26. Is there a ban on donors to political parties/candidates participating in public tender/procurement processes?

Source: Artículo 230,556, Código Electoral de Panamá, 2022. Article 230, 556, Electoral Code of the Republic of Panama, 2022. | Artículo 145, Decreto 29 de 31 de mayo de 2022 (Boletín 5065). Article 145, Decree 29 of May 31, 2022 (Bulletin 5065).

(ES)
Artículo 230. Quedan prohibidas las siguientes donaciones o aportes a partidos políticos, precandidatos y candidatos: [...]
5. 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. [...]

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.

Artículo 145. Fuentes prohibidas de recaudación de fondos. Quedan prohibidas las siguientes donaciones o aportes a partidos políticos, precandidatos y candidatos: [...]
5. 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.

(EN)
Article 230. The following donations or contributions to political parties, pre-candidates and candidates are prohibited: [...]
5. Those coming from natural or juridical persons, who directly or as part of an economic group, which, at the time of the donation, are contractors of the State or concessionaires of public services. [...]

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).

Article 145. Prohibited sources of fundraising. The following donations or contributions to political parties, pre-candidates and candidates are prohibited: [...]
5. Those 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.

Available at: https://www.gacetaoficial.gob.pa/pdfTemp/29482_A/GacetaNo_29482a_20220222.pdf
https://rinedtep.edu.pa/server/api/core/bitstreams/b7a78de2-9385-414f-81e1-1dda5b9ea1b9/content

-The law does not ban donors from participating in public procurement. The regulation works in the reverse: it prohibits entities that are currently state contractors from making donations (Art. 230.5).  

-Both the Electoral Code (Art. 230.5) and the 2022 Decree (Art. 145.5) specify that the ban applies to any person or company that is a state contractor at the time of the donation.