17,000 Drivers May have Received Licenses without Testing

There may be some legitimacy to the claim that driving in Panama is a bit lawless. With approximately 210 traffic related deaths this year, it may not come as a surprise to hear a former transit official allege that 17,000 drivers have received licenses without being tested.

An anti-corruption prosecutor has charged the former transportation official Manuel Salgado with the offense against public administration, in response to alleged act of issuing the 17,000 driver licenses recorded during the Martinelli administration between 2010 and 2014.

The anti-corruption prosecutor’s office has been investigating the matter of the licenses since October 2015.According to the investigators, Salgado allegedly issued exemptions for various people from licensing exams, including exemptions for applicants for licenses to drive public transport vehicles.