---
title: "Tension deepens at Unachi as prosecutor inspects title irregularities and rector exit rumors swirl"
date: 2026-05-16
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/05/16/unachi-crisis-attorney-general-inspection/
categories:
  - "Education"
  - "News"
  - "Politics"
tags:
  - "Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas"
  - "Luis Carlos Gómez Rudy"
  - "Ministry of Education"
  - "Panama universities"
  - "UNACHI"
---

# Tension deepens at Unachi as prosecutor inspects title irregularities and rector exit rumors swirl

## What Happened

The University of Chiriquí, known as Unachi, became the center of national attention after Attorney General Luis Carlos Gómez Rudy arrived on campus on Friday, May 15, to carry out an on-site inspection tied to a criminal investigation. The case focuses on the validation of academic degrees issued by American Andragogy University and Atlantic International University, institutions without accreditation whose diplomas are alleged to have been used by some university staff.

The prosecutor’s personal appearance was unusual and carried political weight. In a case like this, the Ministry Public typically sends a lower-ranking prosecutor or judicial officer, so the visit was read as a signal that the investigation has reached a sensitive stage. At the same time, the university was still dealing with a separate internal crisis centered on Rector Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas and rumors that she had offered her resignation.

## A Week of Pressure Inside the Campus

The tension at Unachi escalated two days earlier, on Wednesday, May 13, when reports circulated that Medianero de Bonagas had resigned and submitted her departure to the Executive branch. Those reports were later denied by the university, but officials close to both the institution and the government said the resignation had in fact been presented and was awaiting formal communication to the university community.

According to accounts from university employees who asked not to be identified, the rector arrived that morning and was immediately surrounded by her closest allies, including vice-rectors, deans and department heads. After a tense meeting, she left campus with the same group. Soon afterward, an official message began circulating saying she remained in office, suggesting that internal pressure had pushed her to reverse course.

President José Raúl Mulino later referred to the situation during his Thursday press conference, saying that he had read the same reports and hoped they were true. Education Minister Lucy Molinar was more direct, saying the resignation information was correct and calling the situation unsustainable.

## Why the Crisis Matters

Unachi is one of Panama’s public universities and receives substantial state funding. In recent years, its budget has ranged between $70 million and $100 million, money used for payroll, contracts, purchases and administrative operations. That makes any allegations involving degree validation, payroll decisions or procurement especially important for taxpayers and for the future governance of the institution.

The controversy also highlights broader concerns that have followed Unachi in recent years: concentration of power, administrative opacity and the influence of a small inner circle. Sources inside the university say some members of that circle receive monthly salaries between $5,000 and $9,000 and fear that a leadership change could expose decisions made during the rector’s absences, including salary adjustments, purchases and contracts.

## What to Watch Next

For Panama’s higher-education sector, the case is about more than one rector or one campus. It raises questions about the oversight of academic credentials, the use of public money and the authority of state institutions when governance inside a university comes under scrutiny. The prosecutor’s visit suggests that the investigation is advancing, while the public comments from the presidency and the education ministry indicate that the political pressure around Unachi is already well beyond the campus gates.

Medianero de Bonagas remains in office for now, but the combination of a criminal inquiry, administrative suspicion and internal unrest has left the university facing one of its most fragile moments in years.