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His Excellency José Raúl Mulino President of the Republic of Panama Palacio de las Garzas Panama City, Panama
Mr. President,
I am writing to you as an ordinary Panamanian.
Not as an economist.
Not as a politician.
Not as a journalist.
Just as someone who wakes up every morning in this small country that somehow became one of the most important crossroads on Earth.
Sometimes I think we Panamanians forget how extraordinary our country actually is.
We complain about traffic.
We complain about prices.
We complain about politics.
And then a giant ship passes through the Panama Canal carrying goods from one side of the world to the other, and we are reminded that the entire planet knows the name of our country.
Not because of our size.
Not because of our military.
Not because of our population.
But because of a strip of water that changed world history.
Every Panamanian grows up with this reality.
The Canal is not just infrastructure.
It is part of our national identity.
Many countries have monuments.
We have one of the most important engineering achievements in human history.
And that is something worth being proud of.
When foreigners arrive in Panama City, they are often surprised.
They expect a small tropical capital.
Instead, they find skyscrapers rising above the bay.
Modern highways.
International banks.
Luxury hotels.
Restaurants filled with people speaking Spanish, English, Chinese, French, and languages from every corner of the world.
From a distance, Panama can look rich.
And in some ways it is.
But ordinary Panamanians know there are really two Panamas.
One Panama shines.
The other struggles.
One Panama lives in modern apartment towers overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The other lives in neighborhoods where every increase in electricity prices matters.
One Panama invests millions.
The other carefully calculates the cost of groceries before entering the supermarket.
One Panama discusses international finance.
The other worries about rent, medicine, and school supplies.
Both Panamas are real.
And both deserve attention.
One of the great achievements of our country has been stability.
While many nations in the region have suffered from political chaos, hyperinflation, or violence, Panama has generally moved forward.
Not perfectly.
Not without mistakes.
But forward.
People work.
Businesses open.
Tourists arrive.
Ships continue to cross the Canal.
Life continues.
This stability is often underestimated because it becomes visible only when it disappears.
Please protect it.
At the same time, stability alone is not enough.
Parents do not raise children merely to inherit stability.
They hope for opportunity.
Many young Panamanians graduate from universities with ambition and talent.
Yet too many feel that success depends more on connections than merit.
Too many believe that the best opportunities remain concentrated among a small group of people.
That perception, whether fully true or not, damages trust.
And trust is one of the most valuable assets a country can possess.
There is another thing that makes Panama special.
We are a meeting place.
A bridge.
A nation built on movement.
People arrive here from all over the world.
Some stay.
Some leave.
Some build businesses.
Some build families.
Very few countries possess this unique position.
The challenge is ensuring that globalization benefits ordinary citizens, not only corporations and investors.
Mr. President,
The world knows Panama because of the Canal.
But the future of Panama will not be decided by ships.
It will be decided by classrooms.
By hospitals.
By entrepreneurs.
By workers.
By pensioners.
By families trying to build a decent life.
History has already given Panama a privileged geographic position.
The next challenge is to ensure that every Panamanian benefits from it.
Because a country does not become great when the world admires it.
A country becomes great when its own people feel proud of the lives they are able to live there.
Respectfully,
An Open Letter Author
P.S. A Citizen's Audit of the Country
It is easy to judge a government by speeches. It is much harder to judge it by the everyday experience of ordinary citizens.
To better understand the current state of Panama, I have attempted to evaluate the country across four areas that shape daily life.
• Stability and Security: 4.5 / 5
Panama remains one of the more stable countries in Latin America. Political transitions are generally peaceful, institutions function, and citizens enjoy a level of predictability many neighboring countries would welcome.
• Economy and Standard of Living: 4.0 / 5
The country benefits from the Canal, international trade, logistics, banking, and services. However, prosperity remains unevenly distributed, and many citizens feel disconnected from headline economic success.
• Social Well-Being: 3.5 / 5
Healthcare, education, and public services have improved over time, but significant inequalities remain between urban and rural areas, and many families still face financial pressure.
• Development and Future Prospects: 4.5 / 5
Panama possesses enormous strategic advantages, strong infrastructure, and long-term economic potential. The challenge is transforming national advantages into opportunities that are broadly shared across society.
Final Score: 4.13 / 5 — A Country Standing at a Privileged Crossroads
Panama has achieved something many nations seek: stability, international relevance, and sustained economic growth.
Its next chapter is not about becoming richer.
It is about ensuring that national success is felt as clearly in family kitchens, schools, clinics, and neighborhoods as it is in ports, banks, and government statistics.
Mr. President,
I am writing to you as an ordinary Panamanian.
Not as an economist.
Not as a politician.
Not as a journalist.
Just as someone who wakes up every morning in this small country that somehow became one of the most important crossroads on Earth.
Sometimes I think we Panamanians forget how extraordinary our country actually is.
We complain about traffic.
We complain about prices.
We complain about politics.
And then a giant ship passes through the Panama Canal carrying goods from one side of the world to the other, and we are reminded that the entire planet knows the name of our country.
Not because of our size.
Not because of our military.
Not because of our population.
But because of a strip of water that changed world history.
Every Panamanian grows up with this reality.
The Canal is not just infrastructure.
It is part of our national identity.
Many countries have monuments.
We have one of the most important engineering achievements in human history.
And that is something worth being proud of.
When foreigners arrive in Panama City, they are often surprised.
They expect a small tropical capital.
Instead, they find skyscrapers rising above the bay.
Modern highways.
International banks.
Luxury hotels.
Restaurants filled with people speaking Spanish, English, Chinese, French, and languages from every corner of the world.
From a distance, Panama can look rich.
And in some ways it is.
But ordinary Panamanians know there are really two Panamas.
One Panama shines.
The other struggles.
One Panama lives in modern apartment towers overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The other lives in neighborhoods where every increase in electricity prices matters.
One Panama invests millions.
The other carefully calculates the cost of groceries before entering the supermarket.
One Panama discusses international finance.
The other worries about rent, medicine, and school supplies.
Both Panamas are real.
And both deserve attention.
One of the great achievements of our country has been stability.
While many nations in the region have suffered from political chaos, hyperinflation, or violence, Panama has generally moved forward.
Not perfectly.
Not without mistakes.
But forward.
People work.
Businesses open.
Tourists arrive.
Ships continue to cross the Canal.
Life continues.
This stability is often underestimated because it becomes visible only when it disappears.
Please protect it.
At the same time, stability alone is not enough.
Parents do not raise children merely to inherit stability.
They hope for opportunity.
Many young Panamanians graduate from universities with ambition and talent.
Yet too many feel that success depends more on connections than merit.
Too many believe that the best opportunities remain concentrated among a small group of people.
That perception, whether fully true or not, damages trust.
And trust is one of the most valuable assets a country can possess.
There is another thing that makes Panama special.
We are a meeting place.
A bridge.
A nation built on movement.
People arrive here from all over the world.
Some stay.
Some leave.
Some build businesses.
Some build families.
Very few countries possess this unique position.
The challenge is ensuring that globalization benefits ordinary citizens, not only corporations and investors.
Mr. President,
The world knows Panama because of the Canal.
But the future of Panama will not be decided by ships.
It will be decided by classrooms.
By hospitals.
By entrepreneurs.
By workers.
By pensioners.
By families trying to build a decent life.
History has already given Panama a privileged geographic position.
The next challenge is to ensure that every Panamanian benefits from it.
Because a country does not become great when the world admires it.
A country becomes great when its own people feel proud of the lives they are able to live there.
Respectfully,
An Open Letter Author
P.S. A Citizen's Audit of the Country
It is easy to judge a government by speeches. It is much harder to judge it by the everyday experience of ordinary citizens.
To better understand the current state of Panama, I have attempted to evaluate the country across four areas that shape daily life.
• Stability and Security: 4.5 / 5
Panama remains one of the more stable countries in Latin America. Political transitions are generally peaceful, institutions function, and citizens enjoy a level of predictability many neighboring countries would welcome.
• Economy and Standard of Living: 4.0 / 5
The country benefits from the Canal, international trade, logistics, banking, and services. However, prosperity remains unevenly distributed, and many citizens feel disconnected from headline economic success.
• Social Well-Being: 3.5 / 5
Healthcare, education, and public services have improved over time, but significant inequalities remain between urban and rural areas, and many families still face financial pressure.
• Development and Future Prospects: 4.5 / 5
Panama possesses enormous strategic advantages, strong infrastructure, and long-term economic potential. The challenge is transforming national advantages into opportunities that are broadly shared across society.
Final Score: 4.13 / 5 — A Country Standing at a Privileged Crossroads
Panama has achieved something many nations seek: stability, international relevance, and sustained economic growth.
Its next chapter is not about becoming richer.
It is about ensuring that national success is felt as clearly in family kitchens, schools, clinics, and neighborhoods as it is in ports, banks, and government statistics.
Addressee-language version: Spanish
Su Excelencia José Raúl MulinoPresidente de la República de Panamá
Palacio de las Garzas
Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
Señor Presidente,
Le escribo como un panameño común.
No como economista.
No como político.
No como periodista.
Simplemente como alguien que se despierta cada mañana en este pequeño país que, de alguna manera, se convirtió en uno de los cruces más importantes de la Tierra.
A veces creo que nosotros los panameños olvidamos lo extraordinario que en realidad es nuestro país.
Nos quejamos del tráfico.
Nos quejamos de los precios.
Nos quejamos de la política.
Y entonces un buque gigante atraviesa el Canal de Panamá transportando mercancías de un lado del mundo al otro, y se nos recuerda que todo el planeta conoce el nombre de nuestro país.
No por nuestro tamaño.
No por nuestras fuerzas armadas.
No por nuestra población.
Sino por una franja de agua que cambió la historia mundial.
Cada panameño crece con esta realidad.
El Canal no es solo infraestructura.
Es parte de nuestra identidad nacional.
Muchos países tienen monumentos.
Tenemos uno de los logros de ingeniería más importantes en la historia de la humanidad.
Y eso es algo de lo que vale la pena sentirse orgulloso.
Cuando los extranjeros llegan a la Ciudad de Panamá, a menudo se sorprenden.
Esperan una pequeña capital tropical.
En cambio, encuentran rascacielos que se elevan sobre la bahía.
Autopistas modernas.
Bancos internacionales.
Hoteles de lujo.
Restaurantes llenos de gente que habla español, inglés, chino, francés y lenguas de todos los rincones del mundo.
Desde lejos, Panamá puede parecer rica.
Y en cierto modo lo es.
Pero los panameños comunes saben que en realidad hay dos Panamás.
Un Panamá brilla.
El otro lucha.
Un Panamá vive en torres de apartamentos modernas con vista al Océano Pacífico.
El otro vive en barrios donde cada aumento en el precio de la electricidad importa.
Un Panamá invierte millones.
El otro calcula cuidadosamente el costo de las compras antes de entrar al supermercado.
Un Panamá discute sobre finanzas internacionales.
El otro se preocupa por el alquiler, los medicamentos y los útiles escolares.
Ambos Panamás son reales.
Y ambos merecen atención.
Uno de los grandes logros de nuestro país ha sido la estabilidad.
Mientras muchas naciones de la región han sufrido caos político, hiperinflación o violencia, Panamá generalmente ha avanzado.
No perfectamente.
No sin errores.
Pero hacia adelante.
La gente trabaja.
Los negocios abren.
Llegan turistas.
Los barcos siguen cruzando el Canal.
La vida continúa.
Esta estabilidad a menudo se subestima porque solo se hace visible cuando desaparece.
Por favor, protéjala.
Al mismo tiempo, la estabilidad por sí sola no es suficiente.
Los padres no crían a sus hijos simplemente para heredar estabilidad.
Esperan oportunidades.
Muchos jóvenes panameños se gradúan de las universidades con ambición y talento.
Sin embargo, demasiados sienten que el éxito depende más de los contactos que del mérito.
Demasiados creen que las mejores oportunidades siguen concentradas entre un pequeño grupo de personas.
Esa percepción, sea totalmente verdadera o no, perjudica la confianza.
Y la confianza es uno de los activos más valiosos que un país puede poseer.
Hay otra cosa que hace especial a Panamá.
Somos un lugar de encuentro.
Un puente.
Una nación construida sobre el movimiento.
La gente llega aquí desde todo el mundo.
Algunos se quedan.
Algunos se marchan.
Algunos crean empresas.
Algunos forman familias.
Muy pocos países poseen esta posición única.
El desafío es garantizar que la globalización beneficie a los ciudadanos comunes, no solo a las corporaciones y los inversores.
Señor Presidente,
El mundo conoce a Panamá por el Canal.
Pero el futuro de Panamá no será decidido por los barcos.
Será decidido por las aulas.
Por los hospitales.
Por los emprendedores.
Por los trabajadores.
Por los jubilados.
Por las familias que intentan construir una vida digna.
La historia ya le ha dado a Panamá una posición geográfica privilegiada.
El siguiente desafío es asegurarse de que cada panameño se beneficie de ella.
Porque un país no se vuelve grande cuando el mundo lo admira.
Un país se vuelve grande cuando su propia gente se siente orgullosa de las vidas que puede llevar allí.
Respetuosamente,
Autor de la Carta Abierta
P.D. Auditoría ciudadana del país
Es fácil juzgar a un gobierno por sus discursos. Es mucho más difícil juzgarlo por la experiencia cotidiana de los ciudadanos comunes.
Para comprender mejor el estado actual de Panamá, he intentado evaluar el país en cuatro ámbitos que moldean la vida cotidiana.
• Estabilidad y seguridad: 4.5 / 5
Panamá sigue siendo uno de los países más estables de América Latina. Las transiciones políticas son generalmente pacíficas, las instituciones funcionan y los ciudadanos disfrutan de un nivel de previsibilidad que muchos países vecinos desearían.
• Economía y nivel de vida: 4.0 / 5
El país se beneficia del Canal, el comercio internacional, la logística, la banca y los servicios. Sin embargo, la prosperidad sigue estando distribuida de forma desigual y muchos ciudadanos se sienten desconectados del éxito económico que figura en los titulares.
• Bienestar social: 3.5 / 5
La atención sanitaria, la educación y los servicios públicos han mejorado con el tiempo, pero persisten desigualdades significativas entre las zonas urbanas y rurales, y muchas familias siguen enfrentando presiones financieras.
• Desarrollo y perspectivas de futuro: 4.5 / 5
Panamá posee enormes ventajas estratégicas, una infraestructura sólida y potencial económico a largo plazo. El desafío consiste en transformar esas ventajas nacionales en oportunidades que se compartan ampliamente en toda la sociedad.
Puntuación final: 4.13 / 5 — Un país en una encrucijada privilegiada
Panamá ha logrado algo que muchas naciones buscan: estabilidad, relevancia internacional y crecimiento económico sostenido.
El siguiente capítulo no consiste en enriquecerse.
Se trata de asegurar que el éxito nacional se perciba con la misma claridad en las cocinas familiares, las escuelas, las clínicas y los barrios que en los puertos, los bancos y las estadísticas gubernamentales.