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OPINION: A rotten smell in the Public Ministry
Javier Caraballo
Posted 11/12/2021
It is very difficult to give credit to the Attorney General (in charge), Javier Caraballo, when last Thursday he stated that "until now we have little information" about the process that is being carried out in New York for the Odebrecht case, in which The two sons of former President Martinelli have admitted to receiving bribes from the construction company. Caraballo may not be aware of the evidence accumulated in the case file in Panama, but to say that he handles "little" information is enormously awkward and says a lot about how little he has been interested in this case. To begin with, the prosecutor in charge of the process was sent on vacation last June. Each time you return to duty, you are notified that your vacation has been extended for another month. If Caraballo needs to know about the case, the prosecutor has already rested six months and can bring her back, but chose to speculate with the information. The signs are clear, let's not fool ourselves. Something smells rotten in the Public Ministry with this file and we are not surprised that the famous non-aggression pact between this government and one of the accused ends up including this case. And, once again, Panama will make an international fool of itself – LA PRENSA, Dec.11.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/opinion-a-rotten-smell-in-the-public-ministry-1
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"Overwheming
Posted 11/12/2021
Despite the fact that there is a plea agreement (not yet validated before a federal judge), the Brooklyn prosecutor's office requested that Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares - who was extradited from Guatemala on Friday- remain in detention, considering that there is a risk of flight.
"The evidence in this case is overwhelming," said prosecutor Alixandra Smith in a note to Judge Robert Levy, presented on December 10, shortly after Martinelli Linares' attorney requested, in writing, that the accused be released. on bail. The defense backed his request with a bail proposal of $4.5 million and attached a copy of the plea agreement in which his client agrees to have participated in a scheme to launder up to $28 million in bribes from Odebrecht, for the benefit of " a high official of the Panamanian Government ”, between August 2009 and September 2015, a period that includes the entire presidential term of Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014).
The identity of this "high official" has been kept secret and it is only known that he is a "close relative" of Martinelli Linares and the other accused of this plot, his brother Luis Enrique, who has already pleaded guilty and has been detained in Brooklyn since on November 15, without bail.
Prosecutor Smith, in her 11-page note to Judge Levy, points out that additional information about this "official of the Panamanian government" was already provided in a sealed document, presented on November 15. It also indicates that in the period that Odebrecht paid the bribes to the close relative of the two defendants, the construction company obtained multi-million-dollar public infrastructure contracts, "including a project that was a campaign promise from the Panamanian government official."
The AFP agency quoted an official from the prosecution, who reported that on Saturday, November 11, Martinelli Linares will and , on December 14, he will have a hearing to validate the plea agreement, with Judge Raymond Dearie.
Prosecutor Smith's arguments to oppose the bail of Ricardo Alberto are similar to those that she used against the possible release of Luis Enrique: the seriousness of the charges; proven risk of leakage; access to economic resources and private aircraft; political connections; dual Panamanian and Italian nationality, with the aggravation that Panama does not extradite its nationals; lack of roots in the United States, and that both escaped in June 2020, when they were already negotiating plea agreements with the Department of Justice and the FBI.
Political influence
In the note presented by the defendant's lawyer, he maintains that Ricardo Alberto does not want to return to Panama, because he has open processes and it is convenient for him to remain in the United States, in order to obtain "protection from a double trial”. The prosecutor disagrees with this statement since the accused still has a strong political influence over the current government and the proof of this is that last year he had "convinced" the Minister of Health (it is not clear if he refers to Rosario Turner or the current one, Luis Francisco Sucre) to authorize the entry into the country of his brother Luis Enrique, circumventing the sanitary restrictions that at that time only allowed the entry of humanitarian flights, due to the pandemic. Those same political connections are what helped him get "invalid" credentials that accredited them as members of Parlacen.Regarding the flight from the United States, the documents describe that both escaped on a yacht that took them to the Bahamas, with Luis Enrique's wife and daughters. On the island, they boarded a private plane bound for Panama, but the plane could not land given entry restrictions at that time. The plane finally arrived in in Costa Rica and from there it went, later, to El Salvador. In El Salvador, Luis Enrique's family stayed in a hotel and he and his brother used Uber to get to the Guatemalan border. They used their Parlacen credentials to finally enter that country. On July 6, 2020, they were captured at La Aurora airport, when they were about to board the family plane, bound for Panama.
Prosecutor Smith maintains that there is sufficient evidence against Ricardo Alberto: bank records of foreign and US banks; documents that prove that Luis Enrique used the bribe to buy a yacht and an apartment in Miami; Emails from Odebrecht executives who corroborate the scheme used to launder, and testimonial statements from former employees and agents of the construction company.
"The government is also in possession of voluminous information obtained from the database of the Structured Operations Division, " which was then used by Odebrecht to pay bribes. These emails, bank statements, and statements indicate that shell companies and bank accounts were used to handle the illegal payments.
The prosecutor also replies that the extradition of Ricardo Alberto was not "voluntary", as he alleges: for more than a year, he presented appeals to prevent his surrender to the United States, and acquiesced in the procedure, only after the Guatemalan courts endorsed the extradition of Luis Enrique.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/overwhelming-evidence-against-martinelli-bros-ny-prosecutor-1
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Sexual abuse and harrasment at the Smithsonian
Posted 10/12/2021
Sexual abuse and harassment at the Smithsonian
Sixteen scientists who worked as researchers -some in their student years- at the Smithsonian Institute's facilities on the island of Barro Colorado, in Panama, described inappropriate sexual behavior by “high rank” workers and colleagues
According to Buzzfeed News, based on internal emails and interviews with 25 scientists related to the operation of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ( STRI ), the complaints were resolved with verbal warnings or some restrictions on the workers indicated, but they all continued to work on their research and interact with their colleagues.
It was not until 2020 that one of the people involved was dismissed after repeated complaints and an internal investigation.
The center's director, Joshua Tewksbury, quoted in the report, assured a Buzzfeed News reporter that the accusations are treated seriously and that they have "clear protocols to investigate." He added that details on specific cases cannot be provided.
"The Smithsonian is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment and will not tolerate any type of harassment against any member of the community," the STRI press office responded to an email sent by La Prensa after the publication.
“We recognize that having strong internal policies and processes are only part of the solution. We also recognize the pain and understand the courage it takes to be able to face and talk about these situations ”, adds the STRI.
In the Buzzfeed report, scientist Egbert Leigh, who worked at STRI for decades until his retirement, acknowledges the allegations and apologizes "for the pain and discomfort my behavior caused ... I apologize to those who were hurt or offended ”.
Two other scientists, Edward Allen Herre and Benjamin Turner deny the allegations. The second was separated from his position in 2020. Later, it was learned that his dismissal was linked to the reports.
Now, scientists and students who carried out investigations in Barro Colorado, in laboratories that were sometimes managed and administered by the alleged perpetrators, are in a legal battle for copyright, since one of the alleged perpetrators appeared credited in scientific publications as "collaborator".
Liza Comita a professor at Yale School of the Environment and a research associate at STRI did not suffer the behaviors described in the Buzzfeed publication but has positioned herself in favor of the victims.
"These are women who are experts in tropical ecology ... The time and energy they are wasting in dealing with these events is a loss for science," she said.
Tewksbury, the director of STRI, replied: "We are taking every possible action to support the health and well-being of our entire scientific community."
The Smithsonian assured La Prensa that it is "continually strengthening policies and procedures to thoroughly investigate allegations of harassment and take appropriate corrective action."
Since 2019, they reported, an office for the prevention of harassment and violence in the workplace called SI Civil has been established at the Smithsonian, “with the mission of empowering the community to communicate their concerns in the workplace and that do so with the confidence that their concerns will be addressed and without fear of retaliation. "
Open Letter
Meanwhile, attorney Laura L. Dunn, who represents several of the victims, published an open letter on behalf of her clients, addressed to the Gender Policy Council of President Joe Biden's administration, calling for comprehensive reform to policies.The letter calls on the council to make four "critical reforms" to STRI and the Smithsonian Institution: change the control model, which "concentrates power in the hands of scientists, who are mostly older white men"; adopt security measures in residences in Barro Colorado; improve the reporting system for situations of this type and the communication of research results, and, finally, establish an ethical standards committee that governs the conduct of scientists.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/sexual-abuse-and-harrasment-at-the-smithsonian
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Son of Martinelli extradited to United States
Posted 10/12/2021
Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares,42, was extradited to the United States on Friday, December 10, to face money laundering charges 492 days after his capture in Guatemala.
With Martinelli Linares, were three other subjects requested for extradition by the United States, on drug trafficking charges, reported Canal Antigua and El Periódico de Guatemala.
They are Iram Mérida , alias El Dorado or El Bucéfalo, and the brothers Haroldo and Marta Julia Lorenzana Cordón.
The flight plan included a stop in the Bahamas.
Shortly before 6:00 am, Martinelli Linares was transferred from the Mariscal Zavala military base (where he has been detained since his capture, on July 6, 2020), to the Guatemalan Air Force base.
t is the same journey that his brother Luis Enrique traveled on November 15, when he was handed over to the United States, where both are wanted for conspiracy to launder the bribes that Odebrecht paid to Panamanian officials and politicians.
On December 2, Luis Enrique confessed that, together with his brother and "others", he participated in a structure to launder $ 28 million in bribes from Odebrecht, to benefit "a high official of the Panamanian government." The accusation, which is being processed in the Eastern District Court of New York (Brooklyn), does not specify the name of that "high official", but does mention that he is a "close relative" of the children of former President Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal .
Luis Enrique is being held in a Brooklyn jail, without the right to bail. Ricardo Alberto would also enter this prison, once he arrives in New York
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/son-of-martinelli-extradited-to-united-states
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Clave system reports intermittent problems
Posted 10/12/2021
Both Banco General and Telered reported on the afternoon of Friday, December 10, that the Clave ATM system presents "intermittent transactions".
According to the companies, the drawbacks occur at the ATMs and at the points of sale. They did not clarify if the problem is only in the metropolitan area or includes the interior of the country.
Telered reported that its staff is working on solving the technical problem and said that the system will be gradually restored.
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Panama Omicron free for now
Posted 10/12/2021
There are 20 countries that have not yet reached the goal set by the World Health Organization (WHO) of achieving 40% coverage of the anticovid vaccination by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected in at least six countries in the region.
Against this background, Carissa F. Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), said that accelerating access to vaccines will be "essential to protect the population and, especially, the most vulnerable people."
"The appearance of a new variant does not necessarily mean a worsening of the situation, but it does mean that we must increase precautions," said Etienne.
In Panama, scientists from the Gorgas Commemorative Institute for Health Studies (Icges) carry out epidemiological and genomic surveillance to identify cases with this new variant, classified by the WHO as of concern. Until this Friday, no case of this variant has been detected in the country.
According to PAHO, 55% of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean is fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. In some countries - such as Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - vaccination coverage remains much lower.
“We need a reliable supply of doses so that our Covid-19 vaccination campaigns do not amplify the inequities that have divided our Region for so long,” Etienne added.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/panama-omicron-free-for-now
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Moderator's note: This is not in Panama but could be of interest
QuoteWoman with fake vaccine certificate dies of covid-19
Posted 10/12/2021
A 57-year-old woman who had a false vaccination certificate died of Covid-19 in a hospital southwest of Paris, a medical authority from the clinic reported on Friday, December 10.
The patient, with no medical history, was admitted to a hospital in Hauts-de-Seine with the false document bought from a doctor, assuring that she had been vaccinated.
She suffered from a severe form of the disease "that rapidly progressed to a severe respiratory attack," said Djillali Annane, head of the resuscitation department, interviewed by RTL radio.
If doctors had known that the patient was not vaccinated against Covid-19, they could have "administered neutralizing antibodies early, which are known to be effective in reducing the risk of disease progression," he added.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/woman-with-fake-vaccine-certificate-dies-of-covid-19
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The Sound of One Hand Clapping
Posted 09/12/2021
Today is the International Day Against Corruption. The celebration goes completely unnoticed, although corruption celebrates like never before, because although today the day is commemorated against it - surely in other countries, because obviously not here - the truth is that today, like the remaining 364 days, someone will rob the state and nothing will happen. Corruption is not something that happens so secretly and in a country whose inhabitants are very few, everything is known. The media know it, the people, the banks, businessmen and officials know it. You cannot illegally withdraw money from the State without the complicity of others. But what to do? The problem is that the institutions of control are as rotten as the people who run them, So who do you turn to? To the Attorney General's Office? To the Comptroller's Office? To the Judicial Branch? To the president? The deputy? To the police? In effect, nothing has worked, because in most cases they cannot provide a solution as it has been proven that they are also part of the problem. Today there will be no parades or murals in schools, no rehearsals, no speech, not a single gesture of celebration. Today, someone from the Government will steal from us and that one, that one, will celebrate. – LA PRENSA, Dec. 8
https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping-1
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Party time at the legislature
Posted 09/12/2021
While the United Kingdom is reeling from revelations that staffers at 10 Downing Street, held a Christmas Party at the home of Prime Minister Boris Johnson while the country was in lockdown, leading to calls for his resignation, Panama’s Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, said he did not know if the National Assembly (AN) requested permission to hold a Mother’s Day party at which a large number of people were observed. He said he will have to consult the Director of Health of the Metropolitan region.
Sucre said: "There is no political flag here, whoever breaks the law, we have to investigate it and if it merits sanction, it is sanctioned."
The dissemination of a video on social networks where a party is being held in the AN, with tables and a large number of people present, caused annoyance among citizens reports Mi Diario.
“Once it became known about the celebration on social networks, there was no shortage of questions to the Ministry of Health (Minsa), about why some are allowed and others are not.”
Meanwhile, Minister Sucre pointed out “ the number of patients in intensive care has been decreasing, but cases have been increasing, which is not good, it can be said that there is some control of the pandemic, however, we must pay attention to what is happening and control mass activities”.
The Minsa in its latest statements has reiterated the call to the population not to lower their guard and to maintain biosecurity measures to avoid the increase in cases of coronavirus and more so when it is known of the appearance of a new variant that is more contagious.
He has called on the organizers of activities to comply with the measures established in the regulations for capacity.
If the capacity is 100%, only people with the complete vaccination scheme can enter, according to the regulations established by Minsa. Has any lawmaker read the rules?
https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/party-time-at-the-legislature
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Lottery boss stays while probe proceeds - Cortizo
Posted 09/12/2021
The embattled director of the National Charity Lottery (LNB), Gloriela Del Río will remain in her job at least for now said President Laurentino Cortizo during a tour of the Children's Hospital, on Thursday morning referring to the scandal of the alleged irregularities in the National Benefit Lottery (LNB).
The president said that the director will possibly remain in office until the investigation that is being carried out due to irregularities in the verification process of the chances and tickets is completed.
"There is an investigation in progress, this is an issue that is being addressed with the Public Ministry, what would be the best ... probably until the investigation is over she should stay in office for the time being," he said.
On Tuesday, the Transparency and Access to Information Authority (Antai) reported that Del Río was fined 50% of her monthly salary for "breaches of ethics."
The Antai had initiated an investigation in the LNB last July for irregularities in the return and payment of lottery ticket prizes, as well as the payment of the millionaire Zodiac draw.
According to Elsa Fernández, director of Antai, "the investigation detected a violation of the entity's own procedures and a lack of oversight duty."
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/lottery-boss-stays-while-probe-proceeds-cortizo
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51 get provisional detention in Operation Fisher hearing
57 people were arrested
Posted 09/12/2021
Guarantee Judge, Teodolinda Cardose, at the request of the First Drug Prosecutor on Thursday, December 9 ordered the provisional arrest of 51 people for the crime of money laundering and illicit association to commit a crime, for their involvement in Operation Fisher
The judge ordered three of the defendants the measure of house arrest and two the measure of periodic notification.
ON Wednesday, December 8 the judge declared a recess in the hearing, because she was exhausted, and she did not want that fatigue to affect the decision she would take regarding the precautionary measures that should be imposed on the accused reports TVN.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/51-get-provisional-detention-in-operation-fisher-hearing
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Border and community watch against omicron reinforced
Posted 09/12/2021
Health Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre, reiterated Thursday, December 9, that epidemiological and genomic surveillance has been reinforced at the entrance and exit doors of the country, in order to be able to detect the Omicron variant of Covid-19, which to date has not occurred.
Sucre also said that 90% of those who died from Covid-19 were unvaccinated or did not get their full schedule, of two anti-covid doses.
He emphasized that anticovid vaccines "do not make us immortal", but rather improve the immune system and reduce the probability that the disease will complicate.
Sucre said that of improving and reinforcing surveillance will not prevent the variant from reaching the country. "At some point, it will enter," he said.
He explained that what is being tried is to "handle it and delay it" as much as possible, as was done with the Delta variant so that when the country enters the country "scientists have more information on how the virus is managed and we can have" greater control.
What is sought is that this situation "does not hit us" as it happened in December and January of last year, when the cases increased, although in the hospitals it was quite controlled.
Scientists at the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies (Icges) carry out epidemiological and genomic surveillance to identify cases with this new variant, classified by the World Health Organization as of concern.
"All travelers arriving from suspected countries undergo genomic surveillance, so far we have no cases [of the Omicron variant]," said Juan Pascale, director of Icges.
However, Pascale recalled that when the first case of SARS CoV2 arrived in the country, it was expected from China, which was the first place where the new coronavirus was detected, "but it came from other countries that already had it." For this reason community surveillance is being carried out, since Panama is a logistics hub.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/border-and-community-watch-against-omicron-reinforced
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Prosecutors seek provisional arrest of 56 in drug bust
Posted 08/12/2021
Drug prosecutors have requested provisional arrest imposed on 56 of the 57 investigated for alleged offenses of laundering and conspiracy laundering because of their ties assumptions with a criminal network associated with the Clan del Golfo that operates in the coasts of Colón, Panama and Coclé.
The other accused has already negotiated a plea deal of 68 months jail time.
During the fifth day of the hearing, the prosecutor Joseph Díaz said that the detention measure requested is appropriate, because they are serious crimes and all the accused are highly dangerous for the community.
The prosecutor revealed that the network managed a large group of frontmen led by a lawyer, who was in charge of managing the creation of joint-stock companies for the acquisition of properties with which money from drug trafficking was legitimized.
The prosecutor said that the lawyer created the companies, then bought the properties that, later, were transferred to other members of the gang, in order to simulate an alleged sale.
According to the prosecution, this modus operandi extended to the purchase of luxury vehicles, valued at $60,000, $80,000, and up to $132,000, which were then used by Jorge Luis General - alleged leader - and other members of the network to travel to different points of the country
The frontmen, including an official from the Ministry of Education, made their names available to the network for the acquisition of a farm valued at $1 million located in Río Hato, and another in Montelimar, in La Chorrera, valued at $335,000
A financial report by the National Police revealed that the front men used cashier's checks and on other occasions credit cards for payments, but never occupied the properties, as is the case of an apartment at PH Astoria in El Cangrejo, which is registered in the name of a company, but in reality, it was occupied by General.
A police report details that the apartment was also used by the leaders of the group to hold meetings.
Investigations also reveal that the Magna Pesca company was used as a screen for legitimizing money from illegal activities.
The prosecution confirmed that members of the network traveled to Colombia to meet with members of the Clan del Golfo.
During the hearing, it emerged that the Clan has a territory dispute with a gang led by alias Marshall, detained in Punta Coco, for which it is presumed that an attack suffered by General is related to the rivalry.
The Defense
Defense lawyers alleged that the prosecution has presented a series of evidence on the purchase of properties without having corroborated them in the Public Registry and the Ministry of Economy and Finance since these properties were acquired between 2015 and 2016, long before the investigations started.They also alleged that surveillance and monitoring procedures carried out by the Police speak of meetings, but do not provide any details about the content of the conversations, some of which were of a family nature.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/prosecutors-seek-provisional-arrest-of-56-in-drug-bust
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Mandatory vaccination only when necessary to reach public health goals - UN
Posted 08/12/2021
Mandatory vaccination must comply with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, and non-discrimination said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on Wednesday.
The High Commissioner said that the objectives pursued by countries that consider making the vaccine mandatory to fight the pandemic were "of course, of the highest level of legitimacy and importance." But she insisted that "mandatory vaccination should only be used when necessary to achieve compelling public health goals."
"And only when less intrusive measures, such as wearing a mask and social distancing, fail to meet
those public health goals. Although refusing to comply with the obligation to be vaccinated can have legal consequences, such as an appropriate fine,"
Bachelet also emphasized that for the obligation to be "in accordance with the fundamental principles of human rights of equality and non-discrimination," countries have to ensure the supply of vaccines and that they are truly affordable as well as being "sufficiently safe and effective," she added.
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Lottery boss sanctioned for ethics breaches
Posted 08/12/2021
Gloriela del Río, the beleaguered director of the National Charity Lottery (LNB) who remains in office while three of her erstwhile staff face criminal investigation has been fined 50% of her salary for "breaches of ethics," reported the Transparency and Access to Information Authority (Antai).
The Antai had initiated an investigation in the LNB last July for irregularities in the return and payment of lottery ticket prizes, as well as the payment of the million-dollar zodiac prize.
According to Elsa Fernández, director of Antai, "the investigation detected a violation of the entity's own procedures and a lack of oversight duty."
Gloriela Del Río, who has remained silent in recent months after complaints of anomalies and after the apprehension of three former Lottery officials for the irregular collection of chances and winning tickets, earns a monthly salary of $3,500 and other representation expenses of $3,500 reports La Prensa.
Alejandra Bonilla González, former provincial director of Panama; Franklin De Gracia Domínguez, former Chief of Operations, and Yamilka Camarena Díaz, former Chief of Deliveries, were hired between July and October 2019, by Del Río. At the moment, they are all detained for the alleged commission of the crime of malicious embezzlement.
Despite the complaints, Del Río did not fire them at the time but just relocated them to other duties.
The director of Antai also reported that she sanctioned a cashier supervisor of the Colon LNB agency with a fine of 50% of the salary, for administrative irregularities that caused property damage in the amount of $8,960.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/lottery-boss-sanctioned-for-ethics-breaches
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Panama on covid rebound may be new wave
Posted 07/12/2021
Panama could be on the cusp of another pandemic wave said Doctor and researcher Vigil De Gracia, on TVN-2.com
According to De Gracia, last week, from November 29 to December 5, was the third that reflects a minimal increase in new infections, a slight increase in positivity, and an increase in the number of new cases detected. "We do not doubt that we are in a rebound that can turn into a wave or not, but we do not know, so we must apply the vaccines."
And, the country had dropped to values close to 1,500 active cases and currently reflects about 2,800 new infections. Meanwhile, the lethality of the virus has remained at a stable rate, according to Vigil De Gracia.
The public health specialist, Jorge Luis Prosperi remarked on his weekly blog that, for four weeks, the country has reported a clear increase in cases, increasing from 26.8 the week that ended on November 13 to 35.5 cases reported per 100,000 inhabitants this week.
Meanwhile, deaths remain an average of 0.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in the same period, but if cases continue to increase, the chances of serious patients and deaths will increase.
"Although deaths and the occupancy of beds in the ICU maintain a downward trend; this increase in cases shows that we are at the beginning of a rebound and should be cause for concern," he said.
Given this, the director of the National Secretary of Science and Technology (Senacyt), Eduardo Ortega, asked the population not to relax. "The masks work against all variants.”
https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/panama-on-covid-rebound-may-be-new-wave
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“Most-wanted” HP gang members in preventive detention
Posted 07/12/2021
Two people on the Damascus operation's most-wanted list were ordered held in preventive detention by guarantee judge Ruth Aizpú Ramos, at a hearing that ended at 3:00 am on Monday, December 6.
Carlos Ariosto Pérez Rivera and Victoriano Aguilar Becerra were charged with the alleged commission of the crime of money laundering and illicit association to commit a crime.
The Damascus operation is part of an investigation by the Special Prosecutor's Office against Organized Crime in which they are after a criminal network allegedly led, among others, by Carlos Roberto Aguilar, alias Robert.
On Friday, December 3, the authorities captured Aguilar Becerra an alleged member of the HP gang and Robert's brother. The action occurred in the Pueblo Nuevo area.
According to the prosecution, the HP gang is a criminal group responsible for activities of illicit association, hired assassins, drug trafficking, and illicit association and that would have a close collaboration with the Clan del Golfo.
The investigation began in October 2018, in which the prosecution located evidence against several people who allegedly participated in multiple criminal activities.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/most-wanted-hp-gang-members-in-preventive-detention
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Chamber of Commerce spearheads “Buy Panama” program
Posted 07/12/2021
The recovery of the consumer confidence index, and the 43.3% increase in the import of goods, has prompted Panama’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (CCIAP) to spearhead a campaign that seeks to encourage consumption and sales in local shops that generate employment in the country.
With the slogan "This Business is Panama, Buy Local", the president of the union, José Ramón Icaza, says that they seek to encourage the recovery of the commercial sector, especially mass consumption, during the busiest month of the year.
"If local commerce is supported, the reactivation of jobs and the generation of new jobs is promoted."
He argued that with thecampaign they also want to support artisans and entrepreneurs; as well as the micro, small and medium-sized companies that generate a lot of employment. Some 31 companies are participating in the program and although it was conceived for this month, Icaza indicated that they are analyzing extending it to other months given the acceptance they have had.
Icaza added that with the vaccination results, the development of the commercial sector for 2022 has favorable prospects, but they are concerned about the impact rising freight rates may have on the tertiary sector and on the prices of imported products.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/chamber-of-commerce-spearheads-buy-panama-program
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Panama new car sales rebounding
Posted 06/12/2021
The new car market in Panama is reviving in 2021, with sales that exceed the expectations of the industry itself.
Between 2019 and 2020, the market contracted by 49.7%, after going from 47,866 sales to 24,091. Virtually half as many cars were sold in 2020 as in 2019.
This year, until November 33,920 new vehicles have been sold, according to figures from the Association of Automobile Dealers of Panama (Adap) , a figure that represents an increase of 67% compared to the same period in 2020 and a drop of 23% compared to 2019 data.
The president of Adap, Anthony Salerno, made the caveat that in 2019 the Panama Motor Show car fair was held in person in October and this year it was held virtually between December 1 and 5 .
Taking into account that the average number of cars sold each month in 2021 is 3,084 and the momentum that the fair usually gives, the industry expects to comfortably exceed 37,000 units sold at the end of the year, thus exceeding the previous expectation of 35,000.
If this estimate is met, in one year more than half of the ground lost in 2020 will have been recovered, and the industry would close with some 10,000 fewer cars sold than in 2019, a year that was marked by the slowdown in the economy.
The data reflects that local demand is recovering, while the main concerns of the industry focus, according to Salerno, on the tensions in the supply chain that affect a product of which Panama is an importer.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/panama-new-car-sales-rebounding
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Plea deal earns Operation Fisher detainee 68 months
Posted 07/12/2021
A plea agreement with the Drug Prosecutor’s Office resulted in a 68 months prison sentence for one of the detainees in “Operation Fisher”, against a criminal structure that operated in the country in collaboration with the Colombian cartel Clan del Golf.
The man was convicted on Monday, December 6 on charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and is the first person convicted in a case that has captured the attention of regional media since the first week of December.
It was the fifth day of the hearing of the Fisher operation, where the Public Ministry obtained precautionary measures to 22 of the 57 defendants.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/plea-deal-earns-operation-fisher-detainee-68-months
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Metro Panama distributes Mother’s Day roses
Accompanied by mariachi serenaders, Metro Panama staff handed out roses at San Miguelito and Cinco de Mayo subway stations on Tuesday, December 7 the eve of Mother’s Day.
Posted 07/12/2021
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/metro-panama-distributes-mothers-day-roses
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“Urgent” need to limit Ómicron onslaught
Posted 06/12/2021
The arrival of the first cases of Ómicron, the new variant of Covid-19 in several Latin American countries, has led Panama’s technical health team to express the “urgent” need to take the necessary actions to limit its entry into the country.
Lourdes Moreno, head of epidemiology at the Ministry of Health (Minsa), said on Monday in Telemetro Reporta: “We all know that the situation worldwide is difficult. What Panama has to do is maintain its health system in optimal conditions to provide a timely and effective response as has been given so far, "She said that the Delta variant is the one with the greatest presence in the country, and "we have been able to respond."
Moreno also affirmed that in the face of a slight increase in cases of the new coronavirus, the installed capacity is adequate. With "intensified epidemiological surveillance, such in airports and ports, genomic surveillance, and flight traceability," he said.
However, she emphasized that what is wanted is to reinforce anti-covid vaccination. She said that 89.7% of people over 12 years of age, which is the target population, already have the first dose, and 80% have a second. However, there are still people to be vaccinated.
"This is extremely important, we become aware of vaccination and especially for Ómicron and any variant, not to leave biosafety measures,".
The epidemiological report of the Minsa on Sunday, December 5, reported that 222 new positive cases of Covid-19 were registered in Panama, for a cumulative total of 479,053.
There is a total of 7,374 accumulated deaths, since March 2020, when the pandemic arrived in the country.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/urgent-need-to-limit-omicron-onslaught
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57 charged with cartel links
Posted 06/12/2021
On Sunday, December 5 Guarantees, Judge Teodolinda Cardoze, charged 57 people, arrested in Operation Fisher with money laundering and illicit association to commit a crime.
In the Fisher operation, the Public Ministry and the prosecution detained alleged members of a criminal network associated with the Gulf Clan. Among the procedures carried out by the authorities, over $10 million were seized; a beach house in Río Hato (Coclé), valued at $1 million; 11 luxury vehicles and 4 yachts.
During the hearing, the defense attorneys opposed the accusation of charges made by the Public Ministry, alleging that no concrete evidence was supported of the links between the detainees and the crimes charged.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/57-charged-with-cartel-links
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Ex-president Varela locks horns with “cowardly” Martinelli
FORMER president Juan Carlos Varela.
Posted 06/12/2021
Former president, Juan Carlos Varela (2014-2019) denounced on Monday, December 6 the false accusations that another ex-president Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) has made against him in social networks, local and international media.
According to Varela, Martinelli has used the decision made during his government administration not to continue the failed radar project to make "unfounded accusations" against him.
Varela said that he will face this "baseless campaign" in whatever field is necessary.
"The accusations and cowardly attitude of former President Martinelli only seek to divert attention from the multiple cases of corruption he faces in Panama and other countries,” said a statement issued on Monday.
In August 2014, Varela announced the suspension of the contract signed in 2010 by the Martinelli government with Selex, a Finmeccanica subsidiary, for the purchase of 19 radars for $125 million. He claimed that the artifacts did not meet technical specifications.
The Public Ministry initiated an investigation on August 11, 2015, based on a report from the Ministry of Public Security that indicated that the radars purchased from Selex did not detect the speedboats used by drug traffickers on the Panamanian coast.
“During my administration, the largest investments ever recorded in equipment were made for the security forces, including the acquisition of a logistics vessel, helicopters, patrol aircraft, interceptor boats, among other investments, in order to reinforce the fight against drug trafficking. , which entailed a record of 344.39 tons of drugs seized ”, Varela pointed out.
He affirmed that in his more than 35 years of public and private life, neither he nor any member of his family has been involved in activities related to drug trafficking.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/ex-president-varela-locks-horns-with-cowardly-martinelli
Fairs are back - for the vaccinated
in Miscellaneous Topics re Panama
Posted
https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/fairs-are-back-for-the-vaccinated