Monday
Monday 14th July 2025.
July 13, 2025
This week, Panama received two key pieces of news: its removal from the European Union’s list of high-risk countries for money laundering and the ratification of its investment grade rating by Moody’s. These milestones are compounded by the country’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) list in October 2023, Juan Arias, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP), highlighted in the statement released by Cámara Opina.
“These are three international decisions that demonstrate something very clear: Panama is regaining the world’s trust . These decisions directly impact people’s well-being. When the world trusts Panama, real opportunities open up: investment flows in, jobs are created, credit access conditions improve, and our products can circulate with fewer barriers. All of this impacts the daily lives of individuals, families, and businesses,” Arias emphasized.
The business association noted that international confidence in Panama opens up concrete opportunities to attract investment, create jobs, and facilitate access to credit.
“If a European company decides to invest in infrastructure in our country, that translates into more jobs. If banks obtain financing under better conditions, Panamanians can access more affordable loans,” the leader explained.
Arias emphasized that recent achievements are not a matter of chance. “ Getting off these lists wasn’t a matter of luck or improvisation. It’s the result of years of technical, legal, and diplomatic work, and the commitment of various sectors across the country . We also recognize the role of the current administration in providing continuity and making it a national priority,” he stated.
However, he warned that this path should not be taken for granted. “We’ve been through it before: we left and then came back. That’s why, now more than ever, we must protect these advances and continue strengthening our institutions . The world is watching us, and we must demonstrate that we are a serious country, with clear rules and committed to transparency,” Arias emphasized.
The CCIAP reiterated that it will continue to defend the country’s reputation and pursue concrete goals such as joining the OECD, modernizing the financial system, and consolidating a sustainable economy.
” Panama has everything it needs to compete at the highest level: a privileged geographic location, human talent, and extraordinary economic potential . Today we celebrate important progress, but we also reaffirm our commitment to a more reliable, more dynamic, and more just Panama,” Arias concluded.
The National Council of Private Enterprise (CoNEP) expressed its satisfaction this Saturday with the signing of the agreement between teachers and the Ministry of Education (Meduca) authorities , which ends the strike and allows for an immediate return to classes starting Monday, July 14.
“With the signing of this agreement, it’s not one sector or another that wins: Panama wins, and our young people win,” the business association emphasized in a statement.
He recalled that, since the strike was declared on April 23, he has taken an active role, with responsibility and a sense of national responsibility, with the goal of promoting spaces for dialogue that would allow differences to be channeled toward concrete and sustainable solutions.
The CoNEP then began a series of meetings with various sectors of the country, promoting communication channels that would facilitate the convergence of positions, always based on the principle that “these spaces for listening are only valid when they are genuinely oriented toward finding solutions and the well-being of the country, and should not be used as a delaying measure to prolong conflicts or as a tool to defend particular agendas.”
As part of this process—in response to the call of the Interreligious Committee, the Ecumenical Committee, and the Panamanian Episcopal Conference—CoNEP representatives began active listening meetings on June 19 with teachers’ unions, Indigenous communities, and social organizations.
“The objective was to create favorable conditions for the construction of fair and sustainable agreements, prioritizing the strengthening of the education system as a linchpin of social cohesion and national development. As a result of the efforts and commitment of the parties, the agreement was signed yesterday, July 11,” the statement added.
Gabriel Diez Montilla, president of CoNEP, was present at the signing of the agreement. Also in attendance were representatives of the teachers’ unions, the Minister of Education, Lucy Molinar, and the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Herrera.
The Pacora River Basin 146 , a vital source of drinking water for thousands of residents in eastern Panama, is being severely affected by various sources of contamination. The Ministry of the Environment (Miambiente) , through the Specialized Rapid Reporting Team (SWAT) of the Environmental Performance Verification Directorate (Diveda) , has conducted a series of technical inspections that have revealed an alarming environmental situation.
Since February 2025 , Miambiente technical teams have traveled more than 50 kilometers along the Pacora, Utivé, Tataré, and Cabra rivers , with the goal of identifying critical points of contamination that threaten the water quality and ecological balance of this important watershed. During the inspections, illegal practices and inadequate water resource management were discovered, which are accelerating environmental degradation.
One of the most troubling findings was the identification of seven residential wastewater treatment plants operating without the proper discharge permits . These facilities, which should be regulated to prevent the release of pollutants into water, pose a serious risk to the health of aquatic ecosystems and the public.
At another point in the inspections, three pig farms were found to have poor wastewater management , which directly contaminates the tributaries. These discharges not only affect water quality but can also have consequences for human health by contaminating sources used for drinking in nearby communities.
The accumulation of sediment in various parts of rivers is also a major concern, as this phenomenon alters the natural flow of water and promotes ecological degradation. Furthermore, the presence of solid waste in riparian areas is another problem that further compromises the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Faced with this serious situation, Miambiente has taken action and initiated five administrative proceedings against a housing developer responsible for the illegal treatment plants. The company in question has been given 15 calendar days to regularize the situation with the Environmental Quality Laboratory and submit official notification of the slums built in the area.
The pollution problems in the Pacora River Basin and Azuero underscore the urgent need for preventive and corrective actions to prevent the country’s water sources from further deteriorating. Protecting these bodies of water is crucial not only for public health but also for long-term environmental sustainability .
Miambiente remains committed to improving water quality and preserving aquatic ecosystems. However, results will depend on collaboration between the government, private companies, and citizens to curb pollution and ensure access to clean drinking water for all.
The National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (IDAAN) reported that this Sunday, July 13, the improvement and modernization works at the Federico Guardia Conte water treatment plant, located in Chilibre, were successfully completed within the scheduled time of 4:00 p.m.
To carry out these tasks, it was necessary to temporarily suspend plant operations from 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, until Sunday afternoon.
According to the entity, the work progressed smoothly and the process of gradually restoring operations , which are essential for the supply of drinking water to much of the metropolitan area, has already begun.
During the service suspension, Idaan implemented a water distribution operation using tanker trucks , with priority for hospitals and clinics in Panama and San Miguelito, including: Arnulfo Arias Madrid Hospital, San Miguel Arcángel, Susana Jones, Punta Pacífica, Paitilla, San Fernando and JJ Vallarino .
The plant superintendent, Javier Sánchez , explained that the work focused on five main areas . One of these included the intervention of three pumping stations: one at the raw water intake from Lake Alajuela and two at the stations that send drinking water to Panama City.
In the lake area, new valves, grates, and gates were installed , equipment dating back to 1975. A three-phase switch on a 480-volt electrical panel was also replaced, and the motors that drive the pumps were cleaned.
In addition, a deep cleaning of the filter structure was performed , external maintenance of the pumping station motors was performed, and the transformer at the electrical substation was optimized, among other technical tasks.
Once the work was completed, the plant resumed production at 4:00 pm. However, it was warned that, because the production and distribution system is unique, the networks will begin to recover gradually .
Starting Monday, August 4, 2025, Tocumen International Airport will begin charging for use of its public parking.
According to the statement issued by the agency, rates will be applied based on usage time: the first 120 minutes will cost $0.03 per minute; between 121 and 360 minutes, the price increases to $0.04 per minute; and for more than six hours (up to a maximum of 24 hours), the rate will be $0.01 per minute.
The daily limit will be $24.00, the same rate that will be applied in case of loss of the ticket.
Additionally, once payment is made, drivers will have a 15-minute window to exit the parking lot.
Speaking with La Prensa , Mario Domínguez, vice president of Airport Services, stated that the measure was taken for security reasons and to preserve space for daily users of the airport.
“We had cases where people would leave the country for a month and leave their vehicles in the parking lot. So airport users had nowhere to park,” he said.
This Tuesday, July 10, airport spokespersons confirmed that “passengers are no longer required to remove their shoes when going through security at Tocumen International Airport.”