The latest, verified reporting on events across Panama and beyond. This section covers breaking stories, developments, and essential daily news.
A satirical column uses a therapy-session metaphor to critique Panama’s tendency to explain away its problems instead of fixing them. Its message is simple: progress starts with one real action, not another excuse.
Businesses are paying up to $4 million for priority Panama Canal crossings as global trade disruption drives intense demand for non-reserved slots. The surge underscores the canal’s importance to world shipping.
Panama’s 2026 Afropanameñidad calendar will fill May with parades, food fairs, fashion events, and cultural tributes across several provinces. The program highlights Afro-Panamanian heritage while adding workshops on racial awareness and human rights.
Los Remenditos returned to Casco Antiguo with handmade products produced by incarcerated people as part of the Casco Peatonal initiative. The display supported a Ministry of Government project focused on social reintegration.
More than 700 pets were cared for in Colón during the 26th Mission Patitas sterilization campaign led by the Office of the First Lady. The drive highlighted ongoing efforts to expand animal welfare services in Panama.
Panama registered 84,067 labor contracts in the first quarter of 2026, up 16,923 from the same period in 2025, according to MITRADEL. The increase points to stronger hiring activity in the formal job market.
A family died in a crash in Chame, prompting relatives to demand justice and remember them as cheerful, exemplary people. The tragedy has renewed concern about road safety in Panamá Oeste.
Gang-related violence continues to affect Panama City, San Miguelito and Colón, with authorities linking the unrest to organized crime. The situation remains a major public safety challenge in Panama’s most populated urban areas.
Four members of the López family died in a serious traffic accident in Chame, Panama Oeste, leaving relatives and neighbors in mourning. Loved ones described them as exemplary and very cheerful.
Cobre Panamá is advancing a hiring process tied to its preservation and safe management plan, with more than 1,300 people already hired and 1,000 more direct jobs projected. Most positions are going to residents of nearby communities in Coclé and Colón.
Residents in Parita are demanding urgent repairs to roads tied to the PCP project, saying the damaged routes have affected transport, farming, and school travel for years. The issue has become a daily obstacle for local communities.
Chame is mourning the loss of a pastor and his family after a fatal crash. The bus driver remains detained pending a hearing that will define his legal status.
Casco Peatonal has completed its first year in Panama City, drawing more than 800 visitors and generating about $15 million. The pedestrian project has helped strengthen Casco Antiguo’s role as a cultural and tourism hub.
Dolega is promoting a cable car project meant to connect its highland areas and turn the district’s geography into a tourism attraction. The plan is part of a local push to strengthen Chiriquí’s visitor economy.
Panama’s mining debate is increasingly centered on water security, with critics warning that extraction in Donoso could threaten the Canal and the country’s long-term future. The controversy also keeps the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling and public opposition to mining in sharp focus.
Colón held a mass pet sterilization campaign that completed 1,000 procedures in one day. The effort is part of Misión Patitas, which has now surpassed 25,000 interventions nationwide.
Star Princess transited the Panama Canal, underscoring Princess Cruises’ long history with canal voyages dating back to 1967. The crossing highlights Panama’s role as both a global shipping corridor and a major tourism draw.
The Star Princess visited the Panama Canal, highlighting the country’s continuing role in global cruise travel and maritime tourism. The stop reinforces the canal’s appeal as a signature experience for international passengers.
Panama’s medicine shortages reflect deeper failures in procurement, logistics, and oversight across the public health system. The debate now centers on coordination, not individual blame.
The Metro de Panamá has begun testing the Line 3 monorail in Panamá Oeste, a key step toward opening the new transit corridor. The project is aimed at improving mobility for commuters who travel between the western metro area and Panama City.