Panama's President, José Raúl Mulino, again raised the issue of the banking sector's role in money laundering circuits and the pressure on the control system. This occurred during his weekly press conference, while thirteen kilometers away, bankers were preparing their own press briefing to discuss the banking sector's performance. Mulino began by addressing security, stating that no bank can act as a judge. He emphasized that despite stricter requirements for Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), it's not feasible to simply deny them accounts, as this would lead to a national catastrophe. The president also noted that most high-profile money laundering cases known to the public originate from reports filed by the banks themselves. According to the Financial Analysis Unit, so far this year, the agency has received 1,089 suspicious activity reports, 788 of which came from banks. Ernesto Boyd, Chairman of the Board of the Panama Banking Association, agreed that no system is perfect but rejected accusations of complicity. He stated that banks are victims of abuse committed through their systems and are a fundamental part of the process, which carries responsibility. Boyd added that he calls on the banking sector to do its part.
