The Minister of Economy and Finance, Felipe Chapman, warned that the state subsidy for public transport could significantly increase due to the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on oil prices. On Tuesday, Minister Chapman reported that the Government has decided to maintain the fare for the Panama Metro and MiBus, as well as sustain the tariff stabilization for electricity and the subsidy for 25-pound liquefied gas. The head of the Ministry of Economy and Finance explained that without these contributions, the cost of public transport fares, electricity rates, and domestic gas prices would have risen. "We are analyzing the issue of collective, selective, and private transport," Chapman detailed, referring to other possible measures under evaluation. The minister specified that at current levels, the additional subsidy represents between 50 and 75 million dollars. However, he warned that the scenario could worsen if crude oil prices continue to rise. "If the price of oil continues to rise, it would increase to 200 million... that's the budget of many ministries," he emphasized.
