After eight years of production, director Erik Cotrina’s religious documentary El Último Llamado de María premiered October 1 in Panama and four other Central American countries. The film explores testimonies surrounding the reported Marian apparitions in Medjugorje.
Panama’s cultural calendar for October 1-8 features Design Week, symphonic concerts, the Dolega patronal fair, a fantastic literature festival and events across five provinces.
Ecuador lost 5-4 on penalties to Japan in the Kirin Cup semifinal, setting up a third place match against Panama, who were eliminated by New Zealand on penalties. The two sides will meet as Japan and New Zealand contest Monday’s final.
Panama will begin its Fifth Round evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (GAFI) in August 2027, with the final report due in December 2028 and a sharp focus on effectiveness rather than just technical compliance. Regulators report progress, including 92% compliance in beneficial ownership registration among non-financial obligated subjects.
Panama’s unemployment rate dropped from 10.4% to 8.5%, but hundreds of thousands remain underemployed, working long hours for below-minimum-wage income.
Fishermen from five Pacific coast communities handed over 1,500 pounds of disused fishing nets to ARAP’s Canje Azul program in Punta Chame, receiving food bags in exchange as part of efforts to reduce the threat of ghost nets to marine ecosystems.
Diddier Rodríguez won gold in the 3,000m steeplechase with an event record as Panama closed the South American Games Santa Fe 2026 with a historic five golds and 16 total medals, both national records.
The Fórum of Journalists has rejected PRD president Benicio Robinson’s $1.5 million civil suit against La Prensa and journalist Mary Triny Zea, warning it could chill investigative journalism in Panama. The case stems from a report on public transport quota acquisitions in Bocas del Toro.
Deputy Medin Jimenez resigned from the Panamenista Party after its lawmakers helped block an Electoral Tribunal plan to split Chiriqui’s circuit 4-3. His exit leaves the party’s bench at seven deputies.
A Panama-flagged bulk carrier, the First Margaux, collided with the Chinese fishing vessel Luqing Yuanyu 108 near Singapore on Sunday. No victims have been confirmed, and maritime authorities, including the Panama Maritime Authority, are investigating.
Businessman and former vice presidential candidate Michael Chen says Colon contributes 18% of Panama’s economy while receiving a fraction in return, and predicts the province will become the country’s second capital. His Sabores de Colon festival drew over 50,000 attendees, far surpassing expectations.
A proposed tourism incentives law before Panama’s National Assembly raises investment thresholds and shortens tax breaks, sparking debate over whether small and rural hoteliers can compete with large chains for the benefits.
A leading logistics analyst argues Panama must integrate its Canal, ports, rail, and free zones under a reformed, world-class Panama Maritime Authority to become a true International Maritime and Logistics Center. The call follows La Prensa’s 2026 Maritime, Logistics and Port Forum.
Árabe Unido came from behind to beat San Francisco 2-1 and move provisionally top of the LPF Eastern Conference with 18 points, its best start since the 2019 Clausura. Armando Cooper and Dionisio Bernal scored for the Colón club.
Panama’s Ministry of Culture is requesting $157.6 million for 2027, with $93.1 million for 65 investment projects including theater restorations, heritage fortifications, and expanded community arts programs. Minister María Eugenia Herrera framed the spending as both heritage recovery and a tool for social integration.
Panamanian prosecutors presented 46 documented events from a four-year investigation to support charges against 13 people arrested in Operation Poseidon, alleging drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime. The alleged leader allegedly ran the network from a ranch in Santiago, Veraguas.
Ricardo Lombana visited asylum-backed former president Ricardo Martinelli in Bogota, with sources saying the two have held regular talks for four months, though Moca denies any electoral alliance ahead of 2029.
Docufiction film “The Dance of the Kokorrdit,” shot in Panama’s Darién region with Wounaan communities, has begun a six-week tour of seven film festivals across five countries, running from Vancouver to Gdańsk.
Banco Nacional de Panamá’s 2025 Sustainability Report reveals women hold 55% of managerial posts and near pay parity, backed by UNDP certification. The state bank links gender strategy to core business through financial products like Agro Mujer and programs such as Raíces and Crece Mujer.
A tribute published in La Prensa celebrates founder Bobby Eisenmann as a “Panamanian Don Quixote,” recounting his exiles, the founding of the newspaper under dictatorship, and his lifelong fight for democracy and against corruption.