Panama's Public Ministry rules Unachi council cannot reject rector's resignation

Panama's Public Ministry of Administration has declared that the University Council of Chiriquí (Unachi) lacks the legal authority to reject the resignation of its rector, Etelvina Medianero de Bonagas. This ruling adds a new layer to the ongoing controversy surrounding the university's administration.

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the University Council of Chiriquí (Unachi) does not have the legal or regulatory authority to reject the resignation submitted by the rector

The ministry's legal analysis, conducted at the request of the Ministry of Education, concluded that the university council's decision not to accept the resignation, submitted on May 11, 2026, is without legal foundation. The Procurator of Administration stated that the council is obligated to receive, accept, and formalize such resignations to ensure institutional stability and university autonomy.

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the decision adopted by the General University Council not to accept the resignation presented by Medianero de Bonagas lacks legal basis within the norms that regulate the functioning of the university.

According to the ruling, the rector's resignation is a free decision and an inalienable right of any public servant. It cannot be subject to evaluation or rejection by any administrative or governing body within the institution. The ministry clarified that Unachi's university autonomy does not grant its internal bodies the power to prevent or disregard a resignation.

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the resignation presented by the rector constitutes a free decision and a right that every public servant possesses, therefore it cannot be subject to evaluation or rejection by any administrative or governing body within the institution.

The document also outlines the procedure for filling a vacancy in the rector's office, emphasizing the need to ensure institutional stability and university autonomy.

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The University Autonomy that UNACHI holds does not empower or permit its internal, administrative, or governing bodies to not accept the resignation submitted by a public servant working in said institution.