What Happened
Panama’s Electoral Prosecutor’s Office carried out an inquiry at the Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) after controversy erupted over the inclusion of the slogan “Con paso firme” on vehicle license plates.
The phrase is associated with President José Raúl Mulino’s administration and has sparked debate in public and political circles, especially because it appears on an official document used by drivers across the country.
On Monday, May 4, officials from the Electoral Prosecutor’s Office met with ATTT director Nicolás Brea to review how the slogan was approved and to examine the institutional decision behind the plate design.
During the meeting, prosecutors reminded ATTT officials that electoral rules establish campaign periods and prohibit the use of state resources for political purposes.
The Legal Challenge
Brea said the plate design was approved through resolutions issued in 2025 and is now being challenged before the Supreme Court of Justice.
The legal move was filed on April 10 by the Vamos caucus, which presented an administrative nullity lawsuit before the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court seeking to block the use of “Con paso firme” on vehicle plates that will circulate between 2026 and 2030.
The action targets Resolution No. 001-RUVM, issued in January 2025 by the ATTT.
According to the challenge, the authority exceeded its powers and misused its authority by placing a political message on an official identification document.
Why It Matters
The case touches on a sensitive line between government branding and political messaging in Panama’s public institutions. Vehicle plates are state-issued items seen daily throughout the country, which makes any slogan displayed on them especially visible and politically significant.
The dispute also comes at a time when authorities are being closely watched over the use of public resources and the separation between official government actions and partisan promotion.
With the matter now under review by both the electoral authorities and the Supreme Court, the controversy over the plates has become part of a broader discussion about the limits of political symbolism in state-run services.