300,000 in Panama could plunge into poverty  

Over 300,000 people in Panama could fall into poverty as a result of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the country could experience a 7.1% increase in its poverty rate. It would go from 16.1% to 23.2%, despite the implementation of social relief programs, such as Panama Solidario.

A report by the  Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) released on Tuesday, March 23, talks about Central America, Panama, Haiti, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The document focuses on inequality and social discontent in these countries The publication made an analysis of perceptions based on the measurement of the digital conversation and points out that “there is a process of citizen listening that is not being followed.”

“Better listening to concerns is necessary, as well as greater transparency and accountability, which could improve the design of public policies,” says Marta Ruiz-Arranz, IDB advisor for Panama and other countries in the region. The document warns that the crisis revealed important gaps in the coverage of public services, such as health, education, and digital penetration, and delves into the determinants of inequality: low social spending, territorial imbalance, and poor education, among others.