Author: Sebastian Pieper
Authorities in Panama have activated an extreme heat warning across vast swaths of the country, pushing heat indices into the danger zone. The Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Panama (IMHPA) announced that the alert would remain in effect from Tuesday afternoon, July 28, until midday on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Actual thermometer readings will hover between 31°C and 35°C, but stifling humidity and light winds will make it feel as hot as 41°C in some areas. The advisory underscores a growing pattern of intense, off-season heat events gripping the isthmus. The Meteorology Behind the Scorching Forecast Dry air settling…
In the Boquete, Chiriquí the 30th edition of the Panama coffee competition known as The Best of Panama has pulled together a roster of international cupping judges from every corner of the globe. The gathering, which wraps up this Saturday, showcases exactly how a small Central American country transformed itself into a powerhouse that commands staggering prices per pound and influences specialty coffee trends worldwide. Judges from Australia, the United States, Europe, and Asia arrived to blind-taste dozens of lots, selecting the standouts that will later ignite fierce bidding during the event’s international auction. Panama Coffee Competition Attracts World’s Top…
A little girl, just eight years old, clings to life in a Panama City hospital after a bullet meant for someone else tore through her small body. The shooting in Cerro Batea took the life of an adult man and left the child fighting for survival, adding another name to the heartbreaking list of UNICEF Panama Panama has mourned this year. Around 30 minors under the age of 18 have been killed across the country since January, according to figures handled by Public Prosecutor’s Office of Panama. Many were caught in the crossfire of gang disputes, armed attacks, and targeted…
When a flight carrying 20 Nicaraguan nationals landed in Managua, a few days ago this July, it was just the latest in a long series of repatriation flights Panama has carried out under a fast-tracked enforcement drive. Since August 2024, the National Migration Service has operated 71 removal flights, returning a total of 2,867 people to more than a dozen countries. That pace, averaging over eight flights a month, reflects a sharp policy pivot that began shortly after President José Raúl Mulino took office with a promise to curb irregular migration through the Darién Gap. How Repatriation Flights Panama Coordinates…
Ronnie González Castillo, a Panamanian volunteer Ukraine has spoken at length about, never imagined he would trade the routine of small business ownership for a bunker on the eastern front. The former entrepreneur, who spent years scrambling to support his family amid Panama’s economic pressures, found himself operating military drones and training fellow Latin Americans in the International Legion of Ukraine. In a candid account, he rejected allegations that a shadowy recruitment ring had tricked him into service, insisting that every step was his own, even when the destination meant almost certain danger. A Personal Decision Rooted in Economic Collapse…
The countdown to the 26th edition of Panama Fashion Week has officially begun, and this year’s programming draws a direct line between the runway and real-world impact. Organizers unveiled an agenda anchored by charity shows and a renewed focus on textile reuse, setting the tone for an event that wants to prove fashion can be both glamorous and responsible. The gathering will run from September 24 to 27 at the Ciudad de las Artes, a cultural complex that has become synonymous with the country’s growing creative ambitions. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Panama Fashion Week™ (@fashionweekpty)…
A nesting olive ridley turtle fought for her life on the sands of Punta Chame, but the brutal injuries she sustained from a pack of unsupervised dogs left little chance of survival. The sea turtle death, confirmed by Panama’s Ministry of Environment on Monday morning, marks the sixth such incident this year along the country’s Pacific coastline and sharpens a growing alarm over pet impacts on endangered marine species. A Fight for Survival That Ended in Loss Park rangers and marine biologists rushed to the beach within the Manglares de la Bahía de Chame protected area after locals spotted the…
When Keiko Fujimori raises her right hand to assume Peru’s presidency on Tuesday, the audience will include a powerful lineup of conservative Latin American leaders. Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino touched down in Lima on Monday, turning his Peru inauguration visit into more than a ceremonial gesture. With a bilateral meeting already locked in for the sidelines, his team is signaling that trade, investment, and security will dominate the conversation with Peru’s incoming administration. Peru Inauguration Visit Draws a Wave of Regional Allies Mulino arrived alongside First Lady Maricel Cohen de Mulino and was received with official honors by Peru’s…
Regulators in Panama are stepping up their efforts to hold mobile operators accountable, unveiling a state-of-the-art portable monitoring system that will measure Panama mobile quality in real time. The National Authority of Public Services (ASEP) has acquired the Nemo Backpack Pro, a device that functions as a walking laboratory equipped with 12 smartphones to simultaneously test voice calls, data speeds, and network coverage across the country. Dropped calls, sluggish downloads, and dead zones in busy areas could soon trigger faster regulatory responses thanks to the backpack’s ability to beam results back to inspectors almost instantly. Bringing Real-Time Accountability to Panama…
A sweeping medical cooperation effort has already exceeded its annual target just months into the year. The US Embassy health mission, carried out in partnership with Panama’s Ministry of Health, has provided specialized care to more than 14,000 people across the country. The initiative’s latest stop brought nine American military doctors to Hospital Nicolás A. Solano in La Chorrera, where roughly 100 patients received cardiology and speech therapy services during a single week. Scope of the US Embassy Health Mission and “Together for Health” The “Together for Health” (Juntos por la Salud) program emerged at the direct request of Panamanian…