Raiding Facilities ‘Without Notification’: PPC Accuses the Panama State
The Public Prosecutor’s Office clarified that it was an “exceptional raid” on some offices located in Albrook, but the prosecutor avoided confirming that they belonged to PPC.
Panama City, Panama: Panama Ports Company, SA (PPC) reacted this Friday, February 27, to the raids carried out on its premises on Thursday afternoon and evening and asserted that the State executed “an intrusion without prior notification” in a private facility where —according to it— proprietary documentation and material subject to legal privilege was stored. In a statement released Friday, the company maintains that on February 26, authorities entered a storage facility containing information gathered in the context of ongoing legal proceedings. According to PPC, this action “demonstrates that the State has undermined due process as part of the state takeover.”
The company also stated that it had previously requested the establishment of “clear coordination mechanisms” for the access, custody, and protection of its proprietary and privileged information, including information that—it emphasizes—is unrelated to port operations. However, it claims that, instead of clarification, “even more serious” measures were adopted. Yesterday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office clarified that it was an “exceptional raid” on some offices located in Albrook, but the senior prosecutor of Primary Care, Azael Samaniego, avoided confirming that the premises belonged to PPC.
In the same statement, PPC asserts that the Republic of Panama has acted in disregard of the rule of law and that, in the last year and particularly in the last week, it has become evident —according to their version— that foreign investors cannot trust the Panamanian legal and contractual framework. The company also rejects what it calls a “daily disinformation campaign” by the State, noting that it seeks to divert attention from what it describes as a “forced takeover” of the ports of Balboa and Cristóbal, as well as the occupation of company assets. The company threatened to take this case to international forums. Yesterday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office clarified that it was an “exceptional raid” on some offices located in Albrook, but the prosecutor avoided confirming that they belonged to PPC.
Last Monday, February 23, the Panama Maritime Authority took over the ports managed by Hutchison’s Hong Kong subsidiary, as the ruling of unconstitutionality of the contract between PPC and the State was upheld. According to the statement, the company and its investors have expressed their objection to what they describe as “the illegal takeover of the ports,” as well as the occupation of assets belonging to the company, including proprietary and legally protected information. “PPC and its investors have categorically expressed to the State their objection to the illegal takeover of the ports, as well as the occupation and seizure of assets belonging to PPC, including proprietary and legally protected information,” they said.
PPC also indicated that it formally requested the State to establish clear coordination mechanisms for the access, custody and protection of its privileged information as a private company, including information that is not related to port operations. Yesterday, President José Raúl Mulino stated that throughout most of last year, 2025, several meetings were held with top executives of the CK Hutchison Holdings conglomerate in New York and Washington to find a solution to the port issue. “All we encountered was arrogance. Nobody is going to kick us out of the ports. Nobody is going to force us out of the ports,” the president declared during his weekly press conference.
President Mulino added that those who tried to maintain control of the terminals “chose the wrong president and government because here we do what needs to be done.” PPC also maintained that the entry into the ports of Balboa and Cristóbal, along with the occupation of their assets, “has been a complete failure” due —as they emphasize— to a state conduct lacking transparency and poorly coordinated. On February 23, through an exceptional procedure, the Government approved the contracts entered into between the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) and the companies APMT Panama SA and TIL Panama SA for the continuation of the operation, maintenance and administration of the Balboa ports in the Pacific and Cristóbal in the Atlantic, for 18 months.
According to Resolution No. 4 of February 23, 2026, the temporary contracting of APMT Panama SA for 18 months for the operation, maintenance and administration of the Balboa port is approved and an amount of twenty-six million one hundred thousand dollars ($26,100,000.00). Meanwhile, Resolution No. 5 of February 23, 2026 establishes the temporary contract of TIL Panama SA to operate the port of Cristóbal, in the Atlantic, and an amount of fifteen million eight hundred thousand dollars ($15,800,000.00).
