Friday, February 6, 2026.
The Chain Reaction of Uninformed Decisions
One action rarely exists in isolation. Every decision, especially the uninformed or emotional ones, sets off a chain reaction, often far beyond what was intended.
Recently, a woman from the United States planned a visit to Panama to see a friend. Her husband strongly opposed the trip. In an attempt to stop her, he secretly placed a handgun in her luggage, assuming she would be intercepted while departing the U.S. She wasn’t. Instead, she was detained upon arrival in Panama. She now faces serious criminal charges, potential jail time, and consequences that extend far beyond the airport, into her marriage, her family, and her husband’s career. One impulsive act, rooted in control rather than foresight, changed multiple lives overnight.
In another case, a stunning luxury building was constructed in the heart of Casco Viejo, architecturally beautiful, meticulously designed, and undeniably impressive. What wasn’t fully accounted for was its immediate environment. Surrounded by long-standing gang territories, the building has since been repeatedly hit by gunfire. While no one has been physically harmed, the damage is extensive, the risk is constant, and residents are understandably unwilling to live “under fire.” What was envisioned as a dream investment has become an unresolved liability.
Both situations share a common thread: decisions made without fully understanding the surroundings, the risks, or the downstream effects.
The takeaway is simple, but not always easy. Check your surroundings. Pack your own luggage. Conduct proper due diligence. Trust is important, but trusting yourself enough to verify, question, and assess risk is critical. Because when decisions are made blindly, it’s rarely just one person who pays the price.
Brett Mikkelson
Director, B.M. Investigations, Inc. – Private Investigations in Panama
TOP NEWS and TIDBITS:
Panama Will Separate the Concessions of the Ports of Balboa and Cristóbal
The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, stated that the country will not grant a single concession again for the joint operation of the ports of Balboa and Cristóbal, following the ruling of the Supreme Court of Justice that declared the current concession contract unconstitutional.
During his weekly press conference, the president announced that the new scheme will be different and that each port will be treated separately when the State defines the concession model to be applied once the transition period concludes.
Mulino explained that, once this process is completed, Panama will evaluate under which framework the two ports will be administered and emphasized that “there will no longer be a concession of two ports under the same company.” He noted that this decision is part of a strategy designed in advance and responds to the new legal scenario created by the Court’s ruling.
The president clarified that, while the ruling is not yet final, Panama Ports Company continues to operate normally, as it has in recent weeks, and that no disruption to port operations has occurred. He indicated that the transition period will begin once the ruling becomes final and will be administered by the Panamanian State in accordance with what was previously announced.
When asked why APM Terminals, a subsidiary of Maersk, had been designated for the transition, Mulino stated that Maersk is a relevant actor during the transition stage because it is the main user of the Port of Balboa and has operational experience on a global scale.
He explained that the relationship with this company will take place within the framework of the temporary control and administration of the ports, while the State later defines the definitive concession scheme.
The president also referred to the arbitration announced by the Hutchison conglomerate, noting that the company has the right to resort to that mechanism, just as Panama has the right to defend itself. In this regard, he categorically rejected the claim that the Panamanian State had harassed or threatened the company for a year, as stated in the communiqué issued by Hutchison when announcing the arbitration.
He also said that Panama is a dignified country and would not allow itself to be threatened by any other, in reference to statements coming from China and Hong Kong following the ruling.
Finally, Mulino reiterated that the Government’s strategy was not improvised and that work had been carried out for a year on different possible scenarios. He stressed that the objective is to guarantee stability for the shipping market and the port community, and assured that Panama will act with responsibility and sovereignty in the decisions it adopts regarding the future administration of its ports.
Panama Will Dissolve Nearly 300,000 Inactive Corporations in the Fight Against Money Laundering
The Government of Panama announced this Wednesday a process to eliminate nearly 300,000 “suspended legal entities,” inactive corporations, from the registry as part of its efforts to stop being considered a tax haven and to continue exiting money-laundering blacklists.
“This dissolution process is something that is helping the country get off international blacklists. This process identified corporations that have been delinquent for more than 10 years, in some cases up to 20 years, in the payment of the annual franchise tax,” Vice Minister of Economy Eida Gabriela Sáiz explained to EFE.
Panama’s Ministry of Economy and Finance detailed that the process will begin on February 27 and will be carried out in two stages: a first stage covering “legal entities that have a marginal note of dissolution due to non-payment of the annual franchise tax for more than twenty years, specifically before and after 2016,” and a second stage encompassing those with “suspended status in the Public Registry.”
Authorities will also consider whether corporations have lacked a resident agent—the attorney or law firm that represents the entity before authorities or the Public Registry—for more than 90 days after the agent’s resignation, removal, or termination, as explained during a press conference by the various entities involved.
The process will be implemented in phases, starting with an initial block of 180,883 corporations with harmonized information, according to the Ministry of Economy. In addition, an Inter-Institutional Working Group for the Purging of Legal Entities was established, comprising the ministry, the Public Registry, and the Superintendency of Non-Financial Subjects.
“The process is agnostic and neutral”
According to the vice minister, “the idea is to gradually remove these corporations from the Public Registry and, in turn, from the General Directorate of Revenue.”
“The process is agnostic and neutral regarding the type of corporation. The focus is that they have not paid the annual franchise tax or do not have a resident agent,” the vice minister said, emphasizing that authorities do not have details on whether the corporations are considered offshore or on their type of activity, as they are anonymous.
The administration of President José Raúl Mulino has focused on removing Panama from lists that label it a tax haven, arguing that such lists are discriminatory and harm the country’s economy, as well as on restoring international “confidence.”
Panama exited several lists last year, including the European Parliament’s money-laundering list and Ecuador’s tax-haven list. Additionally, the country was removed in 2023 from the list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Following the “Panama Papers,” the historic leak of documents from the now-defunct Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, which linked various global figures to money laundering, the Central American country was placed on gray lists or classified as a tax haven.
Fuel Prices Will Increase This Friday, February 6
Panama’s National Energy Secretariat announced the new fuel prices effective as of this Friday, February 6, at 5:59 a.m.
According to the Secretariat, the price of 95-octane gasoline will increase by three cents per liter, reaching 88 cents per liter.
Likewise, the price of 91-octane gasoline will also rise by three cents, reaching 83 cents per liter.
Meanwhile, low-sulfur diesel will increase by five cents, reaching 84 cents per liter.
The new fuel prices will remain in effect from this Friday, February 6, until Friday, February 20, at 5:59 a.m.
In a statement, the National Energy Secretariat indicated that the new reference prices are calculated based on international prices of finished products (gasoline and diesel) quoted on the U.S. Gulf Coast, the country’s main supply market, and that price adjustments are made every 14 days.
The Energy Secretariat stated: “During the current period, international quotations registered an upward trend, driven by extraordinary weather-related factors in the United States. These include severe winter storms that have caused the disruption of approximately 15% of U.S. production, as well as operational shutdowns at strategic refineries along the Gulf Coast, which have reduced processing capacity, combined with a seasonal increase in demand for heating fuels.”
Panama Awards More Than $200 Million in 12-Month Treasury Bills
Panama’s Ministry of Economy reported this Wednesday that approximately $204.7 million was awarded in the first auction of 12-month Treasury Bills for 2026, an operation that “reflects strong investor appetite.”
In the auction, which had an initial amount of $50 million, Panama received bids totaling $364.2 million—more than seven times the announced amount—“confirming the depth and dynamism of the local market,” according to the Ministry of Economy.
Ultimately, Panama awarded $204.7 million of the final amount, comprising $162.65 million in competitive and non-competitive bids, $37.9 million in preferential interest payments, and a second round of $4.15 million.
The cut-off price stood at 95.52%, higher than in the previous auction, while the weighted average yield was 4.53%, 33 basis points lower than that recorded in December 2025. At this level, 44.6% of the competitive bids received were awarded, according to the statement.
The Ministry of Economy highlighted that the results “reinforce the strategy to strengthen the local capital market, supported by the favorable evolution of the Panamanian economy, increased credibility of fiscal policy, and a firm commitment to discipline in public debt management.”
Likewise, the ministry noted that “this operation contributes to a reduction in the public debt balance of $105.7 million.”
Panama’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 2.7% in 2024, driven by trade and domestic consumption, although weighed down by the abrupt closure of a large copper mine that slowed the pace of expansion.
The Panamanian government maintains its expectation of 4% economic growth in 2025. GDP expanded by 4.4% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, driven by the interoceanic canal, according to statistics from Panama’s Office of the Comptroller General.
Weather in Panama: Wind Advisory Issued; Gusts of up to 80 km/h Expected
Panama’s Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology reported that variable conditions are expected across the country this Thursday, with isolated to scattered rainfall, moderate to strong winds, and active advisories in several regions.
On the Caribbean slope, isolated showers are expected during the morning. In the afternoon and especially at night, rainfall is forecast to increase from Bocas del Toro to Costa Abajo de Colón, while the rest of the Caribbean slope will continue to experience isolated precipitation under a monitoring advisory.
On the Pacific slope, during the morning hours, cloudy intervals are expected with the possibility of isolated showers in Darién, parts of Panama Oeste, Coclé, and some coastal areas of Chiriquí.
In the afternoon, isolated to scattered downpours are expected, with a chance of electrical activity in Darién, mainly near the border. Isolated showers are also forecast south of Veraguas and Chiriquí, as well as the probability of isolated rainfall in Panama, Panama Oeste, northern Coclé, and the mountainous sector of the Azuero Peninsula. At night, some isolated showers are expected along the borders of Darién and Chiriquí.
Maximum temperatures will range between 22°C and 25°C in the Central Cordillera, and between 28°C and 35°C in the rest of the country.
Regarding winds, a wind monitoring advisory was activated this Thursday, February 5, for windy conditions across the Caribbean and Pacific slopes and maritime zones through February 9, with gusts ranging between 50 and 80 km/h. During the afternoon, the arrival of a cold frontal system is expected in the northwestern portion of the Caribbean Sea basin.
During the morning, northwest to north winds are expected to prevail, with speeds of up to 30 km/h in the western and central maritime sectors of the Panamanian Caribbean and the Gulf of Panama, and up to 20 km/h from Bocas del Toro to Colón, as well as in parts of the metropolitan region, Panama Oeste, Coclé, and the eastern coast of the Azuero Peninsula. In the afternoon and evening, wind speeds will increase to up to 40 km/h in the mentioned areas.
In the rest of the country, variable winds below 10 km/h are expected during the morning. For the remainder of the day, variable winds will persist in Darién, while northwest winds are expected in the eastern Caribbean slope, with speeds of up to 20 km/h. In Chiriquí and southern Veraguas, southwest to west winds of up to 20 km/h are expected in the afternoon, shifting to northwest winds of up to 15 km/h at night. In addition, gusts of up to 55 km/h are forecast for the Central Cordillera, Coclé, Panama Oeste, and from Bocas del Toro to Colón, under a monitoring advisory.
Maritime conditions in the Caribbean will feature wave heights between 1.5 and 2.0 meters with periods of 8 to 9 seconds, also under a monitoring advisory. In the Pacific, waves of 0.5 to 1.2 meters are expected, with periods of 10 to 13 seconds, and caution is advised.
UV-B radiation indices will reach maximum values between 6 and 11, indicating a high to extreme risk level nationwide.
At present, three monitoring advisories remain in effect: one for rainfall and storms associated with a frontal system, another for windy conditions, and a third for significant wave activity in the Caribbean.
Panama Closes 2025 with a Fiscal Deficit of 3.68%
During the President of the Republic’s press conference, Minister of Economy Felipe Chapman announced that Panama closed 2025 with a fiscal deficit of the Non-Financial Public Sector equivalent to 3.68% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This represents a reduction of 40%, approximately $2.069 billion less.
This result exceeds the target established by the Fiscal Responsibility Law, which set a limit of 4%.
Chapman also noted that revenue growth at year-end exceeded 6%.
