Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 7, 2018 Moderators Share Posted March 7, 2018 Quote Panama Religious body protests Gay Marriage Posted on March 6, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 195 Members of Panama religious organizations who have been visibly absent from protests against impunity and corruption, and have been silent about the revelations of electoral fraud by the country’s lawmakers, turned out in their hundreds on Tuesday, March 6, to protest civil marriage of gay couples and “gender ideology.” Dressed in white and carrying banners they assembled at El Carmen Church on Via Espana for the Great March to the National Assembly in defense of the family, convened by the self-anointed Panamanian Alliance for Life and Family. They called on government authorities to desist from their attempts of “upsetting all our principles of freedom, coexistence and teaching”. On Tuesday, February 27, the president of the Alliance, Juan Francisco De la Guardia Brin, said that it brings together more than 10 religious organizations, who will not allow the “natural family” to be threatened by “gender ideology” and marriage between people of the same sex. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/panama-religious-body-protests-gay-marriage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 26 minutes ago, Moderator_02 said: Members of Panama religious organizations who have been visibly absent from protests against impunity and corruption, and have been silent about the revelations of electoral fraud by the country’s lawmakers, turned out in their hundreds on Tuesday, March 6, to protest civil marriage of gay couples and “gender ideology.” So that is their priority? Gender ideology? The heck with impunity, corruption, and electoral fraud. Really? "threatened by “gender ideology” and marriage between people of the same sex". This is a threat to them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted June 3, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted June 3, 2018 Quote LGBTIQ flag in Casco Viejo raises protests Posted on June 2, 2018 in Panama Post Views: 215 Panama’s LGBTIQ community plans a month of activities to raise awareness of the rights of the community leading up to the Gay Pride Parade on Saturday, June 30. The events kicked off with the raising of the flag of sexual diversity in the Plaza de la Independencia, in Casco Viejo on Saturday, June 2 which immediately drew complaints from Catholic Church groups because of its proximity to the cathedral. Panama’s mayor Jose Blandon, The First Lady, Lorena Castillo and ambassadors from several countries marched in the parade last year, but no representatives of church organizations were visible. This year there will be a Festival “If there is Love, there is a Family” whose central theme is the family in all its diversity. Activities related to the Gay Pride march will be championed by the social activist, TV presenter, and actress, Gaby Gnazzo, who has publicly defended the right to equal marriage. http://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/lgbtiq-flag-in-casco-viejo-raises-protests Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted August 11, 2018 Author Moderators Share Posted August 11, 2018 Quote Same-sex marriage debate re-surfaces Posted on August 10, 2018 in Panama LGBT parade in Casco Viejo Post Views: 114 The approval of same-sex marriage in Costa Rica has re-ignited the debate in Panama where a Supreme Court ruling has been stalled for over a year. A warning of unconstitutionality was filed by the firm Morgan & Morgan, against two articles of the Family Code, which refers to marriage between a “man and a woman”. In February of this year, the project underwent a review to incorporate comments on the advisory opinion of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR). The president of the Panama Association of Men and New Women of Panama, Ricardo Beteta, said it is still unknown how the process that leads the CSJ, on the warning of unconstitutionality to two articles of the Family Code, because the appointment of two new magistrates is awaited and, on the other hand, it is a political issue. ” There a pressure for Panama because now Costa Rica joins Colombia, with the right of citizens to have access to same-sex marriage and now it is up to the CSJ to comply with the opinion of the IACHR. He said, “I know of diplomats who are married to their same-sex partner and the Panamanian state has granted them the migratory benefits so that they are in the country, which is an incongruity because I as a citizen do not have access to marriage.” Corina Cano, a family lawyer, said she has confidence that the CSJ will base its decision on what the Constitution establishes, which indicates the legal norms of the Family Code and Private International Law, and they are not unconstitutional, because marriage is recognized when people are of different sexes, that is, between a man and a woman. According to lawyer Francisco Carreira Pitti, there has been much talk and rumors and rulings, but nothing official has come from the Judicial Branch and what happens will have to be decided by the deputies that make up the National Assembly. “Each country has its rules, but we have to respect the law and that is that a man, a woman can get married.” Last year and, again in 2018, religious groups from both the Catholic and evangelical churches, non-governmental organizations, civil society and members of the LGBTIQ community have held various marches in the capital city in favor and against the approval of same-sex marriage https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama/same-sex-marriage-debate-re-surfaces Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted May 14, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted May 14, 2019 Quote Panama Pride Week -Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges Posted 13/05/2019 Panama’s LGBTIQ + community will raise their flag in Plaza 5 de Mayo, on Saturday, June 1 to mark Pride Week this year called "Breaking barriers, building bridges". At a Monday May 13 press conference community organizers announced “Strategic Alliances” with civil society organizations, companies, embassies and government institutions to include the entire Panamanian family, announced on The Pride Week starts on Monday, June 24 and ends on Friday, June 28 with over two dozen educational , cultural business and social activities and the second Job Fair involving only companies with inclusive policies participate. respectful of people's sexual orientation and gender identity say the organizers. In 2019 there will also be the first festival of lesbian women: "LesboFest" in Casco Viejo and the illumination of the Monumental Hotel Concordia. At 4:00 p.m. on June 29 the "Pride March in Panama", will leave from Calle 12 in Casco Viejo to Plaza V Centenario https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-pride-week-breaking-barriers-building-bridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted June 3, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted June 3, 2019 Quote Gay Pride flag raising launches month-long festival Posted 02/06/2019 In the presence of ambassadors, diplomats, representatives of State entities and civil society organizations, the LGBTIQ flag was hoisted in Plaza Cinco de Mayo, in the capital city on Saturday, June 1 to launch World Pride Panama, and its Festival "Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges." Flag raisings took place in all provinces Panama City activities will culminate with a parade on June 29 in the Plaza V Centenario The flag is also flying at the residence of the British ambassador Damion Potter. The diplomat highlighted the struggle for equality, inclusion and against homophobia and racism and noted that there are 45 openly gay and bisexual members in the British Parliament reports Critica. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/gay-pride-flag-raising-launches-month-long-festival Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted June 30, 2019 Author Moderators Share Posted June 30, 2019 Quote Gay Pride packs streets of Casco Viejo Posted 29/06/2019 Hundreds of people, including embassies the first lady’s office the mayor’s office NGO’s human rights groups and government staff participated in Panama’s 15th Gay Pride Parade through the streets of Casco Viejo on Saturday afternoon June 29. The march, which this year is championed by television presenter Carolina Dementieva, started from 12th Street to Plaza Cincuentenario. The participants, who danced and sang and carried a huge multi-colored flag during the walk called for respect and defense of LBTG rights. They chanted that the march was not a party but a protest https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/gay-pride-packs-streets-of-casco-viejo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted May 31, 2020 Author Moderators Share Posted May 31, 2020 Quote 17 Grammy awards winner calls out equal marriage deniers Posted 30/05/2020 Panamanian singer-songwriter Rubén Blades defended equal marriage and applauded its implementation this week in Costa Rica, On his social networks, he said the denial of this right was completely out of date. “Denying that possibility violates the civil rights of those who wish to formalize their romantic relationship, to exercise the powers they possess as citizens and as individuals," he argued. The world celebrated artist. The marriage of people of the same sex entered into force on Tuesday in Costa Rica, making it the seventh American country to approve it and the first in Central America. "I congratulate Costa Rica for overcoming useless, indefensible prejudices for rational minds. And it is another 'ethical' example worth following, as is its recent inclusion in the prestigious OECD group" said the former Minister of Tourism in the Government of Martín Torrijos (2004-2009). He recalled that in Panama, equal marriage still "unleashes a shouting that, unfortunately, is not heard as a protest against the corruption and mediocrity that infects our institutions, and our society." Blades regretted that marches against the LPQD group are more popular than the demonstrations for "the absence of justice", and added as an example the Odebrecht scandal, the cases "against public officials accused of bribery, and injuries to the national treasury". Panama is between two countries (Costa Rica and Colombia) that legalized same-sex marriage, and must also "allow its legal existence in the Republic of Panama," said Blades the winner of 17 Grammy Awards. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/17-grammy-awards-winner-calls-out-equal-marriage-deniers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted October 17, 2020 Author Moderators Share Posted October 17, 2020 Quote Yes I Accept” recognition campaign for same-sex couples Posted 16/10/2020 A “Yes I Accept” campaign has been launched by Fundación Iguales, and other groups seeking the recognition of civil marriage for same-sex couples in Panama. According to the foundation, they seek to reflect real stories of same-sex couples, their families and friends to the general population. “The campaign speaks from the heart and promotes the values that unite us as a family and society. Most people in Panama have gay and lesbian friends, classmates, colleagues, or family. This campaign will seek to generate important conversations in the different communities in Panama. You don't have to be lesbian or gay to have the empathy to understand that no one should be treated differently because of who they are ”, said Iván Chanis Barahona, president of Fundación Iguales. On October 2, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) granted a hearing to Fundación Iguales, with the participation of other Panamanians, who await a ruling by the Supreme Court so that their rights may be recognized. Representatives of the Panamanian State, organized civil society, and commissioners of the IACHR were present at the hearing. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/yes-i-accept-recognition-campaign-for-same-sex-couples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted October 22, 2020 Author Moderators Share Posted October 22, 2020 Quote Pope’s support of gay unions poses challenge for Panama Catholics Pope Francis Posted 21/10/2020 The declaration by Pope Francis in support of civil union laws for same-sex couples, saying that homosexual people have the right to be with each other will pose a challenge for local followers who have demonstrated against same-sex marriage. “They are children of God and they have the right to have a family. No one can be thrown out of the family, nor can life be made impossible for that, ”Pope Francis is quoted in a new documentary. “What we have to have is a civil union law; in this way, they are legally protected ”. The comments, in stark contrast to the positions of his predecessors, are likely to provoke controversy among local Catholics. The pontiff spoke about same-sex civil unions during an interview with filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky for his documentary Francesco , which premiered in Rome on October 21. Before being elected pope, Francisco served as archbishop of Buenos Aires and, in that role, advocated for same-sex civil unions in an attempt to block a gay marriage law. However, as pope, he had never publicly spoken in favor of civil unions. The documentary narrates Pope Francis' approach to urgent social problems and pastoral ministry among those who live, in the words of the pontiff, "on the existential peripheries." https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/popes-support-of-gay-unions-poses-challenge-for-panama-catholics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted March 25, 2023 Moderators Share Posted March 25, 2023 Quote Supreme Court decision condemned by Human Rights body. Posted 24/03/2023 The IACHR called on all the States of the region to reform and harmonize their internal legislation to guarantee same-sex couples the same rights and regrets the decision of the Supreme Court of Panama (CSJ) that does not recognize the right to civil marriage between people of the same sex and urged the Panamanian State to guarantee the right to equality and not discriminate against diverse families in accordance with inter-American standards. This was reported on Friday, March 24, in a statement in Washington, by the advisory body of the Organization of American States (OAS), created to promote the observance and defense of human rights. In a majority ruling (8 to 1) on March 16, 2023, the CSJ declared that the phrases "between a man and a woman" and "persons of the same sex" contained in the Family Code are not unconstitutional. According to the IACHR, the decision negatively impacts the principle of equality and non-discrimination by excluding the possibility of same-sex marriages and the recognition of those celebrated abroad. Autonomous body The IACHR is a principal and autonomous body of the OAS, whose mandate stems from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights, both documents signed and ratified by Panama. The IACHR reminds the Panamanian State that, in accordance with Advisory Opinion 24-17 of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Court-IDH), the rights guaranteed to opposite-sex couples must also be extended and recognized to those made up of persons of the same sex, in the understanding that both family life and the right to marry are rights linked to the principle of dignity and free autonomy of people, as well as the right to form their life project without abusive interference from the State. In the ruling of the CSJ, with the exception of the opinion of judge Ángela Russo de Cedeño, the judges conclude that the defendant norms that prohibit people from marrying the same sex "are objectively and reasonably justified in the general interest to give precedence to those unions with the potential to establish families, give continuity to the human species and, therefore, to society”. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/supreme-court-decision-condemned-by-human-rights-body Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 1, 2023 Moderators Share Posted July 1, 2023 Quote Evangelicals file complaint about planned LBTQ+ wedding ceremony Posted 30/06/2023 The Attorney General, Javier Caraballo, said that the complaint filed by a representative of the Evangelical Church, against an alleged mass wedding between people of the same sex, is already advancing in the investigations of the case. Caraballo clarified that, although marriage between two people of the same sex is not classified as a crime in Panama, the complaint was handled by a specific prosecutor's office, which is responsible for carrying out the investigations. "We have received a complaint and every time the Public Ministry receives a complaint in a responsible manner, it has to carry out an investigation and that is what we are proceeding with," he said. The complaint was filed for the specific crime against the family, Article No. 209 and 210 of the Penal Code. The supposed massive wedding that would be in charge of a pastor this weekend had been announced on social networks. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/evangelicals-file-complaint-about-planned-lbtq-wedding-ceremony-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 1, 2023 Moderators Share Posted July 1, 2023 Quote Panama Pride wedding plans canceled following threats Posted 30/06/2023 Panama Pride - organizer of the commemorative activities of the LGBTIQ+ Pride Month in the country - reported that it suspended the first wedding for same-sex couples that would have taken place on Saturday, July 1, due to repeated hate messages and even threats from extremist groups. Through social networks, Franklyn Robinson, president of Panama Pride, shared the press release where he highlighted that "the attacks and threats show that Panamanian society is mostly homophobic, and that to reaffirm their harmful practices they use hate speech, misinformation, slander, and insult. "Our LGBTIQ population does not have laws that protect it and, on the other hand, the same institutions promote, from their roles, discrimination, and exclusion." “Unfortunately, this situation recently claimed another child victim who could not stand the social pressure that is generated against our diverse sex population. “At just 14 years old, school bullying led the boy to suicide, today was his burial and the last message to his grandmother was 'I love you very much, before taking his own life " Although the equal wedding was suspended, the Pride March will take place on Saturday, which will leave from the parking lots of the Cinta Costera, on 13th Street, Casco Antiguo. The wedding would have taken place at 9:00 am in San Ana and about 10 couples would have participated. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-pride-wedding-plans-canceled-following-threats-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 3, 2023 Moderators Share Posted July 3, 2023 Quote Panama Pride parties and calls for equal rights marriage Posted 02/07/2023 The Pride march promoted by the LGTBI+ community in Panama called on Saturday to respect the diversity of families, remembering that marriage between a man and a woman is not the only reality, demanding that a civil union between same-sex couples. Hundreds of people dressed in rainbows partied in Casco Viejo dressed in rainbows dancing and parading to the sound of music, traditional music pouring out of car speakers. "It is a moment of celebration, of being able to be free, of being able to walk in the streets, to exercise our right to free movement, freedom of association, freedom of expression, non-discrimination," The president of Fundación Iguales, Iván Chanis, told EFE. Fundación Iguales is one of the Panamanian organizations participating in the march organized by World Pride, and aware that the parade is also "a political moment", repeated the motto they have raised in recent years: "We are all family.", the activist recalled the "so untraditional reality" in Panama, where among births in the country, 87.8% occur between unmarried parents, for what “it is important to have this conversation about the concept of families”. Chanis explained that although they have "every day greater social support, Panama is stuck, in the generation of public policies, laws, and political decisions, because at the end of the day, there is the will of the decision-makers or with political power to do the right thing, and to do the right thing is to strengthen democracy while respecting human rights”. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-pride-parties-and-calls-for-equal-rights-marriage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted August 21, 2023 Moderators Share Posted August 21, 2023 Quote Savage beating of trans woman highlights rising violence A vigil was held at the Juan Pablo II center to demand justice for Estrella and pray for her health. Posted 20/08/2023 Panama witnessed a hate crime Wednesday, August 16, when a video circulated of an irate man savingly beating a woman in the middle of the street, while shouting insults reports La Prensa. The victim is Estrella, a 27-year-old trans woman, who recently moved to the capital, is now in the intensive care room of the Santo Tomás Hospital, while her family, friends, human rights defenders, and members of the LGTB+ community demand, once again, that the authorities put a stop to the growing phenomenon of violence in the country. Day by day more acts of violence are seen in the streets recorded by citizens with their cell phones or by surveillance cameras. On Friday, the same day that hundreds of citizens marched to Santo Tomás to hold a vigil and demand justice for Estrella, a court in Chiriquí sentenced a former priest to 30 years in prison for aggravated rape, obscene exhibitionism and acts libidinous to the detriment of a 5-year-old child. In Panama, the most common cases of violence are domestic. So far in 2023, the Public Ministry has registered 13,910 cases of domestic violence. In five years, between 2018 and 2022, the cases went from 18,611 to 22,602. The figure includes cases against minors and older adults. These cases are those that are presented before the Public Ministry. There are many others that do not reach the judicial spheres, especially those that occur in the intra-family sphere. cases went from 439 in 2018 to 501 last year. In the first six months of 2023, 323 homicides have been registered. According to a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO), States do not always have a clear definition of this problem, which is public health. the agency, rules change over time and not everyone agrees on what is acceptable behavior or what can be considered harmful. Drug trafficking Public Security Minister of Public Security, Juan Pino, has insisted in repeated interviews that the phenomenon of violence, particularly in relation to homicides and the perception of insecurity, is related to drug trafficking. “There is no insecurity in the country, but there is a problem with rival gangs that fight over drugs. Since they have fractured, the fight is over the territory and the sale of illicit substances, ”he says. He insists that 80% of the crimes registered in the country are related to drug trafficking. The University of Panama, sociologist Briseida Barrantes, says that violence in Panama is related to the structure of power within society: there is "a patriarchal vision of male dominance." She adds that as society advances, more security and justice are required to avoid discrimination, and this also creates contradictions. Misinformation She says that although social networks can help make the problem visible by raising awareness they also cause a lot of misinformation, promoted especially by groups that refuse to recognize some realities. She recalled that the authorities, who are obliged to prevent and curb violence by the Constitution and the law, have ratified various agreements against violence. In 2019 the International Labor Organization addressed harassment in the workplace as a form of violence. “Violence is a vicious triangle. It can be visible or invisible, reflected in the social and cultural structure,” added Barrantes. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/savage-beating-of-trans-woman-highlights-rising-violence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted June 30 Moderators Share Posted June 30 Quote Panama's LGBT Community Celebrates Posted 30/06/2024 Panama's LGBT community celebrated Saturday with its participation in the Pride march, having made progress in conquering political and democratic spaces to gain visibility and demand their rights. Although Panama is one of the few countries in the hemisphere where "no rights" are recognized for LGBT people, this movement has made great progress in terms of political participation and demands for democratic spaces in the Central American country. Peaceful activists tested this theory on Saturday, June 29, walking freely through the streets of Panama City, shouting “here we are, we are visible, we deserve human rights just like everyone else!” The march was organized by World Pride, and began from one of the sectors near the Cinta Costera tourist promenade, towards the Old Town of the city. The route had a marked festive tone, bringing together hundreds of members of the various LGBT groups. At the beginning of 2023, the LGBT community in Panama suffered a setback when the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) closed the door to equal marriage. The Panamanian Supreme Court concluded that it "does not have the status" of a human right, after ruling against lawsuits filed since 2016, which prevented the recognition of several cases of same-sex unions celebrated abroad. Rather than weakening them, this adverse ruling "invigorates" the LGBT community, it has mobilized many people who did not see this as a political issue for them and assumed it as a distant issue when they saw that the CSJ does not respect human rights, does not respect international law, nor the dignity of the people who live in Panama. Many more people have become aware and have joined the movement demanding rights for LGBT people. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panamas-lgbt-community-celebrates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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