News
Wednesday 25th June 2025.
June 24, 2025
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem reiterated this Tuesday, June 24, the need for the Panama Canal to ensure that “U.S. warships and auxiliary vessels can freely transit” through the waterway.
Noem did not speak directly to the media about this issue , but after her visit to Panamanian soil, the US Embassy in Panama published a message on the social network X in which it indicated that “to further strengthen our alliance, it is essential that US warships and auxiliary vessels transit freely through the Panama Canal.”
In April of this year, the Panamanian and U.S. governments signed a joint declaration opening the door to a compensation mechanism for the transit of U.S. military vessels through the Panama Canal .
At the time, it was said that the government would seek to structure this mechanism to implement what they called “cost-neutral” measures, but to date, no steps have been taken in this regard.
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) was left out of this conversation; the regulations governing its operation do not allow it to negotiate tolls individually with any route user.
The toll system is based on Article 315 of the Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama, which states that the Panama Canal “shall remain open to the peaceful and uninterrupted transit of vessels of all nations.” It is consistent with the principles of international law, while ensuring equal treatment for all waterway users.
Canal Minister José Ramón Icaza clarified that this was not exactly a “free” step , but rather a compensation system for services, inspired by similar agreements with the Panamanian Ministry of Public Security.
That is, a “cost-neutral” model: Panama will not charge a toll, but the United States will pay in another way, providing security services to the Canal in strategic areas.
During her visit, Noem also highlighted that her administration will contribute an additional $7 million to implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Assistance and Cooperation in Immigration Matters , signed on July 1, 2024, to deport foreigners who enter Panama illegally or have criminal records.
In addition, he assured that Panama and the United States could reach agreements in the future with various agencies under the Department of Homeland Security, sharing information about who is flying through and passing through both countries with the Border Patrol and Customs, and how to ensure the scanning of shipping containers, packaging, and individual trucks.
Public Security Minister Frank Ábrego announced that he will request a five-day extension to the state of emergency declared in Bocas del Toro from President José Raúl Mulino , considering that the search for gang members involved in the acts of vandalism reported last week is still active.
During statements offered to Panama en Directo , Ábrego explained that, although areas such as Changuinola and Almirante remain calm and without reports of new incidents in recent hours, pockets of closure persist in areas such as Hornitos , in Gualaca, Chiriquí .
The minister reported that raids continue to locate those responsible for the damage caused to 17 state institutions and dozens of private businesses. So far, he said, individuals linked to the Los Terroristas, Branda, Pachos, Pachucos, and Boys and The Hood gangs have been arrested. Regarding the latter, he revealed that its leader—detained in La Nueva Joya prison—had a cell phone and four chips in his possession, which were confiscated.
Ábrego indicated that this information was provided to the Directorate of the Penitentiary System, so that it could be added as an aggravating factor to the prisoner’s already serving sentence.
He also reiterated that mayors and district representatives were allegedly financing these groups, who, according to him, acted in a coordinated manner to attack the Changuinola airport, the water treatment plant, and even attempted to disrupt the power supply.
The minister stated that all this information was handed over to the Attorney General of the Nation, Luis Carlos Gómez , who will be responsible for determining whether there is sufficient evidence to open a formal investigation.
The National Police arrested 13 people who were blocking the Pan-American Highway near the community of San Pedro del Espino, in the district of Santiago, Veraguas province.
In the action, the representative of the Los Milagros district , La Mesa district, Aladino Rodríguez of the Panameñista Party, was arrested and placed at the orders of the competent authority for obstructing traffic and hindering police work.
Following the police action, several of the protesters took refuge in nearby homes to avoid further action by the authorities.
Some of those arrested reported violations of their right to protest against Law 462, which introduced reforms to the Social Security pension system .
Also, students from the University of Panama clashed with police riot police after blocking traffic on the campus.
Meanwhile, in Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, police and National Border Service agents continued their raids in search of gang members involved in acts of vandalism that affected some 17 public and commercial establishments.
Work has also resumed to remove debris and clear roads that had been closed for several days, leaving them isolated by road.
This Tuesday, Security Minister Frank Ábrego stated that state security forces will continue their work to keep the streets of Bocas del Toro clear and ensure the safety of its residents.
Representative Shirley Castañeda , from the Realizing Goals (RM) party , is the candidate elected by the group to seek the presidency of the National Assembly for the next legislative period, which begins on July 1, 2025.
Castañeda’s selection was announced through a party circular signed by Representative Alain Cedeño on Tuesday, June 24.
“Our party unanimously selected the honorable Representative Shirley Castañeda as our candidate for the presidency of the Assembly,” the letter states.
Sources close to the party indicated that another name being considered included Representative Dana Castañeda , who presided over the Legislature during the 2024-2025 term and was seeking reelection . However, Dana Castañeda is not registered with the party, an important component of the RM party’s ranks, which was banking on a registered candidate.
Castañeda, a representative for the 13-1 district of Arraiján, is a figure who brings to mind the origins of RM, since she is one of its founding members, along with former President Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal (2009-2014).
Shirley Castañeda, in particular, is one of the party figures closest to former President Martinelli , as evidenced by her recent trips to Bogotá, Colombia, where the former president is seeking asylum. She also served as Martinelli’s legal representative in legal proceedings against the former president.
In a recent interview with La Prensa , fellow RM representative Alain Cedeño argued that RM “won the government” and is the second largest party in the legislature, which is why he believed that “RM should have its own Speaker of the Assembly.”
On the ticket seeking the presidency of the Legislature, RM would need allies . The best way forward would be to offer the first and second vice presidencies of the Legislature, and among the potential candidates for these positions would be the Panameñista Party , according to legislative sources.
However, there are still a few days left before other potential candidates for the presidency of the Legislature, which would be sought by other groups, such as the Vamos coalition or the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), are defined.
or of the National Lottery of Charity, Saquina Jaramillo , revealed a scandalous figure: “Clandestinity is costing us nearly 200 million dollars a year ,” she stated, denouncing a parallel system of selling lottery tickets and chances that operates with absolute impunity throughout the country.
The figure, according to Jaramillo, even exceeds the annual contributions the entity transfers to the State: in 2024, official revenues were $108 million and are projected to reach $111 million by 2025. The damage is not insignificant. This is a financial drain that erodes the social function of the lottery, originally designed to benefit vulnerable sectors.
The phenomenon isn’t new, but it has escalated to worrying levels. “It’s not just the local chance. Now there are Tica (from Costa Rica), Nica (from Nicaragua), and other types.
“A new practice has also emerged in Colón,” Jaramillo warned in an interview with Telemetro . What’s most alarming, he said, is that the clandestine business is openly operating in stores, bakeries, boutiques, and commercial establishments, especially in provinces like Chiriquí.
“There are already kiosks on the streets, in the stores. You go in to buy clothes and next door they sell illegally,” he said. While in the capital the business is mostly in the hands of Asian citizens, in the interior of the country it is part of the national trade. “All the establishments in Chiriquí sell illegally,” he stated, without qualification.
Given this situation, the Lottery has begun to forge alliances with other state institutions such as the Consumer Protection Authority (Acodeco), the General Directorate of Revenue (DGI), and the Ministry of Commerce.
Part of the problem, Jaramillo pointed out, is the overpricing of ticket sales, which some ticket sellers justify as “scalping,” but which fuels illegal networks.
The current sanctioning framework, however, is insufficient. “Fines for illegal sales are administrative and are in the hands of mayors. The problem is that most of them don’t support us in our operations,” he lamented. Therefore, the entity is preparing a draft law that seeks to toughen penalties and close legal loopholes.
“Clandestinity cannot continue to be just an offense. We want it to be considered a crime,” Jaramillo emphasized. The bill will be introduced in the next legislative session, once the committees are established.
Meanwhile, the official assured that they will continue to pressure for compliance with the current law. One of the Lottery’s greatest fears is that this illegal market could be linked to money laundering operations, which, she said, requires the addition of more entities to the fight.
At this point, he mentioned the increase in bank deposits on Wednesdays and Sundays, coinciding with drawing days, as part of the clandestine lottery system, through which numerous deposits of small amounts are recorded—to mislead—and distributed across multiple accounts, using digital transaction platforms within the scheme.