On his second day of official duty in the United States, President Ricardo Martinelli received the promise of Arkansas Congressman John Boozman to join the DC group that promotes and supports the signing of the Trade Promotion Agreement between Panama and the United States.

The Government of Panama wants all countries to recognize the elected government of Honduras. To the Rio Group Summit, this week in Cancun, Mexico, announced the Vice-president and Foreign Minister, Juan Carlos Varela.

Employees making $3,500 to $7,000, would enjoy a favorable adjustment in the tax rate on their income with the proposed tax reforms and fiscal adjustments that the authorities will submit to the Cabinet this week.

Given the controversy that exists among some sectors due to the possible opening of the Darien Gap, the Minister of Health, Franklin Vergara, said there is no negative effect. He said Colombia now handles good epidemiological controls and that the two countries are similar in care programs.

Panama has almost reached the desired investment grade rating, according to reports which emerged during the last quarter reports of the three companies in charge of these duties. The good news was initiated by Standard & Poor’s, that in November the country had a revised outlook from “stable” to “positive”, thus recognizing the robust outlook for economic growth and an improved fiscal scenario that could strengthen the credit profile of Panama sufficiently to merit an investment grade rating.

Catholics in Panama will have a new Archbishop beginning on April 17. He is José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, who is currently the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Panama. Ulloa Mendieta, of the Augudtine order, will replace Archbishop José Dimas Cedeño Delgado, who had resigned in July 2008 for reaching the age limit to carry out these duties.

Panama played its hand and presented its proposal to negotiate on the Central American - European Union Association agreement. The region supported the country, but for the next round of negotiations, held from 22 to 26 February in Belgium, the country will continue as an observer.

The daily Panama America reported that Panama and Colombia yesterday signed the negotiating framework for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and it is predicted that next May the agreement will be completed.

Fugitive Jorge Puello, the lawyer of 10 Americans who were imprisoned in Haiti on kidnapping charges, is in Panama, according to the AP. Puello has a search request against him from Interpol in El Salvador. The news agency reported that it spoke by telephone with Puello, who said he was in Panama preparing to return to El Salvador, it was reported in the daily La Estrella.

The daily Panama America reported that the government intends to sell “immediately” seized properties of those who commit the crime of drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism and crimes against the public administration. According to a proposal, once the seizure of property is ordered, the investigating official will inform the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) to proceed with the sale.

The daily La Critica reported that despite a large deployment of police surveillance, violence and traffic accidents have left a toll of 24 fatalities during the four days of Carnival. A total of 10 people died from gunshot wounds.

Copa Holdings SA, which owns Copa Airlines of Panama and Aero Republica of Colombia closed 2009 with net income of $182 million - an increase of 5% over 2008 - after making a series of adjustments such as reducing its operating expenses.

A malfunction in one of two valves of the Tropigas truck that caught fire on Tuesday, February 9 is the possible cause of the explosion in a building in the banking area, according to a preliminary report of the Office of Fire Safety.

The daily El Siglo reported that a U.S. citizen pleaded guilty today to bribing former Panamanian officials in exchange for contracts in 1997, United States authorities reported that John W. Warwick, a 64-year-old resident of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring to “make corrupt payments to foreign government officials” in exchange for business contracts of Ports Engineering Consultants Corporation (PECC).