Panama Fights Back After Report Calls Its Free Zone a Smuggler’s Haven
Panama's Colón Free Zone, moving $25B yearly, fires back at smuggling and money laundering claims, calling illegal cases a tiny...
July 12, 2026Section
Panama News in English
The Rio Times covers Panama daily in English — the canal, banking, politics and daily life in Latin America’s logistics hub. Today’s Panama news in English, updated every day, plus our guides on residency, visas and investing.
Panama Turns 132,000 Layovers Into Holidays in Record Half-Year
Copa's Panama Stopover let over 132,000 travellers turn a layover into a holiday in the first half of 2026, up...
July 12, 2026
Bladex and Santander Bankroll a $1.4bn Panama Bank Takeover
Bladex and Santander financed a Salvadoran group's 1.4-billion-dollar purchase of Panama's Banistmo, one of Central America's biggest bank deals in...
July 12, 2026
Three Women in Panama’s Hills Turn Wood-Roasted Coffee Into Brands
Three Capira coffee growers debuted at Expo Café MIPYME 2026, selling wood-fire, pesticide-free half-pound bags for $3.50 under three homegrown...
July 11, 2026 The Race to Build Panama’s Next Canal Ports Reaches a Milestone
Panama Canal terminals at Corozal and Telfers closed prequalification on 9 July, moving a $2.6bn expansion toward award in 2027...
July 11, 2026
Panama Braces for a Strong El Niño — a Threat to a Canal That Runs on Rainwater
Panama El Niño upgraded to a strong event, and the commission watching the reservoirs includes the authority that runs the...
July 10, 2026
Investors Have $1 Billion Ready for One Panama Province. Permits Can Take Six Months
Chiriqui investment tops $1 billion on paper, yet the province's chamber of commerce says a single inspection can take up...
July 10, 2026 Panama Just Tightened the Rules on Its Famous Tax Haven Status
Panama's Law 526 adds economic substance rules: shell firms must prove real local activity or pay 15% tax on foreign...
July 8, 2026
A War Far Away Is Making the Panama Canal Richer Than Expected
The Panama Canal expects to beat its revenue forecast this year, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz pushed...
July 7, 2026