Author: Michael Meuret

Residents and visitors in the beach community of Coronado, Panama are increasingly choosing to live without personal vehicles. This shift, driven by traffic concerns, cost savings, and a preference for a relaxed lifestyle, is reshaping mobility in an area traditionally seen as car-dependent. A combination of traditional transport, modern apps, and new community-focused services now makes a car-free existence not just feasible but often preferable. The trend reflects a broader move toward practical sustainability and convenience. While Panama’s infrastructure heavily favors automobiles, Coronado’s unique mix of services fills the gaps. People are discovering they can access everything from grocery stores…

Panama’s national banking system continues to grow by attracting foreign funds and issuing international credit, but its domestic loan portfolio shows significant weakness. A new sector analysis from Moody’s Local Panama, dated February 9, 2026, reveals this growing dependency on external markets for the fifth consecutive year.The total credit portfolio of the National Banking System (SBN) grew by 4.2% through November 2025, a slower pace than in 2024. The data reveals a stark divergence between external and internal credit performance. While the external loan book advanced by 11%, domestic credit increased by just 1.2%, one of the lowest rates recorded…

The Panama Canal Authority is advancing major new port and energy infrastructure projects, officials confirmed last week. This expansion comes as competing interoceanic corridor projects across Latin America face significant delays, accidents, or financial paralysis. The developments reinforce Panama’s entrenched position in global maritime logistics.A recent review by Nikkei Asia highlighted the stalled status of mega-projects in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Honduras. These initiatives, once touted as potential competitors, are grappling with structural, financial, and geopolitical hurdles. Meanwhile, the Panama Canal is not just maintaining its operations but actively investing to widen its competitive moat.The Canal’s administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez, outlined the…

Panama’s National Police will implement a large-scale traffic and security operation for the upcoming Carnival holiday. General Director Jaime Fernandez detailed the plan on Monday, which includes contraflow lane reversals on major highways, an expanded drone fleet, and a new digital reporting tool for citizens. The measures aim to manage the mass exodus from Panama City to interior provinces expected this weekend.Officials will activate the special traffic patterns starting at noon on Friday, February 13. The initial phase focuses on reversing lanes from Avenida de los Martires toward the Howard area, with operations continuing until 7:30 p.m. A similar, though…

A vessel carrying migrants capsized near a Panamanian island on Tuesday, resulting in three confirmed deaths. The General Congress of the Guna, the governing body for the indigenous region, reported the incident occurred near Gaigirgordub island in the Guna Yala archipelago. According to the organization’s statement, the boat departed from Miramar in Colon province with sixteen migrants aboard. It sank around midday. Personnel from the General Congress of the Guna responded to the scene, rescuing one individual who was trapped beneath the overturned hull. They provided immediate first aid to that survivor. Official Statement Details Fatalities and Rescue The congress…

The Panamanian government has officially stated that a commercial oil tanker boarded by United States military forces in the Indian Ocean is not registered under its flag. The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) clarified the vessel’s status on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. This announcement directly responds to international reports linking the ship to Panama’s vast merchant registry.United States forces intercepted the tanker Aquila II on Monday, February 9. The operation was conducted as part of a U.S.-led maritime quarantine targeting sanctioned oil shipments related to Venezuela and Cuba.Panama’s Official Clarification on Vessel RegistryPanama’s maritime authority moved quickly to correct the record.…

Panamanian rice producers have formally rejected calls to import the staple grain, warning that such a move would devastate local agriculture. They made their stance clear during an extraordinary meeting of the Rice Agro-Food Chain Committee on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Farmers argue the country has sufficient domestic supply and allege that low prices and unpaid government debts are creating a crisis.Officials from the Ministry of Agricultural Development (Panama) confirmed a solid national inventory exists. The meeting, marked by significant tension, focused on the most sensitive item in the Panamanian basic food basket.Sufficient National Supply ReportedAbel Andrés Aparicio, Director of…

Construction on Panama’s new Gorgas Campus, a major scientific hub, has reached 17 percent overall completion. Project officials confirmed the progress this week for the $190 million facility being built next to the City of Health in Ancón, Panama.The goal is to transform and expand the nation’s capacity for health and scientific research. This infrastructure project aims to create a centralized, modern space dedicated to advanced study and public health response.Structural Progress and Project TimelineJorge Araúz, the project’s general coordinator, provided a detailed breakdown of the current status. He explained that workers are actively building Phase 1, which involves the…

Panama’s Tourism Authority (ATP) is working to secure funding this month to activate a long-delayed tourist insurance program. The initiative promises free medical coverage for international visitors and Panamanians living abroad during their first ten days in the country. This effort forms a core part of the nation’s strategy to boost its competitive edge in regional tourism promotion.Gloria De León, the administrator of the ATP, confirmed the agency must return to the National Assembly’s Budget Commission to request the necessary funds. The allocated budget for 2025 was reallocated to other state expenses after contract signing delays. De León now projects…

A group of workers on Panama’s major Fourth Bridge project initiated a partial work stoppage on Monday, February 9. Officials from the Ministry of Labor and Workforce Development (Panama) are now on site mediating the labor dispute.The workers claim affiliation with the Single Union of Construction Workers and Similar Trades (Suntracs). Their primary grievance involves an alleged company mandate to deduct a one percent fee for a union they describe as illegitimate. Project operations have not fully halted, however, as a portion of the workforce continues normal activities.Company and Union Clash Over DuesIn an official statement, the Cuarto Puente Consortium…