Author: Editorial Team

The Supreme Court of Justice of Panama has rejected a legal challenge against the government’s seizure of land on Isla Margarita. This ruling clears a final hurdle for a major state-led port infrastructure project on the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. In a unanimous decision, the court’s full bench declined to admit a lawsuit filed by the concession holder, Panama Colón Container Port, Inc. (PCCP). The company had argued that Executive Decree No. 90, signed in October 2025, was unconstitutional. That decree authorized the expropriation of 41 properties on the island for reasons of urgent social interest. Court Cites…

Panama secured a seat on the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The country’s election for the 2027-2029 term was finalized during recent sessions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. This role places Panama within a core group of 36 member states overseeing UNICEF’s global activities and strategic direction. The Executive Board governs critical functions for the UN agency, including budget approvals and the establishment of key program policies. Panama’s membership means it will help guide UNICEF’s international work on child protection, education, health, and humanitarian response. The election underscores Panama’s growing diplomatic engagement within…

Engineers from Panama’s Ministry of Public Works and a U.S. Army team are conducting structural assessments of the critical Bridge of the Americas this week. The inspections follow a dramatic tanker truck explosion near the bridge on Monday, April 6, which sent intense flames against its metal framework. Authorities temporarily closed the vital crossing, causing significant traffic disruptions for the Panama Oeste region.The bridge, which links Panama City to the rest of the country and forms a key part of the Pan-American Highway, was exposed to extreme heat from the fire. Initial visual inspections by the Ministry of Public Works…

One in three children in Panama lives in poverty, a new joint report reveals. The stark findings show the nation’s economic recovery has failed to reverse a crisis disproportionately affecting its youngest citizens.The study, titled “Child Poverty in Panama: A Territorial Approach to Monetary Poverty in Childhood and Adolescence,” was produced by UNICEF, the World Bank, and Panama’s Ministry of Social Development. It analyzes data from 2005 to 2023. While national poverty rates have seen a modest decline over the past decade, progress has stalled for children and adolescents, creating a deep and persistent gap.A Stalled Recovery and Structural InequalityPanama’s…

A man died from gunshot wounds in Panama City’s Santa Cruz neighborhood on Tuesday, marking another violent incident in a recent surge of capital crime. The shooting occurred near the district of Curundú, a known high-crime area, according to preliminary reports from the National Police of Panama.Authorities responded to reports of an exchange of gunfire inside a local residence. The victim sustained multiple bullet wounds. Emergency services transported him to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Police cordoned off the scene to begin their investigation.”National Police units immediately implemented search operations in adjacent sectors to…

The Social Security Fund of Panama has uncovered a payroll fraud scheme involving several of its own employees. An internal investigation revealed public servants falsified court-ordered salary deductions to pay personal debts, the agency announced this week. Officials said the employees manipulated the system for processing alimony and child support garnishments. They created fake judicial orders to deduct money from their own salaries, channeling those funds to a furniture store that acted as a front to settle their private obligations. Serious Violation of Law and Trust The agency, known locally as the Caja de Seguro Social (CSS), condemned the actions…

Fifty-seven students from Arizona State University will travel to Panama in May to provide free dental care. The trip represents the largest single mission organized by the Smiles Abroad student club in its history. The volunteers aim to treat hundreds of patients in underserved communities during their week-long brigade. The group, consisting of pre-dental and dental hygiene students, will set up temporary clinics in partnership with local health authorities. They plan to perform cleanings, extractions, and fillings while also offering preventative education. This initiative highlights a growing focus on dental public health within global service learning. View this post on…

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino delivered a forceful anti-corruption message to the nation’s business leaders this week. Speaking at the inauguration of the new board for the Panama Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture, Mulino positioned ethics as the cornerstone of his administration. The event marked the official start of Aurelio Barria Pino’s tenure as president of the influential business guild. Mulino used the platform to directly confront allegations of graft that have long plagued Panamanian politics. He framed his government in stark contrast to past administrations. “I am a president with no inner circle, no influence traffickers, and no…

The television program Jump, dedicated to showcasing business startups, premieres its second season this Saturday, April 11th at 10:00 p.m. on TVN Media. Eight entrepreneurs will compete for a one hundred thousand dollar investment prize. This initiative aims to strengthen the local business creation ecosystem by providing finalists with national visibility and strategic mentorship. More than two thousand applicants submitted projects for consideration this season. A selection committee chose only eight to advance to the televised competition. These participants will face a series of business challenges over several weeks, all leading to a final showdown in May. Yescenia Navarro, CEO…

A key legislative committee has advanced a major overhaul of Panama’s public administration decentralization framework. The National Assembly’s Municipal Affairs Committee approved bill 313 in a first debate this week, moving proposed reforms to the full legislative body.The vote followed negotiations with mayors and local district representatives from across the country. Eight committee members backed the initiative, which consolidates two earlier legislative proposals. The reforms aim to clarify and strengthen the flow of resources from the national government to Panama’s municipalities.The proposed legislation modifies 58 articles of the existing 2009 law and adds four new articles. It merges initiatives originally…