The latest, verified reporting on events across Panama and beyond. This section covers breaking stories, developments, and essential daily news.
Panama’s Health Ministry ordered the recall of three luxury perfumes after detecting a banned chemical linked to reproductive and hormonal risks. Consumers are being told to stop using the fragrances immediately and verify sanitary registration before buying cosmetics.
Panama City has launched Nexus Lab, a free digital training platform offering more than 1,500 scholarships to help young people build tech skills and improve job prospects. The program is tied to upcoming community job fairs starting in May.
Seven-year-old Javierys Hurtado was found in Chitré after an Amber Alert triggered a heightened search response. The case underscores the urgency of rapid child protection protocols in Panama.
The CSS says it detected payroll irregularities involving workers who allegedly simulated pensions to cover debts. The case raises fresh concerns about oversight and public trust in Panama’s social security system.
Copa Airlines plans to raise capacity by 14% in 2026, expand its fleet and routes, and create more than 2,100 direct jobs in Panama over four years. The carrier also expects to carry 20.9 million passengers next year and operate 500 daily flights by 2029.
Mobile casinos are reshaping Panama’s betting market and putting new attention on digital infrastructure, regulation, and tech-driven job creation. The trend also highlights how online entertainment is becoming part of the country’s broader economic transition.
Panama’s MEF clarified how the June CEPANIM payment works and whether not withdrawing a CEPADEM affects eligibility. Beneficiaries are being told to check the official list to confirm if they can collect.
Panama’s economy grew 4.4% in 2025, with GDP reaching B/.84.75 billion. Transportation and logistics led the expansion, accounting for 40% of growth.
Environmental groups in Panama are warning that Bill 571 could weaken protections for coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves after passing first debate in the National Assembly. Supporters say the measure updates marine law, while critics call it a dangerous rollback.
Panama’s Health Ministry is urging the public to remove mosquito breeding sites as dengue cases rise, with six deaths reported so far this year. Standing water remains the main driver of the outbreak.
Felipe Chapman said Panama’s Finance Ministry is willing to review Convivienda’s technical case against extending the 2% transfer tax to new homes. The housing sector warns the change could slow mortgages, cut construction activity, and reduce overall tax revenue.
Panama is reviewing the Americas Bridge after this week’s fire while also assessing whether to remove fuel tanks and rethink valuable Canal-side land use. The moves could affect safety, infrastructure planning, and long-term development near the Canal.
Panama’s Commission on Municipal Affairs approved in first debate a bill to reform decentralization, following an updated technical analysis from the MEF. The proposal now moves deeper into the legislative process.
The Panama Canal remains a cornerstone of Panama’s economy and a critical route in global trade. Its strategic location and shipping efficiency continue to make it one of the country’s most valuable assets.
President José Raúl Mulino highlighted Panama’s economic, tourism and logistics growth, while emphasizing transparency and job creation. His remarks placed clean governance at the center of the country’s development message.
A proposed pedestrian and bicycle tunnel under the Panama Canal remains under consideration, keeping alive an unusual plan to let people cross the trade route on foot or by bike. The project would add a new mobility link beneath one of Panama’s most important landmarks.
The Panama Canal has signed a new collective agreement with deck captains and officers that includes annual salary increases through 2033. The deal also adds new rest rules and compensation changes aimed at improving safety and stability.
President José Raúl Mulino said no decision has been made on the future of the tanks beneath the Bridge of the Americas. The site remains an important infrastructure and planning issue in Panama City.
Ángela Russo was elected Panama’s new ombudsman with 37 votes in the National Assembly. The appointment places her at the head of the office charged with defending citizens’ rights.
Ángela Russo won Panama’s Defensor del Pueblo vote after deputies revived the full candidate list and overrode the committee’s original shortlist. The result sparked criticism over institutional independence and exposed shifting legislative alliances.