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Dolega Man Missing. Last Seen in Boquete

Posted 18/03/2024

A Chiricano man left to do some work on his farm and disappeared; his family is looking for him.  Nayelis Saldaña, daughter of Mr. Abel, explained that her father told her brother that he was going to do some cleaning at the farm, tasks that generally take a day, so he regularly returns home the next day, but this time he didn’t.  Abel Antonio Saldaña, 48 years old, has been missing since last Thursday March 14^th after he left his home, located in Las Cañas in Dolega, in the company of his son who left him at the Los Naranjos  intersection  in Boquete, where he boarded a bus to Bajo Mono.  

Since he did not return, his children went to Bajo Mono to see what had happened to their father.  They searched the entire property but were unable to find him at the farm.  The young woman asked a local neighbor if he had seen her father, but the answer was no, so the kids assume that their fater never arrived at the farm.  With each passing day, uncertainty grows among Mr. Saldaña's children and other relatives  since he has no known enemies.  Although there is no cell phone signal in Bajo Mono, they have dialed his number, but it appears as if the phone is turned off , which is why they decided to file a complaint for his disappearance with the Dolega Missing Person's Office.  On Thursday March 14^th Mr. Abel was wearing a blue striped shirt, black pants and shoes, and was carrying  a backpack. He is 1.70 meters tall, has a thick build, is dark-skinned, dark eyes and hair, and thick eyebrows.  If you have seen Mr. Saldaña or have information as to his wherabouts, you can call 6977-3863 or 6468-8408.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/dolega-man-missing-last-seen-in-boquete

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Martinelli Advertising to be Removed

Posted 17/03/2024

 

The TE has reiterated that it was ordered to remove all advertising about former President Martinelli after his disqualification from running in the May 5th Presidential election.  The Electoral Court (TE) has stated that the plenary session rejected a request from the Realizing Goals party (RM).  The request was that the “Martinelli/Mulino” logo and the photo would appear on the voting ballot for May 5th for the presidential candidate José Raúl Mulino.  In a statement from the TE it is noted that the decision to reject the request was made “because they believe that it will be used for electoral propaganda purposes.” 

The agreements confirming the disqualification of Ricardo Martinelli as a presidential candidate and as a deputy require the removal of all electoral propaganda where the former president Martinelli appears.  "The plenary session of the TE announced that both the photo with a caption and the Martinelli/Mulino logo cannot be approved, since the authorization of the photo and the advertising material, would create confusion in the electorate, because they imply that there is a non-existent presidential listing, affecting the integrity of the electoral process".  On March 4, the Electoral Court received notification from the Judicial Branch about the conviction in the New Business case, which establishes that Martinelli has a sentence of 10 years and 8 months in prison for money laundering. 

Previously, the TE had warned that it needed this formal notification to begin the process of disqualifying Martinelli as a presidential candidate for Realando Metas and the Alianza party.  According to article 180 of the Constitution, a person sentenced to five years or more in prison is prohibited from being elected president or vice president of the Republic. The sentence imposed on Martinelli is 128 months in prison.  Martinelli has been barricaded in the Nicaraguan embassy, located in the La Alameda urbanization, since last February 7th five days after the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice announced that it would not admit his appeal against the conviction for this case. 

José Raúl Mulino leads in Panama’s Presidential race, replacing disqualified Martinelli.  A 64-year-old lawyer, Mulino was one of the leaders of the so-called Civilist Crusade that opposed the dictatorship of General Manuel Antonio Noriega (1983-1989).  26% of voters who have been surveyed said they would vote for Mulino in the May 5th election, who currently is 16 points ahead of his competitors.  He is followed by Ricardo Lombana and former president Martín Torrijos (2004-2009), both with 10.8%, and lawyer Rómulo Roux with 10.2%.   There are 20% undecided voters.  Zulay Rodríguez has 6.7% of the vote and near the bottom is no surprise, the social-democratic ruling party candidate José Gabriel Carrizo, who lands in sixth place among the eight candidates with 6.5%.   In Panama, presidential elections are held in a single round and are won by a simple majority.  The term is five years.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/martinelli-advertising-to-be-removed

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Zulay Rodríguez Wants to Close the Darién Gap

Posted 17/03/2024

 

The candidate for the presidency of Panama, Zulay Rodríguez, proposed as part of her campaign to “close” the Darién Gap in order to mitigate the migratory wave of recent years.  “Close the border,” declared the free candidate when asked about the migration crisis in Darién, a jungle through which more than 85,000 people have already passed so far this year on their way to the United States.  In Zulay's opinion, the area is managed by criminal groups and stained with corruption.  “We must put in more security forces, National Border Service units (Senafront). There's a lot of corruption. We know that the police authorities are robbing, raping and kidnapping migrants, minor girls,” declared the candidate. Rodríguez explained that after doing an “investigation” in the Darién she discovered that “every day they rape a hundred or so women in Bajo Chiquito (the first town where migrants arrive after crossing the jungle) not in Colombia (but) in Panama”.  When I went to see why Panama is allowing this, I realized that it is because of the food (and) transportation negotiations. They have made everything a business and they charge them 25% of what the relatives send to the migrants,” denounced Rodríguez. She pointed out that on this dangerous route some women and minors are “raped” by armed groups and “security establishments” of Panama while some of the men are brutally beaten. Zulay Rodríguez Lu (born June 20, 1969) is a Panamanian lawyer, professor, and politician.  Currently she is in 5th position out of 8 Presidential candidates at 7% of the vote.  Mulino/Martinelli are at 40%, Ricardo Lombana at 11%, Martin Torrijos at 9%, Romulo Roux at 8%, Jose Carizo at 4% and 21% are currently undecided.  

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/zulay-rodriguez-wants-to-close-the-darien-gap

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Bar Association Warns that TE Violated Martinelli's rights

 Posted 16/03/2024

The union considers that the TE (Tribunal Electoral) should have met and prepared a regulation that established the procedure for a case similar to Martinelli's, and by not doing so, it is now faced with an unprecedented case with procedural gaps and without complying with the procedures.  The National Bar Association (CNA) warned that the Electoral Court (TE) acted hastily and without knowing its own procedures when it disqualified the presidential candidate Ricardo Martinelli from running in the next election on May 5, which implies a violation of constitutional rights and guarantees.  This approach was made to the TE itself in a letter to the electoral magistrates Alfredo Juncá, Eduardo Valdés Escoffery and Luis Guerra, signed by the president of the ANC, Maritza Cedeño Vásquez.  "It is evident that the Electoral Tribunal acted hastily by not waiting for the terms dictated by the judge in the case to be fulfilled, which would have allowed the jurisdictional decision to become enforceable and final before adopting any measure," says the CNA.  "In addition, the decision to send the director of legal advice to present and raise a consultation, when said directorate only acts as a consultation entity and does not hold legal representation of the entity, constitutes a serious procedural error that violates due process and the guarantees of the popular election candidate".

Another breach of the process described by the CNA is that everything should have started in the electoral administrative courts in the first instance, and later at the level of the plenary session of the TE, guaranteeing double instance, due process and procedural guarantees.  The union considers that the TE should have met and prepared a regulation that established the procedure for a case similar to Martinelli's, and by not doing so, it is now faced with an unprecedented case with procedural gaps and without complying with the procedures.  "The Electoral Code or its regulations should establish solutions for these types of situations that are unprecedented and that we are facing for the first time, which undermines democracy in Panama, and negatively impacts the electoral process," they detail.  "Not allowing a candidate to be in the same conditions as each of the adversaries contravenes electoral regulations and human rights and the role of the Electoral Court is to guarantee equal conditions in all aspects."  The union also explained that the Electoral Code in its article 359 establishes the circumstances that give rise to a vacancy, such as resignation, disqualification or death. However, they noted that these figures are subsequently regulated, through Regulatory Decree Number 29 of May 30, 2022 and other modifications, but it is not determined what will happen in the case of a disqualified person, as is the particular case we have at the moment, leaving the figure of disqualification in a legal limbo.

“This situation makes it difficult for political parties that have completed all the stages for participation to fill any vacancies that may arise with the figure of disqualification for any elected position,” they highlight.  They established that they do not intend to restrict and interfere in the decision of the Electoral Tribunal, but they do request that the procedures established in the use of their powers, established in the National Constitution, such as the Electoral Law established in its article 138 of the Electoral Code, which are clear in establishing that the powers and competence of the electoral tournament are exclusively of the Electoral Court, as the highest authority.  They also remember that the Electoral Tribunal has the primary responsibility of resolving, in accordance with the provisions of both the Constitution and the electoral regulations, its exclusive competence to interpret and apply the electoral laws, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and the Code itself.  “Its role is crucial to regulate any interpretation related to electoral matters, thus ensuring the impartiality and integrity of the democratic process in our country,” they add.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/bar-association-warns-that-te-violated-martinellis-rights

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200 Thousand Counterfeit Dollars Seized

 Posted 16/03/2024

Check your cash bills to make certain that they are not counterfeit.  The National Police of Panama seized more than 200 thousand dollars in counterfeit cash after a search was carried out in a residential complex apartment on Calle 26 in El Chorrillo.  The authorities have in custody, a 28-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman.  Preventive and operational actions were also carried out in the Curundú sector, where authorities recovered two pistol-type firearms, with chargers and ammunition, in the area known as Residencial Las Hortencias.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/200-thousand-counterfeit-dollars-seized

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Panamanian Boxer Roberto (Hands of Stone) Durán has a Heart Problem

Posted 16/03/2024

World boxing legend and Panamanian sporting hero Roberto 'Mano de Piedra' Durán has had a health setback regarding his heart. This was confirmed by his family through social networks. "The Durán family reports that our Panamanian champion suffered a health complication due to a Complete Atrioventricular "Complete AV Block".  They are awaiting some results to later share more information about his health with us."  The Durán family thanks all family, friends and followers for keeping him in their prayers. Atrioventricular (AV) block is a partial or complete interruption of the transmission of impulses from the atria to the ventricles. The most common cause is fibrosis and idiopathic sclerosis of the conduction system.  Roberto Durán, 72 years old, is considered one of the best boxers of all time worldwide and without a doubt one of the greatest sporting heroes that Panama has known and has given to the world.  He was recognized as the best lightweight (135 pounds) of all time, and also widely cataloged by sportswriters and historians as one of the best pound for pound fighters in the entire history of boxing. 

 

As far as pound-for-pound greats go you can’t have the discussion without including the “Fighting Pride of Panama” Roberto Durán. The man known as “Manos de Piedra” or "Hands of Stone" was a world champion across four weight classes, fought a murderer’s row of the greatest from Lightweight to Super Middleweight and was one of the four kings of the Middleweight division in the 1980’s alongside Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns. Unfortunately for Durán he is mostly remembered for his second fight with Sugar Ray where he infamously proclaimed “No más” before retiring to his corner during the 8th round.  Born in 1951 in the slums of El Chorillo, Panama, the young Durán grew up in poverty hustling money as best as he could manage. His career with boxing began by sparring with the more experienced boxers in the Neco De La Guardia gym when he was only eight years old. Unlike many of his later opponents Roberto would forgo any amateur career, turning pro at the age of 16 in the Lightweight division. 

 

Roberto Launched his young career with an unbelievable 31 wins including retiring Hiroshi Kobayashi by 7th round knockout.  With 28 victories, the vast majority by KO “El Cholo” got his shot at his first world title opposite British boxer Ken Buchanan. Buchanan is regarded by many as not only the greatest Scottish boxer of all time, but also one of the greatest British fighters ever, and the greatest British Lightweight boxer in history.  Durán TKO’d him in the 13th round in order to win the WBA Rings and Lineal Lightweight championships.  Losing his first foray up in the Welterweight division to Esteban de Jesús, Durán would remain a Lightweight for another 35 fights, defending his titles and re-matching de Jesús to add the WBC Lightweight belt to his collection. His style was characterized at the time by his tenacity, blistering speed and movement coupled with powerful hands, earning him the nickname “Manos de Piedra” or “Hands of Stone.”

 

In 1979 Durán abdicated his belts in order to move up to the Welterweight division, adding two wins to build steam towards a title match against future rival “Sugar” Ray Leonard, who at the time was undefeated. In typical pomp and style, Leonard chose to have the fight in the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, the site of his Olympic gold medal winning performances during the 1976 Summer Olympics.  Roberto resented the fact that he was only earning 20 per cent of the purse of his rival “Sugar” Ray Leonard despite his impressive 71–1 record.  On the biggest stage of both fighters careers, Durán would proceed to deliver a career best performance, battering his opponent and taking the best shots that Sugar could dish out en route to a 15 round unanimous decision. 

This is where the price of fame in his homeland and his iconic status in Panama started to cause trouble. He quickly gained weight and fell out of shape as Leonard initiated his rematch clause as stipulated in his contract. Durán-Leonard II was set; the infamous “No Más” fight was signed for November 25^th at the Superdome in New Orleans Louisiana. Unable to get Leonard to the ropes as he had done in their previous bout, Leonard was winning on the scorecards and began taunting El Cholo.  Their rematch concluded in bizarre fashion; the normally relentless Durán suddenly quit near the end of the eighth round, allowing Leonard to regain his title. The enduring legend was that Durán said “No Más” as he walked back to the corner while Durán himself maintains he said “No Peleo,” (I won’t fight). 

 

After taking time to recover from that fight, and to allow his reputation at home to somewhat mend, Durán moved up yet another weight class to Light Middleweight.  Picking up a checkered record in this new weight class Durán eventually built up momentum to take on WBA Light Middleweight Champion Davey Moore. Not the first choice for the fight, the aging Durán was brought in to replace Moore’s initial challenger, Tony Ayala junior, who was convicted of burglary and rape and sentenced to 35 years in prison.  On his 32nd birthday, he took the belt by 8th round TKO.  Moore underestimated the wily Durán who in turn dished out vicious punishment.  The beating was said to be so one sided that Moore’s mother and girlfriend supposedly fainted at ringside. 

 

Again packing on weight, the pride of Panama took on “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler for the Undisputed Middleweight Championship.  Hagler was in the height of his career and to this day holds the greatest KO percentage of any Undisputed Middleweight Champion in history.  In Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas the two went to war for 15 straight rounds, with Durán ahead on two scorecards after 12, though Hagler battled ferociously to take the final three and earn a unanimous decision.  Durán again showed his veteran capabilities and toughness in being only the second man to go the distance with the powerful Middleweight champion Hagler.  He was later stripped of his Light Middleweight belt when his bout with Tommy Hearns was not approved by the WBA. Again making history, except in the negative kind, Durán was laid out in the second round.  Hearns dropped Durán twice in the first round and as he rose to his feet after the second knockdown, which ended the round, the former champion did not know where his corner was.  During the fight “The Hitman” knocked Duran down twice in the first round and a third in the second round and the fight was stopped, marking the first time in his career that Durán had been knocked out in a fight. 

 

In 1989 Durán would again return to prominence, at 37 years of age taking the WBC Middleweight crown from Iran “The Blade” Barkley by decision in what was dubbed the “Fight of the Year.” This title reign would be short lived as Durán would move up to the Super-Middleweight division for a rubber match with Sugar Ray.  Losing a unanimous decision, Durán seemed to decline over the next few years remaining a game, if somewhat diminished contender. Winning the minor NBA Super Middleweight title against Pat Lawlor, Durán would lose the belt the following year to Hector Camacho in what would turn out to be his last fight as shortly afterward the 50 year old Durán would suffer severe injuries in a car accident, ending his career with a record of 103–16–0 and 70 knockouts.  Durán fought across four decades, against the best competition and while not always victorious was always game.  He is rightly considered a pound for pound great and exemplifies the reason why the label was coined in the first place.  He repeatedly proved himself a great boxer, regardless of weight class; relying not just on his natural gifts of speed, power, his chin and tenacity but developed numerous tricks and traps as only a savvy veteran can. Not all of these were legal, but he knew how to employ every one of them. Not to mention his fantastic defensive skills, always being positioned in the best spot for his punches without receiving too much damage.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panamanian-boxer-roberto-hands-of-stone-duran-has-a-heart-problem

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Single Dose of LSD Provides Immediate and Lasting Relief from Anxiety

Posted 15/03/2024

Old hippies from the 60’s will be happy to hear this story.  A clinical trial’s encouraging results won US Food and Drug Administration breakthrough therapy status for an LSD formulation to treat generalized anxiety disorder, Mind Medicine Inc. announced Thursday. The biopharmaceutical company is developing the drug.  “A breakthrough designation is recognition that a drug has demonstrated evidence of clinical efficacy in meeting an unmet medical need with morbidity and mortality associated with it,” said Dr. Daniel Karlin, assistant professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and chief medical officer for MindMed.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/single-dose-of-lsd-provides-immediate-and-lasting-relief-from-anxiety

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Ferrufino Gets 10 years in Prison

Posted 15/03/2024

A compliance judge in Panama unified into a single sentence (10 years in prison) the two sentences faced by the former Minister of Social Development (Mides), Guillermo Ferrufino whose current whereabouts are unknown.  Maybe he is sitting in Nicaragua waiting to see if any old Government friends will join him.  Ferrufino was sentenced to four years in prison for embezzlement and another six years in prison for unjustified enrichment.  The decision was adopted by compliance judge Jostan Guevara during a compliance hearing held at the offices of the First Judicial District of Panama, in Plaza Ágora, Friday, March 15^th.  During the hearing, Judge Guevara rejected a request presented by Ferrufino's defense, made up of lawyers Eduardo Sequeira and Franklin Amaya, to replace the 48-month sentence applied to his client with a day's fine.  The anti-corruption compliance prosecutor, Johaira González, opposed the motion raised by Ferrufino's defense, alleging that the convicted person has not appeared at the trial and has not shown interest in initiating a resocialization process.  Judge Guevara rejected the request made by Ferrufino's defense, arguing that said request did not meet the requirements established by the law and that the convicted person does not show any intention to reintegrate into society nor has he offered fair remuneration.  Following the judge's decision, Ferrufino's defense announced an appeal, so the hearing before the Superior Court of Appeals of the First Judicial District will take place next Tuesday March 19^th.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/ferrufino-gets-10-years-in-prison

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Remember the Dutch Girls in Boquete Panama?

Posted 15/03/2024

 

BOQUETE, CHIRIQUI, PANAMA, March 14th 2024 -- On the tenth anniversary of the disappearance of Lisanne Froon and Kris Kremers in the Panamanian rainforest, authors announce the publication of their investigative true crime book "Still Lost in Panama". A new investigative book sheds light on the cold case of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon.  On April 1^st 2014 the two young Dutch women became involved in one of the most mysterious true crime cases in contemporary history while hiking on the Pianista Trail.  Now light is being shed on the dark jungle of theories and speculation. With exclusive insights and a scientific analysis of the 3,000 pages of court files that have been kept secret until now. "Still Lost in Panama" not only uncovers shocking investigative errors but also presents new evidence and witnesses.  After five months of intensive research in the province of Chiriquí and expeditions into the Panamanian cloud forest, the authors bring clarity to a case full of speculation and mystery. 

Those of you with a history in Panama and Boquete may remember a couple, retired broadcasters, on the Overseas Radio Network using Skype to tell the story live and later recorded to the world about the missing Dutch Girls on a program called Boquete Chatter.  Those broadcasts were available on iTunes and may still be available today.  Continuing my investigations, I visited the Haven in Boquete and was showing pictures of the new book “Still Lost in Panama” and one lady said......"Ah yes, the story that never ends."  We have also heard that a movie may be in the works.  Another lady explained to me today that she has put "Still Lost in Panama" on her list to read on her Kindle phone app when it comes out on March 27th.  If you have a Dutch Girls story, please email it to us in Word (if possible) at panamanewsroom@gmail.com and any pictures, please send in the .jpg format.

Hardly a week goes by without a new podcast or a new YouTube documentary about the moving tragedy surrounding Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon. While internet detectives argue doggedly over the question of whether an accident or a crime caused the girls' certain death, journalists keep trying to seize control of the interpretation.  The book "Lost in the Jungle", published in 2021 and co-authored by Betzaida Pitti, the public prosecutor investigating the case at the time, attempts to substantiate the theory of an accident and cleverly omits explosive information possibly with the intention of concealing it.  In contrast, the following year, the seven-part true crime podcast series "Lost in Panama" (over 2 million downloads) tackles an abstruse crime theory.  In it, hosts Jeremy Kryt and Mariana Atencio vilify tour guide Feliciano Gonzalez and the youth gang "Pandilla", who have been branded the murderers of the Dutch women in internet forums since 2014.

Through intensive interviews with the alleged perpetrators and the analysis of police interrogations, the authors of "Still Lost in Panama" are able to clearly refute these theories and, after analyzing forensic reports and autopsy reports, find evidence that points to foul play and the deliberate cover-up of a planned kidnapping. "Still Lost in Panama" is a tribute to the tireless search for answers, a memoir of two lives that ended far too soon, and a must-read for anyone interested in true crime cases and unsolved mysteries.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/remember-the-dutch-girls-in-boquete-panama

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The Panama Canal is Increasing Traffic

Posted 14/03/2024

The Panama Canal Authority is taking further steps to ease some of the restrictions on transits imposed due to water restrictions. Starting later this month, they are increasing the available spots for daily transits by a further 12 percent after delaying planned reductions earlier in the year. 

Two additional slots will be offered through the auction system for transit dates beginning March 18, and an additional slot will become available for transit dates beginning March 25 for the original locks. According to the authority, these measures will allow the majority of vessels that want to transit the Panama Canal to have a better chance of obtaining a reservation.

Since the start of the restrictions the authority has urged shippers to use the reservation system to elevate some of the longer waits for transit. Current data shows that the industry has adapted to the restrictions resulting in a dramatic drop in the waits as some vessels divert and others use the reservations.

Data shows that there were just 46 vessels in the queue for transit down from a peak of over 100 ships. Further, 37 have reservations with only nine in the queue without reservations. Equally important the wait times for transits have been reduced to less than one day for northbound vessels without reservations and five days for southbound vessels.

Under the latest plan, the authority will increase the number of daily transits to 20 through the historical locks that serve most of the vessels at the canal. Transits for the larger Neopanamax locks, however, will remain reduced at just seven a day versus the recent level of 10. Total transits as of late March will have increased to 27 per day which remains at nearly half of peak levels.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/the-panama-canal-is-increasing-traffic-1

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Second Panama Presidential Debate

Posted 14/03/2024

The audience was made up of young people, the age group with the most difficulties in getting a job.  The younger set was ready to ask questions and 18 year old Jordi Mastino had the first question.  “What initiatives will you develop to reduce unemployment among young people who have recently graduated from university? 

Rómulo Roux, candidate of Cambio Democrático and the Panameñista Party, promised that if he becomes president of the Republic he will generate 500 thousand jobs in five years, through a program that he would call “My first job”, with which internships would be offered to young people and tax benefits for companies that are part of the program. His goal, he added, is for 15 thousand young people to learn English every year. 

Candidate José Gabriel Carrizo, of the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party and the Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement, brought this information to the attention of Rómulo Roux. “Between May 2022 and August 2023, around 25,662 young people between 15 and 29 years old found employment, 6,313 lost it and 84,569 searched but did not find it.”  Carrizo accused Roux of copying programs that the current government is already executing, and opted for the installation of semiconductor factories as a quick employment generator.  Carrizo also promised to reduce the mortgage rate so that young people can have access to homes. 

Martín Torrijos, from the Popular Party, will launch the “My first job” program, for university graduates looking for work. “We have to link what you study with what the market needs.”  The debate on reducing unemployment generated great expectations, understanding that young people face a lack of job opportunities and uncertainty about their economic future.

Maribel Gordón, through free application, said that one will be able to live off of art and culture. “In my government, your technical and university degrees will be valid. That is the commitment to youth,” added the candidate.

Ricardo Lombana, from the Otro Camino Movement, committed to promoting the so-called “apprentice program” in an attempt for companies to hire young people between 18 and 25 years old for three years and receive benefits.  He also spoke of the need for a non-refundable support fund to support entrepreneurship, with an emphasis on technology and “eliminating the political lever, creating poles of national development and in the provinces.”

Melitón Arrocha, of the free application, was inclined to establish an incubator of ideas to rescue young people who have projects related to technology.

Zulay Rodríguez, candidate for free nomination, resorted to her strong-arm speech against irregular migration, warning young people that migrants have “taken away” 100,000 jobs from them.

With a mostly young audience and national television broadcasting, the pressure on candidates to offer concrete and viable solutions was evident, in a country in which 262,874 new employment contracts were registered last year, 9% more than the year before in 2022, but 30% less than before the pandemic.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/second-panama-presidential-debate-news

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300 Drug Packets Found Travelling to India

Posted 13/03/2024

Some 300 packages of drugs were seized, which were hidden in a container that was transiting from Guatemala with its final destination to India.  The anti-drug operation was led by officials from the prosecutor's office with support from police units in the port of the city of Colón.  The packages, mostly rectangular and some marked with the letter "M", were distributed in 8 sacks.  Although no arrests have been made related to this international drug trafficking, the authorities have already begun the relevant investigations.  Panama, known as a transit point for drugs produced in South America to the United States and Europe , has reinforced its efforts in the fight against drug trafficking.  In 2023, a total of 117 thousand kilos of drugs were seized in the country.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/300-drug-packets-found-travelling-to-india

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Social Media Stated that Kenneth Darlington was Transferred to House Arrest

Posted 12/03/2024

 

Social Media had been spreading the rumor that 77 year old Kenneth Darlington, the Panamanian/American Lawyer and Professor who shot and killed two persons in Chame during the November protests, was taken from jail and placed under house arrest.  Lawyer Eliécer Plicet vehemently denied that the precautionary measure of preventive detention was changed to house arrest, as circulated on some social networks.  The Public Ministry also denied that Darlington benefited from a change in this precautionary measure.  Kenneth has been imprisoned since November 7 of 2023, when he shot and killed teacher Abdiel Díaz Chávez and Mr. Iván Rodríguez Mendoza in the middle of a closure on the Inter-American highway in Chame Panama.  

Plicet, who serves as the plaintiff attorney in the case, assured that he will never allow, "under any circumstances, the measure to be changed."  "The man remains detained" in the La Nueva Joya penitentiary center, "in such a way that in this scenario no hearing has been held to review the precautionary measure," which is the only way and/or "procedural mechanism" that could be used to "get into a discussion of this type," he said.  Plicet's statement comes after some social network accounts posted information stating that Darlington, accused of aggravated double intentional homicide and possession and trafficking of weapons and explosives, had received a change of precautionary measure.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/social-media-stated-that-kenneth-darlington-was-transferred-to-house-arrest

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Construction of the Fourth Bridge over the Panama Canal has Started

Posted 12/03/2024

March 12^th the construction of the fourth bridge over the Panama Canal began.  The Minister of Public Works, Rafael Sabonge explained that this bridge should be ready in four and a half years and will generate more than 3,500 jobs during its construction.  He added that this project is valued at more than 1,327 million dollars and the bridge will have six lanes.  “We will begin with the construction of gravel columns to improve the soil.  The minister insisted that this project will improve the quality of life and productivity of residents of the western sector of the country.  In addition, this project will contribute to improving viability in the western sector of Panama and the metropolitan area.  Sabonge explained that line three of the Panama metro was not included in the bridge due to time constraints.  But it will still have six lanes and with the possibility of expanding it to eight lanes. “The project road is complete... in addition there was a realignment of the Panama Ports so that it won’t affect the port concession,” he said.  He explained that the changes made to the original design of the bridge created a cost reduction of 200 million dollars.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/construction-of-the-fourth-bridge-over-the-panama-canal-has-started

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Second Panama Presidential Debate Wednesday March 13 in David

Posted 12/03/2024

Wednesday March 13th the second presidential debate will be held at the Sports Center "La Basita" in David, Chiriqui Province, and it seems to be generating lots of interest among the younger population.  During this event, the young people will have the opportunity to ask presidential candidates a series of questions directly regarding their expectations and concerns about the state of our country of Panama.  According to several young folks, crucial issues such as education, the economy, security and job opportunities require urgent attention, and therefore they are demanding solid and intelligent responses from candidates.  One student says that he expects that candidates will promise things they can't actually deliver, given that they have made multiple promises in the past that have not materialized. Smart kids!!!  For this reason, it’s important that candidates set attainable goals.  The second debate will be streamed across all platforms, providing access to a wide audience.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/second-panama-presidential-debate-wednesday-march-13-in-david-1

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Mosquitos and Dengue Fever are on the Rise

Posted 10/03/2024

There are many reasons why expats choose to live in the mountainous regions of Panama.  One is to stay out of the relentless heat and burning rays of the sun to remain cool and not have to live with an air conditioner all day long, but also to escape mosquitos.  We have all found that mosquitos do not like the highlands.  Mosquitos love warm standing water to breed and the beaches to feed.  There are 2,745 accumulated cases of dengue.  The regions of Panama Metro, Panama Oeste, Colón, Chiriquí and Panamá Este are the most affected.  The Ministry of Health (Minsa) presented a report covering the epidemiological panorama of Panama.  The data is alarming as mosquitos are rampant and Dengue looks like an unstoppable plague.  Dengue has devastated the tranquility of thousands of expats and Panamanians. With 2,745 cases accumulated nationwide, the figures echo the urgency and danger that lurks in our streets.  A number of years ago an expat neighbor in the highlands was diagnosed with Dengue.  He had been to the beach.

 

The regions of Panama Metro, Panama Oeste, Colón, Chiriquí and Panamá Este are the most affected, with numbers climbing.  While 2,437 cases cling to hope, 294 people fight against warning signs and 14, unfortunately, face this life threatening illness head on.  Minsa, in its desperate call, urges the population to clean their homes and workplaces as if their lives depended on it.  Because they do!  Get rid of standing water.  Spray or swat mosquitos.  Mosquitos are not your friends.  Malaria, with its 58 new confirmed cases, looms as an imminent threat over vulnerable regions such as Guna Yala, Darién, and the Ngäbe Buglé region.  Minsa deploys resources in the hope of containing this onslaught, distributing mosquito nets and medicines as a beacon in the darkness of the disease.

 

Leishmaniasis, with its 16 new cases, joins the group of diseases that affect Panamanians and expats. Although Zika and Chikungunya have not raised their ugly heads this year, the threat persists.  The Hantavirus, with its first death in Coclé and another case in Herrera, reminds us that death lurks in the dark corners of our homes and fields, so please get rid of any standing water where mosquitos can breed and use some sprays if you are out and about when mosquitos are looking for some blood for dinner. 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/mosquitos-and-dengue-fever-are-on-the-rise

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Banking in Panama by Foreign Countries is Growing

 Posted 09/03/2024

 

As an expat living in Panama, why would you leave your money in your home country when the banking system in Panama is world class and ever growing?  Deposits from foreign countries totaled over $40 million by the end 2023.  For a small country of under 5 million people, the banks are are doing very well.  Nearby Costa Rica contributed 2.34 million, Venezuela with 2.377 million and Colombia led the way with 8.735 million dollars in bank deposits to Panama.  Why isn’t there more North American or European money arriving from those foreigners retiring here?  

The financial outlook in Panama is driven by a 12.8% increase in foreign deposits, with Colombia remaining the market leader.  At the end of last year, the International Banking Center (CBI) registered a total of $40,320 million in external deposits, of which 72% were time deposits with $29,146 million, which reflects that international clients select this financial center as a hub of savings and investment to protect your resources.  17% of the deposits were demand deposits that totaled $6,699 million and 11% were savings for $4,475 million.  In proportion, external deposits represented 38.4% of the total of $105,117 million of CBI resource collections, while local deposits reached the figure of $64,798 million in 2023 and represented 61.6% of the deposit portfolio. 

The dynamism of external credit was due to the better economic performance in Panama since many capitals seek to protect their money in markets with a stable currency like the dollar, in the middle of a region like Latin America and the Caribbean, with high exchange rate volatility and devaluation of currencies.  According to the report from the Superintendency of Banks of Panama, Colombia has stood out as the main country of origin of these deposits, followed by Venezuela, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador.  “The variation in the geographical distribution of these deposits reflects the differences in the economic performance and financial policies of each country, but more importantly, it shows the trust placed by international clients in the banking entities established in the local market,” Superintendent Amauri Castillo highlighted.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/banking-in-panama-by-foreign-countries-is-growing

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Don't be Deceived by False Presidential Campaign Promises

Posted 10/03/2024

With only a few weeks left until the general elections in the country on May the 5th, the metropolitan archbishop of Panama, José Domingo Ulloa, encouraged citizens not to be “deceived” by the false promises of some candidates.  “Analyze their proposals, the life path of the candidate and examine the differences between each presidential candidate.” said Ulloa in his Sunday message March 10th.  Ulloa also urged Panamanians not to be impressed by advertising campaigns and don't trust campaign promises. The Catholic Church does not recommend any candidate and only seeks to educate each of its congregation members to make the best decisions, for the good of the country.  A total of 3,004,083 citizens will be eligible to vote in the general election on Sunday, May 5th 2024 in which 1,511,049 (50.3%) are women and 1,493,034 (49.7%) are men, according to statistics provided by the Electoral Tribunal of Panama.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/dont-be-deceived-by-false-presidential-campaign-promises

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Fraud Alert from the Panama National Police

Posted 10/03/2024

We hear these stories more often than enough from our neighbors and workers, and that might even include your maids and gardeners and it never ends.  The deputy commissioner of the Judicial Investigation Directorate of the National Police, Diego Araúz also hears about them and wants you to be aware.  You can always send me some of your interesting stories addressed to me at panamanewsroom@gmail.com to broadcast. More and more citizens and expats are easy prey to the psychological game of criminals or organized groups that are dedicated to the crime of fraud in Panama. Playing with the emotion of people who trust that they have won a juicy prize or the satisfaction of acquiring a desired product at a low cost through online shopping has not gone out of style, however, criminals are now betting on desperation or the humanity of their victims through the strategy of the seriously ill relative, explained deputy commissioner of the Judicial Investigation Directorate of the National Police, Diego Araúz.  This new psychological game begins with the call to the victim who is told about the serious relative and asks for urgent money for medical expenses, transportation, ambulance payment, purchase of a pint of blood, an operation, treatment, etc.  They sell the victim that the physical integrity, health and even the life of their relative depends on the money they are requesting for medical treatment, Araúz maintains.  After contact, the criminals send the bank details via WhatsApp where they can make the deposit or request the money through a digital money transfer platform.

http://Fraud Alert from the Panama National Police

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Martinelli Arrest Warrant Causes Increased Police Presence

Posted 09/03/2024

The National Police increased their presence on the grounds of the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama, where former president Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal is currently living.  The security establishment placed two checkpoints on the road leading to the diplomatic headquarters, with their respective tents. This happened after Judge Baloisa Marquínez issued an arrest warrant for Martinelli for the New Business case, despite Martinelli's asylum status within a sovereign space which is considered part of Nicaragua, according to international conventions.  It has been a month since Martinelli took refuge in the Nicaraguan embassy, whose government granted asylum to the businessman and politician, but the Panamanian government refuses to grant him safe passage.  The embassy has been under the eye of journalists and government security agents at this time, who have witnessed the support visits that the politician receives from supporters, friends and well-known figures in the country. 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/martinelli-arrest-warrant-causes-increased-police-presence

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Bail is Denied for the Release of Former President Ricardo Martinelli

Posted 09/03/2024

The second liquidating judge of criminal cases, Baloísa Marquínez, flatly rejected a request for bail presented in favor of former president Ricardo Martinelli, who has chosen asylum in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama and who maintains an arrest warrant for a 128-month prison sentence for the crime of money laundering with the company New Business for the acquisition of Editora Panamá América (EPASA).  Through edict No. 09 posted at the courthouse last Thursday, the decision made by Judge Marquínez is being made available for publication.  In writ No. 33 it is detailed that Judge Marquínez's decision is based on articles 2155 and 2421 of the  Judicial Code, which detail that “the court, after the sentence is enforceable, will send an authenticated copy to the Commissioner of Correction for the execution of the sentence, in the part that does not correspond to the same court.  A certification, if the sentence has been executed, which the court will require from the Commissioner of Correction, will be added to the file.  "On March 5, Judge Marquínez ordered the arrest of Martinelli, Valentín Martínez Vásquez, Daniel Ochy, Janeth Vásquez and Iván Arrocha, against whom she issued a conviction for the crime of money laundering.  Martinelli faces a sentence of 128 months in prison and a fine of $19.2 million, while Ochy was sentenced to 96 months, Martínez Vásquez was sentenced to 80 months, Arrocha was sentenced to 70 months, and Janeth Vásquez was sentenced to 60 months.  Meanwhile, the acquittals given to another 10 investigated are in the appeal phase by the Specialized Prosecutor's Office against Organized Crime.  After the sentence became final, the Electoral Tribunal, after being notified by the court, disqualified Martinelli from participating in the electoral elections on May 5.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/bail-is-denied-for-the-release-of-former-president-ricardo-martinelli

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Fighting Corruption in Panama

Posted 09/03/2024

The United States government stressed that it will continue to use the tools available to help Panama fight corruption, which includes revoking visas, including for elected officials.  After completing a series of meetings with different sectors of the country for two days, the coordinator for Global Anti-Corruption Affairs of the United States Department of State, Richard Nephew, highlighted the commitment that Panama has in the fight against corruption.  “During this visit, I confirmed that corruption is one of the main concerns of Panamanians and how committed Panamanians are to fighting it.  Corruption is theft, it is taking away the opportunity for a better future for all of us”.  The official was in Panama on March 5^th and 6^th.  During his stay he learned “first-hand” the challenges in the fight against corruption faced by different sectors of the country as well as the efforts of civil society, justice institutions and the private sector.  In a statement, the US Embassy reported that during meetings with coordinator Nephew, areas were identified where the United States and Panama can further expand cooperation in the fight against corruption.  “The United States will continue to help Panama fight corruption.  We will continue to use all available tools to ensure accountability, including visa restrictions and revocations of government officials, including elected officials, as well as training and cooperation at the judicial level. “Panama is an important democratic ally in the region, and the United States will continue to support Panama in strengthening the rule of law.”  The statement highlights that “corruption fuels crime, stifles economic growth, increases inequality and destroys faith in government institutions.”

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/fighting-corruption-in-panama

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Rómulo Roux: Women as Priority Pillars of Panamanian Society

Posted 09/03/2024

Presidential candidate Rómulo Roux announced in La Chorrera that his plan for the creation of 500,000 jobs has women as one of its priority pillars.  “Women are not asking for anything for free, they have earned through their education and their work the right to more opportunities and well-paid work. My program of 500,000 new jobs has as one of its pillars generating well-paid work for women, because this impacts them, their families and their communities,” explained Roux.  Roux highlighted the fact that Panamanian women, although they still face discrimination and find it twice as difficult to emerge, are making fundamental contributions to both the economy and society.  “They are the ones who have been studying for the longest years, and thanks to their leadership, critical issues for our families such as mental health, education, bullying and sustainability, have gained visibility,” he explained. In his opinion, the contribution of Panamanian women to science, the arts, business, sports and politics is increasingly greater, and will not stop growing.  Roux said that his Cabinet will be represented by at least 50% women. In addition, he listed some of the actions contained in his Government Plan.

• Enforce equal pay. To equal work, equal salary.
• Invest in the early care of our children, in well-equipped Early Childhood Comprehensive Care Centers so that childcare stops being an obstacle and women can work and continue studying.
• With the Center for Attention to Intrafamily (CAVI), care for abused women to help them recover their lives.
• Establish financing and training for women entrepreneurs.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/romulo-roux-women-as-priority-pillars-of-panamanian-society

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Meet Some of the Candidates for President of Panama. Election May 5th

 

From left to right: Rómulo Roux, from the CD-Panameñista Party alliance; José Gabriel Carrizo, from the PRD-Molirena pact; Martín Torrijos, of the PP; and Ricardo Lombana, from MOCA.

Posted 09/03/2024

José Gabriel Gaby Carrizo sang “El Rey”, the emblematic song by José Alfredo Jiménez, in an activity for International Women's Day. Martín Torrijos promised a joint cabinet. Rómulo Roux committed to equal pay for women. Ricardo Lombana published a video in which he criticizes two of his adversaries for excessive political propaganda.  José Raúl Mulino visited Herrera and Los Santos. Melitón Arrocha is committed to the creation of the Ministry of Planning. Zulay Rodríguez announced that she will close the border with Colombia (Darién) to stop irregular migration. Meanwhile, Maribel Gordón appeals to the strength of women to transform society. This is a snapshot of the movements of the presidential candidates before the May 5th elections and just before the second debate, an event that will be held on Wednesday, March 13 in David, Chiriquí.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/meet-a-few-of-the-candidates-for-president-of-panama-election-may-5th-1