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Panama drug seizures in used as evidence in US drug trial

Posted 09/05/2022

Among the evidence held by the US prosecutor's office against the recently extradited to the United States, Dario Antonio Usuga-David, alias 'Otoniel', leader of the Clan del Golfo of Colombia, are two drug seizures made in the Caribbean waters of Guna Yala , Panama.

On May 5, Otoniel was transferred on a DEA Drug Enforcement Agency plane to Brooklyn, New York, where he pleaded not guilty in the Eastern District to alleged drug trafficking crimes. and for leading the organization of the Colombian Self-Defense Forces (AUC), considered a terrorist group. 

In Otoniel's file that appears in Court, there is a note prepared by the prosecution that advances some evidence collected against the leader of the Clan del Golfo, who maintained a significant interference in Panama, specifically in the AtlanticAmong them, they refer to a seizure of cocaine in Guna Yala on April 13, 2021, of 1,365 kilos of drugs that were transported in two speedboats on the coast of Panama.

The second shipment attributed to the Clan points to the seizure made on April 14, 2021, of 2,609 kilos of drugs that were transported in a speedboat on the Atlantic coast of Panama. Prosecutor Breon Peace provided photographs of other seizures made by the Colombian authorities of ammunition and high-caliber weapons belonging to the Clan, frequently used to impose control of the dominated territory.

The links are known so far of the Clan del Golfo in Panama outline the 'Fisher' operation that in December 2021 dismantled an alleged logistical support group of the Clan.

The operation seized $10 million in cash hidden in a house in Colón, farms, properties, and the arrest of 51 people, most of them residents of the Colón coast. The group "coordinated the receipt of large amounts of merchandise from Colombia, stored it and then, under the Clan's guidelines, delivered it to groups with which they did business."

Attorney General  Javier Caraballo described at the time activities very similar to those compiled by the United States prosecutor's office, which distinguish the Clan, such as the collection of taxes per kilo of drugs from those who use territory under their domain to traffic, store or send.

US indictment
The indictment includes the background of alias 'Otoniel': “He belonged to the paramilitary organization dedicated to trafficking cocaine to the United States known as the Urabeños, based in Urabá, Colombia. The drug passed through Central America and Mexico to its final destination, the United States,”.In addition to drug transportation, the authorities accuse the organization of other crimes such as kidnapping, homicide, and acts of violence that they used to collect drug debts, instill fear and expand their territorial domain, promote and improve their prestige, reputation, and position of the organization.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-drug-seizures-in-used-as-evidence-in-us-drug-trial

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COVID-19: 1 death 13,336 active cases, 21.1% positivity

Posted 08/05/2022

The districts with the highest incidence on Sunday are Santiago in Veraguas, with 88; Penonomé, in Coclé with 81, and Juan Díaz, in the district of Panama with 80. Bethania and Chitré, in Herrera, registered 55 cases each.

According to the Health Ministry (Minsa)  on Sunday 7,655 tests were applied of which 1,615 were positive, for positivity of 21.1%.

While there are 13,336 active cases throughout the country, 13,164 of them are in isolation and 162 are hospitalized (145 in wards and 17 in ICU).

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/covid-19-1-death-13336-active-cases-211-positivity

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Ukraine conflict and China covid policy hit Panama

Posted 08/05/2022

The pressure of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on oil and energy; China's zero Covid-19 policy and its reach in supply chains, in addition to the historical inflation in the United States, are some of the factors that are impacting the lives of Panamanians says Panama’s Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (Cciap) in its weekly  newlettersegmen

"Such a situation demands, more than ever, that both the National Government and the private sector develop a dialogue aimed at identifying and executing actions that reduce the impact of these factors on national life," said the Chamber, chaired by Marcela Galindo de Obarrio.

To promote more jobs, support for small and medium-sized companies is key as the undisputed engine of our economy, indicates the organization, which also values the option of part-time jobs as an alternative for those who cannot access full-time work; as well as the remote employment modality.

“On the other hand, in order to achieve energy stability, it is crucial to maintain the focus on actions that are no longer long-term, such as accelerating the diversification of the energy matrix; increasing the capacities of our mass transportation, as well as encouraging the use of electric vehicles”, stated the Cciap.

The chamber emphasized that in a situation like the current one, unilateral actions or actions without due support "will only make the consequences of the international energy and economic situation harder for our country and its citizens."

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/ukraine-conflict-and-china-covid-policy-hit-panama

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Debauchery” and improper mask use spike covid surge

500,000 people are unvaccinated.

Posted 07/05/2022

"More than freedom in terms of the use of masks, there has been debauchery, and precautionary measures are not taken," said Lourdes Moreno, national head of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health (Minsa),  on Saturday, May 7.

She was responding to a surge in cases of covid-19 in the last week

"People have had a relaxation, a debauchery is not following biosafety standards," the official complained.

 Two deaths and 1,919 new cases were reported on Friday, May 6 by the Minsa. With these deaths, the number of deceased people increased to 8,191.

Moreno said that there have been many activities, such as dances and concerts, where there has not been a correct use of masks. " We must be aware that masks are the first protection barrier " she added.

For the coming weeks, Moreno said that an increase in cases and hospitalizations due to SARS-CoV-2 is expected. However, she trusts that this will not overwhelm the care in the health system.

"We are prepared for care but we do not want them to be hospitalized, just one death is unfortunate," Moreno said

Similarly, the official urged citizens to complete the anticovid vaccination scheme, which consists of three doses. The fourth dose has been left optional but recommended, she emphasized.

“There are more than 500,00 people with zero doses. Unfortunately, hospitalizations in rooms and intensive care are in older people, ”she pointed out.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/debauchery-and-improper-mask-use-spike-covid-surge

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Prosecutor asks 135 months jail for Martinelli sons

Posted 07/05/2022

The New York prosecutor's office requests a sentence of 108 months (9 years) to 135 months (11 years and 3 months) for Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares, both confessed to having conspired to launder $28 million in bribes delivered by the Brazilian contractor Odebrecht, “for the benefit of a close family member and high-ranking Panamanian government official,” between August 2009 and September 2015.

This reports La Prensa, is stated in the notes sent to Judge Raymond J. Dearie, who on May 20 must sentence the two sons of former President Ricardo Martinelli. One 17-page note is dedicated to Ricardo Alberto and the other, 19, to Luis Enrique, although the content of both is similar, as they are accused of the same acts and the conditions of both are the same.

The prosecution says that the Probation Department recommended a higher sentence of 180 months (15 years) in prison, as well as a payment of $250,000 since no grounds were observed that could have "mitigated" the sentence.

In its recommendation to the judge, the prosecution took into account three factors: the seriousness of the charges; the little collaboration of the accused, and the escape carried out in June 2020, which was considered "an attempt to evade their responsibilities for the crimes committed."

In this way, the prosecution strongly opposes the claim of Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique's lawyers, who a week ago requested their release, considering that the 23 months that their clients have been preventively detained is the prison sentence that would correspond to them for having pleaded guilty to the crime of conspiracy to launder money, using the American banking system.

The prosecution points out that although the defendants allege that the 23 months of preventive detention are sufficient punishment, because - according to their lawyers - they played a "simple" role as intermediaries in receiving the money from Odebrecht, their participation was "essential for the commission of this crime and maintained criminal, systematic and strategic behavior for nearly six years.”

In addition to managing companies in different jurisdictions and opening bank accounts to launder $28 million in bribes for the benefit of a "senior Panamanian government official" the brothers worked as lobbyists for Odebrecht, used their contacts with ministers and high officials of the Panamanian government, and invested the money from the bribes for their own benefit and that of their families. Some of the funds were used to purchase “luxury” goods, such as a $1.7 million yacht and a $1.3 million condominium in, Miami. Likewise, they used $9.5 million to invest in a telephone service company, and other amounts to acquire bonds and shares.

Metro overpricing
Although the charge against them is for conspiring to launder $28 million in bribes from Odebrecht,  the prosecutor's note mentions that the Brazilian company disbursed another $30 million, to bank accounts in euros, in favor of the sons of the former president.. The money was paid by the Department of Structured Operations, the office that managed the bribes of the construction company. In exchange, Odebrecht received public infrastructure contracts, awarded "with millions of dollars overpriced"

"It is clear that the co-defendants and the high-ranking official of the Panamanian government benefited from the scheme, at the expense of the Panamanian people," the prosecution notes.

The brothers maintain that they collaborated with the US authorities starting in 2018, but the prosecution replies that this was nothing more than a " facade "since, in the period in which they were supposed to collaborate, they systematically hid crucial information. “At the same time, they were planning to leave the country”, which they finally did in June 2020. Specifically, the note mentions that they got help from the Ministry of Health, to authorize the "humanitarian" flight that would bring them to Panama. By then, they had already posted bail to avoid being arrested in Panama and had even obtained diplomatic credentials from the Central American Parliament.

Private apartment 
Regarding the time they were detained at the military base in Guatemala, the note states that they were initially accommodated in a private apartment inside the prison and not in a "traditional" cell. The prosecution informs Judge Dearie that this apartment was arranged by the same interior designer who previously worked for Luis Enrique in the Brickell condo, as well as in a Miami mansion owned by the "senior Panamanian government official",  The decorator brought Ikea furniture to Guatemala that was used in the apartment and remained there until July 2021, when the brothers were sent to a more secure area at the military base after an escape plan became known.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/prosecutor-asks-135-months-jail-for-martinelli-sons

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Panama Gets A Crypto Bill, Moves One Step Closer To Becoming An Official Crypto Nation

Posted May 7 2022

After El Salvador’s move to give Bitcoin a legal tender, the National Assembly of the Central American country, Panama, passed a bill on Thursday to enact regulations for the commercialization and use of cryptocurrency in the republic. 

If the President of the National Assembly, Laurentino Cortizo, approves the bill, private and public companies would be allowed to use the digital assets alongside officials making way for them to pay taxes in cryptos. At the same time, experts warn the legislative branch that adding digital assets could disrupt the country’s reputation for lacking financial transparency.

“The bill in question contains broader legislation than El Salvador’s applied measures, which in June 2021 gave Bitcoin a legal tender,” said Gabriel Silva, the promoter of the bill and independent lawmaker. “The legislation is broader in scope than measures passed by El Salvador, which made bitcoin legal tender last year.”

He added:

We’re seeing the emergence of many different types of crypto assets like works of art. That’s why we didn’t want to limit ourselves only to cryptocurrencies.

As the proposed bill has a broader scope, it covers trading, the use of cryptocurrencies alongside its addition to the payment system, and the issuance of digital securities. Besides, it also includes tokenization of the precious metals, which refers to converting a physical asset into a digital format.

In line with the new law, the people of Panama will use cryptocurrencies as a payment medium to conduct commercial or civil operations under the regulation rules applied in the state.

Expert Warns Panama To Not Add Crypto

Panama currently stands as one of the tax haven countries on the list of the European Union. Given that, the Chief Executive Officer of the investment advisory firm K&B Family Office, Romain Dromard, criticized the bill in support of cryptocurrency, saying crypto would not allow the state to keep financial transparency.

He stated;

Panama was already in a bad position and these payment methods skip the due diligence processes that international organizations are asking Panama to embrace.

Before the bill moves forward to President Laurentino Cortizo for final signature, 38 members of the assembly have already voted in favor of the bill with two abstentions. Notably, no one voted against it.

In Panama, one person owns a bank account out of four, while internet penetration is high in the country. Given that, crypto assets would help unbanked to increase their business, argued Belisario Castillo Saenz, CEO of the tokenization firm Feanor Corp.

Similarly, Jose Fabrega from the blockchain and crypto service CryptoSPA said that the bill could make the banks, who have mainly prevented the crypto use, more cooperative.

While Dromard of K&B pointed out it will take years for traditional companies to use blockchain technology, banks’ role is also unclear for now. In addition,  he said that small and medium-sized businesses would not be allowed to switch on the blockchain due to the highly volatile nature of cryptocurrencies.

https://bitcoinist.com/panama-gets-a-crypto-bill-moves-one-step-closer-to-becoming-an-official-crypto-nation/

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Health Minister confirms Panama facing  5th covid wave

Posted 06/05/2022

The Minister of Health Luis Francisco Sucre, confirmed Friday that Panama is facing the fifth wave of Covid-19, but emphasized that the number of complicated cases is low.

According to Minsa data, in recent weeks there has been a notable increase in infections, even in the first five days of May, 5,845 were reported, a little less than half of those registered in April (11, 884).

“We have had a sharp increase in the number of cases. However, despite the positive cases and the increase in positivity, we are relatively calm," Sucre said in an interview with RPC Radio.

“It does not take away our concern about the increase in cases, but it gives us some peace of mind to continue maneuvering and looking for mild measures that do not impact the social movement.”

He explained that this increase in infections had been estimated after eliminating the mandatory use of masks in open places and due to the concentration and mobilization of people for Holy Week.

They also knew that family gatherings without masks would cause an increase in cases.

Sucre warned that the mask is not being used correctly both in open and closed spaces. And said that crowds have been detected in open places and that people are without masks.

Without a mask, in open places, there must be an appropriate distance.

He also said that they have reports that in closed places, such as in public and private offices, the mask is not being used properly either.

Thursday’s epidemiological report from the Minsa, the active cases of Covid-19 at the national level total 9,669, of which 9,544 are in home isolation and 125 hospitalized. 109 in the Ward and 16 in intensive care.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/health-minister-confirms-panama-facing-5th-covid-wave

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Mayor’s office owes $166,000 to street people NGO

Posted 06/05/2022

The presence of indigents in the main avenues and corners of Panama City worsened with the start of the covid-19 pandemic and has become a problem for which no one wants to take responsibility while the mayor’s office owes$166,000  to a foundation that cares for elderly street people.

There is no official census of, the homeless population that roams Panama but the Municipality estimates that there are about 500 people living on the streets, of the capital.

In March 2020, Frank Archibold, a religious leader in Calidonia, called the situation "a ticking time bomb." Months before, at the end of 2019, the scenario became more complex after Panama, mayor José Luis Fábrega, withdrew the subsidy to several NGOs that served this population, such as Remar.

Now, over two years later, the Mayor's Office announces that it will implement a program called "Give yourself an opportunity", which aims to offer the group medical evaluation and voluntary transfer to a rehabilitation center or before a justice of the peace, in case of any complaint.

Deputy Mayor Judy Meana acknowledged that it is not an easy situation and the support of other entities, such as the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health, is required.

Meana said it was decided to enable the El Marañón gym, in Santa Ana, where people are taken and served. However, she said that it is a public health problem since 90% of the homeless have a drug addiction or health problems.

On Thursday, May 5 the Mayor's Office carried out a tender for the construction of a municipal shelter in Las Garzas, in eastern Panama.

According to the specifications, the reference price was  $3.7 million and the shelter includes two pavilions, one with a capacity for 150 men and the other for up to 100 women. There will be an intermediate area for people undergoing rehabilitation or detoxification.

The tender specifies that the shelter will have kitchen and dining areas, a laundry room, and an infirmary.

On May 5, the presentation of the economic proposals took place, with two companies participating. Both bid $3.7 million. The work should be ready in a year

Image washing
For Adrián Almeida, director of the Remar Foundation, everything indicates that with this program they want to "wash" the image of the mayor, who in 2019 turned his back on more than 60 older adults that the Mayor's Office had sent to Remar facilities and for which he never responded

In fact, Almeida said that now there are fewer because in the last two years seven of them have died for various reasons, "Since the municipality stopped helping us in 2019, we have had to take care of this population, which leaves a lot to say about this administration," he said.

The Mayor's Office and Remar had signed an agreement in 2001 through which Remar undertook to receive 200 people that the  Office rescued from the streets. In exchange, the local government paid, a symbolic figure of $2.77 a day per person.

“They call it a subsidy, but in reality, it is a payment for a service that we provide them. The municipality does not subsidize Remar,” said, Almeida who is still waiting for the  Office to cancel what is owed to them, about $166,000.

In recent weeks, representatives of the Mayor's Office tried to approach the foundation, but they were informed that they do not want to work with this administration, since the experience in recent years with Mayor Fábrega has not been good.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/mayors-office-owes-166000-to-street-people-ngo

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Weekend stormy weather alert

Posted 06/05/2022

The Civil protection service (Sinaproc) issued an alert of constant rains and storms at the national level on Friday morning which will probably extend throughout the weekend.

The ten provinces of the country and the Ngäbe Buglé and Emberá Wounaan comarcas are being monitored, especially in the sectors identified as being at risk.

“We maintain a rain prevention warning accompanied by electrical storms throughout the weekend. In the same way, there is a warning for strong waves in the Panamanian Pacific”, said the director of Sinaproc Carlos Rumbo.

The bad weather is influenced by a low-pressure system and the intertropical convergence zone reported the Hydrometeorology Directorate of the Electricity Transmission Company, SA (Etesa).

The authorities reiterated the call to the population not to visit beaches and rivers due to forecasts of heavy and avoid crossing streams and stay away from power lines and poles.

After the rains in the early hours of Friday, Sinaproc reported that it responded to the call for the landslide in the district of San Miguelto.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/weekend-stormy-weather-alert

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Hepatitis alert issued by Ministry of Health

Posted 05/05/2022

An alert has been sent by the Ministry of Health to government and private hospitals following a possible case of acute hepatitis of unknown cause, in a two-year-old boy in the Children’s Hospital, which is being investigated by the Department of Epidemiology.

The announcement came on Thursday morning, May 5.

The minor, who has no history of traveling abroad, presented symptoms of a 38-degree fever, skin rashes, and yellow coloration, "for which a series of tests were performed to detect or rule out if it is a case of hepatitis”.

After the case was presented, to the Department of Epidemiology Minsa sent the surveillance alert to all health facilities, both the Social Security Fund (CSS), as well as those of the Ministry of Health and private centers.

The warning was presented because in April the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert to the appearance of cases of acute and severe hepatitis of unknown origin, in several countries in minors.

According to the PAHO, the first case was officially notified on April 5 and there is already a record of 169 cases in at least 12 countries and one death

https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/hepatitis-alert-issued-by-ministry-of-health

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Electoral Tribunal  judge claims “justice denied” in earlier Martinelli hearing

Posted 05/05/2022

Electoral Tribunal (TE) judge Alfredo Juncá said on Telemetro Reporta Metro that criticism of the decision to maintain the electoral criminal jurisdiction of former President Ricardo Martinelli -for an alleged validity of the specialty principle- is related to an "economic-political fight between various groups ”.

Juncá  without giving examples assured that there are antecedents that support the questioned decision

“What is happening seems unfortunate to me, because at a time when we have to go out to defend our democracy by starting the electoral process, what we are seeing is that there is an economic-political fight between various groups,” Juncá said on Thursday, May 5.

La Prensa said it was the first interview offered by a member of the TE plenary session, after it was learned that Juncá and Heriberto Araúz,  revoked a decision of an electoral court that, a month earlier, had lifted the jurisdiction of Martinelli, at the request of criminal judge Baloisa Marquínez, to answer for the charges of alleged money laundering in the Odebrecht and New Business cases.

The ruling has been challenged as unconstitutional before the Supreme Court and Juncá and Araúz are sued for their actions.

Attorney General Javier Caraballo, in consultation with the Supreme Court, believed that the decision of the TE violated at least five articles of the Constitution.

Judge Eduardo Valdés did not support the decision and warned in his saving vote that the ruling went into matters outside the TE.

In his interview, Juncá said that he and his colleagues had agreed not to give interviews and to go out and explain the decision to maintain the jurisdiction and recognize the principle of specialty to Martinelli. However, he said that Judge Edmara Jaén , of the Second Administrative Electoral Court, had made a mistake in suspending the jurisdiction, by  February 23, , and therefore - before an appeal from Alma Cortés, Martinelli's lawyer - it was up to the plenary session to revoke that decision.

"Yes, there was an element of denial of justice in the first instance, which was pointed out in the second and is the reason why the sentence is revoked," he said.

“If I receive a file and I am seeing that there is something wrong, how can I ignore it and decide not to comply with the law?” he said without specifying what he found "wrong" in the decision of Jaén.

“The ruling of two magistrates of the Electoral Court, far removed from the law and invasive of a jurisdictional sphere outside their competence, described as “totally inadmissible” by the magistrate who saved his vote, constitutes the breaking point of confidence in one of the few institutions that preserved a minimum of citizen credibility,” Rethinking Panama warned in a statement.

Dodging the bullet
Martinelli is accused in two open processes: the alleged use of public funds to acquire Editora Panamá América, SA (Epasa) -a case called New Business- and the payment of bribes from Odebrecht. The New Business hearing resumes on May 19; that of Odebrecht, on July 18. As the TE refuses to suspend the electoral jurisdiction, Martinelli is not required to appear.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/electoral-tribunal-judge-claims-justice-denied-in-earlier-martinelli-hearing

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Ex-lover says Martinelli used Pegasus to spy on her

Posted 05/05/2022

Ex-president Ricardo Martinelli was acquitted in November of illegal  interception of communications,  but a former girlfriend told a Mallorca judge that he used the Pegasus computer espionage team after leaving office.

Indira Brunot told the judge about the monitoring and surveillance to which she was subjected, at least since 2016, when - she ended the affair with Martinelli -she noticed her communications being intercepted on a trip she took to Orlando.

Despite having ended the  relationship, she maintained contact with Martinelli since she acknowledged that he paid her 8,000 euros a month ($8,410) for "various consulting work."

"Martinelli, affirmed, he had bought the Pegasus computer program in Israel", cites a note from Diario de Mallorca , published on May 5.

According to the Mallorcan newspaper, the woman testified by videoconference from Miami (where she usually resides) two days ago, in a procedure conducted by the Investigating Court Number 2 of Palma. She said she was willing to provide all the WhatsApp messages related to the investigation, including her communications with Martinelli. The former president -according to the note in Diario - "has not been officially located and, therefore, has not been summoned to testify ."

Harassment probe
Martinelli is investigated in Mallorca for alleged espionage and harassment of Brunot, a case for which 11 people were arrested (including four Civil  Guard agents, and personnel from the Group Kougar agency ), last March.

According to the newspaper El País and AFP, Martinelli appears in another case for alleged corruption in the contracts awarded to the FCC construction company

Martinelli appeared by videoconference, although he refused to answer the investigators' questions.

In the investigation carried out in Palma, the detainees confessed that they watched and followed the woman on the beach and in a boat, at the instruction of Martinelli, to find out if she had a relationship with another man while vacationing on the island, in the summer of 2020. She reported the events up to three times. The detainees tried to explain that they were providing an escort and security service; she replied that she never consented to such attentions.

Little by little, the judge has released most of the detainees on bail, although the founder of Grupo Kougar remains under arrest.

The newspaper Última Hora reported that the judge indicated that "there are indications of the commission of a plurality of crimes by the person under investigation

The Martinelli government acquired the Pegasus spyware from the Israeli company NSO Group in 2010. The team worked until May 2014.

Martinelli was arrested in Miami and extradited to Panama, but in November 2021 he was acquitted by a court of three judges. While he was detained in El Renacer, in preventive arrest, he received a visit from Brunot.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/ex-lover-says-martinelli-used-pegasus-to-spy-on-her

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Two new arrests in murder of American and his pilot

Posted 05/05/2022

Personnel of the National Police and the Public Ministry arrested two other people (a man and a woman) for their alleged involvement in the investigations of the kidnapping and murder of American businessman Randall Leigh Steittmeir and his Panamanian pilot Armando Eliécer Miranda Pittí.

They were found dead in Natá, Coclé province, in October 2021, after their relatives reported their disappearance in Chiriquí.

At the request of the first superior prosecutor against organized crime, Emeldo Márquez, the two arrested will be brought this Friday, May 6, before a guarantee judge.

During raids, the suspects were located in the El Nazareno neighborhood, Pedregal corregimiento, and in the La Invasión area, Pacora corregimiento.

A man and a woman apprehended in Operation El Valle de La Luna, in Chilibre and Pedregal, had already been brought before a guarantee judge, in March of this year.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/two-new-arrests-in-murder-of-american-and-his-pilot

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Panama to host data center for EU space program  

Posted 04/05/2022

The summit of foreign ministers from Central American and Caribbean countries,  with Joseph Borrell, Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, ended Tuesday with the announcement that Panama and the EU agreed to establish a regional data center in Panama for the EU's space program, aimed at increasing the capacities of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean in managing the environment, mitigating the effects of climate change and disaster risk reduction. The details of the agreement are being finalized between the Foreign Ministry and the Directorate General for Defense Industry and Space of the EU.

Borrell, Vice President of the European Commission, met with 17 Central American and Caribbean foreign ministers to discuss the economic impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the region

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-to-host-data-center-for-eu-space-program

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53 cops fired for criminal offenses this year

Posted 04/05/2022

The director-general of the National Police (PN), John Dornheim, confirmed that 53 officers that have committed different crimes or administrative offenses have been separated from their positions. We are removing those men and women who at some point have failed their principles to protect and serve," Dornheim revealed Tuesday at a press conference on accountability and operational results during the month of April

According to data from the entity the Police payroll is comprised of 18,024 units ranging from cadets to commissioners.

Crime figures For the month of April, the Police and the Public Ministry apprehended 4,780 people nationwide. Of this figure,  1,020 were arrested for administrative offenses, 459 for flagrante delicto, 276 for micro-trafficking, and 37 for drug trafficking.

In addition, there were 53 people linked to homicides, of these 27 correspond to events that occurred this year. There were 1,108 raids with the confiscation of 188 firearms, 12,343 ammunition, 101 recovered cattle, 25 recovered vehicles, and $1,014,606.73.

In the 252 operations against drug trafficking and micro-trafficking, 2,525 packages with illicit substances were seized and 313 people were apprehended. These actions also include the seizure of 2,132 ecstasy pills.

Traffic offenses. The National Directorate of Traffic Operations from April 1 to 30, recorded 50,269 infractions and 2,652 vehicles have been towed. Of the infractions, 17,063 were for speeding and 1,426 for proven drunkenness. Additionally, 2,826 accidents were attended.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/53-cops-fired-for-criminal-offenses-this-year

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61.1 tons of cocaine seized off Isla Grande

Posted 04/05/2022

Agents of the National Aeronaval Service (Senan) and The Colombian Navy  seized 6.1 million tons of cocaine on the coast of Isla Grande, in the province of Colón on Monday, May 2,

The Colombian entity said that the seizure represents an economic loss for drug trafficking groups operating in the region of $207 million.

 "In this way we prevent more than 15 million doses from reaching the international market", said Ibis Manuel Luna, commander of the Task Force against Drug Trafficking.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/611-tons-of-cocaine-seized-off-isla-grande

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Covid-19 cases zoom in 9 provinces

Posted 04/05/2022

cases of Covid-19 have increased in nine of the ten provinces of Panama, according to the latest report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The highest incidence of cases, between epidemiological weeks 15 (April 10 to 16) and 17 (April 24 to 30), was registered in the province of Coclé, which went from 68.8 to 264.4 cases per 100,000. Population an increase of 248.5%.

Then came the provinces of Herrera, which rose from 102 cases to 355.5 per 100,000 inhabitants, Darien went from 8.3 to 28.9 cases, West Panama from 32.2 to 104.2 cases, Los Santos from 213.1 to 660.5 cases, and Panama increased from 38.2 to 105.1 cases.

PAHO highlights that stability is observed in two regions: Bocas del Toro reports 6.8 and 6.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the corresponding SE15 and SE17 and the Ngäbe Bugle region with 2.1 cases in both weeks.

In Guna Yala, there are no cases for six consecutive weeks.

The figures also reflect that all age groups show an increase in incidence between EW 15 and EW 17.

The international organization specifies that the greatest change occurs in the group of 20 to 39 years, which went from 42.4 to 118.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This represented an increase of 178.8%.

Then follows the group of those under 20 years of age who go from 33.6 to 92.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (an increase of 175.6%), that of 60 to 79 goes from 47.9 to 131.8 cases (175.1%), that of 40 to 59 years it goes from 48.1 to 121.6 cases (152.8%) and the group of 80 and over goes from 57.5 to 129.6 cases (125.4%).

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/covid-19-cases-zoom-in-9-provinces

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Big rise in gas prices on Friday

Posted 04/05/2022

Gasoline prices will rise on Friday, May 6. 95 octane gasoline will rise five cents a liter, to $1.27 Meanwhile, the 91 will increase three cents per liter, to $1.20. Low-sulfur diesel will rise 11 cents, to $1.36 per liter. The prices will be effective until May 20.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/big-rise-in-gas-prices-on-friday

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New car sales up 17% as availability clouds future

Posted 02/05/2022

The sale of new cars totaled 9,371 units in the first quarter up 17.7%  from the 7,963 units in the same period of the previous year, according to data provided by the Association of Automobile Dealers of Panama (ADAP).

The increase is explained by a recovery in demand as in 2021,  there were business closures ordered by the authorities to contain the second wave of coronavirus

The results of 2022 also improve on the data of the first quarter of 2020 (9,112 vehicles), partially affected by the first restrictions of the pandemic, but still far from the records of 2019 (11,292).

While the worst of the pandemic is to be behind us, and while demand is responding, the current concern for the industry is supply and, the ability to meet existing demand.

For the second quarter, the sales expectation is lower than that of the same period of the previous year due to the lack of capacity of manufacturers to meet the needs of the market.

The brands are affected by the limited supply of microchips and semiconductors, and this ends up ultimately translating into greater delays in the shipment of vehicles.

Bogdan Batinovich, president of the ADAP said that before this situation occurred, there was sufficient inventory of any product, while currently, the inventory is limited and in some cases as vehicles are delivered because they are pre-sold.

Car prices
On the other hand, the inflationary pressures caused by the increase in the cost of raw materials, the increase in fuel, and the tensions in the supply chain are also transferred to the price of cars.

Despite the challenges that exist, the industry expects supply capacity to improve as the year progresses and has growth expectations of around 17% for the whole of 2022, with a sales volume of around 45,000 units.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/new-car-sales-up-17-as-availability-clouds-future

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Cloudy outlook for Press freedom in Panama

A project promoted by deputy Zulay Rodríguez, would reduce the time that the media have to publish the replies and would increase penalties for non-compliance.

Posted 03/05/2022

On the recommendation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), the General Assembly of the United Nations established in 1993 May 3 as World Press Freedom Day to highlight the situation of journalists and media around the world.

In Panama, the situation of freedom of the press is not a cause for celebration due to the permanent threat against journalists and independent media, which, in turn, are faced with information practices and policies by the State that foster opacity regarding the use of public funds and fuel impunity for acts of large-scale corruption.

Although formally in Panama there are no legal regulations on journalistic censorship, in the last decade the criminal regulations on slander and libel were used to sue dozens of journalists, editors, managers, and various media outlets for their coverage of high-profile corruption cases.

The Panamanian civil procedural system allows civil kidnapping as a precautionary measure before filing a lawsuit and even without hearing the affected party.

Likewise, the ceiling of possible compensation for "moral" damages is not regulated, and the risk of a millionaire sentence turns the Panamanian justice system into a possible executioner of freedom of expression.

Television and radio audiovisual media have an exception to the civil kidnapping rule, which guarantees them a better situation than that of their print and digital peers.

A more recent trend has been the use of family law regulations, protection of the victim or safeguards against gender violence to seek the paralysis of journalistic activities, and even as a basis for complaints of alleged crimes against social communicators.

Opacity reigns
During the start of the covid 19 pandemic, the reaction of the government of President Laurentino Cortizo was to reduce access to public information. For example, when the set of minutes of the Cabinet Council was declared confidential.

At the same time, a detailed accounting of public spending during the pandemic had been promised and this has not happened to date.

The National Assembly delayed the delivery of information on its payroll and contracts, despite requests for information and habeas data on the subject.

In turn, the Comptroller General, under Gerardo Solís, also maintained his own space of opacity in internal contracting on various issues.

Important questions from public opinion about the purchase of fans with their supposed premium price; the acquisition of a modular hospital under very particular conditions; and the trip of a delegation of officials and directors of the Social Security Fund to Mexico to learn about the operation of an inventory management system, represent some of the most critical issues that remained without an appropriate response and confirm the culture of opacity in public administration.

Litigation to censor
In recent years, it has not been only politicians and those linked to possible cases of corruption who have used obtuse laws and the Byzantine judicial system to try to silence journalism and independent media.

Other actors have used these same tools to silence journalists and civil society activists for their critical expressions against power. Thus, we have that the journalist Lineth Lynch was sentenced to pay $2 million in a civil damages claim process from a former judicial official, despite the fact that Lynch complied with all the canons and protocols of responsible journalism.

The lawyer and activist Moisés Bartlett has to face the seizure of his assets, accounts and his law firm for questioning the actions of the State and private interests regarding a concession for the generation of electricity based on liquefied gas.

Community activist Max Crow faced sequestration of his assets when he acted as a representative of Albrook residents to oppose a commercial activity in a residential area that violated the established zoning for that area.

Environmental activist Larissa Duarte, a resident near the Cobre River in Veraguas, was sued for $10 million by a hydroelectric company that was unable to develop its project on the river.

Journalist Ligia Arreaga, from the Darien radio station Voz sin Fronteras, well known for her denunciations of illegal logging and the irregular drainage of Laguna Matusagaratí, was forced to leave the country because some of the people who felt affected by these complaints filed lawsuits for slander and libel against her.

Death threat
In addition to these cases, the death threat to journalist Flor Mizrachi for her report on clandestine vaccination in Coco del Mar must be recorded.

Despite the fact that Panama has Law 26 of June 29, 2005, which serves as the legal framework for the right to reply, Deputy Zulay Rodríguez presented Bill 242, which seeks to reduce the period that the media have to publish the replies and increases the penalties for non-compliance with the obligation.

The bill ignores the reality of the media and their internal processes in the necessary review of all those submitted and the obligation that any party affected by a reply can respond.

The risk of project 242 is that it serves as a vehicle for other issues of freedom of expression to be biased within the National Assembly, as other deputies have previously expressed their intention to modify the law of transparency and access to information.

The deputies Zulay Rodríguez and Benicio Robinson, both from the ruling party, maintain legal actions against journalists and media outlets that have exposed issues that involve them to the public light and that instead of making all the clarifications to public opinion and their electorate, have taken the judicial route.

Panama is entering the initial phase of the electoral process for the year 2024. In turn, important cases of corruption are aired in the Judicial Branch, as well as in prosecutors and courts of other countries. The factor that these events have in common is the sensitivity of their protagonists to the exercise of free and independent journalism.

Unfortunately, it is to be expected that as the stages of the electoral process progress and the processing of corruption cases intensifies, the pressure on journalists, the media, community activists and human rights defenders will also intensify.

If the free press gives in or if journalists censor themselves for fear of reprisals, Panama will be doomed to an age of obscurantism, opacity and, above all, censorship and manipulation of information. - RODRIGO NORIEGA, La Prensa.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/cloudy-outlook-for-press-freedom-in-panama

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Suspect linked to the disappearance of three women due in court

Posted 03/05/2022

After several months of investigations, the Homicide and Femicide Prosecutor of the Public Ministry (MP) of Chiriquí, Hernán de Jesús Mora, reported the arrest of a 47-year- old man for his alleged involvement in the disappearance of three women in the province.

One lived in El Cabrero, David; another in Paja de Sombrero, district of Gualaca; and another in Veladero, Tolé”, said Prosecutor Mora.

The apprehended subject, who will be taken to a control hearing in the coming days, was seen at the David Transportation Terminal with one of the victims, a minor. In addition,  the young woman's clothing was found in his possession.

The man was arrested in November 2021 in the community of Guacá Arriba, located in a distant sector of the city of David.

On May 12 he will be brought to a hearing for the disappearance of the minor.

The authorities reported that the minor, a resident of the community of Paja de Sombrero (Gualaca), left for the district of David for a job interview.

It was also reported that the woman from Veladero de Tolé was contacted for a job and that the one who lives in El Cabrero (David) was on her way to the residence where she worked, but never reached her destination.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/suspect-linked-to-the-disappearance-of-three-women-due-in-court

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One dead three injured raises highway death toll to 88

Posted 03/05/2022

A triple collision left one person dead and three injured n the Transístmica highway, near the University of Panama at 3 am on Tuesday.

The speeding male driver,25, hit three vehicles before crashing into a tree on an islet. He died on the spot

In the previous 24 hours at the national level, the Traffic Police reported some 69 traffic accidents resulting in one fatality and 27 injured.

In total, 1,495 traffic violations were applied, among them, 98 were for proven drunkenness, 491 for exceeding speed limits, and 84 for inadequate lights.

The statistics add up to approximately 88 fatalities nationwide due to traffic events.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/one-dead-three-injured-raises-highway-death-toll-to-88

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Red Devils case enters 8th week with 541 defendants

Arena Roberto Duran

Posted 02/05/2022

The preliminary hearing of the "Red Devils" case will reach its eighth week when the presentations of the arguments of the defense attorneys resume at the Roberto Durán Arena, on Tuesday, May 3.

There are  541defendants for alleged  Embezzlement of the Transit Authority (ATTT).

The Judicial Branch reported that, until last Friday, April 30, a total of 129 lawyers have argued, including private technicians (113) and public defenders (16), who represent 423 defendants.

The hearing is in the Roberto Durán Arena in order to guarantee biosecurity measures due to the large number of parties involved.

The criminal process consists of 683 volumes and the legal assistance of the accused is in charge of 238 private lawyers, in addition to 20 public defenders appointed by the Court, with the purpose of exercising the legal representation of the accused in the event that their private attorneys fail to attend.

The case is related to the process of the administrative rescue of the public collective passenger transport system

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/red-devils-case-enters-8th-week-with-541-defendants

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Tourism Tax Incentives Abuse

Posted 01/05/2022

The issue of tax incentives promoted by the Legislative and Executive for tourism projects, in which the State waives the collection of taxes in favor of companies and real estate, continues to worsen, to the point that a reform to Law 122 of 2019 that allows 100% tax exemption, has been rejected by prominent professionals and politicians –including prominent figures who worked and/or are members of the PRD– and they asked the president to veto it. The reason is that tax credits are protected in favor of a small group of investors, which range between 60% and 100% of the amount of their investments in tourism projects. This is equivalent, according to the complainants, to "citizens defraying the cost of the tourism investments that they carry out", having only them as beneficiaries. And although these professionals define this as an "abuse", the truth is that this is the legalization of an open and brazen dispossession of the State. Those businessmen will save hundreds of millions of dollars, thanks to the generosity of unscrupulous politicians who, surely, are returning – with disproportionate interest – what some of them “invested” to make it easier for them to come to power.- LA PRENSA, May 1.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/tourism-tax-incentives-abuse

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87% of the cigarettes consumed in Panama avoid the sin tax.

Most of the smuggled cigarettes come from India.

Posted 01/05/2022

Nielsen study carried out in Panama in 2021 showed the worrying results that 87.9 out of every 100 cigarettes consumed in Panama are contraband and avoid paying taxes.

Most of the cigarettes come from India and South Korea and are easily identifiable since the packs do not include the mandatory health warnings established by the Ministry of Health.

The study also shows that 96.5% of the cigarettes consumed in the city of David, Chiriquí province, are contraband, followed by the district of Las Cumbres in North Panama, where contraband cigarettes represent 91, 5% of the market.

The Jaisalmer, Timeless Time, and Pine brands account for 92% of unpaid consumption. The first is manufactured by Godfrey Phillips (India), and the other two by Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation - KT&G (South Korea), and according to international trade statistics, they come from Asia to the Colon Free Zone. The seizure of illicit cigarettes due to the effort of the authorities, headed by the Director-General of Customs to confront the problem, is another proof of the growing incidence of smuggling.

In 2016, the Nielsen study showed that 60.8% of cigarettes consumed on the streets of Panama were illegal, in 2018 the incidence rose to 73.4% and in 2019 the study showed that 79.9% of the cigarette market in Panama did not pay taxes.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/87-of-the-cigarettes-consumed-in-panama-avoid-the-sin-tax