President José Raúl Mulino stated today that his administration does not consider reinstating the fuel subsidy, even if the conflict in the Middle East drives prices to critical levels. "We see no room to apply subsidies again; that is not the path of this administration," affirmed the head of state, making it clear that the country must prepare for a scenario of real prices. The global impact at the pump. The official stance is that the price of gasoline at Panamanian service stations will move strictly under the rules of the global market. As the only strategic nuance, the president mentioned that the crisis in international maritime routes could lead to an increase in the transit of liquefied natural gas ships through the Panama Canal. "The State has no room for maneuver to intervene again in the cost of hydrocarbons," said the head of the Executive during his usual Thursday conference. During his speech, Mulino pointed out that Panama will have to adjust to fluctuations in global supply and demand. According to the head of the Executive, the previous experience with subsidies left deep scars on public finances, complicating the management of the national budget. However, he emphasized that this possible logistical benefit is still uncertain and does not change the decision to eliminate state fuel subsidies.
