Author: michaelm

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has transferred a historic $2.965 billion dividend to the national government. This payment for the 2025 fiscal year marks a significant 20 percent increase from the previous year’s contribution.The funds, delivered directly to the National Treasury, consist of $2.372 billion from the waterway’s operational surplus and $591 million from tonnage duty payments. An additional $2 million covers fees for public services. This total exceeds the ACP’s original budget projection for the year by 6.3 percent, or roughly $175.5 million.Ceremony Highlights Workforce ContributionPresident José Raúl Mulino formally received the ceremonial check during an event at the…

The Ministry of Economy and Finance (Panama) transferred $300,000 to the municipality of Chagres in November 2024. This occurred while the district’s mayor, Eugenio “Geñito” Delgado, was under criminal investigation for his alleged role in a separate funding scandal. The payments raise new questions about the oversight of public funds and political connections within Panama’s local governments.Official records confirm two separate disbursements reached the Chagres municipal coffers late last year. Delgado faces prosecution for alleged embezzlement, or “peculado,” connected to his prior administration. He is specifically accused of mishandling approximately $1.4 million from a previous decentralization fund. A judge has…

Panama’s National Police apprehended two individuals and confiscated more than $59,000 in counterfeit US dollars during a targeted operation in Panama City. The seizures, part of an initiative called Operation Numeral, occurred in the Juan Díaz and Don Bosco districts following an investigation into suspected counterfeit currency distribution.Authorities launched the operation after investigative work pointed to suspicious activity in Juan Díaz. Police units located a vehicle acting suspiciously in a commercial plaza and detained its two occupants. With a judicial warrant in hand, officers conducted a search of the car.That search revealed a significant stash of fake bills. “Upon verifying…

Residents of Panama now owe more than 42.5 billion dollars to banks and other lenders. The latest data from the country’s credit bureau shows a small portion of that massive sum, over 1.3 billion dollars, is considered so difficult to collect it has been written off as a loss.APC Experian, the national credit reporting agency, released its November 2025 figures this week. The report details the total debt held by Panamanians and foreign residents across banking, cooperative, and telecommunications sectors. While the overall delinquency rate sits at 6.5 percent, excluding the written-off accounts, a significant 3.11 percent of the total…

A large trailer truck hauling electronic goods burst into flames on Panama’s busy Centenario Highway Monday night. The dramatic fire caused major traffic delays for hours, though the two people on board escaped without injury.The incident occurred around 11:00 p.m. on December 15, 2025, on the highway section leading toward the district of Arraiján. Preliminary reports from authorities indicate mechanical failures likely sparked the blaze. Firefighters from multiple stations responded quickly to prevent the fire from spreading to other vehicles.The Panama Fire Department confirmed its crews managed to control the intense fire. Units from the Arraiján and La Chorrera stations…

A pioneering bone regeneration device developed by Panamanian scientist Guillermo Ameer has been successfully used in its first surgical procedure in the United States. The milestone marks a significant clinical translation for the synthetic bone graft substitute, which received regulatory clearance last year.The technology, named Citregraft, is a highly porous bioactive scaffold. It is designed to fill and integrate with irregular bone defects, stimulating the body’s own healing processes before being naturally absorbed.From Laboratory to Operating RoomCitregraft is composed of citrate-based polymers combined with bioactive glass, materials developed over two decades in Ameer’s laboratory. In its inaugural clinical application, surgeons…

A legislative commission in Panama has uncovered deep systemic failures within the state’s network of child protection shelters. The findings come after weeks of surprise inspections led by the National Assembly’s Commission for Women, Children, Youth, and Family.Commission president Alexandra Brenes revealed that while physical facilities were often adequate, the oversight and support system for vulnerable children is critically broken. Her team visited eight shelters across Chiriquí Province, Veraguas, Coclé, and Panama Oeste, discovering issues ranging from funding delays to judicial backlogs that leave children in legal limbo for years.The inspections faced immediate obstacles from the very agency tasked with…

Panamanian authorities are actively pursuing a series of high-profile investigations into former government officials for alleged unexplained wealth. The legal actions, centered on the crime of unjust enrichment, target figures from the previous Laurentino Cortizo administration (2019-2024). This coordinated effort involves the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (Panama) and the Public Ministry, signaling a renewed focus on public accountability.The legal framework for these probes is Law 59 of 1999, which specifically defines and regulates unjust enrichment within Panama’s administrative and penal codes. Unlike other corruption charges, this law does not require prosecutors to first prove a specific…

Panamanian security forces intercepted over three metric tons of cocaine concealed inside a shipping container at a port in Colón province. The National Aeronaval Service (Panama) and the National Police made the discovery during a routine inspection on December 14, 2025.Officials stated the narcotics were found stashed within a container that arrived from Ecuador. Its documented route included a planned transshipment in Belgium before a final destination in Sweden.Dual Port Seizures Highlight Transit Route PressureThis massive seizure was not an isolated event. Just one day prior, National Police agents located an additional 150 kilograms of cocaine in a separate container…

Panama’s economic activity grew 4.77 percent in October 2025 compared to the same month last year. The expansion was primarily driven by strong performance in the Panama Canal, national ports, and air transport, according to official data released this week.The National Institute of Statistics and Census (Panama) reported the figure through its Monthly Index of Economic Activity. While positive, the October growth rate was slower than the 8.36 percent surge recorded in October 2024. For the first ten months of the year, cumulative economic growth stands at 4.36 percent.Government analysts pointed to sustained momentum in key service sectors. “The country’s…