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The article recounts the story behind the approval of Panama’s Transparency Law, highlighting the proactive role of Apede in integrating three scattered legislative initiatives into a coherent legal framework. This collaborative effort among civil society, the legislature, and oversight bodies achieved a historic consensus, overcoming initial political unwillingness and administrative resistance. The narrative emphasizes that transparency is not merely a theoretical concept, but a structural tool essential for combating corruption and strengthening democracy. The relevance of this text for the open data community lies in the evidence that the mere availability of information is insufficient on its own; it must be backed by robust laws and, crucially, by political will for their implementation. The article illustrates how regulations can be undermined through decrees contrary to the spirit of the law, and how citizen pressure is vital to correct such inefficiencies. This serves as both a warning and a guide regarding the importance of monitoring not only the enactment, but also the effective implementation of information access regulations. Ultimately, the experience demonstrates that successful transparency requires an integrated strategy that combines the legal framework with civil society’s capacity to monitor and enforce accountability. The narrative underscores that corruption and lack of ethics are root causes of social problems, and that only through proactive and inclusive management can the effectiveness of data openness measures be ensured. This case serves as a reference for how the articulation among multiple actors is fundamental to transforming the letter of the law into tangible reality.

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Published on 2023-08-29

Open Data

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