Panamanowonline.com was established to become the #1 news source in English in and around the Republic of Panama. Our goal is and will always be to provide the best possible up to date news and information in English geared at reporting on the issues that touch and effect the expat community in Panama. Through sharing relevant articles as reported in the local press as well as through contributing writers and affiliates this site was designed to share not just news and information but to provide a platform for our readership to tune in daily whether living, visiting or planning to relocate to Panama. Thank you for visiting our site, hasta la proxima vez!
Legal

National Police Director retires amidst allegations

The general director of the National Police, Omar Pinzón, will leave his post from this Friday, June 1 and will take refuge in his retirement. Alonso Vega Pino is the new deputy director of the National Police Pinzón since last year was retired, however, remained in the institution, because according …

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Crime

Prosecutor’s Office reveals massive spike in Corruption Cases filed

by James “JB” Bryson These stories do and will continue to dominate the PON.com site, as until we as both true Panamanians as well as the ex-pats that now call this country home, see a decrease in the massive amounts of “pay to play” incidents that occur in a country …

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Economy

Panama City no longer the deal it was a few years ago, living costs rising steadily in Latin America

Panama City is the most expensive Latin American city in the world, followed by Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile, according to the benchmark index of the Swiss bank UBS published today, which places Zurich in the first position of the most expensive cities, ahead of Geneva and Oslo. The …

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Energy/Infrastructure

Solar Energy rebates extended

After the revolution that generated in public opinion the proposal to establish a charge to customers who install solar panels for self-consumption, the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP) decided to extend the period of consultations for 60 days. The initiative for additional charging (for energy demand) to residential customers …

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Labor

Woman elected to lead Maritime Chamber of Commerce signifies progressive change

Patricia Velásquez was elected last Friday as president of the Maritime Chamber of Panama for the period 2018-2019 to replace Julio De La Lastra . It is the first time that a woman has been elected to lead the guild founded in 1979, and in which there are more than …

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Crime

Comptroller audit reveals yet more evidence of alleged crime

The deputies Manuel Cohen (Herrera) and Dana Castañeda (Coclé) accumulate the greater amount of money exchanged in cash or deposited in private banks of funds coming from their circuits (2009-2014), according to an audit of the Comptroller General of the Republic to the communal boards. For this, the deputies used …

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Politics

“Cambio Democratico” candidate announced for primary election

Rómulo Roux , excanciller and current president of Cambio Democrático (CD) , will seek the presidential candidacy for that political party. The morning of this Tuesday May 29 was formally registered to compete in the primaries of this political party on August 12. José Raúl Mulino formalizes his candidacy to …

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"JB"

Have family here for MEMORIAL DAY, back to it Tuesday.

by James “JB” Bryson It’s been an occupied weekend as we have family from Illinois that came to visit as they have the long holiday for MEMORIAL DAY in the US. Let me take this time to state my most heartfelt appreciation for ALL of the MEN and WOMEN of …

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"JB"

Martinelli team preps for return to Panama, much more than meets the eye. STAY TUNED

by James “JB” Bryson I am quite fascinated with the whole scenario around the multiple yearlong detention, subsequent firing of his attorneys, and the pending return of former president and polarizing figure of Ricardo Martinelli. I have always been of the opinion that Varela has been opportunistic, and tries so …

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Legal

How the extradition process will unfold.

Assuming that the dismissals of Ricardo Martinelli’s attorneys have been presented in the United States to the Court of Appeals of Atlanta, this entity must accept the waiver of the habeas corpus appeal, and the waiver of the opposition to the appeal of the bail filed by the federal prosecutors …

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Legal

Martinelli defense changes to hiding in plain sight, not hindering extradition.

Former President Ricardo Martinelli “voluntarily” withdrew his appeals to US courts to facilitate his extradition to Panama from Miami , where he has been detained since June 12, 2017. This is stated in the motion that his lawyer John Byrne presented late last afternoon before the Federal Court of Appeals …

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Church

Panama coordinating with Mexico for Papal visit on World Youth Day

A little more than seven months before the World Youth Day (JMJ) 2019, details related to this religious event are finalized. Recently, as part of an official visit to Mexico, Vice Chancellor Luis Miguel Hincapié held meetings with the main authorities linked to security, customs and migration issues. The purpose …

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Environmental

UNESCO involved in dispute over use of Coiba National Park

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has requested the suspension of the land use plan of the Coiba National Park, which was approved on January 3. Unesco’s request is in a preliminary report in which it asks to evaluate the possible negative impacts of the plan on …

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Health

Diabetes fatalities rising among Panamanian population

Diabetes is a silent disease and every day there are more people on your list, most unfortunate many young people are developing this condition and are unaware that they have it. So much so that this disease is the fifth cause of death in Panama. Data from the Comptroller General of …

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Financials

Foundation calls for end to “discretionary funds” for Deputies

The Foundation for Development and Citizen Liberty (Panamanian chapter of Transparency International ) asked the Executive “not to devote more discretionary funds for the management of deputies,” and that the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic be allowed to audit the items used by the National Assembly to …

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Crime

Financial Pacific pyramid case continues with questionable $8.5 million loan satisfaction

Without a visible bank refinancing certification, Riccardo Francolini – who was benefited yesterday with a bail of $ 100 thousand in the Financial Pacific case – paid a loan of $ 8.5 million in 9 months . The money was requested on loan to buy a ” Plug & Grind …

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International Relations

World Cup allows Varela to get cozy with Putin

The Foreign Ministry of the Republic clarifies that the next trip of President Juan Carlos Varela to Russia includes a meeting with the President of that country Vladimir Putin , in Moscow , and a “business meeting” to promote investment. Counters $ 100 thousand for Varela’s tour to the World …

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Energy/Infrastructure

Panama looks to capitalize on Solar for the future

It is a call that insistently touches the shoulder of every nation. The duty of each of them is to accelerate the transition to an energy system based on renewable technologies, that is, to develop clean energies. What is left behind are fossil fuels to reduce the polluting emissions of …

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Legal

Martinelli will not obstruct extradition process

Former President Ricardo Martinelli , who has been detained in Miami since June 12, has decided not to obstruct the process of his extradition to Panama. The bail hearing for Martinelli will be on July 19 in Miami Decision to grant bail to Martinelli, temporarily suspended ‘There are reasons to …

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International Relations

Trump cancels planned historic meeting with DPRK

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that the summit scheduled for June 12 in Singapore was canceled due to the “open hostility” shown by Pyongyang. Trump asks China to better control its border with North Korea “Unfortunately, based on the …

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"JB"
17

Who could be the NEXT PRESIDENT of PANAMA?

by James “JB” Bryson Who could become the next President of Panama??? So here at PNO.com we get all sorts of questions and inquiries and they range from anything and everything you can imagine relating to Panama.  But I have to say hands down the most frequently asked question I …

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Chiriqui

Resources denied to Chiriqui Hydroelectric plant

The Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice denied three appeals seeking to stop the cancellation of the Barriles hydroelectric project in the province of Chiriquí. Hidroeléctrica Barriles, SA, through the Morgan & Morgan law firm, filed an administrative claim for annulment against a note from the Chiriqui Regional …

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Agriculture

Steps taken to combat illegal fishing operations

Technicians from institutions linked to the fishing sector of Panama gathered at a technical meeting to advance in the fight against illegal fishing and in the implementation of the Agreement on Port State Measures, the Global Registry of fishing vessels, transport, refrigerated and supply, and other international instruments. The country …

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Human Interest

Panamanians have low participation in high positions

The incorporation into the economic activity of women in Panama is far from assimilating to their educational achievements with an imbalance in their labor participation and decision-making positions in companies, since 12 percent have females in senior management positions, when the goal defined by international studies is 33 percent. This …

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Sport

Spanish legends Torres and Iniesta bid farewell to Club Team play

First it was Fernando Torres, then Andrés Iniesta. The league of Spain ended on Sunday with the farewell of two idols of their respective teams. Torres finished his laureate career with his childhood team, Atlético de Madrid, with two goals in a 2-2 draw against Eibar. Hours later, Iniesta ended …

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International Relations

Varela continues flip flopping over Venezuela.

We hope that President [Nicolás] Maduro, who is still in his current constitutional period, reflect and use these remaining months of his current period to seek peace and democracy and ways of meeting in his people.” Panama ignores election results in Venezuela Nicolás Maduro is re-elected in Venezuela amid controversy …

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Bocas del Toro
1

Missing body found in Changuinola River

The Joint Task Force located the body of a 29-year-old man who was dragged by the waters of the Changuinola River, Bocas del Toro province. + info FTC resumes search for missing man in Changuinola river This was announced by the general director of the National Civil Protection System, José …

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Crime

Yet another arrest in Financial Pacific pyramid. Posted yesterday on PON.com

The seventh anticorruption prosecutor, Leyda Sáenz, ordered yesterday the preventive detention of merchant Riccardo Francolini for alleged anomalies in transactions made through the Jal Offshore company in the Financial Pacific (FP) brokerage house. Francolini, who is being investigated for allegedly committing the crime of money laundering, was transferred to the …

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Canal

Canal Tugboat Captains file criminal complaint

The tugboat captains of the Panama Canal yesterday filed a criminal complaint against waterway administrators, accusing them of having affected maritime transport on 12 and 13 April, by unilaterally eliminating the third seaman who goes aboard the tugboats to support the transit of the neopanamax. The Union of Captains and …

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Crime

New allegations in case of Mossack-Fonseca.

The Second Special Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime announced on Tuesday May 22 that performs nine search proceedings, nine conductions and the respective investigations of ten accused, who have been charged with the alleged commission of the crime of money laundering , as part of the investigation that seeks to …

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