Law: Law No. 81 on Personal Data Protection 2019 (only available in Spanish here) (the Law), and Executive Decree No. 285 of 18 May 2021 that regulates Law No. 81 on Personal Data Protection (only available in Spanish here) (the Decree)

Regulator: National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information (ANTAI)

Summary: Law No. 81 on Personal Data Protection 2019 (only available in Spanish here) (the Law) entered into force on March 26, 2019. The Law, which is further regulated by Executive Decree No. 285 of 28 May 2021 (only available in Spanish here) (Executive Order 285/2021), governs the principles, rights, obligations, and procedures in relation to the protection of personal data in Panama. More specifically, the Law provides for consent procedures for the processing of personal data, obligations concerning data transfers, data subject rights, and the establishment of a Personal Data Protection Council with advisory powers.

The Law is enforced by the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information (ANTAI), which has the power to apply fines and other sanctions.

There are several other laws, such as the National Constitution of the Republic of Panama (only available in Spanish here) (the Constitution), that regulate personal data protection. The Constitution outlines the right to privacy of personal communications and documents, the right to access information contained in databases held by public bodies or by private persons providing public services, as well as to request the correction, rectification, or deletion of such information.