Author: Sebastian Pieper
Panama City, Panama — President José Raúl Mulino has signed an executive order closing all national and municipal public offices early on Wednesday, June 17. The measure allows government employees to support the national soccer team in its 2026 FIFA World Cup debut against Ghana. Executive Decree No. 19, dated June 16, mandates that offices shut their doors at 2:00 p.m. local time. The match takes place at Toronto Stadium in Canada. This marks Panama’s second appearance on soccer’s biggest stage. Official Decree Details and Employee Impact Government institutions must operate their regular schedules without interruption until the 2:00 p.m.…
Panama’s Ministry of Education has discovered additional cases of fraudulent academic credentials used by teachers. Education Minister Lucy Molinar confirmed the findings to reporters this week. She promised detailed information will come next week. The scandal first erupted earlier this year. The Ministry of Education Panama flagged irregularities during the application process for the 2026 Massive Teacher Recruitment Contest. Applicants submitted fake master’s degrees, postgraduate certificates and specialized diplomas. These false documents boosted their scores in the competitive hiring process. Molinar did not specify the number of new cases discovered. She said the ministry is still reviewing evidence. “We have…
The interim rector of the Autonomous University of Chiriquí (Unachi) has announced a major push for financial oversight. Pedro González Beerman said the university requested a forensic audit from the Comptroller General of the Republic. He also asked President José Raúl Mulino to form a technical committee to address the institution’s financial and administrative crisis. González Beerman was appointed by the General University Council (CGU) to lead the university until August 31. He stated his primary responsibility is to guarantee a transparent electoral process. This process will allow the university community to choose new authorities. The announcement comes amid growing…
Rising food prices are pushing families in Panama to grow their own produce. Home gardens have emerged as a practical alternative for households looking to reduce monthly expenses. Community leader Iván Zapata is driving this change in the Chilibre area of Panama City. Zapata teaches residents basic farming techniques. These methods work in small patios, flowerpots, and even recycled containers. The initiative targets families struggling with the increasing cost of food at local markets. Participants learn to grow cucumbers, chili peppers, cilantro, bell peppers, corn, and yams at home. Simple Techniques for Urban Farming During a recent educational workshop, Zapata…
The Panama Canal Authority has launched urgent maintenance work at the Gatun Locks in Colon province. Crews are replacing six faulty valves that showed significant water leaks. The operation is taking place in one of the lock’s dry chambers. Engineers discovered the problems during routine inspections. Divers found the valves had various degrees of damage and were allowing water to escape. The authority decided to replace all six units immediately rather than risk further water loss. Wilfredo Yau, a rehabilitation engineer for the Panama Canal Authority, explained the scope of the project. “This year it was time to work on…
Panama’s Ministry of Economy and Finance began the mass delivery of Negotiable Payment Certificates for Default Interest (Cepanim) on Monday at Megapolis Outlets Panama. Around 1,920 pre-scheduled individuals are expected to receive their documents on the first day alone. The event marks a major step in settling long-standing government debts. Many beneficiaries arrived early for their appointments, which started at 8:00 a.m. at the shopping center, formerly known as Multicentro. Carmen Jaén, coordinator of the Cepanim-Cepadem program, confirmed that the technical team began processing documents smoothly for those with prior appointments. The certificates represent a financial instrument issued by the…
Tourism chambers in Veraguas and Mariato have publicly rejected the government’s decision to reactivate a high-security prison on Coiba Island. The move threatens to damage tourism development and environmental conservation in the UNESCO World Heritage site. Officials confirmed the transfer of 29 high-profile inmates to the facility this week. The Veraguas Tourism Chamber called the action an “outrage” in an official statement. The group argued that national security should not come at the expense of the province’s main economic driver. Hundreds of families in coastal communities depend on tourism for their livelihoods. The chamber also backed the Ministry of Environment’s…
Panama’s environmental defenders face a coordinated digital assault as the battle over reopening the Cobre Panama mine enters a new and dangerous phase. A cross-border investigative report reveals more than 100 accounts are targeting activists who question the controversial copper mine’s revival. These accounts have spent nearly $60,000 on paid Meta advertising alone. The investigation, led by the Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism (CLIP) in partnership with Panamanian media outlets Concolón and La Prensa, uncovered a sophisticated three-tiered harassment campaign. Fake profiles, simulated news pages, and accounts linked to mine employees are all part of the offensive. On November…
Security forces have expanded their crackdown to the Penonomé prison in Coclé province. The operation targeted contraband and prohibited items inside the facility. Authorities mobilized 395 agents to search 12 cell blocks housing 679 inmates. The raid is part of a broader strategy called Operation Cerrojo. This initiative follows a massive escape of 195 prisoners from La Joyita prison several weeks ago. That event triggered urgent calls for tighter controls across the nation’s correctional facilities. Officials reported significant seizures during the Penonomé inspection. Agents confiscated 167 packages containing suspected illegal substances. They also found $4,282.50 in cash, 78 cellphones, 34…
Panama’s pork industry has reached a historic turning point. After years of struggling against cheap imports, producers now face a new problem: too much pork. The sector has grown so fast that local demand can no longer absorb everything it produces. Official data shows the scale of this shift. Between January and April 2026, slaughterhouses processed 236,964 pigs across Panama. That represents a 21.2 percent jump compared to the same period in 2025, when 195,533 animals were slaughtered. The difference equals 41,431 additional pigs in just four months. Producers report more than 4,000 pigs currently without a commercial buyer. They…