Panama Banking Regulator Bans Certain Bank Fees and Commissions
Panama’s banking regulator has approved new rules banning banks from charging customers fees and commissions on certain services, in a push for greater consumer protection.

Panama’s banking regulator has approved new rules banning banks from charging customers fees and commissions on certain services, in a push for greater consumer protection.

Panama’s Ministry of Health (Minsa) will soon launch Spontaneous Teleconsultation, a digital service allowing patients to receive medical care online without a prior appointment.

The Autonomous University of Chiriquí (UNACHI) is in a severe financial crisis and has asked Panama’s Executive Branch for funds to cover payroll, seeking to avoid a shutdown affecting more than 22,000 students.

The Panama Canal Board of Directors has appointed 28-year canal veteran Miguel Antonio Lorenzo Fábrega as Deputy Administrator, placing a senior engineering leader alongside Administrator Ilya Espino de Marotta. He replaces acting deputy Rubén Pérez Pinzón.

Panamanian authorities arrested eight people and seized 10 vehicles in Operation Delivery, dismantling a Chiriquí-based drug ring that used taxis to distribute narcotics with alleged links to Panama City groups and cross-border trafficking to Costa Rica.

Retiree leader Guillermo Cortés says the climate is positive at the dialogue table with government and private sector representatives as parties work to reach consensus on Law 226 before the President’s 30-day constitutional deadline to sanction or veto the legislation.

Panama has activated a new application for requesting appointments, consulting results, and receiving remote attention, backed by a contact center representing an approximately $2 million investment, according to the minister.

Panama has named a 42-player U23 baseball pre-selection drawn from the national championship, with manager Aníbal Reluz leading the squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup in the category.

Panama’s Health Ministry rejects favoritism allegations in its suspended $80 million tender to clean nine public hospitals, as questions mount over direct contracts and shifting requirements. The five-year contract would extend beyond the current presidential term.
NASA is conducting high-altitude atmospheric research flights from Panama, gathering data that will improve global atmospheric models. The mission aims to better understand links between atmospheric change, ozone, climate, and Earth’s energy balance.

Panama’s Ministry of Health launched the ‘Suéltalo’ campaign for the International Day for the Prevention of Suicide, inviting citizens to share messages of hope. The campaign encourages people to let go of emotional burdens and seek support.

Panama’s Ministry of Health has launched its “Suéltalo” suicide prevention campaign in the Panama Metro, promoting mental health awareness and encouraging open conversations to reduce stigma.

Panama’s Electoral Tribunal and the National Commission of Electoral Reforms have advanced a package of electoral reforms to the National Assembly, preserving most agreed changes while introducing adjustments to independent candidacies. The proposal now awaits legislative debate.

A Panamanian court has convicted 14 people, including a criminal organization leader and two corporate entities, of money laundering following a 14-month trial stemming from Operation Fisher. Seven were also convicted of criminal association.

Panama City’s Bella Vista district has begun a pilot plan to prepare residential and commercial buildings for emergency evacuations, with implementation expected within 60 to 90 days. The initiative aims to improve safety in one of the capital’s densest high-rise corridors.

Panama’s suicide prevention Line 147 received 7,600 calls and 4,000 mental health chats in the first half of the year, with most users aged 14 to 45. The service also supports older adults over 50.

Deputy Brenes has criticized Panama’s circuit reconfiguration, arguing the new distribution of legislative seats fails to uniformly apply the principle of electoral proportionality.

Panamanian authorities launched Operation Delivery across 12 checkpoints in Bugaba, Chiriquí, resulting in seven arrests and the recovery of ten vehicles. The operation highlights ongoing efforts to combat vehicle theft in the border region.

A Panamanian court found Jorge Luis General and 13 others guilty of laundering over $10 million in drug proceeds tied to the Gulf Clan. Sentencing is set for October 6.
A man who stepped out of a gang-related court hearing narrowly survived a 60-shot attack on his vehicle at a Panama City gas station, in what prosecutors believe was a case of mistaken identity tied to gang rivalries. An 18-year-old and a minor have been charged.
