By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Today, 9 January 2012, is Martyr's Day in Panama City, a national holiday and another three day weekend for Panamanians. All government offices and schools are closed, as well as many businesses. The malls are open, some restaurants, grocery stores, stuff like that. There's a "dry law" in effect today so you can't buy booze or beer. Traffic in Panama City is very light to non-existent. Right now everyone is driving back to Panama City from the beaches and the interior, so expect much heavier than normal traffic on the Inter American Highway from Coronado back to the city. I took a "lazy morning" off today. Slept in later than normal. Had two cups of coffee instead of one. Helped my daughter and showed her how to bowl on the new Wii she got for Christmas (she beat me by the second game.) Then I bopped over to the NY Bagel Bakery for an early afternoon breakfast before heading in to the office to get some work done. Still basking in the afterglow of the NY Giants win over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Wildcard Game yesterday. Next up is Green Bay, on the road in Wisconsin - a tough game but I think they're more scared of us than we are of them, so that's a good thing. My parents tell me it's "warmed up" to the mid-40's in New York, while here in Panama we are now in full swing dry season, temps in the mid 80's, no rain, low humidity, blue skies with those white puffy clouds. I hope ya'll enjoy your Panamanian "summer" - the nicest time of the year.

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Monday, 9 January 2012, is a national holiday in Panama in commemoration of Martyr's Day. All government offices and schools will be closed. From Wikipedia: "Martyrs' Day is a Panamanian holiday which commemorates the January 9, 1964 riots over sovereignty of the Panama Canal Zone. The riot started after a Panamanian flag was torn during conflict between Panamanian students and Canal Zone Police officers, over the right of the Panamanian flag to be flown alongside the U.S. flag. U.S. Army units became involved in suppressing the violence after Canal Zone police were overwhelmed, and after three days of fighting, about 21 Panamanians and four U.S. soldiers were killed. The incident is considered to be a significant factor in the U.S. decision to transfer control of the Canal Zone to Panama through the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties."

Copyright 2012 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Did you fall for it? Today - 28 December - is known locally as the "Día de los Santos Inocentes" (the Day of the Innocent Saints). The Massacre of the Innocents is an episode of infanticide by the king of Iudaea Province, Herod the Great. According to the Gospel of Matthew Herod ordered the execution of all young male children in the village of Bethlehem, so as to avoid the loss of his throne to a newborn King of the Jews whose birth had been announced to him by the Magi. In Panama and most of Latin America this day is a sort of equivalent to our April Fool's Day - during which pranks and jokes are played to fool the "innocents." So this is a Christian day of celebration of the Massacre of the Innocents. The Christian celebration is a holiday in its own right, a religious one, but the tradition of pranks is not, though the latter is observed yearly. All of the Panamanian news outlets have been running their jokes - in the Panama America newspaper there's an article about how supposedly Justin Bieber and Selena Gómez are in Panama to celebrate the New Year, and yesterday they were seen walking through a shopping mall. Then at the end of the article appears "ˇFeliz Día de los Santos Inocentes!"

Copyright 2011 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

Hundreds of deaths, people missing and a neighborhood destroyed were some of the scenarios experienced on 20 December 1989, exactly 22 years ago, when U.S. troops invaded Panama in an operation called "Just Cause", to capture one man, Manuel Antonio Noriega, then the de facto ruler. The images of that date show the destruction and fire, and a town that was subject to the military might of a first world power. The residents of the neighborhood of El Chorrillo, the area that was destroyed more than any other point in Panama, since then and still today they say they are "prohibited to forget" - referring to wounds that never quite heal, while others are still wondering where are their missing relatives. (Estrella)

Editor's Comment: I wish in Panama the people here would finally get around to blaming Noriega for the invasion. Noriega was given ample opportunities to step down in the months leading up to the Just Cause invasion. If he had gotten on a plane and left the country in the middle of the night, the end result would have been the same, a return to civilian rule and democracy in Panama. However because of his stubbornness and willingness to sacrifice the lives of others for his selfish ends, many people died unnecessarily. Even this article says the object of the invasion was to "capture one man" when that is not the truth. I love the idea that Panamanians should "never forget" the invasion. However it would be nice if the Panamanian media would "spin" the history a little more towards the truth, and less towards blaming the United States for everything that happened. And as far as the destruction by fire of the neighborhood of El Chorrillo - I saw with my own eyes video of neighborhood residents passing burning material from one house to another to spread the flames. At that time El Chorrillo was a slum of mostly wooden shacks. Some people apparently saw the invasion and fire as an opportunity to maybe get something better, but that would only happen if their current little wooden slum shack was burned to the ground. There's no doubt the fire was started due to the invasion and the fighting around the Commandancia, and there's also no doubt the flames were spread by the Panamanians themselves. The primary objectives of Operation Just Cause were;

• Safeguarding the lives of U.S. citizens in Panama. In his statement, Bush claimed that Noriega had declared that a state of war existed between the United States and Panama and that he also threatened the lives of the approximately 35,000 US citizens living there. There had been numerous clashes between U.S. and Panamanian forces; one US Marine had been killed a few days earlier and several incidents of harassment of US citizens had taken place.

• Defending democracy and human rights in Panama. In 1988 the Panamanian people voted and elected Guillermo Endara as their president. Noriega simply annulled the results of that election and remained in power. The invasion did, in fact, restore democracy to Panama and ended the 21 year military dictatorship.

• Combating drug trafficking. Panama had become a center for drug money laundering and a transit point for drug trafficking to the United States and Europe. And what's worse, the drugs were being trafficked by none other than Manual Antonio Noriega himself. De facto military dictator, and a country being run by a drug trafficker, money launderer, and murderer. Yeah, time to put a stop to that crap.

• Protecting the integrity of the Torrijos–Carter Treaties. Members of Congress and others in the U.S. political establishment claimed that Noriega threatened the neutrality of the Panama Canal and that the United States had the right under the treaties to intervene militarily to protect the Panama canal. Prior to the invasion Noriega had declared war on the United States. He was clearly a threat to the Panama Canal as well.

The following is a list of names of U.S. service members who were killed in Panama while participating in the U.S. military operation "Just Cause" in December 1989. Another 325 military personnel were wounded in action;

• Staff Sgt. Larry Barnard - 3/75th Rangers Hallstead, Pa.
• Pfc. Roy D. Brown Jr. - 3/75th Rangers Buena Park, Calif.
• Pvt. Vance T. Coats - 82nd Airborne Division Great Falls, Mont.
• Spec. Jerry S. Daves - 82nd Airborne. Division North Carolina
• Sgt. Michael A. Deblois - 82nd Airborne Division Dubach, La.
• Pfc. Martin D. Denson - 82nd Airborne Division Abilene, Texas
• Pfc. William D. Gibbs - 7th Infantry Division. Marina, Calif.
• Spec. Phillip S. Lear - 2/75th Rangers Westminster, S.C.
• Spec. Alejandro Manriquelozano* - 82nd Airborne Division Lauderhill, Fla.
• Pfc. James W. Markwell - 1/75th Rangers Cincinnati, Ohio
• Cpl. Ivan M. Perez - 5th Infantry Division Pawtucket, R.I.
• Pfc. John M. Price - 2/75th Rangers Conover, Wis.
• Pfc. Scott L. Roth - 89th Military Police Brigade Killeen, Texas
• Pvt. Kenneth D. Scott - 5th Infantry Division Princeton, W.Va.
• 1st Lt. John R. Hunter - 160th Aviation Victor, Montana
• CWO2 Wilson B. Owens - 160th Aviation Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• CWO2 Andrew P. Porter - 7th Infantry Division Saint Clair, Mich.
• Pvt. James A. Taber Jr. - 82nd Airborne Division Montrose, Colo.
• Lt. j.g. John Connors - Special Warfare Group Arlington, Maine
• BM1 Chris Tilghman - Special Warfare Group Kailua, Hawaii
• ENC Donald McFaul - Special Warfare Group Deschutes, Ore.
• TM2 Issac G. Rodriguez III - Special Warfare Group Missouri City, Texas
• Cpl. Garreth C. Isaak - 2nd Marine Division Greenville, S.C.

   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Tomorrow marks the 22nd anniversary of Operation Just Cause - the US military invasion of Panama to overthrow the former dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega. Many of the old wounds created among the Panamanian people during the 21 years of the military dictatorship have been reopened by the recent extradition of Manual Antonio Noriega from Paris to Panama. And believe it or not, there are still some pro-Noriega extremists out there who continue to support him. These people blame the government of the United States for the deaths caused during the Just Cause invasion - and not Noriega himself who could have avoided all bloodshed if he would have simply stepped down from power and gone off to live out the rest of his life on an island in the Caribbean somewhere.

American Murdered In Terrorist Attack: Remember - there is an open indictment for murder against the former President of the National Assembly of Panama Pedro Miguel Gonzalez. He has been charged in the United States for having shot and killed US Army Sergeant Zak Hernandez on 10 June 1992 in protest over a scheduled visit to Panama by US President George H. W. Bush. Pedro Miguel Gonzalez is still wanted in the United States as a terrorist - because Zak Hernandez was killed in protest against Bush and Just Cause - he was murdered simply because he was an American soldier in uniform. Anyway, it's always a good idea for members of the community of English speaking expatriates in the Republic of Panama from the United States to keep a lower than normal profile on 20 December every year. And this year due to Noriega's recent return it's an even better idea. And I have no idea why the US Embassy hasn't issued a "keep your head down" warning message to the community. Maybe they forgot. Or maybe they issued it, and didn't send it to me. Whatever. Just be smart and safe out there.

Copyright 2011 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

Victims of the regime of General Omar Torrijos Herrera (1968-1981) have prepared a criminal complaint that they will present to the Attorney General for these acts. At 11:00 am in the office of the former Vice Minister of Government Alejandro Perez, located on Via Espańa, there will be a press conference on Tuesday, 20 December, during which those who were affected by the dictatorship of Omar Torrijos will offer their statements to the country. It's the same day that commemorates the U.S. invasion of Panama on December 20, 1989, to overthrow the dictatorship of Manuel Antonio Noriega during which Panamanians, specifically the neighborhood of El Chorrillo, were killed. Speaking to La Estrella, Perez said there is much talk about the dictatorship of Noriega, who is currently imprisoned in El Renacer prison since Sunday December 11, 2011 after being extradited from France, and little is said about those who were tortured "during the dictatorship of Torrijos." The former Vice Minister said Guillermo Rola Pimental and Abraham Crócamo will be at the press conference.

The Constitution of 1972 names Torrijos as the "Maximum Leader of the Panamanian Revolution." Torrijos died at age 52 when his plane, a DeHavilland Twin Otter (DHC-6) of the Panamanian Air Force, mysteriously exploded in flight on 31 July 1981, and then began the Noriega regime. The Report of the Truth Commission, submitted in April 2002 revealed that during the years of dictatorship at least 110 people went missing or were murdered. (Estrella)

Editor's Comment: Good point. To this very day the PRD leadership openly support the ideals of Omar Torrijos. In their eyes Torrijos was the "good" dictator while Noriega was the "bad" dictator. But in reality many people were also killed and tortured while Omar Torrijos was in charge of the country.   

A number ending in "666" was drawn as the first prize of the Special Drawing of the National Lottery on Sunday, prompting speculation from some who say it's a sign of the coming of the end of the world, and others who say it's related to the return of the former military dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega to Panama. As we know the 666 is a Biblical number associated with the evil Satan. The expert in predictions Makumbero did not rule out that with Noriega in prison the number 666 came out as in indication that everything that was bad in Panama is in the past and we should be preparing to receive a 2012 full of blessings, happiness and prosperity. "It's a message that everything negative is behind us," he said, but it also show that sometimes evil brings good, for the people who bought the right lottery number. "El Makumbero," who offers his predictions through the pages of the El Siglo newspaper, urged people to have a positive mind and not allow themselves to receive suggestions through this type of number associated with evil, but rather to believe more in a spirit of strength and positivity. The evangelical pastor Albin Garcia said the satanic number 666 is a contrast to 7, meaning fullness. He referred to Revelation 13:18: "Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666." For the pastor of the church Peace to You, all who in recent times are not marked with 666 live with great difficulty, because the strength of the Antichrist wants to affect. He recalled that 666 is the number of the Antichrist, who will try to impose evil, greed and sin over believers of a saving God. He noted that the message to men is to change their way of life, and prepare for the coming of the Lord. (Siglo)

Editor's Comment: Last weekend, on Sunday when Manuel Antonio Noriega was flown from Paris to Panama, the number "89" played in the lottery. Many people noticed this was the same year - 1989 - that Noriega was removed from power in Panama. And now this very next weekend "666" plays in the lottery? Panamanians are generally very superstitious people - and this one was just too much. "89" when he's on the plane, "666" once he's on the ground. And remember Noriega was famous for being involved in witchcraft and sorcery. Here in Panama they call it "brujeria" (witchcraft) or sometimes "Santería" - a type of Afro Caribbean magic. During the US invasion of Panama I went into one of Noriega's headquarters on Amador and there we found an altar with fresh animal blood and other evidence. "The book was discovered when U.S. troops raided a house used by Noriega for black-magic rituals. Evidence indicated that Oliveira, the latest of several witches employed by Noriega over the years, had fled minutes before U.S. troops arrived. Inside they found burning cigarettes, lit candles and Oliveira's purse. Also found in the two-story building, situated on the joint U.S.-Panamanian military base of Fort Amador and dubbed the ``witch house'' by U.S. forces, were belongings of Oliveira and her husband and a son, including her son's birth certificate. The papers and photos Oliveira left behind show her as a plump, dark-skinned 27-year-old woman from Rio de Janeiro. Several books in Portuguese on Candomble - a Brazilian religion similar to, but not the same as, voodoo - were left behind, along with her personal manual, titled ``Exu,'' on magic rites and spells. ``Exu,'' meaning ``the devil,'' must be propitiated at the start of Candomble ceremonies so he will not disrupt the rites, the religion's adherents believe." "U.S. investigators say they have found items used in occult rituals at five places frequented by Noriega, including the home where his wife and children lived and his main office. Discovered in his office desk were photographs of unidentified murder victims, including some whose bodies had been mutilated. Most of Noriega's religious items are associated with Candomble, a synthesis of Roman Catholicism and African tribal beliefs in which gods and saints are propitiated with ritual offerings. But other objects showed that Noriega also practiced a ``malevolent'' form of the religion involving ``diabolical'' spells, Dibble said. Most puzzling, he said, was the discovery of two items associated with Palo Mayombe, a religion that requires the use of human bones and body parts, especially skulls and brains. Palo Mayombe is based on the belief that spirits can be created from dead people and then invoked for assistance and protection, said Dibble, who advises U.S. law-enforcement agencies on ``cults and deviant movements.'' He said many Latin American drug traffickers adhere to the sect. Among the objects found at Noriega's ``witch house'' was a rock covered with Palo Mayombe markings. Under it was a list of two dozen enemies including the ``Spadafora family.'' Indications that Noriega may have followed Palo Mayombe are considered inconclusive."   

Remains of bodies, weapons, tools and pieces of gold, whose antiquity dates between 700 and 1,000 years were found in the Archaeological Park of El Cańo de Nata, in the province of Cocle. The Panamanian archaeologist Julia Mayo revealed that these bodies may be part of a 'pre-Columbian cemetery' where they buried people of high rank. Mayo, who heads a group of scientists consisting of 30 specialists, said she found six tombs, of which excavations have been done in four. The excavations started in 2006 in an area of ​​about 5,000 square meters, but the first archaeological finds of bodies and parts were found between 2008 and 2009, when the first discoveries were reported. According to Mayo, who is associated with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) they have found at least 25 bodies, presumably corresponding to 'persons of high rank." "We knew we had something big on our hands for the lectures and documentaries that have been done on similar sites like Sitio Conte," said the specialist.

DETAILS OF FINDINGS - These bodies were found buried in a tomb measuring 5 meters long by 3.5 meters wide, and one of them is presumed to belong to a great lord or chief, as he was found covered with pieces of gold and copper, with pieces made from animal bones. She explained that in 2009, one of the first findings the archaeologists presented was the burial of a little baby in an outfit of a person with high rank. The archaeological team said the bodies they have found have no relation either to the Mayan culture nor with the Incas. For Mayo, the community where they made the discovery would probably have had no more than 2,000 people. El Cańo de Natá was perhaps in the past an area where economic, social, political and ceremonial aspects of ancient civilizations were coordinated.

The Editor of the National Geographic for Latin America, Omar Lopez, described the discovery as the result of a "love of archeology" in Mayo and "a big mouthful of luck and intelligence." He said the find will be the cover story of the magazine, Spanish edition, January 2012, and the article name is: "The Golden Lords of Panama." Lopez foreshadowed that the issue "will be historic," because of the content of the article and the photos, the fruit of six years of research. The study, costing about $400,000, are also supported by the STRI, the Fundación El Cańo, and by the Spanish universities of Santiago de Compostela, Complutense and Granada and the Museum Conservation Institute of the Smithsonian Institute. (Siglo)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - During the month of November to the outsider it sometimes seems Panamanians are celebrating one kind of Independence Day or another, all month long. On this date, 28 November 1821, Panama formalized its Independence from Spain, and became part of Gran Colombia, which at the time was comprised of both present day Colombia and Venezuela. Separatists in the interior province of Los Santos basically sort of "jumped the gun" and declared the country's independence on 10 November 1821, known locally as the "primer grito" (first shout) for Independence. Then 18 days later the move was formalized in Panama City. At the time Panamanians actually considered whether they should unite themselves with possibly Peru or Mexico, but finally they settled on becoming part of "Gran Colombia." Today is a national holiday in Panama. Panama City is a ghost town as many people head to the interior of the country for the beaches, and some hop on airplanes to go on vacation. The following history comes from Panama: A Country Study:

• Independence from Spain

• Lacking communication except by sea, which the Spanish generally controlled, Panama remained aloof from the early efforts of the Spanish colonies to separate from Spain. Revolutionaries of other colonies, however, did not hesitate to use Panama's strategic potential as a pawn in revolutionary maneuvers. General Francisco Miranda of Venezuela, who had been attracting support for revolutionary activities as early as 1797, offered a canal concession to Britain in return for aid. Thomas Jefferson, while minister to France, also showed interest in a canal, but the isolationist policies of the new United States and the absorption of energies and capital in continental expansion prevented serious consideration.

• Patriots from Cartagena attempted to take Portobelo in 1814 and again in 1819, and a naval effort from liberated Chile succeeded in capturing the island of Taboga in the Bay of Panama. Panama's first act of separation from Spain came without violence. When Simón Bolívar's victory at Boyacá on August 7, 1819, clinched the liberation of New Granada, the Spanish viceroy fled Colombia for Panama, where he ruled harshly until his death in 1821. His replacement in Panama, a liberal constitutionalist, permitted a free press and the formation of patriotic associations. Raising troops locally, he soon sailed for Ecuador, leaving a native Panamanian, Colonel Edwin Fábrega, as acting governor.

• Panama City immediately initiated plans to declare independence, but the city of Los Santos preempted the move by proclaiming freedom from Spain on November 10, 1821. This act precipitated a meeting in Panama City on November 28, which is celebrated as the official date of independence. Considerable discussion followed as to whether Panama should remain part of Colombia (then comprising both the present-day country and Venezuela) or unite with Peru. The bishop of Panama, a native Peruvian who realized the commercial ties that could be developed with his country, argued for the latter solution but was voted down. A third possible course of action, a union with Mexico proposed by emissaries of that country, was rejected.

• Panama thus became part of Colombia, then governed under the 1821 Constitution of Cúcuta, and was designated a department with two provinces, Panamá and Veraguas. With the addition of Ecuador to the liberated area, the whole country became known as Gran Colombia. Panama sent a force of 700 men to join Bolívar in Peru, where the war of liberation continued.

Copyright 2011 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.   

#Panama - Hundreds of parishioners and devotees of "El Naza" have gathered today at the San Francisco de Asís church in Portobelo to thank the saint for favors received. Men, women and children from all social extracts walk long miles of road and make sacrifices to comply with promises made to the Black Christ of Portobelo. The church is crowded with people who come to give thanks and to say a prayer before the image of the Cristo Nazareno de Portobelo. The National Police and other security sectors are monitoring the religious festival to ensure it develops in an order manner, with religious fervor. In the evening hours there will be a procession that marks the climax with this great saint and where all shout "Viva, El Naza!" (Critica)

Editor's Comment: Today is 21 October, and every year on this day thousands of people make their way to Portobelo to participate in this event. Here in Panama many people believe this statue of the "Black Christ of Portobelo" has special powers to grant their wishes. They pray before the statue and make offerings and promises. Like, "cure my daughter's illness and I'll be in your debt forever." Then when the daughter gets better, they believe it was the Black Christ that did it. If you look closely as you move around Panama you will frequently see these little images of the Black Christ, in taxi cabs, buses, or in shops or stores. The people who believe and follow this always have some kind of symbolic reminder on display. People walk all the way from Sabanitas to the church in Portobelo, and many of them do the last mile on their hands and knees. By the time they get to the church they've bleeding. Faith, belief. Happens every year. This year the authorities banned the sale of alcohol in the area as well.   

#Panama - A picture taken in the 1970's of Via Espańa, when traffic ran in both directions. The Avesa building can be seen, where the headquarters of the National Institute of Telecommunications (INTEL) operated, and on the ground floor was the Madurito store which sold goods and electronics. The Plaza Concordia had not yet been built in the empty lot in front of the Rey supermarket, where the circus would set up shop when they came to town, and where the carnival celebrations were held in Panama City. (Critica)

   

#Panama - Today is a very special day for all who follow the legacy of three-time president of the Republic of Panama, Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid, said the former president Mireya Moscoso, his widow. Twenty three years after his death, those who continue his legacy held a mass in his honor at the "Garden of Peace" cemetery, including Vice President and party president, Juan Carlos Varela, National Assembly Deputy Alcibiades Vasquez, Minister of Economy and Finance Alberto Vallarino, among other Panameńistas. After the religious ceremonies, the former president Moscoso announced this would be the last time they visited the tomb of Dr. Arnulfo A. Madrid. His remains will be transferred to the province of Cocle, where he was born. There a mausoleum will be built, she said. (La Estrella)

Dr. Arnulfo Arias Madrid was elected as the president of Panama on three occasions - but he never served a full term in office.   

The lost wreckage of a ship belonging to 17th century pirate Captain Henry Morgan has been discovered in Panama, said a team of U.S. archaeologists -- and the maker of Captain Morgan rum. Near the Lajas Reef, where Morgan lost five ships in 1671 including his flagship "Satisfaction," the team uncovered a portion of the starboard side of a wooden ship's hull and a series of unopened cargo boxes and chests encrusted in coral. The cargo has yet to be opened, but Captain Morgan USA -- which sells the spiced rum named for the eponymous pirate -- is clearly hoping there's liquor in there. "There's definitely an irony in the situation," Fritz Hanselmann an archaeologist with the River Systems Institute and the Center for Archaeological Studies at Texas State University and head of the dive team told KVUE Austin. The Captain Morgan rum group stepped in on the quest for Captain Morgan after team -- which found a collection of iron cannons nearby -- ran out of funds before they could narrow down the quest.

The new funding allowed the team to do a magnetometer survey, which looks for metal by finding any deviation in the earth's magnetic field. "When the opportunity arose for us to help make this discovery mission possible, it was a natural fit for us to get involved. The artifacts uncovered during this mission will help bring Henry Morgan and his adventures to life in a way never thought possible," said Tom Herbst, brand director of Captain Morgan USA, in a statement. In the 17th century, Captain Henry Morgan sailed as a privateer on behalf of England, defending the Crown's interests and pioneering expeditions to the New World. In 1671, in an effort to capture Panama City and loosen the stronghold of Spain in the Caribbean, Morgan set out to take the Castillo de San Lorenzo, a Spanish fort on the cliff overlooking the entrance to the Chagres River, the only water passageway between the Caribbean and the capital city. Although his men ultimately prevailed, Morgan lost five ships to the rough seas and shallow reef surrounding the fort.

The underwater research team included archaeologists and divers from Texas State University, volunteers from the National Park Service's Submerged Resources Center and NOAA/UNC-Wilmington's Aquarius Reef Base. And pirate booty or no, they said the story of Captain Henry Morgan was the real treasure. "To us, the ship is the treasure -- the story is the treasure," Hanselman told MSNBC's Alan Boyle. "And you don't have a much better story than Captain Henry Morgan's sack of Panama City and the loss of his five ships." Artifacts excavated by the dive team in 2010, including the six cannons, as well as any future relics will remain the property of the Panamanian government and will be preserved and displayed by the Patronato Panama Viejo.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Don't forget - "The Balboa Yacht Club, VFW Post 3835 and its Ladies Auxiliary are sponsoring their annual 4th of July BBQ, which will be held on Saturday, July 2nd. The event will begin at 2:00 and entrance is free. However, BBQ plates which will include BBQ chicken, baked beans, potato salad, dinner roll and a slice of apple pie will cost $10.00 in advance and $12.00 the day of the event. Also, hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob and apple pie will be sold a la carte. Contact any VFW Post 3835 or Ladies Auxiliary member for tickets. As always, there will be a fireworks display beginning at approximately 7:00. For more information, contact Anita Littesy 6616-0043 or alittesy@yahoo.com. Please remember that we will be celebrating the 4th on the 2nd this year. Anita Littesy, Secretary, Ladies Auxiliary VFW Post 3835, 6616-0043" I'll be heading over later this afternoon. See you there...

Copyright 2011 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.    

The Isthmus of Panama emerged 22 million years ago, much earlier than previously thought, according to new paleontology studies made thanks the project to expand the Panama Canal, which is offering a true "window on the past" which the scientists are examining. The new findings, which correct previous studies that had estimated that the Isthmus of Panama emerged some 3.5 million years ago, are the result of more than three years of work by three researchers, the American David Farris and Colombians Camilo Montes and Carlos Jaramillo.

The three experts are members of the body of scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI, for its acronym in English), which is based in Panama. The new theory which the STRI paleontologists put forward suggests that the tectonic plates of the Americas collided near the border between Panama and Colombia, causing the emergence of the isthmus of Panama some 22 million years ago, even before the creation of the Arctic ice cap.

In an interview with EFE, Carlos Jaramillo said the investigation "is just beginning," because once it is published in a scientific journal, they should expect other experts to inquire scientifically and contrast the results with field tests, which may take five to seven years. He explained the exploration and work began three years ago with the start of the redevelopment of the Panama Canal, an in those excavations they found rocks and fossils allowed them to establish a new age of emergence of the isthmus. Among the evidence found are the remains of a fossilized tree that is about 18 million years old, demonstrating the area where the Canal is located had emerged at that time, said Jaramillo. There are also remains of fossil plants and animals that come from South America, such as turtles, alligators and bats, and others such as rhinos, horses and dogs that had migrated from what is now Florida and Texas, explained the expert.

For the analysis of the evidence, the team of paleontologists from the Smithsonian made use of geological research techniques such as magnetostratigraphy and thermochronology. "These techniques let you know how the rock has moved vertically, so what we did was to date when the Isthmus began to emerge, which had not been done before," said Jaramillo. Based on these techniques, "we find that the first phase of the creation of the Panamanian isthmus occurred a lot sooner than we thought," he added. They also analyzed the cooling of rock crystals, and that as they rise the temperatures lower, and it is possible to determine "how many millions of years a particular crystal spent cooling off, and how far it was from the surface," he said.

The scientist said the expansion of the Panama Canal has opened to him and his two colleagues "a window into the past that is unmatched, an opportunity that only happens once every hundred years" to conduct an inquiry of this kind. The paleontologist said that currently they are conducting circulation models to understand what impact this new geological model can have on the climate of the Caribbean and the region. Also, they ask about what could have been the width and approximate depth of the stretch of water that at that time separated the South from the North of the continent, which, said Jaramillo, "probably closed, closed, in three or four million years".

The three scientists hope to continue their studies in the Panama Canal area over the next two or three years, but they will also focus on the area near the border with Colombia, which is where was the clash of tectonic plates occurred, "to understand it better." He added that the shock contributed to closure of the narrows, the emergence of the isthmus, and the rise of the Northern Andes of Colombia also, in a process that occurred over the geological scale of more than 20 million years. "So it gets more interesting and this is just the beginning of what comes in the next two or three years, this is not the end but really the beginning, because there are a lot of remaining questions," he said. (Panama America)   

By Roy Bragg - SAN MARCOS — Six deteriorating pirate cannons, discovered by a team that included a Texas State University researcher, will help Panamanian antiquities experts tell the history of that nation. The cannons, found in September in the muck at the mouth of the Chagres River, are thought to be from the deck of ships led by legendary pirate-for-hire Capt. Henry Morgan, who was en route to raid Panama Viejo — now called Panama City — in 1671. Instead, says Frederick Hanselmann, Morgan's flagship ran into a reef. Then, like a nautical rumba line gone bad, three of his other ships either ran into the same reef or into each other trying to avoid it. All of them sank, depositing the cannons and everything else on the ocean floor. Undaunted, Morgan took his remaining ships to the city and sacked it. The discovery of the 340-year-old weapons, which are now in Panama's possession and being preserved, is an important find, says Hanselmann, the school's chief underwater archaeologist. “It was an important event in the development of the country,” he said. “It's a major find for the country. It's a major find for the people.”

William B. Lees, president of the Society for Historical Archaeology, agreed: “It's part of a bigger story,” he said. “It's part of a nation's view of itself.” The ultimate goal of archaeology, Lees said, isn't to find interesting stuff, but rather to find tangible proof of historical events. The past is complicated, with multiple narratives that sometimes present a murky or unclear version of history. Archaeologists find tangible proof of those stories. “With archaeology,” he said, “you have a more objective set of information. It's stuff that was left behind. It doesn't tell the story. It is the story.” (more)    Click Here To Read The Full Article (431 words)

Once again, the town of Atalaya, in the province of Veraguas, opened its arms to welcome thousands of devotees of the Christ the Nazarene, who participated in the pilgrimage which has been carried out for several decades. It is a tradition that on the first Sunday of Lent, the faithful gather in Atalaya to participate in this pilgrimage in honor of the Christ of Nazarene. The arrival of the parishioners started since last weekend, when many went to visit the Christ to give thanks for favors granted. The Eucharist was attended by Bishop Oscar Mario Brown, José Luis Lacunza, José Dimas Cedeńo and the Papal Nuncio in Panama Archbishop Andrés Carrascosa Coso. The Bishop of Panama, José Domingo Ulloa, was commissioned to preside over the ceremony and send a message of love and conversion for the Panamanians. Upon completion of the Mass, he began with the pilgrimage of the image of the Black Christ through the streets of Atalaya. (Telemetro)   

PANAMA CITY /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the shallow waters surrounding Lajas Reef at the mouth of the Chagres River in Panama, a team of archaeologists has recovered cannons from the site where infamous privateer Captain Henry Morgan's ships wrecked in 1671 while carrying Morgan and his men to raid Panama City. Six iron cannons recovered from the reef are now undergoing study and preservation treatment by Panamanian researchers in cooperation with a team that has been studying the Chagres River with the permission of Panama's Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INAC). Mr. Raul Castro Zachrisson, Secretary General of the Instituto Nacional de Cultura said, "Panama's National Institute of Culture (INAC) is committed to the preservation of our cultural heritage. We strive to maintain it in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. I am honored to be a part of this important historical find and look forward to a continuous working relationship with all the institutions and professionals involved in the conservation of our sub aquatic cultural and natural resources." Since 2008, an underwater archaeology team led by archaeologists James Delgado, Frederick Hanselmann, and Dominique Rissolo has surveyed, mapped, and documented submerged sites, shipwrecks, and the 500-years of maritime history that rests along the banks of the Rio Chagres. In a press conference in Panama City on February 24, 2011, the team announced the recovery of the cannons from a shallow reef damaged by treasure hunters, whose blasting and dredging had exposed the fragile iron cannons to possible damage and loss. This led to the decision to recover the cannons. The cannons were measured and photographed in 2008 and studied by Dr. Ruth Brown, formerly with the Royal Armouries in the UK and an internationally renowned early cannon expert. The size and shape of the cannons appear to be a close match with the characteristics of small iron cannon of the Seventeenth Century; a more definitive identification of the cannons will take place after they are treated and years of encrustation and corrosion are removed in the laboratory. (more)    Click Here To Read The Full Article (1,305 words)

The discovery of six antique British cannons submerged in the waters of Panama's Caribbean coast confirmed that the pirate Henry Morgan was in Panama and let the attack against the Spanish strongholds in this country in the seventeenth century. This was confirmed on Friday by the General Secretary of the National Institute of Culture (INAC), Raul Castro, after the discovery of the light artillery pieces, two to five feet long, in Las Lajas, an area of reefs in the Caribbean in the province of Colon. The guns were recovered under 18 feet of water by the scuba divers and American scientists Frederick Hanselman, of the University of Texas, and James Delgado, the Director of Maritime Heritage of the Department of Commerce of the United States, who collaborated with the cultural authorities of Panama. However, the six pieces of artillery will be submitted over the next two years to a rigorous process of restoration, before they are put on display at the Museum of Old Panama, in the ruins of the city that survived the fury of pirates and the passage of time. (La Prensa)

Editor's Comment: Very cool. In my humble opinion, Panama is missing out on wonderful opportunities to create historical attractions and museums that would attract even more tourists. Imagine a daily "changing of the guard" in the morning and afternoon in Casco Viejo, with actors in period dress, a firing of a cannon, displays, etc. I remember visiting "Colonial Williamsburg" when I was a kid, as well as places like Fort Ticonderoga, and Gettysburg. Panama has a rich history, however the government of Panama has done very little to preserve historic sites and to make them more interesting to visitors. When people come to Panama they go see the Panama Canal, the causeway, Casco Viejo - and then they eat lunch and head for the beach. If there were more to see and do (and learn) then maybe more people would come.   

In commemoration of the patriotic deeds of January 9, 1964, the Mayor of Panama under Decree No 341 of January 3, 2011 suspended the sale of alcoholic beverages in the capital district, as well as the playing of bands and music. The decree as published in the Official Gazette states that the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited in supermarkets, stores, night clubs, bars, and all other places starting at 12:00 midnight on Saturday, 8 January until 12:00 midnight on Sunday, 9 January 2011. People who do not comply with this measure will be sanctioned by the Mayor, Justices of the Peace, or the night judge in the District of Panama, and fined from $100 to $1,000 dollars. (Dia a Dia)

Editor's Comment: 9 January is "Martyr's Day" in Panama - marking the deaths of those who were killed in the riots of 9 January 1964. This event was the catalyst which eventually culminated with the Torrijos-Carter treaty of 1977 and the return of the Panama Canal and the Canal Zone to Panamanian control. It's a good day for all members of the English speaking expatriate community to keep a low profile - because if there are still any radical anti-gringos out there, this is the day they will come out of the woodwork. And for the record, I have an original copy of this Life magazine in my personal collection.   

The Embassy of Israel will open an exhibition tonight at the Panama Canal Museum in Casco Viejo, on Panama's contribution to the establishment of the Israeli state. Israeli Ambassador to Panama, Yoed Magen, recalled today when speaking on the TVN morning news broadcast, that Panama helped in the establishment of the State of Israel on two fronts, one at the UN, when former Panamanian ambassador Eduardo Alvarez Morgan encouraged small countries to support the vote on the resolution on the partition of Palestine, which led to the creation of the State of Israel and then chaired the International Commission to enforce this resolution. Magen noted that Morgan Alvarez played a very important and positive role because he met with Jewish leaders and made a secret trip to Cyprus to see the Jewish refugees. When they opened the doors to the Jews, they boarded different ships, and one not only carried the flag of Panama, but Morgan himself helped hundreds of Jewish woman and children and the sick to embark from Cyprus to the new State of Israel, the diplomat noted. All of this history will be displayed in the exhibition, the Ambassador of Israel summarized. (TVN Noticias)   

By Francisco Alvarado - One week before his ouster, Panama strongman Manuel Noriega was preparing to crack down on his opponents and rally his troops, according to Prudence Bushnell, at the time U.S. Ambassador to Panama. Bushnell's analysis is among the first set of U.S. Embassy documents released by Wikileaks on Nov. 28, detailing her version of Noriega's last days in power. Bushnell intimated Panamanians would welcome U.S. intervention. On December 13, 1989, Bushnell painted a grim picture for Uncle Sam's interests in the Central American nation. It was a telegram to her boss -- then-State Department Secretary George P. Schultz -- seven days before U.S. armed forces invaded Panama. "The Panama crisis continues to grind on with no clear end in sight," Bushnell relayed. "Noriega tenaciously holds on to power, intimidating his opponents and firing up his supporters with slogans calling for retribution against 'Panamanian traitors and their U.S. masters,' should anything happen to him." (more)    Click Here To Read The Full Article (148 words)

By Amanda Wheat [MediaGlobal]: With huts made of dirt and penka leaves, wood stoves for cooking and warmth, and the dark illuminated only recently by flashlights, the Ngöbe people live a quite simple and isolated life in the mountains of central Panama. But change is softly stirring this peaceful community. Ngöbere, the spoken language, is no longer being taught to the village children, though it’s still used by 170,000 indigenous Panamanians, and despite a lack of electricity, expensive modern utilities like cell phones have found their way into the hands of Ngöbe youths. “It is the roads that have brought change,” said Klaus Geiger, resident Peace Corps Volunteer in the 500-person Ngöbe village Aguacatal. “Before the main road was introduced, Ngöbes would have to travel six hours by foot to get to the nearest town, but now it takes only one hour’s hike to get to the main road. Thus, the Latino culture has been able to permeate Aguacatal, providing things like cell phones which these people don’t need and definitely can’t afford.” (more)

   Click Here To Read The Full Article (514 words)

During the parade on 3 November in San Felipe, members of the National Police, State Border Service and the Institutional Protection Service (SPI) were deployed in military style. Marching to the stomp and rhythm of boots, the security sectors marched displaying heavy weapons, M16 rifles, RPG rocket launchers and turbo motorcycles which they used to show off with acrobatics in front of the Presidency of the Republic.

The parade was expected to start at nine o'clock, after the traditional ceremonial music and religious events to celebrate Panama's separation from Colombia in 1903, but the start of the parade was delayed at least an hour and a half until the institutional delegations started marching. Those who suffered most were the school students who arrived early, some as early as 6:00 am - they reached the starting point on time but in some cases they didn't step off until after 12:00 noon.

But this was not the only thing that caused inconveniences. During the "dianas" that were being played for the President there were complaints because the SPI band played meringue music to the chorus of "don't mess with me." And the saddest thing. The Panamanian flag flew at half-mast on Ancon hill until after 8:00 AM. (La Estrella)   

Panamanian lawmaker Alcibiades Vasquez asked the Minister of Education, Lucy Molinar, to prohibit, through an executive decree, the celebration of "Halloween" in the different schools in the country. According to the deputy, the measure would apply to both public and private schools, and would seek to place additional emphasis on the national independence celebrations. He said he is holding talks with Education Minister Lucy Molinar, because it should not be that there are schools which practically force children to celebrate this "evil party." "I am a radical on this issue. It is a national disgrace that this country has events in schools, during which teachers encourage children to be painted as devils and all sorts of weird things when they do not even know what these holidays mean," he said. He questioned the fact that objects alluding to this event to be held on 31 October are already appearing in stores. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: People always tend to fear what they don't understand. When the US military was here, Halloween was celebrated on the bases. The US Southern Command would greatly relax their policies in order to allow the children of friends, family members, domestic employees, etc., to come to the bases and "trick or treat" in the base housing areas if they wanted to. Halloween is a patently American tradition and it's perfectly normal for us to celebrate this event with our children, the same was as we did when we were kids. As far as the whole "evil" or "devil" thing is concerned, if I remember correctly most of the time I wanted to be dressed up like some kind of superhero, like Batman or Superman or something similar. Whatever. This discussion comes up in Panama every year like clockwork, right before Halloween. I remember walking up to the houses of our closest neighbors, who would say "aren't they cute" and then hand out candy. Free candy, and playing dress up. What's so evil about that?    

By Howard Falcon-Lang - Science reporter, BBC News - It was the biggest event in our planet's history since the extinction of the dinosaurs. Three million years ago, the Americas collided. The creation of the Panama Isthmus - the narrow land bridge that joins the two continents - wreaked havoc on land, sea and air. It triggered extinctions, diverted ocean currents and transformed climate. Now a multi-billion dollar project to widen the Panama Canal is set to reveal new secrets about the event that changed the world. Panama is a tiny country, but in a perfect location. Positioned just north of the equator in the Caribbean, its famous canal is the strategic hub of the global shipping industry. The 80km (50-mile) -long Panama Canal, completed in 1914, connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Its existence means that ships can avoid - at a price - the treacherous 8,000 mile journey round Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America. (more)

Entire hillsides are being blasted away to widen the Panama Canal    Click Here To Read The Full Article (1,120 words)

LONDON (AP) — Previously secret papers declassified Friday revealed that British ballerina Margot Fonteyn was heavily involved in plotting a coup to overthrow Panama's government, detailing how her clandestine political activities both exasperated and amused officials on both sides of the Atlantic. The confidential telegrams and correspondence released by Britain's national archives pieced together a bizarre and sometimes comic account of the attempted coup in the late 1950s, during which the celebrated dancer and her diplomat husband, Roberto Arias, sought Fidel Castro's help in a revolution that failed because of a last-minute blunder. Fonteyn was 39 and an internationally renowned ballerina when she was arrested and briefly detained in a Panama prison on April 20, 1959. A few days earlier she and Arias had set out in a yacht on an apparent fishing holiday, but aiming to gather men and arms for the coup. The papers showed that British officials in London, as well as diplomats in Panama and New York, scrambled to contain the incident, fearing the plot would threaten British relations with the central American country. But they also documented how the officials thought the events were a kind of "slapdash comedy."

"I had to pinch myself several times during her visit to be sure I wasn't dreaming the comic opera story which she unfolded," wrote Foreign Office Minister John Profumo in one of the papers as he described a private meeting with Fonteyn shortly after she was released. Profumo wrote that Fonteyn admitted to him how she and her husband had visited Castro in Cuba and received a pledge of some weapons and men from the leader. "She affirmed that ... Castro was behind this coup. Naturally he now had to disclaim all knowledge," Profumo wrote. He himself later courted controversy. As a Cabinet minister in 1963, he had a liaison with a prostitute who was disclosed to be linked to a Soviet spy.

British ambassador to Panama Ian Henderson was not impressed by Fonteyn's behavior and wrote that he hoped she would "keep away from Panama for a very considerable time." "I do not regard her conduct as fitting in any British subject. ... Her conduct has been highly reprehensible and irresponsible," Henderson wrote in a telegram. The officials believed that although Fonteyn was "involved in the plot up to her neck," she was an amateur revolutionary who viewed the whole situation in a "charmingly lighthearted way." Profumo wrote that Fonteyn described how, as the coup unraveled, she mistakenly dumped some incriminating documents into the sea. Officials later retrieved the items, including Arias' address book, which contained the addresses of actors John Wayne and Errol Flint. The celebrities apparently had business dealings with Arias.

Mark Dunton, a historian at the archives, said the files gave an unusual glimpse into a previously little known chapter of Fonteyn's life. "The extent of Dame Margot's personal involvement has not been in the public domain before," said Dunton. "It adds to the slightly bizarre nature of this attempted revolution." Fonteyn, who was born Peggy Hookham in 1919, went on to reach even greater creative heights through her acclaimed partnership with Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev. She returned to Panama with her husband years later and died there in 1991.   

Washington, May 18 (ANI): An extinct giant shark nursery has been discovered in Panama. The six-foot-long babies of the world's biggest shark species, Carcharocles megalodon, frolicked in the warm shallow waters of an ancient shark nursery in what is now Panama, report paleontologists working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the University of Florida. Catalina Pimiento, visiting scientist at STRI and graduate student at the University of Florida, said: "Adult giant sharks, at 60-70 feet in length, faced few predators, but young sharks faced predation from larger sharks. As in several modern shark species, juvenile giant sharks probably spent this vulnerable stage of their lives in shallow water where food was plentiful and large predators had difficulty maneuvering."

Paleontologists from the Smithsonian and the University of Florida collected more than 400 fossil shark teeth from Panama4s 10-million-year-old Gatun Formation as part of ongoing work to reveal the origins of this narrow land-bridge that rose to connect North and South America about 3 million years ago. Pimiento added: "The 28 teeth that we identified as C. megalodon were mostly from neonates and juveniles." Researchers used reference collections at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and the Florida Museum of Natural History to characterize the teeth.

STRI staff scientist Carlos Jaramillo, who heads the Canal excavation project, said: "Very little is known about the life cycle of this giant shark that ruled the oceans not so long ago. Now we think that the young spent their first years close to the coast among mangroves." The team discarded several other explanations for the concentration of small teeth at the site. Before their discovery in Panama, two other fossil beds have been proposed as paleo-shark nurseries: the Williamsburg Formation from the Paleocene and the Oligocene Chandler Bridge Formation, both in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The sandy soils of the Gatun Formation have been used for years to make cement. Soon these outcrops will be exhausted. Scientists continue to race against the clock to find out more about the ancient inhabitants of the region. (ANI)   

Next Thursday, 1 April 2010, most government offices in the Republic of Panama will only be working a half-day and they will close their doors after 12:00 noon. There will be some (unspecified) exceptions, and offices that will be required to remain open due to the "nature and extent of their duties." In the Judicial Branch of government, all courts, Superior Tribunals, the Supreme Court, as well as all associated administrative offices will be closed on Thursday, 1 April 2010, thanks to Holy Week and Easter celebrations. (Source - TVN Noticias)

Editor's Comment: In Panama Easter is called "Semana Santa" (Holy Week). Observations generally start on Thursday and include Good Friday as well as Easter Sunday. Panama is a predominately Catholic and Christian country and the traditional religious aspects of Easter are still the focus here. Government authorities always place restrictions on the sales of alcohol during this time, so if you're a real boozer you might want to stock up now so you can remain tanked in the sanctity of your own home for a couple of days. Easter and Holy Week mark the traditional end of the summertime festivities in Panama. And after Mother's Day, Christmas, New Year's, and Carnival, as well as summer vacation and trips to the beach, everyone generally needs a break from taking a break.   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Starting today you might begin to see people walking along the Inter American Highway, dressed in purple robes. They are pilgrims who are on their way to celebrate their devotion to the "Jesus of Nazareth of Atalaya" in the province of Veraguas in Panama. Between today and Palm Sunday some 200,000 people are expected to make this trip. Believers think the statue of Jesus in the Minor Basilica of Jesús Nazareno (Parroquia San Miguel) has special powers to answer their prayers and perform miracles. Many Panamanians participate in this pilgrimage every year, some of them walking all the way from Panama City, for example, as an expression of their devotion. While the exact date of the start of this tradition is not known, historians have been able to determine that a similar tradition has been practiced as far back as 1730. Devotees come to pray and ask for things such as help through economic hardships, or healing or health for themselves or loved ones. In 1964 the church of Atalaya was designated as a Minor Basilica by the Vatican, only the second in the Republic of Panama after the Basilica of Don Bosco, located in Calidonia in Panama City. This tradition is similar to those who believe in the powers of the Black Christ of Portobelo, whose celebration is in October every year. Anyway, if you see people wearing purple robes walking down the highway at this time of year, they are on their way to Atalaya.

Copyright 2009 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.