Panama

Panamá has intensified diplomatic and regulatory efforts to improve its international standing, as it has exited the EU's money laundering grey list but still seeks removal from tax and fisheries-related discriminatory lists

Panama has regained control of Bocas del Toro after violent protests over pension reforms led by banana workers resulted in one death, over 300 arrests, and major unrest, with officials linking the chaos to gang involvement and political agitation

Panama has been named in US military invasion plans, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed during a House hearing, amid echoes of Trump’s past expansionist ambitions; Greenland was also mentioned

Indigenous communities in Panama have denounced arbitrary detentions and violent repression during protests against the possible reopening of the disputed copper mine, which the Supreme Court had suspended in 2023

Panama has considered reopening its flagship, controversial copper mine notwithstanding the absence of congressional approval

The US will increase its military presence in Panama following a new memorandum granting access to local bases, as part of a cooperation plan allegedly to counter China’s influence over the Panama Canal

Panama released dozens of migrants deported from the US after weeks of detention in poor conditions, offering them 30 days to leave the country, leaving many in legal limbo and uncertain about their future

Panama is currently working to reform its migrant repatriation process, shifting from air travel to sea transport in an effort to avoid criminal networks

As tensions rise over Donald Trump’s remarks about “taking back” the canal, President José Raúl Mulino has accused the US of spreading an “intolerable falsehood” by claiming Panama agreed to waive canal fees for US ships, denying any such deal