Author: Editorial Team

Panama’s Aquatic Resources Authority (ARAP) removed and confiscated an illegal drift gillnet from the Gulf of Chiriquí last week. The operation followed an anonymous tip about the abandoned fishing gear posing a threat to marine life.Personnel from ARAP’s Chiriquí Regional Directorate located and extracted the net from open waters on Friday, January 23. They conducted the mission with support from Panama’s National Aeronaval Service (SENAN). Officials immediately took custody of the net, citing its danger to responsible fishing practices and sensitive ocean ecosystems.Enforcement of Fishing RegulationsThe Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama (ARAP) emphasized that leaving fishing gear adrift is explicitly…

El Salvador and Panama fell in the ranking of top exporters to the United States last year, new federal data shows. They were the only Central American nations to lose ground despite most regional partners improving their positions. The shift comes amid changing U.S. tariff policies affecting the region.The latest monthly trade bulletin from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), published in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau, details the change. The report covers trade through October 2025. El Salvador dropped from 67th to 68th place among America’s top supplier partners. Panama also slid one spot, moving from 96th…

Panama’s Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd Galindo, has announced a plan to establish a mandatory national entrance exam for all medical schools. The proposal aims to address a critical shortage of internship positions and concerns over the quality of new doctors. Authorities revealed the plan this week as a growing number of graduates overwhelm the public health system’s capacity for practical training.The Ministry of Health (Minsa) is evaluating the creation of a standardized admissions filter, similar to the one used by the University of Panama. This comes in response to a sustained increase in medical graduates, insufficient internship placements, and…

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…