Author: Sebastian Pieper

Panama City, Panama. Three Black Hawk helicopters from the United States Joint Task Force Bravo landed in Panama on Saturday. The National Aeronaval Service, known as Senan, confirmed their arrival as part of bilateral cooperation activities. The aircraft include two HH-60 models and one UH-60 model. They will take part in a jungle survival training exercise at the Almirante Cristóbal Colón Naval Air Base. Specialized personnel from Senan, the National Police, and the National Border Service, known as Senafront, will train alongside US Marines. This deployment continues existing cooperation agreements between the two nations. The helicopters will remain on Panamanian…

Panamanian border agents have detained six Colombian citizens near the border with Colombia. The operation targeted suspected illegal mining activities in the remote Darien province. Officials from the National Border Service (Senafront) confirmed the arrests on Thursday. The operation took place approximately 10 kilometers from the international boundary. Agents from the National Border Service (Senafront) moved into the Mangle sector, located at the headwaters of the Tuira River. Authorities seized 13 pack animals, specifically mules, along with various tools used for mineral extraction. The six detained individuals are Colombian nationals. Senafront reports suggest they are linked to illegal mining in…

Global Bank Panama has recognized three women for their transformative projects in education, food security and scientific research. The second edition of the Unique Women: Building a Sustainable Future award ceremony took place in Panama City on June 5, 2026. Karen Gibbs, Helga Patricia Barría Fábrega and Gabrielle Britton emerged as winners from more than 300 applicants nationwide. The initiative forms part of the bank’s Unique Program, a platform designed to promote financial inclusion and empowerment for women. Nine finalists reached the final stage after a rigorous selection process. A panel of specialists in sustainability, education, leadership and social responsibility…

A Panamanian tribunal has sentenced 12 individuals to 50 years in prison for their roles in the 2019 massacre at La Joyita prison. The attack left 13 inmates dead and 11 others wounded. The ruling was announced on December 6, 2026, by the Attorney General’s Office. The massacre occurred on December 17, 2019, inside Pavilion 14 of the maximum-security facility. Prosecutors proved the defendants acted with premeditation. They used firearms and sharp weapons to attack a specific group of inmates housed in the same pavilion. [Translated from Spanish] The violence sent dozens of prisoners scrambling for safety. Some jumped from…

COLON, Panama – The Panamanian government has handed over 600 new apartments and 37 property titles to families in Colon province. Minister of the Presidency Juan Carlos Orillac led the ceremony at the Colon Art and Culture Center on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The massive housing delivery marks the completion of the second phase of the Altos de Los Lagos urban project. Minister Orillac joined Housing Minister Jaime Jované and National Land Administration Authority (ANATI) Administrator Andrés Pagés for the event. The initiative transforms lives for hundreds of families who lived in overcrowded shelters and old tenement buildings for years.…

The Panama Ministry of Culture has officially started the process of moving the National Library into its direct institutional control. This transition follows the requirements set by the General Culture Law of Panama, enacted in 2020. The ministry announced the decision on June 9, 2026, citing a formal resolution signed the previous day. Resolution OAL-R-No. 157-2026, dated June 8, 2026, triggers the transfer of the Ernesto J. Castillero R. National Library and all public libraries to the ministry’s authority. Officials said this move protects the nation’s bibliographic heritage. It also ensures library services continue without interruption for the public. The…

High-level security officials from Panama and Costa Rica met this week in Chiriquí Province to reinforce bilateral cooperation on border security and migration control. The meeting addressed joint strategies for common regional challenges. Panama’s Minister of Public Security, Frank Alexis Abrego, and Costa Rica’s Minister of Governance and Police, Gerald Campos Valverde, led the discussions. National and provincial authorities attended the working session. They focused on strengthening control posts, increasing intelligence capabilities, and reinforcing patrols along the shared border. The goal is to optimize coordinated operations between security and migration entities. Roger Mojica Rivera, Director General of Panama’s National Migration…

Panama City, Panama – President José Raúl Mulino held a secret meeting with lawmakers from his own political party last week. The closed-door session on June 10 solidified support for Deputy Shirley Castañeda to become the next President of the Panamanian National Assembly. The meeting took place at the Presidential Palace without any official press release or photographs, a stark contrast to previous publicized encounters with other legislative factions. For three months, Mulino has been meeting with four different parliamentary blocs. He met with Cambio Democrático on March 17, Realizando Metas on April 28, the PRD on April 29, and…

Panama’s consumer protection agency has proposed a major shakeup of the country’s electricity market. The plan would let households choose their power supplier for the first time. The Panama electricity market competition proposal targets the current system of geographic monopolies. The Panama Consumer Protection and Competition Authority, known as Acodeco, submitted a technical report on June 3, 2026. The document went to Zelmar Rodríguez, administrator general of the National Authority for Public Services (ASEP). Dated May 29, 2026, the report argues that residential customers lack the freedom to choose their energy provider. Three companies currently control Panama’s retail electricity supply.…

Panama’s Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office Panama executed a search and inspection operation on Thursday at the offices of the Ancon communal board. The raid is part of an ongoing investigation into alleged administrative mismanagement involving the corregimiento’s representative. Officials from the Public Ministry conducted the operation. It lasted several hours. They collected documents and information tied to the probe. The investigation targets the Ancon corregimiento and its local government body. Authorities have not disclosed specific findings from the inspection. The exact scope of the investigation remains unclear. Three Legal Complaints Filed Against Representative Yamireth Batista The Panama communal board representative Yamireth…