Author: Editorial Team

Panama’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry is finalizing a resolution to allow the processing and export of previously extracted rock material from the Donoso mine. Minister Julio Molto stated the authorization for the company to remove and process the stored stockpile (mining) could be issued within hours. The decision follows environmental and safety audits requested by the Ministry of Environment. Officials cite potential risks from the material’s prolonged storage as a key factor in accelerating the administrative process. Minister Molto provided specific details on the pending action. He emphasized the material requires processing before it can leave the country for…

A spiritual retreat in Panama turned tragic on Holy Saturday when a 22-year-old woman died after a diving accident. The incident occurred at the Río Indio sector in the Penonomé district of Coclé province, according to official reports. Preliminary information indicates the young woman was participating in the retreat when she entered a water jet in the area and attempted a dive. She suffered a severe impact from the jump, which left her submerged underwater. Other attendees managed to pull her from the water and immediately attempted resuscitation maneuvers, but she did not respond. Emergency teams later arrived at the…

Search teams recovered the body of a missing French tourist on Sunday afternoon near Santa Catalina in Panama. The National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) located the man after a multi-agency search operation spanning more than a day along the Pacific coast. The tourist was reported missing on the morning of Saturday, April 4 from El Estero beach. Officials immediately activated search and rescue protocols for the area, which is part of the southern Province of Veraguas. His body was found around 4:15 p.m. the following day near Isla Cébaco. Intensive Coastal Search Operation Responders from several agencies combed the coastline.…

The Panama Fire Department has initiated a formal technical investigation into a major fuel tank explosion beneath the iconic Americas Bridge. The blast, which occurred at a port concession area, sent temperatures soaring above 1,000 degrees Celsius and resulted in one fatality. Specialists began on-site assessments on Monday to determine the exact cause of the failure and the structural integrity of the critical bridge. Field evaluations include photographic documentation, evidence collection, and interviews with personnel working at the time of the incident. Industrial security experts from the private concession company are joining the official probe to provide additional context. The…

Panama’s Ministry of Environment is investigating reports of alleged illegal mining in the Donoso District of Colon province. The probe follows community alerts about potential damage to water resources and protected ecosystems within a managed reserve area. Specialized park rangers from the National System of Protected Areas (Panama) convened with the Specialized Multidisciplinary Environmental Team this week. Their meeting focused on intelligence sharing about suspicious activities inside the Donoso and Omar Torrijos Herrera Managed Resource Area. Officials examined potential environmental crimes linked to unauthorized extraction. The session aimed to verify data, identify access routes, and plan operational strategies to detect…

Four leading Panamanian medical societies have issued a joint epidemiological alert. The warning comes in response to a dramatic surge in measles cases across the Americas and the high risk of the virus re-entering Panama. The groups urgently called for strengthened vaccination and surveillance efforts this week. The statement was released by the Panamanian Society of Pediatrics, the Panamanian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, the Panamanian Society of Infectious Diseases, and the Panamanian Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics. These organizations expressed deep concern over declining vaccination coverage rates. They emphasized an immediate need to reinforce preventative measures nationwide. Regional Case…

Panama’s National Institute of Vocational Training and Human Development (INADEH) and the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) have signed a new cooperation agreement. The technical assistance pact, finalized this week, aims to streamline the professional certification process for the country’s tourist guides.This agreement formally homologates the Professional Technician in General Tourism Guide course taught by INADEH with the official certification required by the ATP. Officials from both institutions stated the move directly addresses the need to strengthen service quality within Panama’s vital tourism sector. It ensures guides possess competencies aligned with current national standards.Juan Carlos Navarro, a representative from INADEH, explained…

A beachfront vacation rental property in Malibu Beach, Panama, collapsed completely on Saturday morning, April 4. The incident was caused by powerful waves and a coastal swell event that struck the Pacific coast on Good Friday night. Officials from Panama’s National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) responded to the scene in the Nueva Gorgona area of Chame district, Panama Oeste province. No injuries were reported because the rental units were unoccupied at the time of the collapse. After assessing the site, authorities cordoned off the area with perimeter tape to prevent visitors from approaching the unstable structure. This event highlights the…

More than 120,000 pilgrims from across Panama converged on the Santo Cristo de Alanje Diocesan Sanctuary during Holy Week. The annual tradition in the town of Alanje draws massive crowds seeking spiritual renewal and to witness the site’s famed miracles. The sanctuary, a cornerstone of Catholic faith in the region, served as the focal point for days of prayer and veneration. Activities throughout the week allowed the faithful to prepare for the culminating Easter Sunday Resurrection Mass. A Sanctuary of Miracles and Renewal Pilgrims participated in a series of religious acts, from venerating the miraculous Christ figure to personal prayer.…

A former partner from the defunct Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca is on trial in Germany, a decade after the landmark Panama Papers investigation first exposed his alleged role in facilitating global tax evasion. The proceedings against Christoph Zollinger in a Cologne courtroom represent one of the most significant legal actions to stem directly from the 2016 data leak. They underscore the long and complex path to accountability in the shadowy world of offshore finance that the Pulitzer Prize-winning project brought to light. German prosecutors allege Zollinger, a dual Swiss-Panamanian citizen, was a key member of a group that helped…