Author: Editorial Team

The number of registered maritime employment contracts in Panama has jumped 26.2 percent between January and May 2026. Officials from the Panama Maritime Authority confirmed the figures this week. A total of 534 new contracts were formalized during this period. That compares to 423 contracts filed during the same timeframe in 2025. The statistics come from the Department of Maritime Labor Affairs within the General Directorate of Seafarers. Director Felipe Arias and Deputy Director Tania Valderrama presented the data during a meeting with maritime labor groups. Representatives from the National College of Seafarers attended alongside the German Seamen’s Mission for…

Panama’s Supreme Court of Justice has upheld the closure of the Suntracs construction workers’ cooperative. Workers now plan to take their case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The unanimous ruling came from the full court under magistrate Carlos Villalobos. The decision keeps in place the order from the Panamanian Autonomous Institute for Cooperatives (IPACOOP). That order forced the shutdown of the Cooperative of Multiple Services for the Sole Union of Construction Workers and Similar Trades (Suntracs). The court refused to admit a constitutional guarantees appeal filed by attorney Antonio Vargas. Vargas wanted to nullify Resolution D.E./A.L./No. 079-2025 from…

Panama City Hall has officially canceled a $27.2 million loan process with Multibank Inc. Mayor Mayer Mizrachi signed Resolution No. 009-2026 on June 16. The decision halts a financial operation designed to settle a debt stemming from a tax collection contract signed nearly two decades ago. The municipality originally sought the financing to refinance obligations tied to Contract No. 024-2006. That agreement involved the management of collections for Municipal tax collection contract services. Treasury officials recommended suspending the process after meetings with public financing experts from the Ministry of Economy and Finance Panama. Government Analysis Led to Better Offer The…

President José Raúl Mulino signed an Executive Decree ordering all national and municipal public offices to close at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23. The measure allows government employees to support the Panama National Team in its second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Panama faces Croatia at Toronto Stadium in Canada. The decree, numbered No. 20 and dated June 22, 2026, mandates uninterrupted work schedules until the early closure time. No entity can establish different hours than those specified in the document. The government wants workers to join the national celebration. View this post on Instagram A post…

Panama City has become the center of hemispheric diplomacy this week. The nation is hosting the Organization of American States General Assembly 56. This event marks exactly two centuries since Simón Bolívar first called for regional unity in 1826. Ambassador Ana Irene Delgado, Panama’s representative to the OAS, confirmed the historic timing. She detailed the assembly’s focus on multilateralism, democracy and security. Panama last hosted this gathering in 1975 and again in 1996. [Translated from Spanish] Panama Takes Leadership in Key OAS Commissions The assembly elected Panama by acclamation to lead two fundamental commissions. Panama now presides over the Hemispheric…

Four individuals received 48-month prison sentences for illegal mining activities in Las Minas, Herrera Province. The ruling came after authorities caught them red-handed destroying a local aquifer. The Public Ministry secured the convictions through its Municipal Attorney’s Office in Las Minas. Officials validated four plea agreements during the court hearing. The convicted individuals had been under house arrest before they accepted responsibility for their crimes. “The prosecutor presented the full body of evidence collected during the investigation. This allowed us to prove the criminal act and the penal responsibility of those now convicted.” [Translated from Spanish] Authorities arrested the four…

Panama City, Panama – The University of Panama celebrated the graduation of 91 new professionals in music, visual arts, dance, and theater on Friday. The ceremony took place at the Domo de Curundú venue. University officials highlighted the launch of seven new postgraduate programs, including a doctorate, as a major milestone for the Faculty of Fine Arts. This academic expansion reactivates advanced study offerings after more than a decade without new programs. The graduates now join a legacy of over 359,000 alumni the institution has produced in its 90-year history. The event drew faculty, family members, and university leaders to…

Panama’s National Traffic Operations Directorate has fined more than 1,100 motorcyclists during a sweeping nationwide operation. The enforcement blitz targeted reckless driving, illegal street racing, and criminal activity on the roads. Officials announced the results on June 20, 2026. The massive operation represents one of the largest coordinated traffic enforcement actions in recent Panamanian history. Authorities from the National Traffic Operations Directorate deployed officers across multiple provinces simultaneously. Their mission was clear: restore order to chaotic streets and send a strong message to violators. Police confiscated 48 motorcycles during the crackdown. Officers towed these vehicles and removed them from circulation…

The Ministry of Public Works Panama will close two lanes on the Bridge of the Americas next week. Crews need to install new banners on the iconic structure. The work is scheduled for the nights of Monday June 22 and Tuesday June 23. Drivers heading toward Panama City will face partial closures between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. on both nights. The ministry announced the plan in an official statement released Thursday. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane in the affected direction during those hours. Crews need the extra space to safely operate heavy equipment for the flag…

A new study reveals a stark economic gap in Panama. The monthly Panama cost of living now stands at 1,064 dollars. This figure far outpaces the national average salary of 734 dollars. Researchers from the University of Panama released the data on March 3. The Institute of National Studies, known as Iden, conducted the analysis. It shows the Panama basic food basket costs 357 dollars. That means a typical worker earns roughly 300 dollars less than what they need each month. The situation is worse for private sector employees. Many of them earn below 700 dollars. Euclides Antonio Méndez leads…