Panama begins Cepanim distribution on June 15 to settle decades-old debt

Panama is set to begin distributing Negotiable Payment Certificates for Arrears (Cepanim) on June 15, a process that will settle a state debt recognized legally and pending for over four decades. This initiative will benefit more than 424,000 individuals, with payments totaling approximately 250 million balboas.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) announced that the distribution will commence in Panama province at Megapolis Outlets Panama on June 15, operating from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For other provinces, the distribution will start on June 22 at designated points. The MEF urges beneficiaries to verify their assigned payment date on the digital platform cepanim.mef.gob.pa before attending any distribution center.

This process is mandated by Law 727 of 2021 and a Supreme Court of Justice ruling from August 2025, which compels the state to honor this long-standing obligation. The Cepanim are transferable financial instruments, exempt from taxes and cannot be seized, offering a form of compensation linked to acquired rights that have remained unfulfilled for decades.