---
title: "Panama Announces Slight Fuel Price Shift as Subsidy Expands to More Sectors"
date: 2026-04-16
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/panama-fuel-prices-april-17/
categories:
  - "Business"
  - "Economy"
  - "News"
tags:
  - "diesel prices"
  - "fuel subsidy"
  - "gasoline prices"
  - "National Energy Secretariat"
  - "Panama fuel prices"
  - "transport subsidy"
---

# Panama Announces Slight Fuel Price Shift as Subsidy Expands to More Sectors

## What Happened

Panama’s National Energy Secretariat announced new maximum retail prices for liquid fuels that will take effect on Friday, April 17, with the adjustment running through May 1 at 5:59 a.m. The latest change brings a 2-cent-per-liter decrease for 95-octane gasoline, while low-sulfur diesel will rise by 1 cent per liter at stations nationwide.

The price change comes as the government continues to manage fuel costs through a subsidy system designed to protect consumers and key economic sectors from international fuel volatility.

## Subsidy Measures for Transport and Work Sectors

During a press conference on Thursday, April 16, President José Raúl Mulino and Adolfo Fábrega, administrator of the Government Innovation Authority, discussed the fuel subsidy already in place for selective and collective transportation since April 15. The benefit operates with a weekly cap that depends on the type of vehicle, including taxis and school buses.

Fábrega said the cap calculation has created technical complications because the subsidized amount changes depending on whether a user fills up at one station or several. Authorities said the current method is based on the economic amount rather than fuel volume, allowing them to monitor transaction behavior before making final adjustments to the caps.

## Why the Government Is Holding Prices

Mulino said keeping fuel prices fixed requires a significant fiscal sacrifice, but argued that the measure is necessary to prevent higher hydrocarbon costs from being passed on to food and transportation prices. The administration has linked the policy directly to the broader cost of living, especially while international uncertainty continues to affect energy markets.

Officials also said that maintaining stable fuel prices helps preserve public transport fares and reduces pressure on household budgets. The approach reflects Panama’s longstanding use of targeted fuel relief as a way to soften inflationary effects on daily goods and services.

## More Sectors Join the Benefit

Minister Orillac announced that starting Friday, April 17, artisanal fishing, commercial fishing and food transport sectors will also be included in the benefit. Authorities said the measure is intended to protect the supply chain and help ensure that basic products reach Panamanian households without added freight costs.

For all beneficiary sectors, the fixed prices remain at $0.88 per liter for 91-octane gasoline, $0.90 for low-sulfur diesel and $1.00 for 95-octane gasoline. The latest adjustment keeps Panama’s fuel policy centered on targeted relief rather than broad market pricing, balancing government spending with efforts to limit inflationary pressure.