In-depth reporting on government actions, political parties, and policy debates in Panama. We track elections, legislative changes, and the actors shaping public life.
Panama’s Assembly advanced bill 443, which would require all gasoline sold in the country to include 10% bioethanol. The proposal now faces further debate after lawmakers raised constitutional objections.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most powerful chokepoints, with the ability to shape energy prices, shipping costs and geopolitical tensions. Its importance also reaches Latin America through fuel and logistics impacts.
Panama’s renewed debate over Parlacen centers on former leaders who can enter the regional body automatically after leaving office. Critics say that access, combined with immunity protections, can create a political refuge at the edge of corruption investigations.
Panama has extradited the main suspect in the 1994 Alas Chiricanas bombing, a case that killed 21 people and remained unresolved for decades. Prosecutors are now moving the long-dormant investigation into court.
Tens of thousands of Afghans have been displaced by fighting along the Pakistan border and are now living in tent camps. The crisis highlights the humanitarian toll of renewed border violence in a fragile region.
The US and Iran are exchanging threats as a short ceasefire nears its end, raising fears of renewed escalation. The standoff could have ripple effects on global energy, trade, and regional security.
Costa Rica has backed Panama amid a widening dispute over shipping terminals tied to the Panama Canal and Chinese interests. The controversy is drawing regional attention because of the canal’s importance to global trade.
Diplomatic efforts to end the US-Israel war on Iran have stalled after Tehran rejected talks under military pressure. The breakdown raises the risk of wider regional escalation and potential spillover into global energy and trade markets.
Panama lawmakers are questioning a sharp rise in exceptional public contracts, which reached $1.237 billion in just 15 months. A new bill seeks to tighten the rules and curb the use of the emergency procurement channel.
Parlacen left the planned swearing-in of Laurentino Cortizo and José Gabriel Carrizo off its April plenary agenda, delaying their entry into the regional legislature. The PRD says the process has been pending for months, while Parlacen leaders say the request has not followed the proper procedure.
Panama’s transport fight has exposed deeper tensions over prestatarias, operation certificates, and who really benefits from the current system. The decree’s revocation shifts the debate to whether the sector can be reformed for passengers.
Two student deaths in Ngäbe Buglé have reignited alarm over unsafe river crossings on the way to school. Authorities are advancing a footbridge program, but communities say the risk remains urgent.
Adolfo Fábrega has emerged as a leading contender to head the Panama Canal Authority, raising questions about the criteria behind one of the country’s most important appointments. The choice comes amid a broader political environment in which small blocs and strategic alliances are shaping key state decisions.
Venezuela has transferred Ali Zaki Hage Jalil, a suspect in the 1994 bombing of Alas Chiricanas Flight 901, to Panama. The move revives one of the country’s most notorious unresolved aviation terror cases.
Japan has moved to allow exports of lethal weapons, including fighter jets, in a dramatic departure from its postwar pacifist restrictions. The change reflects rising security concerns in Asia and a broader shift in global defense politics.
Panama’s short-lived decree on ride-hailing has revived the debate over how to regulate digital transport platforms without protecting entrenched interests. The next framework will be judged on whether it improves safety, competition, and access, or creates new barriers.
The deaths of two students in Ngäbe-Buglé have intensified scrutiny of dangerous river crossings that threaten children on the way to school. The tragedy has renewed pressure on Panama to deliver safe infrastructure in remote communities.
A sharp critique of Panama’s political appointments has reignited debate over the independence of the Electoral Tribunal, the Ombudsman’s Office, and rules for independent candidates. The controversy centers on fairness, transparency, and public trust in democratic institutions.
Cuba says it held respectful talks with U.S. officials and urged an end to Trump-era sanctions that it blames for worsening its energy crisis. The exchange comes as Havana faces chronic shortages and blackouts with regional implications.
Panama’s government has repealed Executive Decree 10, which aimed to regulate digital transport platforms, and created a commission to draft a new proposal in 90 days. The decision has stirred reactions across the country’s transport sector.