Panama’s National Futsal League begins a new season with 32 teams, a second division and a clearer path toward professionalization. Women’s participation is also rising, with 14 clubs entered this year.
Unachi is under intense scrutiny after the attorney general visited campus amid a probe into questionable degree validation and rumors that Rector Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas tried to resign. The crisis has exposed deep internal tensions and renewed questions about university governance in Panama.
Panama’s National Assembly Budget Committee approved $13.45 million for six new security aircraft and an aerial training school. The vote followed a heated debate over costs, priorities, and the use of public funds.
Ernesto De León won the contest behind the official aircraft that will carry Panama’s national team to the 2026 World Cup. The Panamanian designer said seeing his eagle-inspired design on the finished plane was an emotional career highlight.
Cruise companies are offering Panamanians a pathway to jobs abroad, with salaries that can start above $1,000 a month and rise with experience. English proficiency remains the main requirement for candidates seeking positions on board.
Panama will host the 31st Meeting of the Association of Caribbean States’ Council of Ministers on June 21. The gathering will spotlight trade, logistics, climate resilience and regional cooperation.
A boat sank off Puerto Caimito in Panama Oeste, leaving one person dead, two mariners missing and nine survivors. Authorities are conducting a coordinated search with naval teams and divers.
Panama will host Panamax 2026 from July 6 to August 14, bringing more than 1,500 personnel from 12 nations to train on Canal security. The drill is part of long-running cooperation aimed at improving interoperability and protecting the interoceanic route.
Alberto Quintero says he still believes he can earn a place on Panama’s 2026 World Cup roster after helping Plaza Amador reach another LPF final. The 38-year-old veteran says the tournament would be the perfect ending to a career marked by resilience.
María Corina Machado will visit Panama from May 22 to 25 for meetings with the Venezuelan diaspora, opposition allies and President José Raúl Mulino. The trip underscores Panama’s role as a key regional supporter of Venezuela’s democratic opposition.
Juan Diego Vásquez said the Unachi scandal stems from years of political protection, questionable degrees and salary increases that hurt students and honest staff. He called for deep reform, not just a change in leadership.
Panama’s tax revenue rose 9.1% through April 2026, driven in part by stronger consumption and ITBMS collections. Even so, receipts remained below the budget target, underscoring pressure on public finances.
Panama’s National Police say gang fragmentation is driving a rise in homicides, with 242 gang members arrested this year in 249 operations. Authorities say larger groups are expanding through alliances, recruitment and coastal drug routes.
Unachi rector Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas is facing renewed scrutiny over her long tenure, salary, and alleged patronage inside Panama’s public university system. The dispute has also drawn in oversight and political leaders.
Dengue in Panama reached its highest incidence in 25 years in 2024, while new analysis suggests many infections are going undetected. The findings point to hidden transmission in regions such as Veraguas, Ngäbe Buglé and parts of Panama Oeste.
Panama and Costa Rica are advancing a railway vision aimed at creating a regional cargo corridor linking ports, free zones and industrial hubs. The project now faces its biggest test: proving enough freight demand to justify billions in investment.
Panama prosecutors inspected Unachi as they investigate salary increases tied to foreign degrees that may not have met accreditation requirements. The case is testing accountability in the public university system.
Panama’s debate over a new Constitution is intensifying as legal voices argue the current system concentrates power, weakens oversight, and lags behind human rights standards. Supporters say only a broad redesign can strengthen institutions and restore democratic balance.
Plaza Amador beat Umecit FC 3-0 to reach the LPF Clausura 2026 final and move within one win of a historic three-peat. Héctor Ríos scored twice as the champions extended their dominant run in Panamanian football.
Panama’s historic role in Bolívar’s 1826 Congress is being revisited through bicentennial events that link independence-era ideals with today’s cooperation goals. The focus now includes energy interconnection, border challenges, and marine conservation.