The Council, headed by the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, authorized the Minister for Channel Affairs, Aristides Royo, to present to the National Assembly Bill 20-22, which approves the draft Budget of the Panama Canal Authority.

The draft Budget of the Panama Canal for fiscal year 2023, adopted by the Board of Directors of that entity, through Agreement 401 of July 28, By 2022, the Canal budgeted contributions to the National Treasury for $2,497.2 billion.

In 21 years of Panamanian administration, the Panama Canal has delivered contributions to the National Treasury for $20.722.5 million.

The draft budget also includes other payments to the Panamanian State for the sum of $246.9 million.

Once approved by the Board of Directors of the Panama Canal, the draft budget of the interoceanic route received the approval of the Cabinet Council, and will then be sent to the National Assembly for approval or rejection, as established in Title XIV of the Political Constitution of the Republic.

The Council of Ministers also approved the draft Cabinet Decree 23-22, which modifies Cabinet Decree 23 of July 14, 2020 and authorizes the subscription of Addendum 1 to the 0023 Trust Contract called the Special Stimulus Fund for the Banking System of Panama to include as an objective to serve as a guarantee in those credits granted to micro, small and medium enterprises and other key sectors of the national economy in

to encourage the Banking System to include that it can be used to support the financing of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, as part of the economic recovery strategy.