What Happened
Panama’s independent Vamos caucus has filed an administrative lawsuit before the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice seeking to block the inclusion of the officialist slogan “Con Paso Firme” on vehicle plates scheduled to circulate between 2026 and 2030.
The challenge targets Resolution No. 001-RUVM, issued in January 2025 by the Land Transit and Transportation Authority, known as the ATTT. The legal action argues that the agency went beyond its authority by placing a political message on an official identification document.
Why the Plate Design Is Controversial
Deputy Yamireliz Chong led the filing and said vehicle plates have traditionally carried messages meant to unite the country, not a political slogan tied to the government in power. She argued that the ATTT’s role should be limited to technical matters such as dimensions, colors and numbering, rather than promoting political narratives.
The dispute centers on whether a slogan associated with the current administration can appear on a document that all drivers must use. The lawmakers say that turns a mandatory civic item into a political vehicle, which they contend violates the principle of state neutrality.
Mandatory Cost for Drivers
The issue takes on added weight because Law 214 of 2021 set a five-year validity period for metal plates. Under that framework, many drivers would be required to obtain and pay for plates carrying the slogan through 2030.
According to the lawmakers behind the lawsuit, that would mean hundreds of thousands of motorists could be forced to display political branding on their private vehicles as part of a routine registration requirement.
What the Court Could Decide
The Vamos caucus has asked the court to suspend the administrative act provisionally so the design does not spread further while the case is reviewed. The request comes as the ATTT has already received an initial batch of 19,940 plates prepared for distribution nationwide.
If the court accepts the challenge, it would need to decide whether government slogans on citizen-use items such as vehicle plates violate the legal framework governing motor vehicle registration and the broader duty of public institutions to remain politically neutral.
The outcome could have implications beyond this specific design, potentially shaping how far state agencies can go in using official platforms for messaging associated with a sitting government.