Fuel Subsidy: MEF Updates Amounts for Taxis, Buses, and Fishermen Starting Friday

Panama's Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) has revised the maximum prices within its temporary fuel price stabilization mechanism. These updated rates will be in effect from Friday, June 12, until Friday, June 26, 2026.

Under the new resolution, signed by Minister Felipe Chapman, beneficiaries will pay a maximum of B/.0.88 per liter for 91-octane gasoline, B/.1.00 per liter for 95-octane gasoline, and B/.0.90 per liter for low-sulfur diesel. The state will cover the difference between these subsidized prices and the public retail price, subject to program caps and budget availability.

The resolution also establishes new weekly subsidy limits for different beneficiary types. Essential cargo vehicles like Pick-Ups and Panels will have a B/.24.60 cap, larger trucks B/.61.40, and articulated equipment B/.107.50. Artisanal fishing operations have a weekly cap of B/.52.20.

For public passenger transport, the updated caps include B/.49.30 for taxis, B/.151.00 for collective buses, and B/.93.00 for internal route buses. Notably, collective buses on the Centenario route with a gross weight exceeding 10 tons will have a higher cap of B/.166.40.

The MEF resolution acknowledges that certain collective bus units operating on the Centenario route have had to alter their routes due to traffic restrictions on the Bridge of the Americas, now using the alternate Centenario Bridge. This deviation adds approximately 12 kilometers per trip, justifying the differentiated subsidy cap for this category. Unused weekly subsidy amounts cannot be carried over to the following period.