In this Edition Consejo José Javier Rivera Belinda Romero Pedraz Editorial Giovana del C. Miranda Garzola Rafael Fernández Lara Rubén Lachman (Q.E.P.D.) Lidia Domínguez Adriana Calderón Harrison Ford (Video) Ana Sofía Corrales Ayeisha Williams José Javier Rivera J. Giovana del C. Miranda G. Design & Layout: Gabriela Melgar Rivera Bolívar y Castañedas @rbcabogados @rbcweb Editorial MAY 2021 5 POLITICAL AGITATION IN LATIN AMERICA: LESSONS TO LEARN Content 27. Politics LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN MUST INVEST THE NATIONAL UNITY, PRIORITY OF ALL PANAMANIANS IN TALENT TO PROMOTE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION63 LONG WORKING HOURS CAN INCREASE DEATHS FROM HEART DISEASES AND CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENTS, 31. Panamanian Economy ACCORDING TO ILO AND WHO66 COMMENTS ON THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI): APRIL 2021 68. Environmental Capsule PANAMA. CRISIS AND OPPORTUNITY 34 71. Sports Capsule THE MINING INDUSTRY IN PANAMA. A SOURCE OF INCOME THAT RAISES COMMITMENTS, CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS 55 76.The Current PANAMA: FINAL DECLARATION OF THE VIRTUAL CONSULTATION MISSION OF ARTICLE IV OF 2021 57 61. World Economy DISTRIBUTE TRADE PROFITS WIDERLY Invited Writer 9 GEOECONOMIC RISKS IN COVID ERA AND Norms ABILITY TO ANTICIPATE CRISIS of Interest USE OF A SINGLE VEHICULAR PLATE FOR FIVE YEARS 16 Content SOCIAL SECURITY FUND GRANTES AMNESTY SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR DIGITAL 17 TRANSFORMATION OF TAX ADMINISTRATION24 BENEFITS IN OBTAINING PASSPORTS 18 FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM FRIENDLY COUNTRIES RESIDENT PERMIT WILL HAVE 23 TWO PHASES TO OBTAIN PERMANENT RESIDENCE 19 VISA FOR REMOTE WORKER (TELEWORK) 20 REGULATE THE LAW ON THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA RESIDENT PERMIT FOR FOREST INVESTOR MODIFIED 25 21 NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF FOOD CONTROL AND VETERINARY SURVEILLANCE22 Legislación y Economía May 2021 Editorial José Javier Rivera - Partner Political agitation in [email protected] Latin America: Lessons to learn n recent months Latin America has been its capacity to serve the poor. He also endorsed the characterized by a series of political situations of words of President John F. Kennedy’s speech of great impact both for the region, for governments, January 1961, which in the pertinent part stated: Icitizens and the local and international business fabric “As long as as a country we cannot help the poorest, that should suggest a deep reflection as a country this government will not be able to help the richest”. that constitutes a kind of axis transversal, both economically, socially, politically and institutionally. In the final part of his speech, he remembered his parents, highlighting their legacy, in the sense that it Let’s look at recent and future events, country by doesn’t matter how far one goes. What he counts is country: never forgetting where one started. This president, who is a man of humble extraction, has gone through 1. Ecuador: 3 days ago Guillermo Lasso Mendoza personal and health vicissitudes to rise above his was sworn in as president of Republic of Ecuador, opponents on the left to bring a breath of renewal, after 3 attempts to achieve the supreme responsibility of harmony, promising a strengthening of the of the constitutional government and in an extensive provision of health services, reactivation of decent speech he stated that with him the era of caudillos employment and restructuring of the heavy financial ends, that the political persecution in Ecuador, that debt that drags Ecuador, which has been the main there is no democracy without participation, that its cause of confrontations between popular sectors intention is not to minimize the State, but to maximize and government, when it was tried to eliminate a 5 Legislación y Economía May 2021 series of subsidies for consumption of fuel and other It was a crass political error by President essential inputs for subsistence of Ecuadorians. Duque, to advance these legislative initiatives in the midst of an atmosphere of tension, 2. Colombia: It is known that, in the case of this frustration and excess of the military bodies. country, since 2019, there had been a series of disturbances that had put the government of President The price of this error will be very high and will be reflected Iván Duque in a very difficult condition, based on the in a political campaign that can turn violent, due to shock wave caused by the commotion that arose. ideological, political and economic differences, which was giving in Chile, due to the economic policies has been dragging the country for more than 100 years. of the government of President Sebastián Piñera. 3. Chile: This country, which, for several decades, There was a truce in Colombia motivated by the was perceived as a successful democracy and pandemic; meanwhile his government had summoned which caused envy due to its macroeconomic scholars, locals and foreigners to prepare a tax reform results, entered a maelstrom similar to the one proposal that generated increases and expansion that is now being experienced in Colombia, when of the tax base of various taxes such as Value public transport fares were increased in 2019. Added Tax (VAT), Income Tax (ISR), Wealth tax (IP), which, while reducing profits for large companies, Then, with the pandemic, the waters seemed to seek increased the tax burden on the middle class. calm, but in truth the country has exploded due to the concern of students about the opportunities to achieve But also, in this package, there were reductions in the an adequate education that allows them to join the coverage of medical care for different types of diseases. requirements of the 21st century, the inequality between classes social networks anchored by the ideology of All of them, while the supply of vaccines did not have the period President Pinochet and the failures of the the speed expected by the citizens, the closures of left-wing coalition that also governed the country. the business fabric had affected revenues and the government was immersed in the last stage of the There is also a significant disenchantment with presidential period of 4 years without reelection. the political parties of the left and right that have not had the capacity to guarantee a reasonable This cocktail of measures has been explosive and standard of living for the great majorities, including there are still confrontations between the population the provision of health services, pensions and as a whole, including students, unemployed people, retirements, the persistent discrimination against indigenous people, transporters, small merchants, women, indigenous Mapuche and other minorities. vandals, against the police, such as the army, even civilians who have caused disturbances. The Proof of this is that, after the elections for the balance so far is 59 dead and thousands injured. election of the constituents, who must draft the new constitution that eradicates the constitution It is not necessary to minimize the ideological issued during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet interventions that also from the left have influenced Ugarte, 42% of those constituents are independent this state of affairs, since this sister country is totally and from the radical left Including communists, 16% ideologically fractured and carries the burden of come from the political parties of the left coalition, the armed conflict with many troubles, the political 24% from parties close to the current government, hegemony of former president Álvaro Uribe and the great and 18% seats reserved for indigenous peoples. inequalities that mark the daily evolution of this Nation. 6 This composition of constituent heralds that economic Legislación y Economía May 2021 and political model of Chile will have profound changes; percentage of citizens who have been vaccinated and Although it will take a long time to reach agreements have one or two doses. They preferred for ideological on issues such as environment, mining exploitation, reasons, to use the Russian and Chinese vaccines recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples, respectively and even so, they haven’t received the education and public health, pensions and tax rules for respective shipments from these countries. The large companies and large companies and fortunes. consequences for the economy and the quality of life of its inhabitants have been terrible; let’s see some data: However, in this reality there is an uncertainty about the next presidential elections in which a leadership 1. At the beginning of the pandemic, it was the based on the recomposition of the economic and country that established the longest quarantine social structure of this country could emerge. in the world. As the newspaper El Clarín in Buenos Aires highlights, 2. Today, they have very restrictive measures “The electoral beating of the traditional parties for social mobility, they have even canceled the in the constituent elections is a new message celebration of the international soccer tournament to the entire region. When politics gets away of the South American Soccer Confederation from the people, people make another politics”. (Conmebol). 4. Perú: This country is in an abyss, since it has had 3. They have practically eliminated face-to-face a plural number of presidents in a single term and an classes. absolute failure in the health sector, which has caused absolute discontent among citizens. The entire 4. More than eleven thousand restaurants have citizenry is frustrated by the inability of the rulers had to close. About a million workers have lost and is now in the second round of the presidential their jobs. elections with two candidates who represent insurmountable extremes: Keiko Fujimori and Pedro 5. They have suspended meat exports, one of Castillo catch the preferences of citizens who are their main sources of hard currency. facing one of the decisions of greater importance, since on paper, it is a country with great natural 6. They are very close to a breach of their financial resources, biodiversity, productive capacity, but that commitments with multilateral creditors and the is totally divided and lacks trust in its institutions.