Panama Hosts the Seventh Summit of the Organization of American States

http://cumbredelasamericas.pa/

April 10^th and 11^th are the dates of the Cumbre de las Americas in Panama City.  Thirty five heads of state are expected to participate, including Raul Castro of Cuba and Barack Obama of the United States. Their attendance is being seen as an historic first attempt at normalizing relations between the two countries. Also expected to be present is Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, who has been actively campaigning against the US president and vows to present Mr. Obama with a petition signed by 8-10 million people requesting that Mr. Obama repeal his March 9^th decree naming Venezuela as an unusual threat to USA security and foreign policy.

Panama is going all out with security and hospitality measures.  President Juan Carlos Varela has declared both the 10^th and 11^th of April as government holidays in order to decrease traffic congestion in the capital city and to facilitate travel for summit participants. 

Four days ago the AAC (Autoridad de Aeronáutica Civil) held a press conference to announce the prohibition of the use of drones in Panama.  The measure is in effect from April 5^th to April 13^th,  to avoid any mishaps or setbacks in aerial travel for those coming to the Summit.  Heavy fines of $50,000 will be levied against any person or agency not heeding the restriction.  There is to be a post-event conference involving those entities that use drones for the purpose of establishing norms and routes for modern-world usage of these devices in Panama.

The municipality of Panama City has also issued Decree 18-2015 that establishes civil restrictions against immoral or unbecoming conduct, bearing firearms, wearing “any article that totally or partially covers the face of an individual,” creating noise or any type of scandal that infringes on the provisions of Agreement 141 established on 9/23/14, and prohibits street marketing and hawking in the metro areas of Calidonia, Bella Vista, and San Francisco. 

Legal inspectors, district council persons, and municipal guards have been granted additional authority to facilitate their being able to remove vehicles and similar abandoned properties compromising the designated perimeters along public thoroughfares to the Cumbre de las Americas. Agreement 138 of 9/9/14 is identified as the legal recourse for this. Other provisions allow for the areas of Bella Vista, Calidonia, Parque LeFevre, San Felipe and San Francisco to take prompt action against any administrative offense occurring in the area where the Summit takes place.  Fines for infingements can range from $50 to $1000.

And then, today, the Metro bus drivers in Panama City initiated an illegal and unjustified work stoppage, blocking the exit of public buses from the barn and leaving millions of workers stranded/unable to get to work.  The bus drivers were protesting the delay in payments they should have received from the company Mi Bus, which failed miserably at providing public transportation and employee compensation during the Martinelli years.  The company is being acquired by the Panamanian government and President Varela has agreed to compensate the drivers for lost wages despite a lack of legal responsibility to do so.   The militant drivers who staged the protest, refusing to give way for buses to leave the barn,  threw rocks at the police and eventually were forcibly removed.  Several of the leaders admitted they hadn’t read the contractual agreements regarding payment of lost wages and apparently had to be informed of their illegal actions.  They have since agreed to ongoing dialogue.  The controversy exists because the government cannot compensate these workers until it actually acquires the Mi Bus enterprise. The take over hasn’t yet concluded.

The latest announcements today are that the strike has been lifted.  Several government agencies have employees trained in the operation of the buses should additional personnel be required to maintain the operation of public transportation in the coming days. 

New Political Unrest in Panama---This Time in Colon

In record time today, the Panamanian National Assembly approved Bill 529 and sanctioned Law 72 of  October 19, 2012, allowing for the sale of public lands in the Colon Free Zone.  The controversial project also contemplates the sale of some adjacent land, outside the free zone, under certain restrictions.  Apparently in the third and final National Assembly debate, there were 41 votes in favor and only 4 opposed.  President Ricardo Martinelli has been in favor of the measure since its introduction.  He expressed his opinion that opponents of the measure are posturing for purely political reasons and are unpatriotic; ie people who "do not love their country".   He argues that currently the lands are generating little rental income and the sale of them to business enterprises to allow for improvements will actually bring better revenue.  It is estimated the income from the sale of the lands will  provide around $ 100 million annually and the current plan is for  $ 35 million of that income to be invested to solve social problems specifically for Colon,  thus making the initiative "good for Colon".   

 

President Martinelli is also citing a particular "foreigner" as the impetus behind the current protests against the law, and reports that it is only a small group protesting.  The administration is vowing to start an investigation process against that person, alleging him  to have serious legal problems regarding his nationalization. The President is saying that the sale of the lands in the Colon Free Zone is supported by all the people of the business class of the province.

 

Today, two Panamanian attorneys appealed to the Human Rights Commission of the Organization of American States (OEA) to assure the life, physical integrity, personal security, and human and procedural rights of attorney Walid Saied, who is accused by President Martinelli of financing the opposition efforts of the Colon community against the sale of the free zone lands.   President Martinelli reportedly told journalists for the local newstation TVN 2 that attorney Saied is of Palenstinian nationality and entered the country under fraudulent means. The President is pushing for expedient deportation and revocation of nationalization for this individual.

 

The oppositional activities carried out in the region last night and today were sufficient to result in road barricades and closures, destruction of businesses and properties, burning tires and vandalism, and injuries to 16 people, six of whom suffered gunshot wounds. One death occurred, of a nine-year old child, from three gunshot wounds. Tear gas and pepper spray were also used for riot control.

 

Law students of the University of Panama also vocalized protests and demonstrated, but stressed peaceful opposition. 

 

The US embassy has issued warnings to US citizens to avoid travel into the city of Colon, as well as the province for the coming days.

 

It will be interesting to follow the accusations against attorney Saied as well and observe the outcome of the protests against Law 72.

More Panama City Photos

The first photo above is of El Cangrejo by day, taken from the same rooftop as previously.  The second photo is of the F & F Tower, an office building named after the real estate developer,  F & F Properties.  It previously was known as Revolution Tower, but the name has since been changed.  The architect is Pinzon Lozano.  It has 45 floors beneath the spire containing office suites of varying square footage.  Apparently the base of the tower is a regular-looking building not so much to the liking of many Panamanians.   Thinking that the next time I find myself in PC with time on my hands I may try to visit and see what I can see.  Here's a photo taken from the realtor's website.  Apparently there are a total of 52 floors, counting the base.