Perhaps, being an ex-pat and living here has made me obtuse over the years to something that is very clear.  Panamanians as a WHOLE,  do not speak English very well. (if at all). We have travelled to Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic to name a few. All have in general …

The presidential calls of the pro-government Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) begin to accelerate the pace and draw up their strategies to achieve their plans to be elected in primaries as presidential standard-bearer of the largest political party in the country. The PRD has already announced that its primary elections will …

Well I was debating and debating with myself whether I would ever write about the Bocas del Toro debacle that is Red Frog Beach.   After spending the last 8 days in Bocas del Toro I’ve made some promises and can’t hold back any longer.   The promise I made myself and …

The Spanish Civil Guard and Europol on Monday dismantled a “super cartel” of drugs that controlled a third of the cocaine traffic that entered the old continent. According to investigations by the Spanish Civil Guard, the drug supplier was a Panamanian living in Dubai who the authorities classify as one …

The Vice President of the Republic, José Gabriel Carrizo, has intensified his appearance at inauguration events for public works or works financed by the State, a few months after a ban was issued for pre-candidates and candidates for popularly elected positions to participate in inauguration events of Public Works. Although …

“Good for Argentina. I want Messi to be champion” The history between Mexico and Panama experienced a new chapter today in the World Cup duel between Mexicans and Argentines. Lionel Messi’s albiceleste thrashed El Tri 2-0 and the Panamanians celebrated… “Mexicans turning off their networks for a couple of days due …

Deputy Zulay Rodríguez assured that the leadership of the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) and the government would be aligned “against him” to supposedly stop his aspirations to run for the Presidency of the Republic. This was stated this Monday in the “Cover” of La Estrella de Panamá by the …

The rule of law and corruption The law protects the legal assets that explain the existence of a company. Those who unite in society respond to a community of roots and dreams. This is how the nation first arises: beings with common cradles and graves, with common values. And the State arises when …

The CITES extreme control of the trade of sharks, rays and frogs The 19th CITES World Conference on Wildlife concluded yesterday in Panama with the ratification of protecting 54 species of sharks, rays and the glass frog ByEFE Servicesonline@laestrella.com.pa Updated 11/26/2022 00:00Created 11/26/2022 00:00 The 19th World Conference on Wildlife …

The few programs that exist in prisons lack a scientific basis, because there is no team of specialists to make a scientific and comprehensive diagnosis of criminal behavior ByMarlene Headmtesta@laestrella.com.pa Updated 11/25/2022 00:00Created 11/25/2022 00:00 We have to work on public policies in the long term, and not government policies. I …

Migration flows have accompanied Panama since long before the colonial period and have been fundamental in the current sociocultural and economic construction of the country. Despite this weight in society, the Panamanian State has not had –and does not have– a coherent integration policy for migrants arriving in the country, …

The President of the Republic of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, made official the appointments of Vladimir A. Franco Sousa, as the new Vice Chancellor of Foreign Relations and Yill del Carmen Otero, as the new Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs and International Cooperation. The latter comes to the position to replace …

‘Who are the owners of the land in Panama?’ second edition No government plan of the last three administrations proposes a way out of the unequal distribution of land in Panama, while on the contrary, it worsens   ByAbdiel Ivan Quinterojournalists@laestrella.com.pa Updated 11/20/2022 00:00Created 11/20/2022 00:00 ‘Who are the owners of …

The Public Ministry has two business days to analyze whether to file an appeal in the Odebrecht case. The MP was notified by mail by the Third Settlement Court for Criminal Cases of Mixed Order No.09 of November 7, 2022, in which 35 people were called to trial for crimes …

The ball is already rolling in Qatar. Ecuador and the host country were in charge of launching this soccer party with the opening match this Sunday. With a 2-0 victory, Ecuador, with both goals scored by Enner Valencia, kept the three points of the match, positioning itself so far in first …

The National Government will not promote changes to the law of the Institute of National Aqueducts and Sewers (Idaan), but it is advancing in a process of transformation of the entity, which according to its director Juan Antonio Ducruet, is already in operation and its results, he assures, will be …

“Whoever does not live it, does not understand it, but you have to get used to it. There’s no other option!”. Whoever affirms this is one of the more than 21,000 prisoners who survive in the country’s jails. The prisoner testified with resignation, in that purgatory, the feeling of abandonment of him as …

The Archeology Laboratory of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), in Amador, houses human and animal skeletal remains that have been found over several decades in different scientific excavations in Panama. Dr. Nicole Smith-Guzmán was recently appointed curator of the Archeology Laboratory and is organizing the vast collection. Her goal is …

Migration flows have accompanied Panama since long before the colonial period and have been fundamental in the current sociocultural and economic construction of the country. Despite this weight in society, the Panamanian State has not had –and does not have– a coherent integration policy for migrants arriving in the country, …

Historically, the construction sector is one of the main engines of economic growth in Panama. But during the covid-19 pandemic it was one of the most affected, falling by up to 50% (2020), and to date it has not achieved the growth levels it had before (pre-pandemic). The construction sector will …

Panama East has more and more options to live. It is an ideal area for those families who want to buy their first home, since there is something for all tastes and budgets. Many consider it an area far from the city, however, due to the urbanization that continues to grow, you will …

Mari Carmen Aponte, the new United States ambassador to Panama, arrived yesterday in the capital to fill a diplomatic vacuum that had persisted for four years, since the departure of her predecessor John Feeley (2018). “After a long wait, I am finally in Panama,” the diplomat said at the airport. A …

Until October 2022, inflation in Panama accumulates a growth of 3.1%, compared to the same period in 2021. Only in October it reflected a year-on-year variation of 1.7%, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), of the Institute National Statistics and Census (Inec) published by the General Accounting Office of …

Eventually she will realize that VP is her fastest path to the Presidency. Ricardo is running so it’s over.  A definitive closure of the Electoral Tribunal of the expulsion process of the 15 “rebel” deputies of the Cambio Democrático party, led by the current general secretary of this political group, …

The former President of the Republic Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal would not have any legal impediment to be the presidential standard-bearer of his Realizing Goals (RM) party, in the next general elections of 2024. Taking into account that the third criminal judge of the First Judicial Circuit of Panama, Baloisa Marquínez, …

Political parties with more than 100,000 adherents begin to organize with a view to holding their primary elections to choose the candidates who will represent them in the general elections on May 5, 2024. The first political group to publicly announce the date of its primary elections was the Panameñista …

Panama has presented a growth like no region in Latin America (15% per year) according to World Bank statistics. However, despite this indicator, Panamanian wealth has remained in macroeconomic numbers and in very few hands. This makes it the third most unequal country in Latin America, also known as the least equal …

Five women have been murdered this 2022, a situation that keeps society concerned Five women have been murdered this year in Chiriquí, this situation keeps society worried. The etiology of this particular form of criminality is multifactorial, but what is most important for these events to occur lies in the dysfunctionality …

The number of recorded disasters has increased fivefold – partly due to climate change caused by human activities and the multiplication of extreme weather events – and everything indicates that this trend will continue. Half of the world’s countries do not have early warning systems, and even fewer have regulatory …

For those that are soccer fans (like me), there is an interesting documentary on NETFLIX about the awarding of the World Cop of 2022 to QATAR. Indeed it was an odd and curious choice. Much ado of fraud and kickbacks started the investigations into FIFA.  Now other groups are investigating …