Author: michaelm

A new delegation of Panamanian legislators will travel to Taiwan next week to discuss trade and investment opportunities. Deputy José Pérez Barboni confirmed the trip to local media, stating the group will depart on January 31 and return on February 7.The six-member delegation includes representatives from several major parties in the National Assembly of Panama. Their agenda, arranged by invitation from Taiwanese authorities, will focus heavily on commercial ties. Specific topics include potential collaboration in the semiconductor industry and establishing a formal Panama-Taiwan trade office or bilateral chamber of commerce.Focus on Economic Ties Amid Diplomatic ContextThis visit follows a similar…

More than 125,000 vehicles are currently circulating on Panama’s roads with expired license plates due to a major administrative delay. The country’s Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) has failed to issue new plates for 2026, a situation also stranding over 5,000 brand-new cars without any registration at all.This crisis stems directly from the implementation of Law 214 of May 4, 2021 (Panama). That legislation changed the national vehicle registration plate system, establishing a five-year validity for metal plates starting with those issued in 2021. Those first plates under the new law officially expired in December 2025. The law also…

The Panama City municipal government reopened the historic Playa Prieta to the public on January 25, 2026, renaming it “La Playita de Las Garzas.” The move is part of a broader initiative to restore public access to seven historic beaches in the city’s Casco Antiguo (Panama) district. Heritage experts and community leaders immediately raised alarms, warning that inadequate protection measures could damage the site’s colonial seawall and delicate ecosystem.Located near the Presidential Palace, the small beach is encircled by centuries-old defensive walls. Officials envision the area as a new public recreation space with established rules. The reopening marks a key…

Panama’s Civil Aviation Authority is initiating a major modernization of the José Ezequiel Hall International Airport on Isla Colón in Bocas del Toro. The agency confirmed a $3 million initial investment this week, marking the start of a phased project that could exceed $25 million. This expansion aims to transform the gateway to a key tourist archipelago to meet growing demand and modern aviation standards.The launch follows the recent finalization of a critical land acquisition. The authority purchased 20 hectares of adjacent property for approximately $6 million, securing the space needed for the comprehensive overhaul. Funds for the land buy…

Panama’s highland coffee harvest depends each year on thousands of seasonal workers, most from the Indigenous Ngäbe Buglé community. Families migrate to western mountain farms, providing the essential labor that harvests some of the world’s most expensive coffee beans. This tradition faces a critical shortage of workers, threatening a sector where culture and economic opportunity intertwine.The work unfolds in the districts of Boquete and Renacimiento in Chiriquí province. This region produces the celebrated Geisha variety, a bean that commands record-breaking prices at global auctions. The annual harvest, or “zafra,” begins each September and relies heavily on migratory labor from the…

A proposed law to mandate ethanol in Panama’s fuel supply is facing intense scrutiny. Critics, including prominent journalists, allege the bill benefits a small group of well-connected sugar mill owners at the public’s expense. The controversy deepened this week following a separate administrative order that froze the budget of a major municipality.The legislative proposal would require all gasoline sold in Panama to contain a 10 percent blend of locally produced bioethanol. Government officials argue the measure will reduce carbon emissions and boost the agricultural sector. Opponents counter that it creates a captive market for a select few producers, including business…

Panama received 2.38 million international visitors between January and October 2025. Preliminary data from the Government of Panama Comptroller General and the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) shows a 7.1 percent increase over the same period in 2024. The surge in tourism generated significant economic benefits for the Central American nation.Tourism revenue for those ten months reached 5.4555 billion balboas, which is equivalent to the same figure in U.S. dollars. This represents a 9.3 percent year-over-year increase, adding roughly 465.7 million dollars to the economy. Hotel occupancy averaged a healthy 56 percent across the country during this period of growth.Overnight Tourists…

A group of incarcerated women from Panama’s main female prison traded their uniforms for brooms this week. They are cleaning streets in a district of the capital overwhelmed by months of accumulated garbage, a visible symptom of a national waste management collapse. The government initiative offers sentence reductions while confronting a public health emergency that has become deeply politicized.Seventy women from the Centro Penitenciario Femenino volunteered for the work detail in the San Miguelito District. They joined 25 incarcerated men and a fleet of government trucks and excavators. This emergency response began on January 19 after the private company that…

Panamanian police and prosecutors seized nearly ten thousand counterfeit items in a raid on two homes in Panama City this week. The joint operation, part of an ongoing anti-counterfeiting initiative, resulted in one arrest and the confiscation of goods valued at approximately 95 thousand US dollars.The action was carried out by the National Police (Panama) in coordination with the Public Ministry (Panama). Officials targeted two residences in the Villa de Las Fuentes sector of the Betania district. A 32-year-old woman was apprehended during the enforcement action known as Operation False Brand.Massive Haul of Fake ProductsAuthorities spent hours cataloging the massive…

Panama City will become the focal point for Latin American economic policy this week. The CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean is convening its International Economic Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean on January 28 and 29, 2026. The event gathers heads of state, multilateral representatives, and academic experts to address pressing challenges related to growth, stability, and sustainable development across the region.This high-level meeting arrives during a period of global economic fragmentation. Organizers aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Latin American moment, focusing on the delicate balances required to maintain fiscal credibility.…