News
Tuesday 1st July 2025.
June 30, 2025
After intense negotiations between protesters and members of the security forces, an agreement was reached that cleared the road between Pueblo Nuevo, a community in Chiriquí Grande, Bocas del Toro , and Hornito, Gualaca, Chiriquí , the last of the sections affected by the closures in protest against Law 462, which reformed the social security system in Panama.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Public Security (Minseg), the agreement guarantees free transit in the areas of Pueblo Nuevo, Cañazas, Mali, Alto del Guabo, Alto del Valle, Valle Abajo, and Cabello de Ángel.
The agreement establishes, first and foremost, the commitment of the Chiriquí Grande leadership to keep roads clear at all times, guarantee free transit, and support the reactivation of economic, social, and productive activities.
Furthermore, it was agreed that no reprisals would be taken against those who participated in the closures.
According to the Ministry of Security, the reopening of the roads was completed with the signing of an agreement by the director of the National Border Service, Larry Solís , representing the national government; the mayor of Chiriquí Grande, Alex Ariel Wright Castillo ; the pastor of the Jehovah Nisi Church, Ceferino Quintero ; and the pastor of the Church of God the Mediator, Luis Morales.
“The intention of opening this road is basically to connect basic services such as electricity and internet, and also to ensure the viability of this street, which was affected by the riots and the extensive damage caused to the road itself,” said Jaime Fernández, director of the National Police, last Sunday.
On June 14, the Executive Branch, through its security forces—the National Police, the National Border Service (Senafront), the National Aeronaval Service, among others—activated Operation Omega in the province to reopen roads, an operation that will continue.
roller General’s Office reported that it has conducted audits in various municipal councils across the country, specifically in Colón, Barrio Norte, Belisario Porras, Salud, Las Garzas, Ancón, San Francisco, Río Hato, and Pacora.
As a result of these audits, an economic loss to the Panamanian government of approximately $20 million was identified due to alleged irregularities in the management of public funds. This was stated by the institution in a statement released on Monday, June 30.
According to the Comptroller’s Office, the findings will be forwarded in the coming days to the Public Prosecutor’s Office , the Court of Accounts , and the municipal councils involved, “in compliance with our accountability responsibilities.”
“It is important to emphasize that this figure not only reflects an economic impact, but also represents an opportunity to strengthen oversight mechanisms and improve the management of state resources,” the oversight body emphasized.
A new corruption case has shaken the Ministry of Agricultural Development (Mida) . The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has charged the former head of the fuel supply and control section with embezzlement, and she has been provisionally detained.
During a hearing held last Sunday, June 29, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against the former official, after an investigation determined that she had caused financial loss in the amount of $641,241.
According to the investigation, the former official, who was in charge of managing the coupons and receiving fuel for institutional vehicles, manipulated records and documents to cover up the alleged irregularities.
According to reports from the Prosecutor’s Office, the former employee was responsible for managing fuel coupons assigned to vehicles operating in the various regional offices of the Ministry of the Interior (MIDA), which were required to travel to different locations in the province to complete tasks.
He also controlled the process of receiving fuel delivered by supplier companies.
The investigation has been extended to other officials and individuals who may have benefited from the fuel theft. The investigation is attempting to determine their degree of involvement.
Last week, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office deployed 73 officers to conduct investigations and request information from public institutions regarding various investigations related to the embezzlement of public funds.
This included investigations by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Health, the Savings Bank, and the National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (IDAAN), which are part of ongoing investigations.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has also conducted inspections in several municipal councils, following complaints about the loss of equipment and the disappearance of documents related to payments to suppliers.
Several allegations of corruption are also being investigated within the National Development Council (Conades) as part of the Basic Health Care program, which was implemented throughout most of the country.
In the case of Conades, investigations have been carried out in Panama City, West Panama, Colón, Los Santos, and Coclé.
A total of 39 people arrested in Operations Fisher and Fusion , accused of being part of networks dedicated to laundering money from drug trafficking, face trials in which they could receive sentences of up to 12 years in prison.
The trials, which are being held in parallel at building 725 in Ancón and at the organized crime court office located on Via España, include the participation of drug prosecutors seeking convictions for all the defendants.
In the trial of 23 people arrested in Operation Fusion, drug prosecutor Joseph Díaz announced the presentation of a wealth of wiretaps, surveillance investigations, and surveillance footage that allegedly demonstrates the connection between former Tocumen International Airport officials and a drug trafficking network that sent several shipments of narcotics to Europe and the United States.
Díaz alleged that this criminal network was led by Fernando Sixto Mendoza, who allegedly coordinated the logistics of drugs arriving from Colombia by sea to the provinces of Panama and Darién. The drugs were then smuggled into suitcases that arrived in Tocumen, to be shipped as cargo to European countries.
The prosecutor explained that this network had the cooperation of a National Police officer, who was responsible for providing protection to the vehicles transporting the drugs, as well as front men in charge of receiving the money from their sales.
Meanwhile, the Fisher case trial was suspended until tomorrow due to the filing of a recusal and the absence of one of the private attorneys, who was replaced by a public defender.
In this case, the Drug Prosecutor’s Office, headed by José Leyva, plans to seek a conviction for the 23 defendants currently facing trial, as 28 of the defendants previously reached plea agreements.
Prosecutor Leyva plans to present 240 pieces of documentary evidence, 13 expert opinions, and five pieces of material evidence to support his theory of the case.
As part of this investigation, the prosecutor’s office seized $10 million in a residence located in the Costa Abajo area of Colón province. According to the investigation, the money belonged to members of the Clan del Golfo , who kept it hidden in anticipation of Colombia’s offensive against the criminal organization.
Authorities identified Jorge Luis General as the alleged leader of the network. According to the investigation, he was in charge of coordinating the logistics for the trafficking of drugs and money. He was also the owner of the company Magna Pesca, used to justify the movement of funds from drug trafficking. According to the Public Registry, this company’s president is Jorge Luis General himself.
$44,000 in cash was found at the defendant’s residence, while four boats linked to him, valued at $400,000, were also seized.
Authorities maintain that these were used to transport both drugs and money.
The trial has been suspended on two previous occasions due to the failure of defense attorneys and one of the defendants to appear.
One year after taking office, the Vamos coalition held an accountability ceremony on Monday, June 30th. There, it also officially launched its “Citizen Transparency Panel,” a digital platform that records the actions and results of its elected officials.
Five laws of the Republic and 180 community projects were among the main management results the group praised at the event.
At the same time, he announced his priorities for the second regular session of the National Assembly: introducing reforms to the administrative career path, educational reforms , and addressing legislation and oversight of the drinking water service nationwide.
“We will work toward a clear vision to ensure that the coalition’s work materializes in a comprehensive reform of the administrative career law . We will seek ways, together with all sectors of the country’s educational system, to present concrete educational reforms (…)” announced the coalition’s president, Juan Diego Vásquez , in his speech .
Vamos represents a total of 15 local government officials, including 13 district representatives and two district mayors. In the Assembly, the group has 18 representatives in its caucus, following the departures of Manuel Cheng and Betserai Richards before the legislative reconfiguration that will be consolidated on July 1.
The water quality of the La Villa River in the province of Los Santos has stabilized after five weeks of technical intervention by the Ministry of the Environment (Miambiente) , in coordination with the National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (IDAAN) , the Ministry of Health (MINSA) and local authorities.
This was confirmed by the head of the ministry, Juan Carlos Navarro , who stated that the latest measurements reflect an improvement in oxygen levels and a reduction in contaminating organisms.
However, authorities reiterated that the water is not yet suitable for direct human consumption and must be boiled before domestic use due to high levels of turbidity resulting from deforestation in the basin.
Although the water continues to be treated in accordance with COPANIT 21-2019 regulations, IDAAN cannot guarantee the complete absence of nematodes, so it is recommended that water be boiled before drinking it or using it for oral hygiene and food preparation.
“The water is not contaminated with hazardous waste, nor is it harmful for bathing or cleaning. The problem is limited to direct human consumption, as a precaution against the possible presence of nematodes,” Edgardo Velásquez, head of the Drinking Water Department at IDAAN, stated a few weeks ago.
The Azuero region has been declared a priority area for the government of President José Raúl Mulino . For this reason, Minister Navarro has temporarily deployed to the area to coordinate the environmental response.
“The environmental crisis of the La Villa River has already caused serious problems with the water supply and the health of the population,” Navarro warned.