Friday, January 9, 2026.
Not Everything Has To Be An Emergency
One of the goals I set for myself, both as part of a sincere effort to be a better person and to use my time more wisely, was to stop automatically saying “yes” to last-minute “I need it right now” requests. So far, I’ve already failed twice, which is frustrating precisely because I know better.
The most recent example came via a WhatsApp message from someone I’ve known for years, asking whether I could arrange security coverage in Colombia the following day. Coordinating security anywhere in Latin America is something I can do efficiently, but this request arrived at 11:38 p.m. for a 1:00 p.m. deployment the next day and it was incomplete. They didn’t even know which city they would be in!!
Despite this, I made the mistake of moving forward. I had my office prepare a quote, coordinate vehicles, and pull in team members. In the end, it was a complete waste of time. By the stated deadline, we had delivered everything initially requested, only to be met with a new wave of demands: additional references, agent profiles, licenses, and, on top of that, a request for a discount on an already negotiated daily rate. When we were unable to meet this expanded list of requirements within what the client subjectively considered a “timely manner,” the job was ultimately awarded to someone else.
This situation closely mirrors principles outlined in The One Minute Manager, which addresses how leaders should handle recurring last-minute demands. The book emphasizes that these situations are rarely true emergencies; more often, they are the result of unclear expectations and uncorrected behavior. Its guidance is to address the issue immediately, focus on the behavior rather than the individual, and reaffirm the professional relationship. When expectations, timelines, and consequences are made explicit, the cycle of last-minute requests tends to diminish.
That said, going forward, I am putting my foot down. At a minimum, for the rest of this year, I will be holding firm to my standards, respecting my own time, and no longer allowing urgency, especially poorly defined urgency, to dictate my decisions.
Brett Mikkelson
Director, B.M. Investigations, Inc. – Private Investigations in Panama
TOP NEWS and TIDBITS:
Venezuela Frees a “Significant Number” of Political Prisoners, Including Foreign Nationals
A “significant number” of detainees held for political reasons, including foreign nationals, were released in Venezuela, the head of Parliament announced on Thursday, without providing further details.
These are the first releases under the interim administration of Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed office on a temporary basis following a U.S. military operation on January 3 in which the ousted president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured.
Both are currently in New York, where they are facing justice on multiple charges, including drug trafficking.
“For the sake of peaceful coexistence, the Bolivarian government, together with state institutions, has decided to release a significant number of Venezuelan and foreign individuals,” said the head of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez.
“These release processes are taking place as of this very moment,” he stated in remarks to the press at the Legislative Palace, without specifying how many people will be freed.
The parliamentary leader thanked former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Qatar, “who promptly responded to the call” of the interim president, he noted.
“It is a unilateral gesture by the Bolivarian government,” Rodríguez said.
The NGO Foro Penal reports that there are 806 political prisoners in Venezuela, 175 of them members of the military.
AMP Clarifies That “Shadow Fleet” Vessels Were No Longer Registered in Panama
The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) clarified on Thursday that the oil tankers Bella 1 and M Sophia, recently intercepted by the United States Coast Guard, were no longer part of the Panama Ship Registry at the time of the incidents.
According to the official statement, the vessel Bella 1 ceased to be registered under the Panamanian flag on October 7, 2024, while the vessel M Sophia was deregistered on January 23, 2025.
The AMP reported that the oil tankers Bella 1 and M Sophia have been linked to the so-called “shadow fleet.”
The clarification follows a statement from the White House indicating that both vessels were allegedly connected to the so-called “shadow fleet,” purportedly used by the regime of Nicolás Maduro to evade international sanctions.
The AMP reiterated that Panama maintains strict controls over its maritime registry and that the vessels in question were not operating under the Panamanian flag at the time they were intercepted by U.S. authorities.
The Panama Ship Registry is one of the largest in the world and, in recent years, has strengthened its oversight and vessel cancellation mechanisms for ships that fail to comply with international standards, as part of its commitment to transparency and maritime security.
Extension of Line 1 Has Increased Its Cost by Nearly $100 Million
The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic approved a fourth addendum to the contract for the extension of Line 1 from San Isidro to Villa Zaíta, in the amount of thirty-five million seventeen thousand six hundred eighty dollars and fifteen cents ($35,017,680.15).
According to the register of approvals published on the Comptroller’s Office website, this is the fourth addendum to Contract No. MPSA-04-2020 for design engineering services, construction of civil works, auxiliary line installations and stations, and interfaces with the integrated railway system for the extension of Line 1.
What is noteworthy about this approval is that the addendum does not appear on the Panamá Compra portal.
It is known that on November 18, 2025, the Cabinet Council authorized Metro de Panamá, S.A. to directly contract the Japanese and French companies Nippon Koei Lac, Inc., Systra, and Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. to manage the final works remaining on the line extension, which has been operational since April 2024.
Through direct contracting, the aforementioned companies will oversee project management for 22 months, until March 31, 2026, at a cost of $3.5 million.
According to the Comptroller’s Office, with the approval of the fourth addendum to the contract with OHL and Mota Engil—companies that make up the Línea Panamá Norte consortium—the total cost of the project rises to two hundred seventy-seven million eight hundred sixty-six thousand seven hundred sixteen dollars and thirty-three cents ($277,866,716.33).
The original contract with the consortium was signed in 2019 for one hundred seventy-seven million nine hundred sixty-seven thousand eight hundred forty-eight dollars and thirty-three cents ($177,967,848.33), indicating that after six years and four addenda, the cost has increased by ninety-nine million eight hundred ninety-eight thousand eight hundred sixty-eight dollars and three cents ($99,898,868.03).
The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the extension of Line 1, whose notice to proceed was issued in early 2021.
This was the first metro project to include a series of additional works beyond the construction of the line and stations.
What remains to be completed includes area urbanization, the widening of Transístmica Avenue, and the interchange for public transportation.
Line 1 initially reached Los Andes. It was later extended to San Isidro and subsequently extended again to Villa Zaíta.
The last addendum appearing on Panamá Compra—the third one—was approved by Comptroller Anel Flores on June 20, 2025.
That document established the project cost at $242.8 million, which included $23.1 million for the relocation of public utilities, $3.9 million for urban improvements around the terminal, and $21.5 million for the relocation of the Social Security Fund (CSS) polyclinic, which opened its doors in May of last year.
Last December, Virginia Martínez, roadway manager for the Línea Panamá Norte project, told TVN Noticias that the road expansion and reorganization of the Villa Zaíta area would be completed in April.
In addition to the 2.2-kilometer extension of Line 1 and the construction of the station, the project included a parking structure and the CSS polyclinic, which are already completed.
What has been delayed is the widening of Transístmica Avenue to six lanes and the construction of the interchange for Metrobus services, similar to those in San Isidro and Nuevo Tocumen.
The delay of these works has caused severe traffic congestion in the area during peak hours, generating inconvenience for drivers and passengers.
Official Gazette Publishes New Minimum Wage Rates to Take Effect on January 16
The Digital Official Gazette published the executive decree establishing the new minimum wage rates nationwide, applicable by region, economic activity, occupation, and company size.
According to the decree, the new rates will take effect as of January 16, 2026, and will remain in force for the 2026–2027 period.
The document establishes two wage regions: Region 1, which includes Panama, Colón, and other districts detailed in the decree, and Region 2, which covers the rest of the country.
In the case of domestic work, the minimum wage remains a monthly amount, set at US$350 for Region 1 and US$320 for Region 2.
The decree repeals the minimum wage scheme approved in January 2024.
You can view the complete document here.
Official Gazette – Minimum Wage
Fuel Prices Will Change This Friday, January 9
The Energy Secretariat announced the new fuel prices that will take effect as of this Friday, January 9.
The price of 95-octane gasoline will increase by one cent, reaching 84 cents per liter.
The price of 91-octane gasoline will remain unchanged at 78 cents per liter.
Meanwhile, low-sulfur diesel will decrease by one cent, bringing its price to 76 cents per liter.
These prices will remain in effect until 5:59 a.m. on Friday, January 23.
Complaints Exceeding US$4.7 Million for Breach of Warranty on New Vehicles
Failure to honor warranties was the main reason for complaints filed by consumers during the purchase of new vehicles, according to records from the Authority for Consumer Protection and Competition Defense (Acodeco).
According to official figures, between January and November 2025, 183 complaints were filed for breach of warranty on new vehicles, totaling US$4,741,434.58, making it the most frequent cause of dissatisfaction within the automotive sector.
Other reasons for complaints reported by consumers, though in smaller numbers, included lack of information, with 23 complaints totaling US$504,125.76; hidden defects, with 10 complaints amounting to US$225,599.03; and failure to provide service, with nine cases representing US$54,913.10.
There were also six complaints for refunds totaling US$38,148.62; three for improper charges totaling US$900.94; two for abusive clauses totaling US$2,000.00; two for breach of contract totaling US$24,100.00; one case related to custody of the vehicle valued at US$16,563.42; and one complaint related to the truthfulness of advertising totaling US$1,190.17.
Acodeco recalled that Law 45 of 2007 establishes, in Article 47, that “providers of new motor vehicles are required to extend a minimum warranty of one year or thirty thousand kilometers, whichever comes first.” The law also states that “when the manufacturer’s warranty is more favorable to the consumer than the minimum terms established in this article, the provider is required to offer the manufacturer’s warranty.”
The agency also indicated that suppliers are obligated to provide consumers with the manufacturer’s warranty in writing, as part of the obligations established under current legislation.
DGI Announces New Versions of Forms for e-Tax 2.0 Filings
The General Directorate of Revenue (DGI) informed taxpayers of important updates to the e-Tax 2.0 tax system, including new versions of tax return forms and the incorporation of specific sectors for certain tax regimes.
Among the main changes, the DGI announced the creation of a new sector in Form F2, corresponding to Corporate Income Tax, specifically aimed at Entrepreneurship Companies – Microentrepreneurs.
DGI Introduces New Sector for Microentrepreneurs
Updates related to this form include:
- Form F2 V10: New sector for Entrepreneurship Companies “Microentrepreneurs.”
- F2 Micro-Help – Entrepreneurship Sector V2, updated as of October 30.
- F2 Instructions V10 – Entrepreneurship Sector V1, to guide taxpayers in correctly completing the form.
These modifications seek to facilitate tax compliance for microentrepreneurs and improve the classification of this sector within the tax system.
Update to Form 18
Additionally, the DGI reported the update of Form 18 V8, which covers the following special regimes:
- Panamá Pacífico
- Free Trade Zone
- Colon Free Zone
As part of this update, new support versions were published:
- Updated F18 Micro-Help – Free Trade Zone.
- Updated F18 Micro-Help – Panamá Pacífico.
Recommendations to Taxpayers
The DGI urged taxpayers to stay informed about these and other updates through its official channels, especially the institutional website and its Instagram account, where notices, guides, and reminders regarding tax procedures are published.
Authorities reiterated that using the correct and updated versions of the forms is essential to avoid errors in tax returns and potential administrative issues.
Digital Payments Advance in the Region, but Infrastructure and Lack of Trust Slow Their Adoption
Digital payments continue to expand across Latin America and are consolidating as one of the main drivers of change in regional banking. However, their adoption faces structural challenges related to infrastructure and user trust, according to the results of Pulso, 7th Edition.
Pulso, 7th Edition, prepared by Topaz and analyzed by research firm Celent, captures the views of more than 1,000 financial executives from 20 countries in the region.
The study shows that more than half of financial institutions already operate QR code payments, and a significant portion are promoting digital wallets, biometrics, and instant payments, reflecting the progress of digitalization in financial services.
Nevertheless, the report warns that “lack of infrastructure, fear of fraud, and low levels of digital literacy are currently the greatest obstacles” to consumer adoption of these solutions, especially among older adults, unbanked users, and small businesses.
Looking ahead to 2026, institutions are reconfiguring their investment priorities. Pulso notes that technological infrastructure, fraud prevention, biometric validation, and artificial intelligence dominate the sector’s agenda, driven by the need to strengthen user trust.
The study also indicates that these trends will have a direct impact on business models, including expanded financial inclusion, the development of new services integrated into non-financial platforms, and increased competition in digital experience among banks, fintechs, and neobanks.
While instant payments continue to gain ground, the report does not anticipate the disappearance of cards. Both systems are expected to coexist as commerce transitions toward lower-friction payment models.
“Digital payments have become the meeting point between financial inclusion, innovation, and customer experience in Latin America,” said Jorge Iglesias, CEO of Topaz.
