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Panama News Briefs
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Alleged drug lord nabbed here, sent to US
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FARC leader's bust in Ecuador and what it means for Panama
   
   
Panama News Briefs
Court: statute of limitations doesn’t apply to murders
The Supreme Court, in an opinion by presiding magistrate César Pereira Burgos, has rejected defense and prosecution arguments that those who killed labor activist José del Carmen Tuñón in the old Carcel Modelo back in 1969 are protected by the statute of limitation. The ruling sets the precedent to re-open all of the disappearances and political murders that took place under the former dictatorship, but Attorney General José Antonio Sossa is resisting the Truth Commission’s calls for the opening of investigations in about 70 such cases.
Entire court to hear suit to remove Weeden
The lawsuit brought by Attorney General José Antonio Sossa to remove Comptroller General Alvin Weeden from office for exceeding his authority by investigating apparent kickbacks and conflict of interest involving former President Ernesto Pérez Balladares and a company that his administration contracted to maintain the nation’s buoys and lighthouses will be heard by all nine members of the high court. There are several cases arising from the scandal, with conflicting decisions by the court’s different benches. Sossa was appointed by Pérez Balladares with a mandate to “end judicial terrorism” against politicians, but a series of documents released by Weeden appear to show that Toro received a part of the proceeds of the buoy and lighthouse maintenance business, and on the basis of that one bench of the court voided the contract. However, another of the court’s benches ordered Weeden to stop his investigation.
Environmental impact study for controversial road
DAF Consulting, SA, which was hired by the Constructora Urbana SA (CUSA) construction firm to do the environmental impact study for the proposed Boquete - Cerro Punta road through the Volcan Baru National Park, has completed that study and delivered it to the National Environmental Authority (ANAM). DAF maintains that the project would deforest about 4.5 hectares and fell 971 trees, create a barrier for wildlife migrations and cause silt runoffs into the Caldera River. Public hearings will be necessary if the environmental laws are to be followed in the case. President Moscoso maintains that since the study by the company hired by the company she hired to build the road didn’t say that the road shouldn’t be built, the project will proceed, but she allows for possible modifications to mitigate environmental damages. Meanwhile the Panamanian Chamber of Environmental Consulting Enterprises (CAPECA), the industry association for companies that do such studies --- to which DAF belongs --- blasted ANAM’s perfunctory two-day consideration of the study and called for a “transparent, objective and impartial evaluation,” which it alleges has not happened in this case.
Immigration fingerprinting visitors
Panamanian immigration officers are now fingerprinting all foreigners who come into Tocumen Airport, whether they are coming to visit Panama or just passing through. Like the United States, which also has adopted similar measures, it seems that this country is looking for Osama bin Laden’s minions.
IAPA complains of restrictions on court reporting
The Inter-American Press Association has expressed its concerns about the order by Supreme Court Presiding Magistrate César Pereira Burgos that limits journalists who can cover the Panamanian courts to one reporter per news organization. The hemispheric group, which more or less represents the managements of major news organizations, said it was a matter of Pereira Burgos taking reprisals for some reporting that he didn’t like.
Bishops: campaign contributors must reveal themselves
The Panamanian Episcopal Conference, which is composed of the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops, has called on the contributors to political campaigns to show the public “courtesy and respect” and reveal their identities. Under Panamanian law campaign donations may be secret, and Solidaridad presidential candidate Guillermo Endara has declined to reveal the identities of his supporters because he says that they would face the possibility of retaliation if that is done. The nation’s election laws were revised last year and all parties agreed to strike a contribution disclosure provision from the package of proposed changes. The front-runner in the presidential race, Martín Torrijos, has nevertheless vowed to publish the identities of those who contribute to his campaign and the amounts that they gave.
April trial for Briceño
La Prensa cartoonist Julio Briceño will face a two-year prison term in an April 22 trial for a cartoon that he drew in 2001, which lampooned the PRD-Christian Democrat alliance by showing Christian Democratic Party (now Partido Popular) leader Ricardo Arias Calderón walking arm-in-arm with the Grim Reaper. The cartoon may be seen on the La Prensa website, in the archives at the opinion section of the December 30, 2001 edition. Arias Calderón is alleging criminal defamation and prior court decisions have effectively held that all satire about political figures is a crime in Panama. Reporters Without Borders and other human rights groups have denounced the upcoming trial, which will be held before the 11th Circuit Court.
Otto Reich visits here
US special envoy for Latin American affairs Otto Reich came here on January 17 for a one-week official visit, in which he will meet with the four presidential candidates, business groups and various government leaders to talk about a free trade agreement with the United States, corruption in Panama and other subjects.
Youth killed, cop wounded in Veraguas police sweep
Eighteen-year-old Erick Rodríguez was shot three times and killed and National Police Sergeant Ismael Aguilar was shot in the groin in an incident that took place during an early morning police sweep through Santiago on January 11. Police say that the youth was asked for his ID and instead pulled out a .38 revolver and attempted to flee. In what was described as a shootout, Rodríguez was shot in the back, chest and arm. The policeman underwent surgery to remove the bullet, which lodged in his thigh, and is expected to recover from his wound.
241 houses to be demolished due to Christmas quake
The Housing Ministry has announced that of the more than 500 Puerto Armuelles houses damaged in the earthquake that shook the area in the pre-dawn hours of Christmas day, 241 will have to be demolished. Housing Minister Miguel Cárdenas says that new houses built in the area will have to meet stricter earthquake resistance standards.
It’s official: Jované’s fired
What’s one more irregularity? On January 6, a day after the deadline for a ruling on former Social Security director Juan Jované’s appeal of his removal, President Moscoso served official notice that he was fired. Now Jované, who was originally removed at a Social Security Fund board of directors meeting called for something else --- which violates the law’s notice requirements --- will take his appeal to court. The University of Panama economics professor is not going to get his old job at Seguro back, but he has a reasonably good chance of winning some back pay for being fired in violation of procedures that are set forth by law.
But what does she do?
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