Friday
Friday 20th June 2025.
June 19, 2025
The situation in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro province , has escalated to critical levels due to the prolonged road closures, which have completely halted the transportation of goods and fuel.
Although downtown Changuinola remains unblocked, with the exception of the bridge of the same name, trucks have been unable to reach the area due to closures in areas such as Almirante and Chiriquí Grande.
Aris Pimentel, president of the Bocas del Toro Chamber of Commerce , emphasized that there is currently no gasoline available in Changuinola and that food products are scarce in most businesses. “Most bakeries are out of flour. Businesses are short of supplies because we have been without transportation for a week,” he said.
Unable to use the usual routes, companies have begun to consider an alternative route that involves crossing the border at Paso Canoas, transiting through Costa Rican territory to reach Sixaola, and re-entering Panama through Guabito.
Although this option isn’t new, implementing it requires complex logistics and special permits, which have already been obtained from the Costa Rican government. “That takes us between 12 and 18 hours of travel by truck,” Pimentel explained.
The use of this route began to be activated recently. “Today we are informing companies like Feduro, Dicarina, Coca-Cola, and the supermarket chains Grupo Rey and Super Extra that they can now use this route,” the leader stated.
The permits were obtained through the Coobana banana cooperative, which is interested in transporting its production. The Costa Rican government authorized the passage as an emergency measure, similar to what happened two years ago during a landslide on the highway.
However, Pimentel was emphatic in warning that the current shortage is severe.
“The strategy being implemented is primarily to bring in food products. I haven’t yet been told if fuel will also be available, but I assume it will, because it’s a basic necessity,” he said. Meanwhile, the gas stations in Changuinola are practically empty.
The economic impact has been devastating for local businesses. According to the leader, several businesses have closed and not all will be able to reopen. “A situation like this will bankrupt any company that isn’t very stable. Not only are sales lost, but also perishable goods and financial commitments that can’t be met,” he warned.
Agricultural producers face even greater losses. “If the harvest is ready but can’t be transported, it’s lost. It’s that simple. And right now, there’s no viable way to move production within the country,” Pimentel added. The lack of access to inputs, fuel, and safe routes compromises not only the regional economy but also food security.
Pimentel insisted that a structural solution is required, not just logistical palliatives. “It is not sustainable to depend on an international route that involves 18 hours of travel. This must be resolved through dialogue and the immediate unblocking of the roads in Panama. We are in a crisis situation,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, local businesses continue to search for ways to survive amid the chaos. “We’re doing what we can. But if this continues, we won’t just lose businesses, we’ll lose the community. Many are thinking about leaving or closing permanently. And that would be the beginning of the end for Changuinola,” Pimentel concluded.
President José Raúl Mulino ordered the immediate suspension of the multimillion-dollar bidding process for school lunches served in public schools, while questioning the report of an evaluation committee that favored the company that offered the highest price.
In this tender, called by the Ministry of Education (Meduca) , Importadora Virzi, SA ( Super Carnes ) proposed $57.6 million to provide the service between August 4, 2025 and December 31, 2026, while a consortium made up of Compañía Goly, SA (which operates under the trade name El Machetazo) and Transporte Ligo, SA offered $51.3 million, although it was later disqualified by the verification commission.
For Mulino, “there is no reason to justify” the large price difference between one proposal and another.
“$7 million, which I understand is the distance between one [proposal] and the other… Let’s just cancel that, we don’t need another problem at the Meduca,” Mulino announced at his weekly press conference this Thursday, June 19.
It should also be noted that the consortium’s proposal is to supply the country’s 22 educational regions, while Importadora Virzi’s proposal covers 20 regions.
The president said he had already spoken about the matter with Minister Lucy Molinar and also with Comptroller General Anel Flores .
“I received word from the comptroller that he would not endorse it. I support him in that,” Mulino emphasized.
More than 400 nonprofit organizations and foundations in the country were deprived of the benefit that allowed them to receive tax-deductible donations. The measure was taken by the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI) due to these entities’ failure to submit the reports required by tax legislation.
The decision applies to organizations linked to sports, health, education, the environment, culture, religion, and human rights, among others, according to Resolution 201-4523 of June 5, 2025, issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and published in Official Gazette 30304.
The aforementioned resolution instructs the Department of Tax Oversight to state that donations made to these groups will not be deductible from income tax for the periods in which noncompliance has been verified.
However, the affected groups have the option of submitting a reconsideration within 15 business days of the resolution’s publication in the Official Gazette.
The document warns that all nonprofit organizations are required to keep track of the funds they receive, generate, or transfer. Therefore, they must record operations, financial transactions, or donations in detail, justifying their origin and nature, and submit a consolidated report to the Ministry of Finance within 90 days of the close of each calendar year.
The National Police reported that the body found in the district of Chiriquí Grande, Bocas del Toro province, was that of a 24-year-old man . The agency clarified that the body was not a minor, as had been previously reported on social media.
However, the cause of this person’s death has not yet been revealed .
The discovery occurred on Tuesday, June 17, amid police efforts to clear roads in Bocas del Toro, at the joint checkpoint on the Rambala-Almirante highway, the scene of protests.
According to authorities, the incident occurred after an attack by unknown individuals against the vehicles present at the location.
Subsequently, units arriving as reinforcements reported the discovery of a person with bodily injuries. The person was treated in an ambulance and then transferred to the Chiriquí Grande hospital. Upon arrival at the medical center, Social Security doctors confirmed the death.
The Bocas del Toro Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation to clarify what happened. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
Indigenous groups are protesting against the reform of the Social Security pension system, with the majority of the blockades taking place in Almirante and Chiriquí Grande.
A judge ordered provisional detention and charged three people involved in the robbery of a jewelry store on May 21 in the Bella Vista district, where items valued at $800,000 were stolen.
During a hearing held yesterday, Wednesday, at the courthouse located in Plaza Ágora, Judge Oris Medina ordered the provisional detention of two men and a woman, whom she charged with criminal association and aggravated robbery.
At the hearing, prosecutor Elba Arosemena argued that the three defendants should remain in custody, as this is a serious crime that required planning. She also argued that they pose a danger to society and pose a flight risk.
According to the investigation, the detained woman pretended to be a customer interested in purchasing jewelry, but she was actually gathering information about the number of employees working at the store, the location of security cameras, and the value of some pieces of jewelry.
The arrests of those involved took place in the towns of Alcalde Díaz, Chilibre, Veracruz, and El Chorrillo.
Authorities are investigating the possible links between the detainees and other robberies committed at various businesses in the province of Panama.
The Ministry of Environment (Miambiente) , through a statement, reported that it authorized a selective and technical pruning of the white mangrove located in the Coco del Mar area, San Francisco district, after verifying that its uncontrolled growth was affecting residential structures and posed a direct threat to the safety and well-being of residents.
The intervention, supported by Resolution DRPM-SCM-001-2025 , is being carried out by the Municipality of Panama and has the technical supervision of Miambiente, following an on-site inspection.
During the survey, the technical team verified that the mangrove roots are penetrating the perimeter fences on Begonia and Amapola streets, causing physical damage to homes and creating conditions conducive to garbage accumulation, pest infestation, and potential disease outbreaks.
The field report also determined that one of the coordinates of the area in question borders the Panama Viejo Mangroves Marine Coastal Reserve, while the other two are located outside the National System of Protected Areas (SINAP). This condition allows the intervention to be carried out without compromising protected ecosystems.
In addition, residents reported that the dense vegetation and piles of debris were being used as hiding places by people outside the community, which has increased the perception of insecurity.
Given this situation, the Municipality of Panama and Miambiente , in coordination with public safety agencies, will design a plan to prevent threats to the integrity, property, and health of residents, as well as to establish a buffer zone to reduce risks.
The environmental agency assured that periodic maintenance of these mangroves will be carried out with technical supervision in coordination with local authorities and affected communities, with the goal of conserving the biodiversity and environmental services these ecosystems provide.