Author: michaelm

A Canadian man accused of impersonating a pilot to obtain hundreds of free flights has been extradited from Panama to the United States. Dallas Pokornik, 33, was handed over to U.S. authorities on January 15 following his arrest at Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport last December.Federal prosecutors allege Pokornik deceived four major airlines over a four-year period, securing free travel through a well-practiced deception. His capture came after an international manhunt triggered by a warrant from a U.S. District Court in Hawaii.International Arrest Follows Years of Alleged DeceptionCourt documents show the scheme operated from January 2020 through October 2024. Pokornik…

The president of the Colón Chamber of Commerce, María Eugenia Ramos Ramos, is facing formal criminal charges. The Public Prosecutor’s Office requested the charges during a hearing on Tuesday, January 27. Prosecutors allege she issued a check without sufficient funds.Ramos was apprehended on Monday, January 26, following an investigation. The Judicial Investigation Directorate had requested her presence since January 21. She spent the night at a DIJ facility in Colón, Panama before being transferred for her hearing.Prosecution Details Alleged Economic CrimesThe hearing before a guarantee judge began at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Prosecutors from the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office Against Collective…

More than thirty patients with rheumatoid arthritis have experienced early relapses and a lack of clinical response after receiving the biosimilar drug Rixathon in Panama’s Social Security Fund hospitals. The Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation of Panama raised the alarm this week, stating that medical reports detailing these therapeutic failures have been formally submitted to the institution’s pharmacovigilance system.The concerns originate from documentation compiled by the Rheumatology Service at the Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid Hospital Complex. Specialists there recorded cases of therapeutic inefficacy as early as the fourth month after administration. This timing is notably premature, as standard clinical protocols for this…

Panama’s Expat-tations Group is redefining the international relocation process by merging legal, real estate, and information management services into a single, technology-driven ecosystem. The company’s proprietary software platform, developed in-house, tackles the bureaucratic and logistical hurdles that typically slow down moves to the Central American nation. This integrated approach aims to transform a traditionally fragmented experience into a seamless gateway for investors, retirees, and professionals. The model consolidates three core divisions under one corporate umbrella. These include a specialized law firm, a curated real estate brokerage, and a central information and  management team overseeing client onboarding and long-term support. By…

Panamanian authorities arrested eight individuals this week for allegedly running a sophisticated car theft and digital fraud operation. The National Police of Panama, working with prosecutors, executed the raids across four districts of Panama City as part of “Operation Fraudcar.”Investigators say the criminal groups targeted rental car companies. They would rent vehicles using legitimate contracts, then forge ownership documents to sell the cars to unsuspecting buyers on popular online marketplaces. The scheme inflicted an estimated $100,000 in losses on both businesses and private citizens.Coordinated Raids Across the CapitalPolice units carried out simultaneous search warrants in the districts of Pedregal, Tocumen,…

Panama’s economic progress is being held back by a persistent deficit in job quality and workforce skills, a new World Bank analysis concludes. The report, released this week, argues that despite strong growth, these factors are slowing the reduction of poverty and inequality in the country.Panama’s position on the global Human Capital Index has stagnated for ten years. This leaves the nation as one of the world’s most unequal for its income level. A child born in Panama today is projected to reach only half of their potential future productivity, a gap representing a massive 50 percent loss in future…

Official statistics show a sharp rebound in maritime traffic through the Panama Canal. The vital waterway recorded 3,107 total transits from October through December 2025, a significant increase compared to the same period last year.This data, released by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), covers the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. The figures point to a sustained recovery following previous operational restrictions imposed due to water scarcity. The daily average for high-draft vessel transits reached 34.6 during this three-month span.Boris Moreno Vásquez, the ACP’s Vice President of Operations, signed the monthly report detailing this growth. He connected the positive results…

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…