By Leonardo Flores and Betty Brannan Jaén for La Prensa - The election of Pedro Miguel González as the President of the National Assembly caused an immediate reaction yesterday on the part of the Government of the United States. "Officially, we considere the judgment of 1997 [ in Panama ] was a farce of justice. We considere that the not guilty verdict was the result of manipulation, intimidation and corruption in the judicial process ", affirmed a spokesman of the Embassy of the United States in Panama, who qualified as "deplorable" the election of Pedro Miguel Gonzalez as President of the National Assembly. However, the spokesman added "the United States will continue to work together with the Government and the people of Panama on our shared agenda of expanding commerce, strengthening democracy, and to create a greater prosperity for all of our citizens." (more)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Pedro Miguel Gonzalez has been elected and sworn in as the new President of the National Assembly of Deputies in the Republic of Panama. There is a indictment for the 1992 terrorist murder of US Soldier Zak Hernandez pending against Gonzalez in the United States of America, and in effect Pedro Miguel Gonzalez is wanted for terrorism by the government of the United States. Gonzalez was acquitted of murder charges in 1997 by a Panamanian court, in a process that was strongly criticized by the US as being flawed.

By Gustavo A. Aparicio O. for the Panama America - Upon recognizing that his aspirations to occupy the presidency of the National Assembly does not stop being a dilemma that can bring repercussions, even for the country, PRD deputy Pedro Miguel González ratified yesterday his decision to aspire to the position. After a meeting with important business leaders headed by Severo Sousa, the President of the National Private Business Council (CoNEP), González said he has never wanted to be a factor that goes against his party, of his government, and much less for the country. However, he affirmed that for now he is going to go to the election and "we are going to let the Assembly choose its board of directors democratically as it so decides." After the meeting the PRD deputy questioned functionaries of the US Embassy in Panama, that in his opinion have tried to obstruct the process to prevent his election. González, in spite of these pressures, said that if he decided to step away from his aspirations, he would always be left with the sorrow or the thought that the United States continues to influence Panamanian internal affairs. González arrived at the meeting accompanied by his colleague Yassir Purcait.

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) -- The president replaced Panama's health minister and four other Cabinet members in the wake of a scandal over deadly medicine made at a government laboratory. President Martin Torrijos named new ministers of health, labor, education, the interior and the presidency, the president's office announced Thursday. The moves came after months of pressure to fire officials after at least 94 people were poisoned by tainted medication. The construction workers union, which has about 100,000 members, also pushed Torrijos to get rid of Labor Minister Reynaldo Rivera, alleging several of their fellow workers died after his office failed to enforce construction safety measures. Health Minister Rosario Turner is replacing Camilo Alleyne. Edwin Salamin is the new labor minister. The other 11 ministers -- including actor and Grammy-winning salsa singer Ruben Blades, who is in charge of tourism -- will remain in office, the president's office said.

PANAMA, Aug. 29 (Reuters) — The governing party has nominated a lawmaker who was indicted for the drive-by killing of an American soldier in the 1990s as its candidate to head Congress, in a vote likely to upset Washington. The Revolutionary Democratic Party backed the lawmaker, Pedro Miguel González, on Tuesday night, making him almost certain to win the post in a vote Saturday. Mr. González, 42, was indicted in the United States on charges that he shot dead Sgt. Zak A. Hernandez of the Army in June 1992, a day before a visit by President George Bush. At a tense time after the 1989 American invasion and capture of the Panamanian leader, Manuel Antonio Noriega, The sergeant was killed when the Humvee he was driving was ambushed north of Panama City. Mr. González said he was at a demonstration to protest the Bush visit at the time of the shooting, and he was acquitted at a 1997 trial in Panama. Washington says the trial was marred by jury rigging, witness intimidation and government harassment.

By Jessica Tasón for La Critica - The Free Trade Agreement between Panama and the United States has not yet been sent to the US Congress and at the moment the Panamanian negotiating team is working to complete a series of hurdles to make it happen. According to Panama's Minister of Commerce Alejandro Ferrer, they hope the Free Trade Agreement will be sent for a vote as soon as possible, while at the same time said it is premature to try to predict a date for when that will happen, because it depends on the internal proceedings of the government of the United States. He said the Embassy of the United States has held meetings between both parts, and the Panamanian Government has participated in many of them, meeting with more than 200 congressmen, who have a direct impact in the result of the vote.

By José Edwin Sánchez M. for La Critica - Statements made yesterday by the Minister of the Presidency Ubaldino Real and Housing Minister Balbina Herrera leave open the possibilities that the last word has not been said with regards to the candidacy of deputy Pedro Miguel González to the presidency of the National Assembly of Deputies. The Minister of the Presidency, Ubaldino Real, said yesterday on Continent KW that Pedro Miguel is a man of great understanding who knows how to put the interests of the nation before his own. Later, Housing Minister Balbina Herrera said on the program "Análisis de la Noticia" that the election of González has conflicting positions and that there will be a political cost. "The possible election of Pedro Miguel will open old wounds, since there are people for and against. This is a decision that we have assumed and we will have to confront the positions that this carries," said Herrera. (more)

By Julio Villalobos for La Estrella - Panama's Housing Minister Balbina Herrera - speaking on the program El Debate, transmitted by RCM Mundo and hosted by Renato Pereira - said that the final decision has not been made, when talking about the subject of the election of deputy Pedro Miguel González to represent the PRD as a candidate for election to the position of the President of the National Assembly of Deputies. Herrera said that the last word will be given on Saturday, 1 September 2007, the day that the Assembly chooses their next president. Until last night, conversations to decide if González or some other candidate should be elected carried on. The President of the Panameñista Party, Juan Carlos Varela, and Ricardo Martinelli of the Cambio Democratico (CD) party met for lunch at the Bodegón restaurant, and the addressed the subject of the candidacy of González deputy and the possible implications. (more)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Because it makes them easier to email. I'm putting together a collection of everything I can find about this case and then it's all going into one of those "send this to everyone you know" emails. I will personally send it to every member of the US House of Representatives and Senate, as well as to every email address I can find in Washington DC (should only be about 1.3 million, so no sweat.) If Pedro Miguel Gonzalez is going to be running the National Assembly in Panama, at the very least I want to make sure that they know about it in Washington DC. And I mean, everybody in Washington DC. Even the dog-catcher (Pedro who? Zak What?). Like I said, I'm kinda biased on this particular issue. Relatively narrow focus. It's the details that bug me. Oh well, what can you do, right? (Egg-zactly...) Anyway, if you run into an article or link that I haven't found yet, please email it to me. Muchos thankos.

By John Lindsay-Poland for the Fellowship of Reconciliation - (December 1997)) Negotiations between Panama and Washington on the possible presence of US troops in Panama after 1999 have been plagued with conflict. In April Panama's concession to a Chinese-controlled developer for a remake of Panamanian ports provoked a Republican reaction to a US conglomerate's loss of its bid for the ports and threats of sanctions. In July the controversy over revelations that the US military tested depleted uranium and nerve agent in Panama without informing Panamanian officials cast a shadow on the military's record as a gracious foreign guest. on November 1, just as negotiators were apparently wrapping up the talks, a Panamanian jury acquitted Pedro González for the 1992 killing of a US soldier, Sergeant Zak Hernández. (more)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - This comes from the Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1997, Department of State Publication 10535, Office of the Secretary of State, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Released April 1998 - "The United States was deeply disappointed with the manner in which defendants in Panama were acquitted in October of murdering US serviceman Zak Hernandez. US authorities believe that Gerardo Gonzalez, president of Panama's legislative assembly and father of one of the defendants, manipulated the outcome through threats to witnesses and intimidation of the lead investigator in the case."

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Just remember, this is Panama. The PRD members of Panama's National Assembly voted unanimously to put Pedro Miguel Gonzalez forward as the official candidate of the party for the upcoming election for President of the National Assembly. On Monday opposition deputies said they will not be putting forward a candidate, preferring to reserve their vote and hoping and alternative might emerge from the ranks of the PRD. Now, I don't know how the internal workings of the National Assembly work, and it's clear that Pedro Miguel Gonzalez has the support of at least 30 of the 41 PRD deputies (although this primary vote was unanimous.) There is a possibility that someone from the opposition could nominate Wilson, who would win if he got all of the opposition vote and the remaining 11 PRD hold-outs. Hmmmm. It might be over, and this might just be wishful thinking on my part, but stranger things have happened. One word - Afu.

Copyright 2007 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

Panama, Aug 29 (Prensa Latina) In an open challenge to US pressure to prevent Deputy Pedro Miguel Gonzalez from being elected as president of the Panamanian Parliament, most of his colleagues will guarantee his election for that post. Political opponents, including former President Mireya Moscoso, made Washington's veto of Gonzalez public in recent days. They insisted that Gonzalez's election would anger the US government. Local media recalled that the White House has accused Gonzalez of being involved in the assassination of a US soldier in 1992, although he was found not guilty in court. A meeting of the governing Democratic Revolutionary Party, which has a majority at the National Assembly, approved Gonzalez's nomination unanimously on Tuesday, thus guaranteeing his election. (more)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Yesterday while driving back from a toad-trip to the "Costa Abajo" of the Colon province I heard on the radio that the members of opposition political parties in Panama's National Assembly are not going to put forward a candidate for the position of the Presidency of the National Assembly. "We don't have a majority in the National Assembly so the chances of our candidate being elected are zero," said the Panamanista guy (*whose name I missed), but their intent is clear. The opposition members of the National Assembly are going to vote for someone, and they will be voting for anyone as long as it's not Pedro Miguel Gonzalez. Good call. Beer's on me. Rest easy, Zak.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Yesterday all of Panama's Ministers signed a letter "placing their positions at the disposition of the president." The administration of Martin Torrijos has reached the three-year point of a five-year administration, meaning that now people are going to start to look down the road towards the next administration and the presidential elections in 2009. In a television interview this morning, the Minister of the Presidency Ubaldino Real explained that "President Torrijos will be announcing some changes in his cabinet that will take effect on 1 September 2007, and the purpose of this letter is to simply make it easier for the President to implement those changes." (more)

La Estrella - Panamanian congressman Jose Blandón (right) dismissed the possibility that the next national election for Panama's president will be between Alberto Vallarino and ex-president Ernesto Perez Balladares, "because he does not stand a chance of winning the PRD primary." Blandon says it's like speaking of a type of political fiction and when thinking of the possibilities of a presidential candidacy for Perez Balladares he becomes a little poetic. "I'm reminded of the song that speaks about a Bull who falls in love with the moon," he said. Blandón sees the candidacy of Perez Balladares as something not likely to happen, but he does not reject the possibility completely, because he says that if it happened it would be good for him.

By Leonardo Flores and José Somarriba Hernández for La Prensa - Panama's President Martín Torrijos denied yesterday that there is pressure on the part of the Government of the United States to prevent Pedro Miguel González from occupying the Presidency of Panama's National Assembly on 1 September 2007, just when the Congress of the United States will be debating the free trade agreement with Panama. Torrijos described news reports saying there is pressure from the United States as "speculation" and said this is a subject of internal policy that must be resolved by the deputies. Although the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) says the election of Gonzalez will not figure into the vote on the Free Trade Agreement, people like Mireya Moscoso and Roberto Alfaro, who was involved in the free trade agreement negotiations, maintain that yes, the election of Gonzalez will have an impact.

Panama, Aug 22 (Prensa Latina) Pedro Miguel Gonzalez, deputy of Panama's Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD, government) rejected Wednesday any interference of the US government to avoid his election as president of the Panamanian Legislative Assembly. Gonzalez seemed the strongest candidate to lead the Panamanian Parliament for the 2007-2008 period, after he had 34 of the 45 PRD legislators in the Assembly in his favour last week. However, the local press said the US government started to spread its firm opposition for the Panamanian Legislative Assembly to be led by Gonzalez, who is accused here of killing a US soldier in 1992. Gonzalez gave himself up to the justice and was declared not guilty in the trial, but Washington still maintains its accusation. The US interference got notoriety after US Embassy to Panama official Bryan Naranjo met Panamanian Legislative Assembly president Elias Castillo. Newspaper la Estrella de Panama said Naranjo told Castillo how counter-producing the election of Gonzalez might be, and the Panamanian deputy reacted to the pressure. The Panamanian Municipal Council rejected in a resolution any foreign interference in the Assembly's election process.

La Prensa - Political activities of several opposition parties have intensified this weekend. Guillermo Ford, presidential candidate from the Patriotic Union political party, toured Veraguas, Chiriquí, La Chorrera and Colón yesterday in search of supporters. The leadership of the Democratic Change political party is planning to hold events and rallies to sign up supporters in San Miguelito, La Chorrera, Arraiján, Santiago, Soná, Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Herrera, Las Tablas, Los Pozos, Penonomé, Colón, Darién and the areas of the Ngöbe Buglé comarca.

By Leonardo Flores for La Prensa - National Assembly Deputy Pedro Miguel González is leading the race to assume the Presidency of the National Assembly. But the past still follows him. On Thursday Gonzalez managed to gain the support of 34 of the 45 Deputies of the National Assembly who belong to the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD). González, who has the endorsement of the current President of the National Assembly Elias Castillo, was acquitted - in Panama - of the murder of United States Army Soldier Zak Hernandez. The American government has remained silent so far on the candidacy of Gonzalez. Deputies Rogelio Paredes and Leandro Ávila, who have also publicly expressed their intentions to run for the Presidency of the National Assembly, have made clear that they will not step aside after hearing Gonzalez declare that he has obtained a concensus to occupy the Presidency of the Assembly. He who occupies the position of President of the National Assembly, aside from the standard $7,000 per month wage paid to Deputies, will be paid an additional $6,000 per month in pay and also $1,000 for fuel.

La Critica - Ex-Panamanian president Ernesto Perez Balladares alleged yesterday that the United States committed a "serious injustice" by cancelling his visa to enter the country for supposedly trafficking in Chinese aliens. Perez Balladares, who spoke on the radio program of Mario Velasquez on radio station KW that his innocence was proven in all of the proceedings of North American justice, but that he has not done anything to try to get his visa back. "El Toro" challenged American authorities to present evidence of his supposed trafficking of Chinese illegal aliens to Panama's Attorney General and the press. On another topic, Perez Balladares said his aspirations to win the Presidency of the PRD are not married to a candidacy for President of the Republic. In addition, he said that even if he is not elected President of the PRD he could still appear on the ballot in the primary elections in 2009. In a joking tone he said that the "favorite, fantastic, and fabulous" candidate is not running for a position in the CEN, but wants to be a candidate for the President of the Republic.

BY DANIEL P. ERIKSON AND JANICE CHEN - Latin Business Chronicle - China’s economic engagement with Latin America responds to the requirements of a booming Chinese economy that has been growing at nearly 10 percent per year for the past quarter century. The economic figures are impressive: in the past six years, Chinese imports from Latin America have grown more than six-fold, at a pace of some 60 percent a year, to an estimated $60 billion in 2006. China has become a major consumer of food, mineral, and other primary products from Latin America, benefiting principally the commodity-producing countries of South America—particularly Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Chile. Chinese investment in Latin America remains relatively small at some $6.5 billion through 2004, but that amount represents half of China’s foreign investment overseas. China’s Xinhua News agency reported that Chinese trade with the Caribbean exceeded $2 billion in 2004, a 40 percent increase from the previous year. China has promised to increase its investments in Latin America to $100 billion by 2014, although government officials have since backed away from that pledge and several proposed investments are already showing signs of falling short in Brazil, Argentina, and elsewhere. (more)

By Eliecer Navarro for La Estrella - The ex-vice-president of the Republic, Guillermo "Billy" Ford, said that "some neighboring governments" among them Venezuela which "want to cause alterations of the public order" in Panama. Ford made his statements on the "Enfoque" radio program transmitted yesterday by RCM Mundo. Upon being asked by journalist Dorita de Reyna if the possible return to Panama of ex-dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega could generate alterations in the public order, Ford included in his answer: "and excuse me but there is something worse; we have some neighboring governments who want alterations of the public order." Pressed to elaborate, Ford said "Venezuela is one. And excuse me, with the respect that I feel for the Venezuelans." During this interview, Ford also reiterated his intent to run for the Presidency of the Republic in 2009 under the Patriotic Union party. The ambassador of Venezuela, José Luis Perisse, said he would analyze the interview with Ford and respond today.

By José Somarriba Hernández for La Prensa - With an annual budget of $70 million dollars and more than 2,000 employees, the Mayorship of Panama City is considered to be the political jewel of Panama's capital. It's like a small presidency. And distance from the Mayor's office to the Palace of the Herons is short. That is the distance Panama City's current Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro hopes to close, with an eye on the 2009 elections. In 2004 Navarro stepped aside and gave up on his aspirations in favor of Martin Torrijos. Navarro won the Mayorship from Mayín Correa in 1999, who until that moment seeme to be unbeatable. Working from a position of power in 2002, Navarro managed to enter into the leadership of the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) by obtaining the position of Vice President of the party's National Executive Committee (CEN), in spite of opposition from influential party figures such as Balbina Herrera. (more)

By Roberto López Dubois for La Prensa - Panama's Housing Minister Balbina Herrera said yesterday that she does not fear the return of Noriega to Panama, contrary to what Noriega's lawyers say. She said the PRD is waiting to see what will happen to Noriega, but whatever the decision, to send him to France or return him to Panama, it will be fine with them. "Seventeen years later we are the most democratic party, the largest political party in Panama, and we have a clear vision of what we want," she added. "The party has changed very much in these past 17 years and whoever wants to rise through the ranks will have to work for it, because here 'the finger' does not work," she said. (Editor's Comment: The reference to "the finger" is talking about arbitrary appointments at the whim of one powerful person.)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Good news - Panama's President Martin Torrijos is back from vacation. Why should you care? Well, I don't know. The three ex-presidents (Endara, Balladares, and Moscoso) have all lined up to criticize Torrijos for taking time off (a whole week) to spend with his wife and small children. Opposition politician Ricardo Martinelli asked how Torrijos could see fit to leave the country while "in the midst of the diethylene glycol crisis." Personally, I think this whole issue is absurd. Now of course, as soon as Torrijos left on vacation the SPI guards who are supposed to protect his house went "old school PRD" on a bunch of sick women in front of the Presidential Palace, and Torrijos was forced to pull some damage control from long distance. Balbina Herrera came to the front (again) to take the slings and arrows for the vacationing Torrijos. But whatever, Torrijos is back behind the desk, and pushing the Labor Ministry to get something moving on the construction safety and security issue.

Copyright 2007 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. As usual, go ahead and use whatever you want as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By Abdiel Zarate for La Estrella - Panama's President Martín Torrijos said yesterday that he does not know why someone is trying to entangle him now with Manuel Antonio Noriega in a relation that did not exist, and he challenged the Panamanian press to investigate the secret bonds that Panamanian businessmen and politicians had with the ex-strong man of Panama. Torrijos said it is part of the public history those people who did have a relationship with Noriega and that it would be interesting to know the private part of that history, the part that no one knows, "those who had a relationship with General Noriega that today don't appear in the photos, but who always had ties." "It would be good to do an investigation on this theme, on the relationships with politicians, on the businesses of the Panamanian Defense Forces; what the relation was between commerce and policy that was not known then, but hopefully now will also come out," added the President. This past Friday on the 27th of July a letter a dated 3 December 1987 arrived at the offices of the La Estrella newspaper with seal of the Panamanian Defense Forces and the signature of Noriega. In the letter Noriega gives instructions to a PDF Officer Rafael Cedeño to bring a BWM Model 316 through customs that was supposedly for Martin Torrijos. (more)

By Jessica Tasón for La Critica - Manuel Noriega will appear today in Miami before judge William Hooveler, who will decide on Noriega's extradition to France. Panama's Second Vice President Rubén Arosemena said the political opposition wants Noriega returned to Panama "to complicate matters for President Torrijos." "Mr. Endara and Mr. Martinelli want Noriega returned to Panama so that the country becomes entangled, because they fish in murky waters," he said. Arosemena said the government will act according to the norms and procedures established internationally for this case. He said that these norms indicate that the country where Noriega has been processed (found guilty in court) is the one that has the first option in defining the extradition and in this case specifically that option corresponds to the United States.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for Martín Torrijos increased this month in Panama, according to a poll by Dichter & Neira published in La Prensa. 60.3 per cent of respondents rate their president’s performance as excellent or good, up 3.4 points in a month. Torrijos—the son of Omar Torrijos, an army general who ruled Panama from 1968 to 1981—won the May 2004 presidential election as a candidate for the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) with 47.44 per cent of the vote. In 1999, Panama regained full control of the Panama Canal, the source of 10 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In October 2006, Panamanian voters supported the canal’s $5.25 billion U.S. expansion plan—which would add a parallel set of locks to allow giant cargo ships to pass through the waterway—in a nationwide referendum. On Jul. 11, Panama’s Legislative Assembly voted 58-3 to ratify the signing of a free trade agreement with the United States. PRD lawmaker Pedro Miguel Gonzáles commented on the vote, declaring, "The treaty is a positive step for Panama to become an important exporter." The agreement has yet to be ratified by the U.S. Congress.

By José Otero and Rafael Luna Noguera for La Prensa - Confrontations between two magistrates of Panama's Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) sunk to new lows yesterday with an exchange of accusations between the President of the Supreme Court Graciela Dixon and Supreme Court Magistrate Adán A. Arjona. On a television program Dixon accused Arjona of repeated hostile conduct against her colleagues in plenary sessions and said he is incapable of controlling his emotions. Dixon also denounced Arjona's repeated absences from the plenary session and said that his absenteeism and his violent acts against other judges could result in fines or criminal charges. Arjona rejected Dixon's accusations which he described as "offensive and injurious." "Her behavior reveals that she considers me to be an enemy, which surprises to me, because at a key moment it was my generous act to vote for her to obtain the position, from which she offends me today," Arjona said. He also threatened taking legal actions against Dixon. The confrontations generated criticism from different sectors, between these, of the School of Lawyers, Apede and the Citizen Alliance.