Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
Registration No. 333-273534
This preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus are being distributed for informational purposes only and are subject to completion and amendment. This preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus shall not, and are not intended to, constitute or contain an offer or invitation to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, and may not be used as, or in connection with, an offer or invitation to sell or solicitation to buy any of the global bonds.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 27, 2023
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
To prospectus dated September 20, 2023
U.S.$
Republic of Panama
U.S.$ % Global Bonds due 2036
U.S.$ 6.853% Global Bonds due 2054
The Republic of Panama (the “Republic” or “Panama”) will pay interest on the % Global Bonds due 2036 (the “2036 bonds”) on and of each year, commencing on and on the 6.853% Global Bonds due 2054 (the “2054 bonds”, and together with the 2036 bonds, the “global bonds”) on March 28 and September 28 of each year, commencing on March 28, 2024. Panama will repay the principal of the 2036 bonds at maturity and of the 2054 bonds in three equal installments on March 28 of each year commencing on March 28, 2052. The 2036 bonds will mature on , 2036 and the 2054 bonds will mature on March 28, 2054. The global bonds will be unsubordinated, unsecured (subject to the provisions in the global bonds providing for securing such obligations in the event certain other obligations of Panama are secured), direct, unconditional and general obligations of Panama. The global bonds will be designated equal ranking securities and, as such, the global bonds will rank without any preference among themselves and equally with all other unsecured and unsubordinated public indebtedness of Panama. It is understood that this provision shall not be construed so as to require Panama to make payments under the global bonds ratably with payments being made under any other public indebtedness. See “Debt Securities—Status of the Debt Securities” in the accompanying prospectus. Panama has pledged its full faith and credit for the due and punctual payment of principal and interest on the global bonds and all obligations of Panama in respect of the global bonds.
The 2054 bonds will be a further issuance of, and will be consolidated to form a single series with, the outstanding U.S.$1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Panama’s 6.853% Global Bonds due 2054 that were previously issued on March 28, 2023, and will be fully fungible with the outstanding 2054 bonds. The total aggregate principal amount of the previously issued 2054 bonds and the 2054 bonds now being issued will be U.S.$ .
Panama may, at its option, redeem the global bonds, in whole or in part, before maturity, on not less than 10 nor more than 60 days’ notice on the terms described under “Description of the Global Bonds—Optional Redemption” in this prospectus supplement. The holders of the global bonds will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.
The global bonds will be designated Aggregated Collective Action Securities and, as such, will contain provisions regarding future modifications to the terms of the global bonds that differ from those applicable to Panama’s outstanding public external indebtedness issued prior to March 16, 2015. Under these provisions, which are described under “Description of the Global Bonds—Meetings, Amendments and Waivers” in this prospectus supplement and “Aggregated Collective Action Securities” in the accompanying prospectus, Panama may amend the payment provisions of any series of debt securities (including the global bonds) and other reserve matters listed in the fiscal agency agreement with the consent of the holders of: (1) with respect to a single series of debt securities, more than 75% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series; (2) with respect to two or more series of debt securities, if certain “uniformly applicable” requirements are met, more than 75% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series affected by the proposed modification, taken in the aggregate; or (3) with respect to two or more series of debt securities, whether or not certain “uniformly applicable” requirements are met, more than 66 2/3% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series affected by the proposed modification, taken in the aggregate, and more than 50% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the proposed modification, taken individually.
Application will be made to list the global bonds on the Official List of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and to have such global bonds admitted to trading on the Euro MTF Market.
Section 309B(1)(c) of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289 of Singapore) Notification
The global bonds are prescribed capital markets products (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) regulations 2018).
See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-10 for a discussion of factors you should consider before investing in the global bonds.
This prospectus supplement, together with the prospectus dated September 20, 2023, constitutes a prospectus for the purpose of Part IV of the Luxembourg Law on prospectuses for securities dated July 16, 2019.
Neither the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The global bonds will be ready for delivery in book-entry form only through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, for the accounts of its participants, including Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, and Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System, against payment in New York, New York, on or about , 2023.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Price to Public(1) | | | Underwriting Discount | | | Proceeds to the Republic before expenses | |
Per 2036 bond | | | | % | | | | % | | | | % |
Total for 2036 bonds | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
Per 2054 bond | | | | % | | | | % | | | | % |
Total for 2054 bonds | | $ | | | | $ | | | | $ | | |
(1) | Plus accrued interest, (i) with respect to the 2054 bonds, totaling U.S.$ or approximately U.S.$ per U.S.$1,000 in principal amount of the bonds from , 2023 to , 2023, the date the Republic expects to deliver the 2054 bonds offered by this prospectus supplement, and additional interest, if any, from , 2023, and (ii) with respect to the 2036 bonds, accrued interest, if any, from , 2023. |
Joint Book-Running Managers
| | |
BofA Securities | | UBS Investment Bank |
The date of this prospectus supplement is , 2023.