Moderator_03
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OPINION: Justified suspicions of politicians’ honesty
Posted 11/03/2022
It seems like a thing of prehistory that, in the XXI century, citizens do not know details of who governs us. This obscurantism leads to suspicions –and very justified ones– about the honesty of politicians. For example: why can't sworn statements of assets be disclosed, if the purpose is precisely to ensure that assets have not grown disproportionately while a person holds public office? What are they hiding? If someone decides to be a public servant, they must consider that they will lose part of their privacy, so they cannot aspire to keep income or assets secret —before and after leaving the Government— nor can they be considered just any citizen, since they are part of the machinery that governs the country and, consequently, due diligence or "due diligence" on his past and his present, even on what he thinks on some issues. It is what banks practice as the “know your customer” policy. Well, citizens constantly need to "know your ruler." But we cannot do it due to a lack of transparency, which is why, in this matter, we are still in the 19th century. – LA PRENSA, Mar. 11.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/opinion-justified-suspicions-of-politicians-honesty
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Pandemic fuels corruption eases support for democracy
Posted 10/03/2022
The pandemic has left a greater concentration of power, a greater perception of corruption, and an ambiguous assessment of democracy. The citizenry suffers from severe economic contraction and clings to public services. Gender inequality has deepened in households, and discrimination persists in the country reports a study by the International Center for Political and Social Studies (Cieps).
Regarding citizenship and social rights in the face of the pandemic, the survey revealed that organizations are less valued compared to 2019, with the exception of the Catholic Church and evangelical churches. The biggest drop was suffered by organizations. unions.
Corruption heads the list of the country's main problems (23.1%), above insecurity, which had ranked first in 2019. Unemployment is in second place (18.1%), and education is in third place ( 12.8%). Insecurity (12.5%) is in fourth place.
The study says that the fact that corruption is perceived as the main problem is the product of a regional process that gained strength with the Odebrecht scandal. In Panama, this case involved two former presidents. The study also argues that the pandemic and the health emergency have accentuated the phenomenon. The same reveals that 53.7% of citizens believe that corruption has increased in the last year. "Presumably, the emergency situation and the numerous complaints aired during the pandemic have helped position the issue as the main problem for citizens," explains the investigation.
Democracy
The study also highlights that support for democracy is low. Something that, according to Cieps Director Harry Brown, "is not new, but it should concern us." “We have found that in 2021 youth are the least supportive of democracy compared to those 50 and older. This should concern us about what are the notions of democracy that the youngest population of the country has”, he adds.The research says that the percentage of people who affirmed that in some circumstances an authoritarian government may be better than a democratic one remained (from 14.7% to 12.6%), or that an authoritarian government does not matter to them. (from 33.2% to 32.9%).
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/pandemic-fuels-corruption-eases-support-for-democracy
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Supreme Court President denounces San Miguelito children’s judge
The presiding magistrate of the CSJ, María Eugenia López Arias, filed a criminal complaint with the Attorney General of the Nation in charge, Javier Caraballo.
Posted 10/03/2022
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/supreme-court-president-denounces-san-miguelito-childrens-judge
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Dawn raid in Coronado nets 49
Posted 10/03/2022
A joint operation by the Drug Prosecutor's Office of the Panama West province agents of the National Aeronaval Service (Senan) and the National Police at dawn on Thursday, March 10 led to the arrest of 49 in a house in Punta Prieta, Coronado.
The operation was carried out after the competent authorities received intelligence information about the house.
After completing the search of the house, neither drugs nor money was found. However, the investigation is still ongoing, authorities said.
The head of the second region of Senan, Rubén Vigil, revealed that there were several people with records in the house.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/dawn-raid-in-coronado-nets-49
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12 years for rape of minor in government childcare
Posted 09/03/2022
A sentence of years in prison has been handed down to Bolívar Lanuza Araúz for the crime of rape and libidinous acts to the detriment of a minor. In addition, four officials from the National Secretariat for Children, Adolescents, and Family (Senniaf) were charged with child abuse.
The Circuit Prosecutor, Kira Brokamp, revealed that the person investigated through the figure of alternative conflict resolution methods accepted his responsibility for the crimes of rape and libidinous acts to the detriment of a minor.
The investigation dates back to August 2020 when the Public Ministry initiated proceedings on the transfer of a group of minors from a shelter to a rehabilitation center.
That group was sent from a shelter to the El Hogar y Vida Libre drug rehabilitation center where they were harassed and sexually assaulted by one of the inmates.
The investigation revealed that at least one minor was raped and subjected to libidinous acts by an inmate, for which he was charged.
At the same time, the Specialized Family Section of the Metropolitan Prosecutor's Office charged four Senniaf officials with crimes of mistreatment of minors, for having allowed the transfer of minors to the rehabilitation center, being a place not suitable for the shelter of children and underage girls.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/12-years-for-rape-of-minor-in-government-childcare
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Historic rise in gasoline prices
Posted 09/03/2022
Gasoline prices will leap 10 cents a liter for both 91 and 95 octanes while diesel will increase 16 cents a liter on Friday, March 11
The increase is prompted by the Ukrainian conflict and will likely lead to sharp rises in food and restaurant prices.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/historic-rise-in-gasoline-prices-gasoline-prices
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Covid-19 indicators improve but too early to declare victory
Posted 09/03/2022
Panama has shown indicators of Covid-19 not seen since mid-December when before the presence of the Omicron variant was detected.
There are 3,113 active cases and the percentage of positivity is between 5% and 6%, something that has not happened since the epidemiological December 19 -25. Five percent or less in the positivity of the tests indicate that the pandemic is under control, according to the World Health Organization.
There are 138 hospitalized, and, of these, 115 are in the ward and 23 in intensive care units.
The average number of cases during the last week, between February 27 and March 4, was 369 per day, a figure very similar to that registered in the week of December 12 to 18, when the average daily cases were 355.
For epidemiologists and public health specialists, the first 15 days of March will serve to observe how much the cases will increase after the start of the school year.
According to public health specialist Jorge Luis Prosperi, “it is not time to claim victory” if you want to maintain control of the pandemic.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/covid-19-indicators-improve-but-too-early-to-declare-victory
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3 covid-19 deaths - test positivity at 5.2%
Posted 08/03/2022
Three people have died in the last hours due to Covid-19, reported the Ministry of Health (Minsa) on Tuesday, March 8.
There were 382 new infections registered in the last 24 hours. They applied 7,350 tests for positivity of 5.2%.
Active cases total 3,030, with 149 hospitalized (127 in the ward and 22 in intensive care units.)
https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/3-covid-19-deaths-test-positivity-at-52
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School vaccination against covid and other diseases starts Mar.14
Posted 07/03/2022
Vaccination against covid-19 and other diseases will start in Panama schools on March 14, as part of the strategies to protect the population from the virus at the start of the 2022 school year.
Yaritzel Ríos, regional director of Health of San Miguelito, announced that the nursing teams of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) already have a schedule for immunization in schools nationwide and that it would start next Monday.
Ríos affirmed that not only will they be immunizing against the coronavirus, but other vaccines from the scheme contemplated by the Expanded Program on Immunization will also be applied, such as measles, tetanus, against the human papillomavirus (HPV), among others.
She called on parents to send their children's vaccination cards in order to see what vaccines they need and ensure that they have the complete schedule.
“And also that they authorize being able to vaccinate children. Remember that vaccination is the decision of each parent and this will be done with prior authorization, ”said Ríos.
She reiterated that the Covid-19 vaccine is safe since its efficacy has been proven. According to Minsa data, some 80% of students have received covid vaccinations.
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The failure of social security dialogue
Posted 06/03/2022
The dialogue for the Social Security Fund (CSS) is a resounding and complete failure. We witnessed how the government appointed a coordinator without any leadership, which allowed the dialogue to be paralyzed from day one and the members to engage in discussions of amazingly trivial issues.
That failure is corroborated by the one who until a few days ago was the deputy director of the CSS, who resigned due to the disappointment he suffered due to a dialogue without direction or purpose. Solutions for SSC in the short and medium term do not seem possible and it is a pity that he has not externalized everything that he thought and knew when he was in office. Something could have been done from within. However, his reasons reveal the enormous detachment of the ruling parties from the people, since their intentions to reach a solution to the gigantic problem that lies ahead is just an empty speech to try to make up a cowardly and incompetent government, whose sole purpose is to enrich a gang of politicians. The leaders of this administration have crossed their arms in the face of the imminent collapse of an institution that is the mainstay of thousands of retirees and pensioners. That's how inept they are. – LA PRENSA, Mar 6.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/the-failure-of-social-security-dialogue
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Blandón maintains grip on Panameñista Party with 71%
Posted 08/03/2022
Former presidential candidate and former mayor José Isabel Blandón received 71% of the votes of the Panameñista Party in the internal elections held on Sunday, March 6. Former deputy Katleen Levy, who unexpectedly announced her candidacy to oppose Blandón, obtained the other 29%.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/blandon-maintains-grip-on-panamenista-party-with-71-of-votes
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Judge will rule on Lavo Jato trial call next month
Prosecutor Isis Soto
Posted 08/03/2022
Judge Baloisa Marquínez accepted the term allowed by the Law to decide whether to call the 32 people who are being investigated in the "Lava Jato" (Car wash) case to trial for alleged money laundering.
On Tuesday, March,the preliminary hearing in the Third Court for the Settlement of Criminal Cases ended with the arguments of the defense attorneys.
The Public Ministry, represented by prosecutors Isis Soto and Marcos Mosquera, is requesting the call to trial for the 32 linked. In addition, they requested dismissal for four of the defendants and provisional dismissal for two others.
The defense attorneys requested the definitive dismissal of their clients and the lifting of all precautionary measures.
The investigation began in 2014, based on reports linking the now-defunct law firm Mossack Fonseca with the alleged commission of the crime of money laundering, in relation to the so-called "Lava Jato" operation, in Brazil.
The then Brazilian judge Sergio Moro, a key player in the corruption investigations in Brazil, assured that there was evidence that the firm provided the necessary services for the opening of offshore companies for at least four agents involved in the money laundering scheme.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/judge-will-rule-on-lavo-jato-trial-call-next-month-1
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Colombian prosecutor seeks jail for Panama trip by Martinelli lawyer
Martinelli and Cadena
Posted 08/03/2022
The Colombian Attorney General's Office requested before a judge this Tuesday, March 8, that criminal lawyer Diego Cadena be sent to prison after he traveled to Panama despite the fact that a home security measure had been imposed on him.
On February 15, Cadena, who is being prosecuted for alleged crimes of procedural fraud and witness bribery, traveled to Panama City.
International media have published that one of the proofs of Cadena's contempt is a photograph in which he is seen sitting in a restaurant in a hotel in Panama.
Cadena was a lawyer for former President Ricardo Martinelli, whom he represented in a case in which the Spanish newspaper El Mundo was sued, for a story published in October 2019, referring to the case followed by managers of the construction company Fomento de Construcciones and Contratas (FCC) for payments of bribes in Panama.
According to the newspaper El Tiempo, Cadena was in Panama for a few days, despite the fact that in December 2021 a judge had revoked his freedom and ordered his house arrest.
Cadena was also a lawyer for former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe.
According to Infobae, the prosecutor Daniel Hernández pointed out that, “for having defrauded the good faith of Colombian justice by having traveled to Panama during the month of February, despite the fact that since 2020 he had a house arrest measure, it is necessary that Cadena be sent to prison.”
During his statement, Hernández said that there are Colombian Migration records, which show that Cadena left the country without the permission of a judge.
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Electoral Court OK’s Mayor Fábrega recall request
Posted 07/03/2022
Electoral Court OK’s Mayor Fábrega recall campaign
The Electoral Court (TE) has admitted the request to revoke the mandate of the mayor of Panama José Luis Fábrega.
The request was presented, on February 22, before the Regional Directorate of Electoral Organization of Central Panama by citizen Roberto Ruíz Díaz.
“This request arises due to the lack of transparency, citizen consultation, and due to administrative irregularities and the management of the budget that has been taking place,” said Ruíz Díaz, who has managed to get the TE to admit a request of this type for the first time, reports La Estrella.
Fábrega and the Electoral Prosecutor's Office will be notified of the admission of the request and an appeal may be filed, within two business days following the notification.
Once the resolution has been presented, the Electoral Organization address will authorize by means of a reasoned resolution, the beginning of the collection of 30% of the required support.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/electoral-court-oks-mayor-fabrega-recall-request
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Panama condemned to failure if education system unchanged
Posted 06/03/2022
The return to face-to-face classes represents a new opportunity to face the urgent challenge of achieving quality education says Panama’s Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (Cciap).
On Monday, March 7, the 2022 school term begins in person, after two years of the teaching-learning process altered by the pandemic.
In its weekly letter, the business association says that with the return to the classroom, the fact remains that before the pandemic, students did not assimilate the expected knowledge, which was later reflected in the international tests.
“The foregoing leads us to remember that, with the return to the classroom, we will have to face that other challenge that cannot be postponed: quality education. For nearly four decades, we have dragged this debt, which, surely, the pandemic deepened ", said the Chamber.
“There are various studies that show the educational reality and the proposals to address the problem. One of the main conclusions is that no educational system will be better than the quality achieved by teachers and professors. In addition, it is necessary to work on a national comprehensive teacher training system.
"Additionally, there is a marked outdated methodology and study plans, which -among other things- are unrelated to the reality and needs of Panama and the world."
The Cciap recalled that it is necessary to address the insufficient and inadequate infrastructure, the inequity in access between educational regions, the existing disparity in internet access and connectivity, which are factors that affect the teaching process of students.
It is emphasized that Panama has a significant educational gap and that if the opportunity to correct the path is not taken advantage of the country will be condemned to failure.
“The return to classes represents getting back on track. Now it is urgent to take the next step: commit to the educational quality of our system”.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-condemned-to-failure-if-education-system-unchanged
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Vaccination not mandatory for return to school
Posted 06/03/2022
“We reiterate to the population that vaccination against Covid-19 at the national level is voluntary and is not considered a mandatory requirement for returning to classes,” the Health Ministry (Minsa) highlighted on its Twitter account on Sunday, March 6, the day before the return to classrooms.
The Minister of Education, Maruja Gorday de Villalobos, stated that about 80% of the student population over 12 years of age is vaccinated against the new coronavirus. Of the immunized teaching staff, the figure exceeds 95%.
"There are no restrictions to start classes at the national level," she said.
Previously, the authorities have informed that the student population will be immunized against the virus with the start of classes, but that each student must have authorization from the guardian. This procedure will also apply to swabs.
In a statement, both entities reiterate that the Ministry of Social Development will continue with economic support "to the beneficiary population without conditions."
In addition, the Meduca will guarantee the entrance to the classrooms of all the students without distinction. At the same time, the Institute for the Training and Development of Human Resources (Ifarhu) will maintain the system of educational scholarships for students who meet the established requirements without additional conditions.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/vaccination-not-mandatory-for-return-to-school-1
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Martinelli’s white elephant hospital opens in July
Posted 05/03/2022
The Cardiovascular and Thoracic Institute of Panama’s City of Health will receive its first patients on July 12 said the director of the Social Security Fund (CSS), Enrique Lau Cortés during an inspection of the trouble-plagued site on Friday, March 4 to verify progress.
The announcement came 12 years after a previous CSS board had passed a resolution naming the project after the then “visionary” president Ricardo Martinelli. Later the FCC construction company was investigated for alleged kickbacks.
Lau Cortes said that the Cardiovascular and Thoracic Institute will have "four operating rooms, the catheterization room, plus two hybrid operating rooms for hemodynamic studies."
The works in the City of Health were reactivated on November 15, 2021, after the CSS finalized the contract with the Spanish construction company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas and reached a transnational agreement.
The project was started during the Martinelli administration (2009-2014) when CSS satraps of the president wanted to name the building after him.
The name 'Ciudad Hospitalaria Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal', by resolution issued by the board of directors of the Social Security Fund (CSS), is the recognition of those who thought it was a visionary project.
Instead it is known as Martinelli’s White Elephant.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/martinellis-white-elephant-hospital-opens-in-july
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Health Ministry guidelines for return to classrooms
Posted 05/03/2022
The Ministry of Health (Minsa) has issued a new Biosafety Sanitary Guide for the prevention and control of Covid-19 in official and private educational centers, higher technical institutes, and universities
The guide establishes that all educational entities must have a protocol, where mechanisms are established to implement and monitor compliance with the prevention and control measures recommended for a safe return to classes.
The Ministry of Education (Meduca) has reported that this school year- 954,233 students will return to classrooms after two years of absence due to Covid-19.
The regional directorates of the Minsa must coordinate with the Meduca and the National Council for University Evaluation and Accreditation of Panama the inspections that are considered necessary to verify compliance with the sanitary regulations.
Health Committees
It was also agreed that official and private education centers must set up their "Special Health and Hygiene Committee for the Prevention and Care of Covid-19", made up of a minimum of two to six people, depending on the size of the institution.The members of this committee – made up of the campus management, teaching staff, administrators, and parents' association – will be responsible for organizing, implementing, and daily monitoring the prevention and control actions of the established measures.
The guide establishes that all centers must comply with biosecurity measures for the prevention and control of SARS-CoV-2, including hand washing, use of masks, physical distancing, and face shields. In addition, the cleaning and disinfection of surfaces, waste management, special schedules, monitoring of members of the educational community, and stress management must be complied with.
The entry of visitors, volunteers, or other non-essential personnel into educational centers should also be limited.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/health-ministry-guidelines-for-return-to-classrooms
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Jail sentence for judge confirmed after 17 years
Posted 05/03/2022
The Second Superior Court confirmed a sentence of 18 months in prison imposed on Juan Bosco Molina for the alleged commission of the crimes of abuse of authority and excess of functions in the exercise of his position as fifth civil judge, events that date back 17 years.
This is stated in an edict, posted on March 2 at the Court Clerk's Office, whose ruling upholds a sentence issued in the first instance, to 18 months in prison, and to pay a fine of $2,500 and one year of disqualification for the exercise of public functions once the prison sentence has been served.
The sentence is due to a decision made by Molina in 2005, as a judge, to deliver the accrued interest on three guarantee certificates that had been seized by another civil court.
In 2006, the Second Court dismissed it, but the Public Ministry appealed and the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice ordered an extension of the investigation in 2007.
A year later, on July 23, 2008, the Second Superior Court removed him from office and held that Molina engaged in "reprehensible" conduct by "arbitrarily" approving the delivery of interest, ignoring the precautionary existing patrimonial measure.
Molina appealed, but it was not until April 2, 2019 – almost 11 years later – when the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court confirmed the measure.
The ruling of the Second Criminal Chamber, with a presentation by Judge Jerónimo Mejía and endorsed by his colleagues José Ayú Prado and Harry Díaz, concluded that Molina's separation was not a precautionary measure, since it was applied because the crime of abuse of authority is punishable by imprisonment.
Currently, the Public Ministry is investigating two judges – one criminal and the other civil – denounced by the Court itself due to alleged anomalies in the exercise of their functions.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/jail-sentence-for-judge-confirmed-after-17-years
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Drastic drop in Covid-19 cases brings Panama near control level
HEALTH Minister Luis Francisco Sucre.
Posted 04/03/2022
A drastic drop in daily cases as well as those hospitalized with covid-19 in recent days, compared to January has been reported by the Minister of Health, Luis Francisco Sucre.
"Again we are close to entering a pandemic control area, fortunately, the numbers continue to drop," the minister said on his Twitter account.
However, he indicated that in the following two weeks “an increase in the number of cases could be seen as thousands of Panamanians traveled last weekend to the different provinces to take advantage of their days off. They also visited beaches and rivers.
Until Thursday, March 3, the positivity of cases was 6.3%. On January 23, positivity was 36.28%, one of the highest so far this year.
Meanwhile, the number of people in intensive care units was 24, according to Thursday's report.
The World Health Organization indicates that positivity of 5% or less allows the Covid-19 pandemic to be kept under control.
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Odebrecht reneges on bribery debt payment
Posted 04/03/2022
Once again, Odebrecht has breached the terms of the agreement to return $220 million to the Panamanian State, as a result of exchanging bribes with officials during the Ricardo Martinelli administration (2009-2014). From 2017 to date, Odebrecht has paid $52 million, reluctantly and only after the prosecution complained to a compliance judge.
As we go, history will repeat itself every year, because everything indicates that Odebrecht will do the same and will try to ignore the subsequent quotas. The authorities should consider a renegotiation with Odebrecht of the terms of the agreement, in order to make the payment of the debt with Panama effective, disposing of the company's assets in this country, since it is not a question of a year of non-compliance, but of various. Simply, we should not expect that one fine day this company will tell us that it is bankrupt. With the main prosecutors of the case on vacation, those who remain are silent spectators: they do not take the initiative to fix a problem that can get worse. Hopefully, this new breach will wake up those responsible for collecting the money. - LA PRENSA, Mar.4.https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/odebrecht-reneges-on-bribery-debt-payment
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ENVIRONMENT: 175 countries sign plastic waste treaty
Posted 04/03/2022
At a meeting of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi, Kenya, 175 countries on March 2 passed a resolution on the first treaty to directly tackle the 9 billion tonnes of plastic produced since the plastic age ramped up in the 1950s. Work now begins on how to implement the treaty by 2024.
Advocates of a more ambitious treaty have won out, judging from the deal that was approved in Nairobi by UNEA President Espen Barth Eide using a gavel made from recycled plastic.
Two competing ideas had been put forward. One, led by Peru and Rwanda, encompassed all stages of plastic’s life cycle, from production to consumption and disposal. The second was a far more limited deal focused on plastics in the oceans, spearheaded by Japan.
The deal that has emerged supports the first approach. Crucially, elements of the treaty are legally binding. It also acknowledges that lower-income countries will find it harder to grapple with plastic and pollution than high-income ones and so there is a need for some sort of financing model to help curb plastic use and waste.
“We now have one text. It speaks to full life cycle; it speaks to legally binding; it speaks to a financing mechanism; it speaks to understanding some countries can do it more easily than others,” says Anderson. “It has been a long, hard road, but I’m very happy.”
Anderson compared the accord to past environmental treaties such as the Montreal protocol on ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) and the Minamata Convention on mercury pollution, both of which led to massive reductions in emissions of these harmful chemicals. These are proof that global deals can make governments and industries work differently, she says. “We’ve done this before.”
The world produced 381 million tonnes of plastic in 2015, and hundreds of thousands of tonnes are estimated to end up in the oceans every year, most of it from lower and middle-income countries with less capacity to burn or recycle it. Ubiquitous plastic pollution has been linked to negative impacts on marine life, and there are fears it may affect our health too, although more work is needed to establish that.
Failure to tackle the problem isn’t an option, says Anderson. “The youth of today, voters, ordinary people, are just disgusted when they go to the coast and see this stuff,” she says.
Prevention first
Steve Fletcher at the University of Portsmouth, UK, says: “The best way to tackle plastic pollution is to prevent it in the first place. By covering the whole supply chain, a global agreement to tackle plastic pollution can support upstream solutions such as reducing or replacing plastic in products.”Exactly what measures should be enacted under a global plastic treaty, and what teeth the deal might have, will now need to be worked out
Anderson hopes the treaty will take effect within three years. She says one example of how legally-binding limits might be implemented is limiting how much virgin polymer is put into economies.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/environment-175-countries-sign-plastic-waste-treaty
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Panama Canal will not block transit of Russian ships
Posted 04/03/2022
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) reaffirmed on Thursday, March 3 that the interoceanic waterway will maintain its policy of neutrality in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and refused to impose any kind of transit ban on Russian ships.
"The Panama Canal closely follows the current situation in Ukraine," but " it is a permanently neutral international transit waterway," the ACP said in a statement sent to AFP.
In 1977, the former president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, and the now-deceased Panamanian nationalist leader, Omar Torrijos, signed the treaties by which Panama recovered the Canal from the United States.
In one of those treaties, "the neutrality of the Panama Canal is declared," recalls the ACP, at a time when the West is carrying out numerous sanctions to affect the Russian economy due to its military intervention in Ukraine.
The objective of this neutrality is that "both in times of peace and in times of war" the Canal "remains safe and open for the peaceful transit of ships from all nations on terms of complete equality," adds the canal authority.
On Wednesday, a small group of Ukrainians, during a protest in Panama City, collected signatures to ask the Panamanian government to close access to the Canal to Russian ships as a sanction for the invasion of Ukraine.
According to official data, the Russian presence on the Panamanian waterway, through which 3.5% of world maritime trade passes, is symbolic.
During the last fiscal year, the list of the 15 largest users of the Canal was led by the United States (72.5%), while the last position was occupied by Spain with 1.6% of the load.
Russia does not appear in that list of the main users of the Canal, whose main routes connect China, Japan, and South Korea with the east coast of the United States and South America with Europe.
Analyzing impacts
In the note, the ACP also assures that the Canal "will analyze the possible impacts" that the invasion of Ukraine may have in Panama.The situation could affect “in the short and long term” the “world maritime trade supply chain”, which would impact the tonnage, the number of transits, and the income that the Canal charges ships for their use, he adds. the ACP.
In the fiscal year 2021, the 80-kilometer Panamanian route broke its cargo transit record with the passage of 516 million tons. Since its inauguration by the United States, in 1914, more than a million boats have crossed its waters.
https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-canal-will-not-block-transit-of-russian-ships
Panama and the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic. Omicron and beyond
in Health and Health Care, Special Care Facilities
Posted
https://www.newsroompanama.com/health/covid-19-positivity-shrinks-to-45