Author: Sebastian Pieper

A quiet Friday at the Coquira port in Chepo Panama turned violent when a man, believed to be a local fisherman, slipped into the water and suffered a crocodile attack that left him with a serious wound to his right leg. Fellow fishermen pulled him to safety, but the incident has reignited urgent warnings from environmental authorities about a growing and dangerous practice, feeding wild crocodiles by hand. The Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) confirmed an investigation is now underway to understand exactly how this interaction between humans and wildlife went so wrong. Officials suspect the animal reacted instinctively to the…

A 105-year-old Puerto Rican veteran received Panama’s distinguished citizen honor this week, marking a key significant Panama veteran recognition ceremonies in recent memory. José A. León, a master sergeant who served two decades in the US Army, was honored September 12, 2026, by Governor Mayín Correa for his military service and lifelong connection to the Central American nation. León enlisted in 1941 and spent significant time stationed at Fort William Davis in Colón province, where his three children were born. He retired in August 1961 after participating in both World War II and the Korean War, making him one of…

Chinese car brands accounted for 86 percent of all growth in Panama’s new vehicle market between January and July 2026, according to sales data from the Panamanian Automobile Dealers Association (ADAP). The figures reveal a dramatic reshaping of the country’s automotive landscape, with Chinese manufacturers now controlling nearly 30 percent of total sales. Total new car sales in Panama reached 36,452 units during the first seven months of 2026, a 9.7 percent increase over the same period last year. Of the 3,209 additional vehicles sold, 2,748 came from Chinese brands, which grew 33.7 percent collectively. By contrast, the rest of…

Panama and Poland have reinforced their bilateral commitment to democratic governance and sovereignty during a high-level academic gathering in Panama City, officials announced Thursday. The event, focusing on Panama Poland relations, brought together government representatives, diplomats, and scholars to examine historical parallels and contemporary challenges facing democratic systems across both regions. Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs and Cooperation Carlos Guevara Mann inaugurated the forum at the Ernesto J. Castillero National Library, joined by Culture Minister Maria Eugenia Herrera and Polish Ambassador to Panama Jolanta Janek. The gathering formed part of commemorations marking the Bicentennial of the Amphictyonic Congress, a foundational…

Panama City’s municipal government has committed more than $3.8 million to Christmas activities for 2026, combining a newly announced tender for event logistics with an existing lighting contract. The latest public bidding process, published Friday, sets a reference price of $533,000 for the Christmas Budget Panama program covering the tree lighting ceremony and parade operations. The proposal submission deadline lands on October 26, leaving less than two months before the holiday celebrations begin. This compressed timeline puts pressure on contractors to mobilize quickly for the November 29 tree lighting scheduled at Mirador del Pacífico. Christmas Budget Panama Contract Breakdown Mayor…

The Panama Tax Fraud Scandal grew larger this week when Gabriel Martínez became the 22nd person charged in connection with a criminal network that allegedly manipulated the government’s e-Tax 2.0 system to steal fiscal credits worth approximately $40 million. Judge Clara Montenegro ordered Martínez held in provisional detention during a hearing on Thursday, September 10, one day after police apprehended him. Prosecutor Elizabeth Carrión presented evidence linking Martínez to three shell companies used to move funds and place the stolen tax credits. The companies, Multiservicios Instant Express, Buzz Marketing 2.0, and Berajah Tikva & Company S.E., allegedly served as intermediaries…

When Mayor Mayer Mizrachi posted images on X showing Panama municipal police recruits training with heavy caliber weapons, the reaction was immediate and polarizing. Supporters saw a mayor finally taking public safety into his own hands. Critics saw a constitutional overreach unfolding in real time. Those images now sit at the center of a key consequential legal battles Panama’s capital has faced in years. Starting next week, the Supreme Court of Justice will hear formal arguments in two consolidated lawsuits that challenge the very existence of the municipal force, setting the stage for a ruling that could redefine the boundaries…

While headlines fixate on Americans handing back passports, a quieter story is unfolding in Panama, where US citizens are lining up not to renounce but to build a second home base. The Internal Revenue Service published 1,781 names on its official expatriation list in the second quarter of 2026, one of the five largest quarterly figures since records began in 1996. But the American Exodus, as migration professionals describe it, is not fundamentally about exit. It’s about options, and Panama sits squarely at the center of that strategic recalibration. American Exodus Data Hides a Larger Trend The published figures tell…

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake shook Panama’s Chiriquí province on Friday night, September 11, triggering emergency protocols and building inspections across western Panama without producing any confirmed injuries or structural failures. The Chiriqui earthquake struck at approximately 8:56 p.m. local time with its epicenter in the Rodolfo Aguilar Delgado township of Barú district, according to the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc). Officials said the tremor was perceptible in David, Bugaba, Boquete, Tierras Altas, Gualaca, Progreso, Alanje, Puerto Armuelles, and parts of Bocas del Toro province. Electricity and communications networks remained operational, and no damage was reported to roads or bridges. Emergency…

In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, something remarkable unfolded beyond the smoke and rubble. Roughly 53 million Americans turned to a relatively new medium called the Internet to make sense of the horror that had just struck their country. That figure, documented by the Pew Research Center, captured a turning point that would reshape how people consume information during moments of national crisis. The attacks, carried out by 19 members of the Al Qaeda terrorist network who seized control of four commercial airliners, killed 2,977 civilians along with the hijackers themselves. Two planes slammed into the World Trade…