presided over the official launch event where the first participants signed internship agreements with private companies, turning Panama youth internships into a working reality. The initiative, created by Law 513 of March 20, 2026, provides monthly compensation, private health coverage, and hands-on exposure to the country’s productive sector for people aged 18 to 25. Panama Youth Internships Move From Paper to Workplace The signing ceremony marked the first concrete step for a policy designed…

Every morning, borrowers in some Panama neighborhoods wait for the knock that keeps them in debt. The informal “gota a gota” loan seems simple: cash delivered quickly, no paperwork, and a promise to repay in daily installments. But consumer protection officials and police warn that predatory lending risks hide behind that convenience, especially when collectors begin showing up at homes and workplaces. Subcomisionado Yeisson Díaz of the Dirección de Investigación Judicial (DIJ) says the loan itself is not classified as illegal. The danger arrives later, he explains, when a borrower fails to keep up with payments and the collection process…

In the first three months of 2026, buyers from the United States committed $33.6 million to residential real estate in Panama, a 53 percent jump from the same period a year earlier. That surge pushed the United States past Colombia and Venezuela for the first time in the country’s modern property market. Behind that shift sits a far larger phenomenon: expatriate market growth now valued at more than $1.8 billion, according to consulting firm Indesa. The money moves through real estate transactions, yes, but also through restaurants, legal advisors, wellness services, and the daily spending of thousands of international residents.…

For many people, a quick visit to a bank branch has often ended with a small but frustrating charge, like a fee to withdraw cash from a savings account. That scenario will change when the bank removing commission agreement was approved by the Superintendency of Banks of Panama (SBP) . It takes effect on January 4, 2027. Agreement No. 7-2026, approved on September 9, 2026, bans banks from collecting commissions on a wide range of everyday services, from balance letters to certain loan cancellations. Panama’s bank removing commission for everyday services Under the new framework, banks must stop charging for…