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Unlicensed drunk driver kills motorcyclist

Posted 21/06/2022

A drunk driver involved in a police chase after he evaded two police checkpoints before hitting and killing a motorcyclist in Bethania on Monday night was driving without a license. The driver registered a reading of 125 on the breathalyzer. The 24-year-old cyclist was the 110th victim of a traffic accident this year

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/unlicensed-drunk-driver-kills-motorcyclist

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Cortizo  will go to Houston for health tests

Posted 20/06/2022

Panama President,  Laurentino Cortizo, announced Monday after tests that a made every six months that he has an “intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndrome”, for which his doctors “recommended a second specialized evaluation, with molecular biology tests held in Houston, Texas after July 1”.

"Every six months the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, is subject to routine and complete blood tests. The last blood test that was carried out at the end of May showed that everything was fine, with the exception of a decrease in hemoglobin and white blood cell count," Cortizo said in a short announcement from the Presidency.

"As a result of this, his family doctor, Héctor Sánchez, recommended that the President consult with doctors José Luis Franceschi and Ricardo Díaz, recognized specialists of the national medical body. In the respective medical appointment, both doctors considered it opportune to make an aspiration and bone marrow biopsy," Cortizo added.

President Cortizo indicated that "the samples taken were sent to a specialized laboratory in the United States of America."

On Thursday, June 16, the President and the First Lady, Yazmín Colón de Cortizo, met with doctors Franceschi and Díaz, who informed them that the diagnosis given is an intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

In this sense, doctors Franceschi and Díaz recommended a second specialized evaluation, with molecular biology tests, which will be carried out in Houston, Texas after July 1, when the President attends the National Assembly to render the Report. to the Nation.

Doctors Franceschi and Díaz certified that: "the physical examination of Mr. President is normal and he is in excellent general condition."

The evolution of the health condition of the President will be promptly communicated to the population, to the extent necessary reports TVN.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/cortizo-will-go-to-houston-for-health-tests

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Blue Apple  corruption hearing suspended

Edwin Juarez

Posted 20/06/2022

The substantive hearing against 27 people related to the "Blue Apple" case, which was scheduled to take place on Monday, June 20, by the Third Court Liquidator of Causes, was suspended, according to the Public Ministry.

In this case, the justice entity will request a sentence for corruption of public officials, illicit association, and money laundering.

Edwin Juárez, Superior Anticorruption Prosecutor, indicated that the group of lawyers who would participate in the trial were notified that it was suspended, to the extent that international assistance was needed for notifications of some people who are outside the country.

The new date, according to Juárez, had previously been scheduled for August 16.

The investigation began in September 2017 and is related to the company Blue Apple Services, created by several former officials for the purpose of allegedly laundering the money they received, paid as bribes and that came from State funds, by construction companies that carried out projects with the national government in the period 2010-2014, for which they also used the local and international banking system.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/blue-apple-corruption-hearing-suspended

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Terminal 2 opens Wednesday creating jobs and tourism

Posted 20/06/2022

Terminal 2  of Tocumen International Airport, originally scheduled for delivery in 2017 will begin operations on Wednesday, June 22,  said Raffoul Arab, general manager of the Panamanian air terminal,

In the early morning of June 22, the operations of the airline Copa Airlines will be transferred, which will be the first to start operations in the new terminal. Subsequently, KLM, UNITED, and Air France will transfer their operations to the modern facilities of the new air terminal.

He specified that its opening will be possible, after a joint and team effort, despite the breaches that the company has had in contractual obligations. "Tocumen has made a great effort to start-up and put this terminal into operation, which will undoubtedly bring a lot of benefit to the country," said Arab. The opening of Terminal 2 is expected to have an immediate impact on the generation of jobs in the country, in the tourism sector, the national economy and in the recovery of the country, after the difficult periods experienced by the covid-19 pandemic, nationally and globally.

But, in addition, as operations start-up and grow, Terminal 2 "will give added value to the country in that business cluster that is managed and operates around an airport as important as Tocumen's."

 Terminal 2 is a building with an avant-garde design that increases the capacity of the aeronautical complex. It has 20 boarding bridges and Terminal 1 (complete) has 33. It also has the capacity to operate or process an additional 10 million passengers and has a robust and efficient baggage handling system that will position Tocumen International Airport as one of the most modern in the region. The difference between the two terminals is that Terminal 1 handles 1,800 bags per hour, while Terminal 2 will handle up to 12,000 bags added that operations will start at T2 "in a very practical and operational way, but there are many aspects that are still missing for the terminal to be one hundred percent functional.".

The contracting company CNO, SA began building Terminal 2 in 2013 and its delivery was expected in 2017, with an original contract of $917 million.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/terminal-2-opens-wednesday-creating-jobs-and-tourism-1

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Garbage crisis result of political solutions to tech problems

Posted 19/06/2022

Panama’s "garbage crisis" is not a problem of trucks, but rather a failure of the work model of The Cleaning Authority, (AAUD) said Marcela Galindo de Obarrio, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (Cciap).

According to Galindo de Obarrio, the crisis is another "sad example of the consequences that citizens pay when political solutions are applied to eminently technical problems."

She added that the high price of this failure "is paid by all: the citizens who are living in sick and unhealthy environments."

Another point highlighted by the president of the Cciap is that the workers of the Cleaning, Urban and Home Authority never get to specialize.

“Every so often they have to go on strike to improve their conditions because that is the method that favors the current way of managing waste collection."

Human talent
Galindo de Obarrio recalled that the same city that is not capable of properly collecting and disposing of its garbage handles every day the crossing of dozens of ships, hundreds of flights in the main air hub in Latin America, or thousands of passengers in the only system of metro in the region.

"It is clear that we have the human talent to analyze and solve the problem, which is why we call for the implementation of both public and private models of transparent, professional, and specialized administrations, without pernicious politicking," she said.

The leader also emphasized that cities around the world, with populations and volumes of waste hundreds of times larger, "resolved the management of their waste years ago based on professional administration by entities or companies specialized in the matter."

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/garbage-crisis-result-of-political-solutions-to-tech-problems

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773 cases of dengue, one death

Posted 18/06/2022

The Ministry of Health (Minsa) reports  that a total of 773 cases of dengue have been registered in the country so far in 2022 and, of these, 676 had no warning signs; 93 did, and 4 were serious.

The report warns that Bocas del Toro is the region with the highest risk of getting dengue.

Until last week, the Bocatoreña region reports a cumulative 239 cases. It is followed by the metropolitan region (118) and Panamá Norte (117). Chiriquí and San Miguelito register 90 and 54 cases, respectively

For this week, 11 hospitalized cases are also reported, for a total of 100 cases that have required in-hospital care.

The regions that have the most cases with inpatient care are Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, and the metropolitan area, with 19 cases each.

In the metropolitan region, the districts with the most cases are: Las Garzas, Tocumen, December 24, Las Mañanitas, Parque Lefevre and San Francisco, explained Israel Cedeño, director of the metropolitan region of Health.

Regarding the number of dengue cases in the metropolitan area, Cedeño commented that “we are still within the expected range. However, there is evidence of a decrease in collaboration on the part of the community in avoiding hatcheries or eliminating those that already exist.”

The official said that citizens rely only on the fumigation of the Minsa, but that only attacks part of the problem: the adult mosquito. “The larvae continue to multiply in the hatcheries. The key is not to produce hatcheries and eliminate the existing ones”, he remarked.

The Pan American Health Organization has stated that the number of dengue cases in the Americas has increased in the last four decades: it went from 1.5 million accumulated cases in the 1980s to 16.2 million in the 2010-2019 decade.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/773-cases-of-dengue-one-death

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COVID-19: New cases and positivity fall

Posted 17/06/2022

The epidemiological report of the Ministry of Health on Friday, June 17, announced 1,451 new cases of covid-19 (507 less than Thursday) and 2 deaths

The new figures bring the total number of infections to 900,333 and the number of deaths to 8,318.

To know the new cases, 9,763 tests were applied for positivity of 14.9%. Thursday's positivity was 19.1%.

Hospitalized patients total 248 (209  in the ward and 39 in intensive care).

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/covid-19-new-cases-and-positivity-fall

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Panama remains on money laundering gray list

Posted 17/06/2022

The plenary session of the  Financial Action Task Force (FATF)  in Berlin on Friday, June 17 kept Panama on the list of jurisdictions with extended monitoring, known as the gray list.

The president of the FATF, the German Marcus Pleyer, said in a press conference that Panama fully complies with 11 of the 15 points of the action plan and that therefore there is work to be done to address the deficiencies detected in the prevention of money laundering. In the March plenary, the country had 8 points fully met.

Pleyer recalled that all the execution times of the action plan have expired – they did so in January 2021 – and urged the Panamanian authorities to quickly address the existing deficiencies. The next FATF plenary will be in Paris in October. The agency urged the country to complete the action plan by that date.

Panama entered the FATF gray list in June 2019, specifically due to the lack of effectiveness in preventing money laundering.

In plenary, the FATF decided to remove Malta from the gray list and approved an on-site visit to Pakistan after completing its action plan. Gibraltar, for its part, was included in the list.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-remains-on-money-laundering-gray-list

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Lottery sellers protest electronic system

Posted 16/06/2022

Lottery ticket sellers from across the country gathered in front of the National Lottery Board (LNB) on Thursday, June 16, and then marched to the presidency to  protest the implementation of an electronic  system

The National Charity Lottery reported on Tuesday that it has suspended the addendum with the Scientific Games company until it reaches an agreement with the ticket sellers.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/lottery-sellers-protest-electronic-system

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Recovery of Tocumen International accelerating

Posted 16/06/2022

Tocumen International Airport registered traffic of 1,304,606 passengers, an increase of 703,326 over the same period in 2021.

Raffoul Arab, manager of the airport said the recovery is accelerating however the industry is still cautious due to an environment marked by the covid-19 pandemic, in addition to the war between Russia and Ukraine and its impact on oil prices.

“The full opening of Terminal 2 is another element that will strengthen our regional and global competitive position,” said Arab.

Regarding international connections, in May the air terminal increased direct routes to 78 destinations, through 20 commercial airlines, which offer services to America and Europe.

For this reason, of the total number of passengers who used Terminal 1 of the Tocumen International Airport, 76% had connections.

According to data from the Airport Statistics Department, the markets with the best regional performance in May were South America with 46%, followed by North America with 29%, and the Caribbean with 11%.

Central American countries contributed 9% and the European markets 5%.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/recovery-of-tocumen-international-accelerating

Where do you live, we may have someone nearby who can take mail when you need it.

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Drug to cut covid hospitalizations delivered

Posted 15/06/2022

The Figali care center, in Amador, received on Wednesday the first 300 doses of the drug Molnupiravir (for oral use in the early management of covid -19 reports The Ministry of Health (Minsa)

"Today we start with oral treatment for patients who have risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, who smoke, with lung diseases, who have problems with the central nervous system and who want to receive the medication," reported Yashica González, coordinator of the outpatient program at the Figali care center.

At the site in Amador, which was opened in August 2020 due to the pandemic, there are currently 30 patients with covid-19. Most are only for surveillance and a few receive oxygen support, González explained.

The distribution of the drug Molnupiravir began Monday in the 15 health regions of the country.

The medicine will be provided for those over 18 years of age, in the first 5 days of symptoms.

According to Health Minister, Luis Francisco Sucre, this drug will reduce hospitalizations and complications, while reducing the duration of symptoms.

Sucre also announced that paxlovid should arrive in the next few days, another drug that seeks to reduce the number of hospitalized patients and patients with complications.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/drug-to-cut-covid-hospitalizations-delivered

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Striking garbage collectors return to work

Posted 15/06/2022

Striking garbage collectors agreed to return to work following a Tuesday night meeting says the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre.

"We reached some agreements yesterday [Tuesday] night, giving answers to the workers where it was agreed to lift the strike today," Minister Sucre announced on Wednesday, in statements to TVN Noticias.

Sucre said that many of the points that the workers were requesting were agreed upon, such as salary adjustments, the rapid delivery of equipment and uniforms, as well as compactor trucks.

The minister added that all this seeks to avoid public health problems.

The leader of the sanitation workers, Mitzel Bermúdez, confirmed in the same way that they would resume work today.

The Urban and Home Cleaning Authority (AAUD) also reported, through a statement, that an inter-institutional technical table was formed to work on the issues of the salary scale, permanence, supplies, equipment, and infrastructure.

The AAUD workers had been on strike since Friday, June 10, which added to the problem of waste collection that this entity faces in the district of Panama.

“It has been shown that the system is not enough for more,” said the Minister of Health, who added that what is decided on this issue in the future must be done as a team.

"What is certain is that we have to evolve, the garbage collection system is obsolete," admitted Sucre, in the morning news.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/striking-garbage-collectors-return-to-work

BCP has someone collecting mail from the Tuesday Market almost every week. This is a volunteer service, so everyone does the best they can.

If you have something with a deadline, or something of value though you should either send it with someone you know or take it to one of the courier services. If there is no hurry, there is the Post Office.

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Another major  gasoline price hike

Posted 15/06/2022

95-octane gasoline will increase by 14 cents a liter on Friday and 91-octane gasoline will rise by 11 cents and low-sulfur diesel by 16 cents. The prices, which reflect fuel costs in the international market, will be valid from Friday, June 17, until Friday, July 1, at all fuel stations.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/another-major-gasoline-price-hike

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OPINION: Whose in charge of Panama?

Posted 14/06/2022

In the state company Mi Bus there are 300 damaged units, waiting for parts that may arrive in a month or six months; In the Urban and Home Cleaning Authority there is no way to collect garbage due to lack of equipment and surely also gray matter; The National Police does not find the whereabouts of a former mayor convicted of crimes against the public administration when there are people who run into him everywhere; The Government manages the State budget with such carelessness that the rating agencies have openly warned that Panama may lose its risk rating. In politics, almost the entire caucus of Cambio Democrático was expelled and its mandate revoked for giving its vote for president of the National Assembly to a PRD, while the latter yesterday joined the defense of its opposition as if it were a member of CD; The President of the Republic vetoes – without a single compelling reason – a law against the conflict of interest while his government spends $725 million from the Panama Savings Fund without telling anyone or explaining why he used money that he should have expressly requested. News of only about three days that leads us to ask ourselves, is someone in charge of the country? - LA PRENSA , Jun. 14.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/opinion-whose-in-charge-of-panama

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Drug seizures outstrip  last year

Posted 13/06/2022

Drug seizures from January to May of this year outstripped those of the same period in 2021.

According to official reports, in the first 5 months of 2022, between the National Police, the National Border Service, and the National Aeronaval Service, 57,045 packages of illicit substances have been seized, that is, 8,123 more packages than in the same period last year.

The drug with the highest seizure rate is cocaine, with 40,568 packages. Then comes marijuana, with 16,366.

The data from the security forces also details that, of the packages seized, 63 are cocaine base paste and another 50 packages are yet to determine what type of illicit substance they are. Last year, security forces seized 128 tons of drugs.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/drug-seizures-outstrip-last-year

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Ombudsman  warns of increase in minors crossing  Darien Gap

Posted 14/06/2022

The Colombian Ombudsman's Office has alerted the authorities about the increase in minors who are crossing into Panama through the Darién jungle, some of them unaccompanied.

A statement from the Colombian entity,  reports the passage towards the Darién plug of 169 boys and girls, from 0 to 12 years old, and 41 adolescents between 13 and 17 years old.

Necoclí is one of several points from which irregular migrants leave for Panama.

The latest report from the National Migration Service of Panama details that in May, at the migrant reception posts in Darién, the passage of 13 thousand 894 people was registered, of which 2 thousand 5 were minors.

“There has also been an increase in unaccompanied children: Unicef Panama reported the arrival of 17 unaccompanied youth at its border, which affects the social fabric in the territory and violates the human rights of children, subject to special protection by part of the Colombian State”, highlights the Ombudsman of the South American nation.

In the last two years, the migratory flow through the region has generated a crisis, which led the rulers of the nations of the area to sit down and talk in order to take action to stop this irregular mobilization.

According to the records of Panama Migration, in five months of 2022, 32,797 travelers crossed the border through Darién, most of them from Venezuela. Of that amount, it is specified that 5,028 were minors.

Most have the ultimate goal of reaching the United States.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/ombudsman-warns-of-increase-in-minors-crossing-darien-gap

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Inhumane theft from the charity lottery

Posted 12/06/2022

There are political commitments that allow officials and individuals to steal from an institution created to help and contribute to social works, such as the National Charity Lottery (LNB). Another official until recently with administrative responsibilities in the entity has been accused of being part of an organized network that claims lottery prizes when the winning tickets and chances should have entered the institution as a return before each draw, but they collected the money and shared it.

It is simply inhumane to steal from the LNB, since its profits are used to promote culture, to help noble causes, and solve the needs of the less favored population. But these people are of the worst kind; without caring about the consequences, they steal from the one who has the least. The president of the Republic, instead of taking away from Molirena that piece of the government cake that seems to be the LNB, what it does is protect the leadership and members of that party, and that is why they do not flinch every time some irregularity is discovered, as happened months ago with a similar scandal. Hopefully, this time justice reaches all those involved in acts as execrable as this. – LA PRENSA, Jun. 12.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/inhumane-theft-from-the-charity-lottery

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State payroll at “unsustainable” $4 billion

Posted 12/06/2022

Panama’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (Cciap) has called on the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the General Directorate of Revenue to be accountable for the impact  of unsustainable” expenditure.

In its weekly bulletin, the chamber said that the state payroll has reached historic levels: close to $4, billion in 2021.

“If we add to this the increase in subsidies –$1.6 billion in 2019 vs. $2.4 billion to date– coupled with the high amounts of other types of expenses, we are facing extraordinary figures for State money that warrant an immediate review with a view to making adjustments and guaranteeing the sustainability of public finances,” the organization said.

The Cciap pointed out that, after two years of sacrifices as a result of the crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic, actions that reflect containment, austerity, and control of expenses are unknown.

Therefore, for the organization, it is time to define a plan to offset some subsidies and start investing this money in actions and plans that add value to society and the individual.

“Given the complicated economic situation we are experiencing, where there are external factors that affect the lives of all citizens, the private company has made its share of sacrifice, acting in accordance with the times. This is what we also require from both the Executive and Legislative Branches,” it emphasized.

The government has justified that part of the growth in payroll spending has to do with laws that order periodic increases in the salaries of some officials.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/state-payroll-at-unsustainable-4-billion

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Fear of job loss kept officials quiet in lottery scam

Posted 12/06/2022

Protected witnesses revealed to the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office investigating a network that stole chances and tickets from the National Charity Lottery (LNB), that many officials who knew about the irregularities did not alert the authorities for fear of losing their jobs reports La Prensa.

The investigation, led by prosecutors Itzel Koo and Omar Jaén, has the statements of at least three protected witnesses, who have revealed that many officials were aware of what was happening, but remained silent in the face of possible reprisals.

The statements reveal that the former head of deliveries of the LNB, Yamilka Camarena, accused of fraudulent embezzlement, failed to comply with the security protocols for the transfer of packages of chances and tickets to agencies in different parts of the country. When she was warned about breaching the protocols, she would reply that she was the boss.

One of the witnesses told La Prensa that he was fired when he refused to accept suspicious returns after the time of a draw, in early 2020. A month later, he received a dismissal letter alleging "loss of trust".  He says that many officials who did their job were rotated or dismissed.

A private person used by the network to exchange tickets was the winner of all three prizes in the same draw.

The investigation, which began on March 17, 2021, consists of 52 volumes. It contains inspections of LNB agencies, analysis of bank accounts, and statements that suggest that more officials may be involved.

 On Thursday, June 9, Prudencio Ramos was arrested, who until his arrest worked as "clerk 1" at the Río Abajo agency, after being transferred by the director of the LNB, Gloriela Del Río, in the midst of the scandal. Before, Ramos had been boss of the agency in Chepo.

Also that day, private citizen Yanellis De Sedas was arrested. Ramos is credited with having received a package of chances and tickets from the former head of LNB Operations, Franklin De Gracia, and then changed some numbers that were awarded.

The prosecution points out that in several agencies they withheld the chances and tickets, waited for the draw to be held, extracted the winning tickets, and then returned the notebooks. The authorization to change passbooks after the draw was given by the head of Operations,  De Gracia.

Pleasure trips
The money obtained from the winning tickets was used mostly for pleasure trips to beach resorts and vehicle purchases. The prosecution has access to receipts paid for amounts of up to $600 for renting rooms in beach hotels and for the purchase of cars.

In addition to Ramos, De Sedas, Camarena, and De Gracia, the prosecution also filed charges against the former provincial director of, Alejandra Bonilla, as well as individuals Antonio Peña, Miguel Peña, and Omar López, who  - were responsible for collecting the chances and winning tickets.

Camarena, Bonilla, and De Gracia have in common that they came to work there after Gloriela Del Río took office as director of the LNB, in July 2019. She has previously said that she is collaborating with the Public Ministry, since the institution became a plaintiff on July 9, 2021.

She said,  that De Gracia, Bonilla and Camarena, were dismissed on November 18, 2021, once the authorities formulated charges.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/fear-of-job-loss-kept-officials-quiet-in-lottery-scam

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Flow of irregular migrants through Darién  doubles

Posted 11/06/2022

Between January and May of this year, 32,797 irregular migrants crossed the Darién border, a figure that doubles the records for the same period in 2021 (15,949).

The migratory crisis has led the rulers of the region to sit down to look for alternatives to face the situation and at the Summit of the Americas, which ended Friday in Los Angeles,  some agreements were reached. Shared responsibility, proposed by Panama in 2021, was supported at the Summit by the US, the main destination for migrants.

The number of irregular travelers across the border between Panama and Colombia continues to increase, although with a difference compared to 2021: now, the constant are Venezuelan citizens reports La Prensa.

The year 2021 is remembered for the large number of travelers from Haiti who passed through Panamanian territory on their way to the United States. After achieving the goal, thousands were taken to US shelters and then deported.

In the first five months of this year, the National Migration Service (SMN) added the passage of 32,797 migrants through the border between Panama and Colombia. More than half of them were Venezuelans and, of these, 9,844 made the crossing in May.

The SMN reports detail that the irregular passage of migrants across the Colombian-Panamanian border doubled in a single month this year, going from 5,667 migrants in April to 13,894 in May.

In the first five months of this year, the SMN registered a monthly average of 6,559 travelers.

In 2021, Panama counted the passage of 133,127 migrants.

This avalanche of irregular migrants led Panama to coordinate diplomatic actions with neighboring countries including Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and the United States, to execute concrete plans so that the transfer of these people would take place safely.

All this, taking into account that Panama was only – and continues to be – a transit country since the majority of irregular migrants have North America as their main destination.

The Summit of the Americas had as one of its central themes the migration crisis.

At the opening ceremony, US President Joe Biden stated that safe and orderly migration is important for all economies on the continent and that irregular migration "is not acceptable”

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/flow-of-irregular-migrants-through-darien-doubles

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63 candidates vying for Supreme Court of Justice

Posted 11/06/2022

The Attorney General's Office reported that until Saturday, June 11, 63 people have shown interest in holding the position of a magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice.

The documentation of the applicants is received at the Center for Training and Research of the Attorney General's Office and according to what is established, the application period closes next Wednesday, June 15.

The State Commission for Justice, chaired by the Attorney General for the Administration, Rigoberto González, will be in charge of interviewing the candidates starting June 16.

The new appointment seeks to fill the vacancy in the Criminal Chamber of the Court, which will be left by Judge José Ayú Prado and his alternate Asunción Alonso, whose terms expire on December 31.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/63-candidates-vying-for-supreme-court-of-justice

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Active covid cases near 5,000 in Metro region

Posted 10/06/2022

The Metropolitan Health Region reports that seven districts have at least 300 active cases of covid-19 and, in the capital city, the figure totals 4,870.

"There has been a relaxation in compliance with biosafety measures and an overconfidence in the vaccine," said the regional director of Health, Israel Cedeño, and emphasized that there are those who think that just because they are vaccinated they will only get a mild cold.

Last week, the metropolitan region reported that the number of active cases that were counted was 4,591.

The data indicates that the districts with the most active cases are San Francisco, with 816; Bella Vista, 664; Juan Diaz, 643; Bethany, 573; Tocumen, 466; Don Bosco, 386, and Parque Lefevre, 322.

The first three districts were the ones that registered the most infections at the national level in the report of the Ministry of Health last Wednesday, June 8.

Cedeño said that schools are not a source of significant contagion and that although they continue to have outbreaks in many schools when doing the investigation they have detected that the majority of people have been infected in the community and not on campus.

“Yes, there have been outbreaks, but the magnitude has not been enough to define that it is because of the classes that we have daily cases of more than 3,000,” he pointed out.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/active-covid-cases-near-5000-in-metro-region

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Brother of ex-president Martinelli loses court battle

Federico Humbert.

Posted 10/06/2022

Former Comptroller Federico Humbert won a court battle against merchant Mario Martinelli, brother of former President Ricardo Martinelli reports La Prensa.

The Superior Court of Appeals rejected “ as inadmissible ” an appeal filed by Mario Martinelli against a decision by a Guarantees Court that did not approve reopening a case against Humbert.

In a hearing on Tuesday, June 7, magistrates Mauricio Marín, Giovannina Antinori, and Carlos Barragán listened to the parties and ruled that in this case the complaint was not admitted and, therefore, they could not challenge the decision of the judge of guarantees, that he had previously ordered the filing of the said complaint against Humbert.

hIn 2019, Mario Martinelli accused Humbert of allegedly committing the crimes of abuse of authority and infringement of the duties of public servants, an illegal act that he would have committed when he was exercising the comptrollership and, allegedly, ordered to suspend incentives to companies in which Martinelli was a partner.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/brother-of-ex-president-martinelli-loses-court-battle