Author: michaelm

Panama’s solar energy chamber is urging the government to eliminate a national cap on distributed solar generation. The call comes as the country prepares to draft a new National Energy Plan in January 2026. Industry leaders argue that removing the 4 percent limit is essential for accelerating Panama’s energy transition and meeting growing consumer demand.New data reveals significant growth in the sector over the past eleven months. More than 40 megawatts of new solar capacity were added through self-consumption systems between January and November 2025. This brings Panama’s total installed self-consumption capacity to 188.8 megawatts, spread across nearly 7,000 active…

Panamanian employers anticipate a more cautious hiring climate for the first quarter of 2026. A new employment survey reveals a significant quarterly drop in hiring intentions, even as some key economic sectors show resilience. The data points to a labor market adjusting to ongoing economic uncertainty.The latest Net Employment Outlook (NEO) from ManpowerGroup shows a seasonally adjusted trend of 17 percent. This figure represents a seven percentage point decline from the current fourth quarter of 2025. It sits just one point above the outlook for the same period in 2024. Globally, Panama’s outlook trails the world average by seven points.Hospitality…

United States President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a recent interview. Trump stated Maduro has “his days numbered” and suggested military actions against drug traffickers could soon expand to land operations. The comments, made to the publication Politico, represent a significant escalation in rhetoric regarding the political crisis in Venezuela.Trump refused to detail any specific plans for potential US intervention in the South American nation. He declined to answer directly when asked if an invasion was being considered, telling the interviewer he did not want to discuss military strategy. The former president’s remarks…

UNESCO has formally recognized Panama’s traditional wattle and daub house construction and community plastering practices as cultural heritage in urgent need of protection. The decision was made during a session of the intergovernmental committee in India on Tuesday, December 10. This urgent listing compels Panama to implement immediate preservation measures for these centuries-old building techniques, which officials say are at serious risk of disappearing.The inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding covers two interconnected elements. These are the specific processes for building the ‘Casa de Quincha,’ a structure made from wood, cane, and mud,…

The total cost for Panama’s ambitious Metro Line 3 monorail project has escalated to $4.481 billion. This new figure incorporates nearly half a billion dollars in financing costs for a newly added underground tunnel section that passes beneath the Panama Canal. Panama’s Comptroller General, Anel Flores, formally approved the contract’s seventh addendum on November 20, 2025, solidifying the financial and construction changes for the major public transit expansion.This financial adjustment follows a significant engineering decision to bury a 4.5-kilometer segment of the route. The original 25-kilometer elevated line, designed to connect Albrook with the Ciudad del Futuro in Panama Oeste,…

Panama’s Copa Airlines has formally begun the process to secure special flight permits to Toronto, Canada. The move directly responds to surging travel demand after the historic qualification of the Panama national football team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The airline announced the initiative on Monday, December 8, 2025, aiming to transport thousands of fans to support the team next summer.Current aviation restrictions between Panama and Canada present a significant challenge. Canadian authorities only authorize one daily flight on the Panama City to Toronto route. Copa Airlines confirmed those existing seats are nearly sold out for the tournament period.…

A new report from Panama’s Ombudsman’s Office details the severe and systemic inequalities facing the nation’s Afro-descendant children. The investigation, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), exposes widespread poverty, violence, and discrimination that limits the development of over 312,000 young people. These children represent 26 percent of Panama’s total child population.The “Defensorial Report on the Situation of the Rights of Afro-descendant Girls, Boys and Adolescents in Panama” compiles direct testimonies and institutional data. It was presented this week to government authorities, international organizations, and the Afro-descendant community groups who participated in its creation. Researchers conducted focus groups and…

Panama has set a new global benchmark for coffee prices. A kilogram of the country’s prized Geisha variety sold for 30,204 dollars at the annual Best of Panama auction this week, cementing its status as the world’s most expensive coffee. The record-setting lot of washed Geisha was grown by Hacienda La Esmeralda in the highlands of Boquete, Chiriquí Province and purchased by Julith Coffee, a buyer based in Dubai.This astronomical price is the culmination of a three-decade transformation of Panama’s coffee industry. From near collapse in the 1990s, a unified group of producers focused on quality and a single, rediscovered…

The Municipality of Panama City has issued a detailed set of rules for its upcoming “City of the Stars” Christmas parade. The event is scheduled for Sunday, December 14, 2025, starting at 3:00 p.m. along a route from Nicanor de Obarrio Avenue to 76th Street in the San Francisco district.Mayor Mayer Mizrachi Matalon signed the regulatory decree on November 25. Officials designed the measures to ensure public order and safety for what they anticipate will be a large family event. The rules cover everything from parking bans to strict alcohol consumption limits along the parade corridor.Major Road Closures and Parking…

Panama uniquely observes Mother’s Day every year on December 8. This date directly coincides with the country’s national holiday for the Immaculate Conception. The tradition originated from a formal petition by a group of Catholic women nearly a century ago.Back in 1930, these women requested a change to the nation’s Mother’s Day celebration. The holiday had been observed on May 11 since its official introduction in 1924. Their proposal sought to align the day honoring mothers with the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a key Marian celebration in the Catholic faith. This move aimed to infuse the secular celebration with…