Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fired his health minister on Thursday after clashing with him over how to fight the new coronavirus, and again called for states to end stay-at-home orders that he said were hurting the economy. Few global leaders have done more than Bolsonaro to play down the pandemic, which has killed nearly 2,000 […]
Latin America’s ‘lost decade’ traditionally refers to the 1980s, when countries were forced to tightened their belts to meet debt payments. Could this happen again? The coronavirus pandemic may spark another “lost decade” in Latin America, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday, April 16. Alejandro Werner, the fund’s western hemisphere head, said the […]
The Panama Canal is suspending the second update to the maximum draught allowable at the neo-panamax locks, published 19 March. Recent rainfall in the Canal watershed has allowed the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to suspend the draught reduction announced in Advisory to Shipping A-09-2020, which was scheduled to become effective 17 April 2020. As a […]
The prospect of the coronavirus pandemic entering prisons is devastating in any country of the world given how dicult it would be, in such precarious environments, to prevent the virus from spreading. In Panama, we support prisons by providing hygiene, prevention and infrastructure supplies to tackle this global threat. “Dad, now all of us are […]
Logistics, banking, tourism and education are some of the sectors in Panama that need to modernize their computer systems, which generates business opportunities for developers of technological solutions. According to a study prepared by the Foreign Trade Promoter (Procomer), Panama’s ICT market exceeds $1.5 billion per year as a contribution to the Gross Domestic Product […]
pril 16, 2020 The IMF approved Panama’s request for emergency financial assistance under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) of about US$515 million to meet the urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has significantly weakened Panama’s macroeconomic outlook for 2020 and opened a balance of payments gap […]
Once the economy begins to return to normal, as isolation and mobility restrictions are relaxed, household consumption patterns will have changed significantly. Using a demand/income sensitivity model developed by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project the variations in Panamanian household demand for different goods and services as the most critical […]
New health and hygiene protocols in the establishments and the commitment to attract national tourists in an environment where short trips will be preferred, are some of the trends predicted in the new “normality” that will come after the quarantine period. Given the quarantines decreed by most governments worldwide, it is anticipated that the habits […]
Greetings from my self-imposed quarantine (although I am feeling fine) after returning from Panama, home to the Panama Canal, the most important waterway in the world. The Isthmus of Panama divides North and South America, the crossroads of the world. Its name means “rich land of butterflies, trees, and fish.” But in this humid climate, […]
A new Panama City, Panama, hospital will solely treat COVID-19 patients. President Laurentino Cortizo on Thursday inaugurated the $6 million Panama Solidario hospital, which has 100 intensive care beds and a camera system to allow doctors and nurses to monitor patients while minimizing exposure. It is unclear when the facility will begin accepting patients. Cortizo […]