Author: Sebastian Pieper
The Panama dengue outbreak has reached a critical threshold, with more than 6,000 confirmed infections and 16 deaths now recorded nationwide. All four dengue serotypes are circulating at once across the country, and type 2 is generating the most severe complications among patients, according to Ricardo Torres Castillo, director of the Metropolitan Health Region. Torres pointed to the Metropolitan Region as the epicenter of the crisis. It has logged 1,717 cases and two deaths so far. One fatality occurred in Tocumen, the other in Veracruz. The Veracruz victim was just 38 years old, a stark reminder that the virus can…
The Panama Canal Authority has announced a phased reduction in daily vessel transits as drought conditions linked to an emerging El Niño event continue to strain the waterway’s water supply. New Panama Canal restrictions will take effect for reservation dates beginning September 4, 2026, reducing the total number of ships crossing the interoceanic route to 34 per day initially and then to 32 by mid-September. The decision follows months of below-average rainfall across the canal’s watershed, with accumulated precipitation between May and August running 34 percent below historical norms while water inflows to the basin dropped 44 percent below the…
A family on a private boat in Panama’s Las Perlas archipelago triggered an official investigation this week after one passenger entered the water just meters from a humpback whale, a direct violation of the country’s whale swimming ban that authorities say is becoming increasingly common as fewer cetaceans reach Panamanian waters this season. (***video below) Investigation Into the Las Perlas Encounter The Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) opened a formal process on Monday following the circulation of images showing a person swimming near a humpback whale in the Pearl Islands. Digna Barsallo, director of Coasts and Seas at MiAmbiente, clarified that…
Consumers across Panama will encounter a mixed bag at filling stations starting Friday, August 21, with gasoline costs easing slightly while diesel climbs. The Energy Secretariat confirmed the new Panama fuel prices this week, reflecting an oil market still wrestling with supply disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty. For ordinary drivers, the savings on gasoline amount to fractions of a cent, but for transport operators and businesses relying on diesel, the increase adds another layer of operational cost. Panama Fuel Prices Dip for Gasoline Users Motorists filling up with premium fuel will pay B/.1.23 per liter for 95 octane gasoline, a reduction…
Marking a century of promoting Spanish language and letters, the Panama language academy inducted President José Raúl Mulino as an honorary academician during a formal ceremony that drew cultural leaders, diplomats, and literary figures from across the Americas. The recognition places Mulino among distinguished figures committed to defending and enriching the Spanish language in an era of rapid transformation. Panama Language Academy Marks a Milestone The ceremony unfolded as the academy celebrates 100 years since its founding in 1926, a distinction that makes it the first institution of its kind in Latin America. First Lady Maricel Cohen de Mulino accompanied…
A $1.5 billion port arbitration claim has thrust Panama into a high-stakes legal confrontation with Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison, threatening to redefine the country’s relationship with foreign investors in strategic infrastructure. The company revealed on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, that it had initiated international arbitration proceedings after its subsidiary, Panama Ports Company (PPC), was stripped of operating rights to the Balboa and Cristóbal ports at opposite ends of the Panama Canal. The filing follows a January Supreme Court ruling that declared PPC’s 1997 concession contract unconstitutional, effectively terminating a key significant port operations in Latin America. CK Hutchison said…
A routine screening at Panama’s National Customs Authority took a serious turn when agents uncovered what appears to be a courier drug shipment concealed inside a briefcase that arrived through a courier service from Miami. The discovery included dark green plant material suspected to be an illicit substance along with 50 THC vaporizers, preliminary reports indicate. Discovery During Routine Courier Screening Customs officials were conducting standard inspections on packages transported by courier services when they identified a box that raised immediate suspicion. Inside that box sat a briefcase, and upon closer examination, agents found the dark green herb and the…
More than 35 tons of trash will be pulled from Panama City’s Pacific coastline every day as part of a Panama coastal cleanup that runs from the Amador Causeway to Costa del Este. The Río Verde consortium is managing the operation at the request of the Mayor’s Office of Panama, targeting decades of accumulated waste along the shore. Municipal officials confirmed the effort will unfold over 425 days. A Vital Stopover for Migratory Birds Restoring the bay’s wetland health is about more than removing unsightly garbage. The area functions as a biological bridge for the Americas, a route used every…
Hotel operators across Panama have spent years watching competitors on Airbnb undercut their rates while escaping the 7 percent sales tax, they must collect on every booking. No E-commerce tax was applied. That frustration finally has a government response. The Panama ecommerce tax proposal, unveiled by Finance Minister Felipe Chapman, would extend the existing ITBMS levy to digital purchases made through Amazon, Temu, Netflix, Airbnb and other online platforms, with conservative projections showing more than $100 million in annual revenue. Chapman announced the details on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, while leaving the 30th Hemispheric Congress for the Prevention of Money…
A tribute to bassist Jimmy Maxwell will anchor the 24th Panama Jazz Festival, scheduled for January 14 to 16, 2027. Organizers say the three-day event will turn Panama City into a meeting point for music, education and cultural exchange, drawing international figures, national artists and respected educational institutions into a single creative conversation. Since its creation in 2003, the Jazz Festival has grown from a promising cultural initiative into a reference point for jazz in Latin America and beyond. Its programming has consistently paired performances with workshops, panel discussions and educational opportunities, a combination that gives the event a distinctive…