Author: Sebastian Pieper
A fire in Colon ripped through three tightly packed homes in the historic port city during the predawn hours of Thursday, leaving behind severe structural damage but no casualties. The blaze, reported around 3:00 a.m., quickly devoured the buildings on Calle 2 between Avenida Herrera and Avenida Amador Guerrero, a densely populated stretch where flames can leap from rooftop to rooftop in minutes. Firefighters scrambled to stop the inferno from spreading farther down the block, and by the time the last ember was doused, three families had lost nearly everything. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hispania…
Panama’s housing market is confronting a palpable real estate deceleration in the segment most crucial to local families, prompting industry leaders and government officials to sharpen their pitch to foreign buyers. Sales of homes priced up to $180,000 have softened since the start of the year, according to the Panamanian Association of Real Estate Brokers and Developers, known as Acobir. That cooling trend is pushing the country to lean more heavily on its qualified investor visa program as a counterweight, linking residency rights to minimum property acquisitions of $300,000. Real Estate Deceleration Erodes Affordable Home Sales The slowdown is not…
The arrest of a primary suspect in a massive Panama tax fraud scheme has thrown a spotlight on a divisive legal strategy: allowing defendants in sprawling public corruption cases to negotiate reduced sentences in exchange for cooperation. As authorities dig deeper into an alleged multimillion-dollar rip-off of the country’s tax authority, known as the Pandora case, two former top justice officials are publicly clashing over whether such plea agreements strengthen the pursuit of justice or dangerously weaken it. Unraveling the Alleged Scheme Against Tax Authorities The investigation centers on a suspected criminal network that defrauded the Dirección General de Ingresos…
The government just adopted a sweeping national strategy that puts a plastic tax squarely on the table as a tool to break the country’s addiction to single-use items. A resolution published this week makes it official: Panama will explore targeted levies designed to make throwaway plastics less attractive for producers and consumers alike. The move arrives as authorities confront a staggering statistic from 2022, when the country generated upwards of 380,000 metric tons of plastic waste yet managed to recycle only about 5,000 tons. The Plastic Tax and Other Fiscal Deterrents Don’t mistake the announcement for an immediate new charge…
The constitutional mine challenge dismissed by Panama’s Supreme Court has reaffirmed the government’s authority to proceed with essential maintenance at the shuttered Cobre Panamá facility in Donoso, Colón province. Filed by a coalition of eight attorneys, the lawsuit sought to invalidate a resolution permitting preservation activities at what was once Central America’s largest copper mining operation. The court’s decision, rendered on May 7, 2026 and formally published through Edict 1037 on July 28, underscores the judiciary’s consistent position on the matter. At the heart of the dispute lies Resolution 27, issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on April…
Families across Panama are desperately searching for loved ones who vanished after traveling to Eastern Europe, as the government pledges to fully finance any Russia Ukraine War Evacuation for citizens trapped in the conflict zone. The promise comes amid a grim reality: not a single Panamanian has formally requested the repatriation assistance, and officials say some may have been lured into military service under false pretenses. Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs and Cooperation Carlos Guevara-Mann delivered the stark update this week, laying bare the limits of diplomatic power when individual decisions collide with the chaos of a war zone. Russia…
A pair of public school teachers in Panama City spent six months gathering pay stubs, tax returns, and bank statements only to be turned away by three lenders. Their combined salaries fit comfortably within the range that once guaranteed Interest rate for a modest apartment, but not anymore. For thousands of families chasing Acobir (Panamanian Association of Real Estate Brokers and Developers) Panama has become a rigged game, and fresh figures now reveal just how many are losing. Roughly 70 percent of the country’s residents cannot qualify for a home loan, according to the Panamanian Association of Real Estate Brokers…
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…