1. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to political parties?

Source: Artículo 230, 556, Código Electoral de Panamá, 2022. Article 230, 556, Electoral Code of the Republic of Panama, 2022.

(EN)
Article 230. The following donations or contributions to political parties, pre-candidates and candidates are prohibited:
Those coming from legal entities that do not exercise economic activities within the Republic of Panama.
Anonymous donations or contributions, except for those originating in popular collections regulated in this Code.
Donations or contributions that come from foreign governments, persons or organisms. Donations or contributions from political parties, international associations of parties and foreign foundations that are linked to national parties or foundations are excepted, provided that such donations or contributions are not for electoral campaigns.
1. Those coming from companies where the State is a shareholder.
2. Those coming from natural or legal persons who, directly or as part of an economic group, at the time of the donation, are contractors of the State or concessionaires of public services.
3. Those coming from religious congregations of any denomination or origin, whether national or foreign.
4. Those of natural or legal persons convicted by a final judgment for crimes against the public administration, illicit drug trafficking, illegal mining, illegal logging, trafficking in persons, money laundering or terrorism.

Article 556. Pre-candidates, candidates, and political parties that violate Article 230 shall be punished with a fine of one thousand balboas (B/.1,000.00) to twenty-five thousand balboas (B/. 25,000.00).

Available at: https://www.gacetaoficial.gob.pa/pdfTemp/29482_A/GacetaNo_29482a_20220222.pdf

(ES)
Artículo 230. Quedan prohibidas las siguientes donaciones o aportes a partidos políticos, precandidatos y candidatos:
1. Los provenientes de personas jurídicas que no ejerzan actividades económicas dentro de la República de Panamá.
2. Las donaciones o los aportes anónimos, salvo los que se originen en colectas populares reglamentadas en este Código.
3. Las donaciones o los aportes que provengan de gobiernos, personas u organismos extranjeros. Se exceptúan las donaciones o los aportes de partidos 4. políticos, asociaciones internacionales de partidos y fundaciones extranjeras que están vinculadas con partidos o fundaciones nacionales, siempre que dichas donaciones o aportes no sean para campañas electorales.
5. Los provenientes de empresas donde el Estado sea accionista.
6. Los provenientes de personas naturales o jurídicas, que de forma directa o como parte de un grupo económico, que, al momento de la donación, sean contratistas del Estado o concesionarios de servicios públicos.
7. Las provenientes de congregaciones religiosas de cualquier denominación u origen, sean nacionales o extranjeros.
8. Los de personas naturales o jurídicas condenadas con sentencia ejecutoriada, por delitos contra la administración pública, tráfico ilícito de drogas, minería ilegal, tala ilegal, trata de personas, lavado de activos o terrorismo.

Artículo 556. Serán sancionados con multa de mil balboas (B/.1,000.00) a veinticinco mil balboas (B/. 25,000.00) los precandidatos, candidatos y partidos políticos que violen el artículo 230.

The law bans donations from several foreign sources, including legal entities without economic activity in Panama (Art. 230.1) and foreign religious congregations (Art. 230.6). While it also bans contributions from foreign governments or persons, it includes a key exception: donations from foreign political entities (parties, foundations) are permitted if they are not for electoral campaigns (Art. 230.3).