https://www.prensa.com/politica/en-su-primer-discurso-en-la-asamblea-cortizo-dijo-que-recibio-el-pais-hecho-un-desastre/ In his first report to the nation since the National Assembly as president of the Republic, Laurentino Nito Cortizo recounted what he found when he took control of the country. “In the last 10 years, Panama’s debt, that of all Panamanians tripled, from 11 billion to more than 30 billion. This amounts to a debt of 23 …

https://www.laestrella.com.pa/nacional/191230/humbert-entrega-llaves-despacho-nuevo-contralor-gerardo-solis Federico Humbert made the official delivery of the keys of the superior office to the new comptroller, Gerardo Solís, marking the end of the transition process. Solís will begin his duties next Thursday, January 2, 2020. The symbolic delivery of the keys occurred in parallel to a tour of …

Read this link first: Would be less funny of it were not true. Insane misdirection by the media. https://www.thedailybeast.com/saudis-put-jamal-khashoggis-murder-behind-them-with-death-sentences-and-three-day-rave-party https://www.prensa.com/mundo/centenares-de-detenciones-en-arabia-saudita-por-indecencia-y-acoso/ More than 200 people were arrested in recent days in Saudi Arabia for “indecency” or “harassment”, in a first such campaign since the opening of reforms in terms of social …

So much for his big speech. This lady was as dirty as the day is long. https://www.prensa.com/impresa/panorama/procuraduria-no-admite-querella-contra-porcell-por-asunto-laboral/ The Office of the Public Prosecutor dismissed a complaint against the Attorney General of the Nation, Kenya Porcell, filed by a former Public Ministry (MP) official for alleged abuse of authority and violation of the duties of …

OP ED: Steven- To the loyal contributors that seemingly keep sending stuff to “JB” (even during the holidays), I must say your resolve is admirable. In light of the fact that I, even more than he have stated, are not interested in being the new “Bocasleaks“. Already we have done …

https://www.prensa.com/impresa/panorama/la-contraloria-clave-para-la-lucha-contra-la-corrupcion/ Since the beginning of the Republic there has been a succession of offices responsible for maintaining fiscal control of public spending. What we know today as the Comptroller General of the Republic was originally a tax visitor and then the state tax agent. In the 1930s it became the current institution. + info …

OP ED: James “JB” Bryson- While perfectly content to continue to enjoy this Florida weather and NOT answer emails of press releases and more Panama skullduggery, I found this Washington Post article to be more than interesting enough to share for a number of reasons. First being it is the …

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/politics/read-trump-impeachment-letter-to-house-democrats/index.html President Donald Trump sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday, excoriating the House Democrats’ pursuit of an impeachment inquiry just a day before the full House is set to vote.He wildly claimed that “(m)ore due process was afforded to those accused in the Salem Witch Trials.” And he …

OP ED: James “JB” Bryson- Looks like old Evo is having a blast of a time in Argentina since he raped Bolivia for so long. Maybe he can stay in contact with Varela when he settled in Beijing and they can play on the weekends. https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=es&sp=nmt4&u=http://elsiglo.com.pa/internacional/morales-agradece-fernandez-garanticen-refugio-argentina/24146706&xid=17259,15700023,15700186,15700190,15700256,15700259,15700262,15700265,15700271,15700283&usg=ALkJrhgzuST1nPMYKWzQ0GMrpIGBBKob3g The former Bolivian president …

https://www.laestrella.com.pa/internacional/mundo/191217/pareja-periodista-descuartizado-embajada-saudi-critica-inaccion-internacional Hatice Cengiz, the couple of the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, was today “disappointed with all countries” and international organizations such as the UN or the European Union for not taking “any action” against Saudi Arabia. According to Cengiz, “everyone should be concerned” about the “null ability or ability …

https://www.prensa.com/impresa/vivir/el-ascenso-de-los-mares/ A year ago I wrote an article in La Prensa warning about the future impacts of sea level rise in Panama. I used a playful analogy about the fact that the Isthmus of Panama emerged from the sea 3 million years ago, and that, with the current climate change, the sea will …

https://www.prensa.com/judiciales/jueza-de-paz-desestimo-cargos-contra-sultan-por-altercado-con-varela/ The Calidonia Peace Court dismissed the charges against businessman Carlos Sultán, after the altercation he starred with the former President of the Republic Juan Carlos Varela, yesterday Monday at the Makoto restaurant. Judge Sonia Fuentes, issued a resolution filing the complaint after Varela did not appear at the court …

OP ED: Steven- JB re-posted an article last week where the newly elected President went out of his way to state to the world that Panama in open for business. Meaning “clean” business and not “dirty” business. I personally feel that Panama is the World Lightweight Champion in under the …

OP ED: Regrettably over the past 7 or 8 months, I have had to more or less oversee what James is dealing with on his site. It started with “hey can you take a look at this?”, and has turned into me reading through about 15-20 emails per week. I …

https://www.prensa.com/politica/el-mensaje-de-cortizo-a-sus-funcionarios-quien-intente-jugar-vivo-esta-aniquilado/ Amid questions to several institutions about alleged irregularities in public contracts and little transparency, President Laurentino Nito Cortizo, released two phrases that sounded like a warning. “Whoever tries to play live with the resources of the State is liquidated.” “The resources of the State are sacred sacred … here there is no …

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/impeachment-inquiry-12-13-2019/index.html It was another big day in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump as the Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment. Here’s where things stand today: What happened: After a lengthy day of debating the two articles of impeachment against Trump, abuse of power and obstruction of congress,the House Judiciary Committee …

https://www.prensa.com/economia/china-anuncia-fase-uno-de-acuerdo-comercial-con-estados-unidos/ China announced on Friday the “phase one” of a trade agreement with the United States, which includes a “phased” reduction of punitive US tariffs against Chinese products, which weigh in the world economy. “The two countries agreed on the text on a phase one of an economic and trade …

OP ED: James “JB” Bryson- I find it so crazy that “any” leader, can find “any” issue with what this young lady has done to promote conversation over climate change. When most “tweens” are wondering what is happening with the Jonas Brothers or the newest PlayStation game, this one is …

https://www.laestrella.com.pa/cafe-estrella/tecnologia/191212/principales-amenazas-ciberseguridad-dominaran-2020 The impact of cybercrime will undoubtedly grow in the coming years. Cybersecurity Ventures statistics reveal that such crimes will cost the world $ 6 billion by 2021, compared to $ 3 billion in 2015. This represents the largest economic transfer in history, its amount exceeds, for example, the illegal transfer …

The Attorney General of the Nation is one of the most powerful men after the President of the Republic. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why in the last ten years, a term that indicates the Constitution as validity of his appointment, five people before the newly appointed have sat …

https://www.prensa.com/mundo/peru-juez-envia-a-prision-a-exnumero-dos-del-presidente-vizcarra-por-caso-odebrecht/ A judge sent César Villanueva , former number two of the current Peruvian government on Wednesday , accused of obstructing the investigations against him for allegedly receiving illegal payments from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht a decade ago. “I declare the request of the Prosecutor’s Office for 18 months of preventive detention against César Villanueva …

OP ED: James “JB” Bryson- As much as the bay surrounding my condo in Panama makes me sick to my stomach, coming home to the states I am reminded in full how pollution once it hits the seas is not relegated to the 2nd and 3rd world nations. Quite the …

https://www.prensa.com/salud-ciencia/zoologico-de-berlin-presenta-a-dos-bebes-pandas-gemelos/ The Berlin Zoo introduced its two new stars on Monday, the first two twin pandas born in Germany, at the end of August, which will be called Meng Yuan and Meng Xiang . As the Chinese tradition says, the two mammals, two males, were baptized 100 days after their birth, and were presented …

https://www.prensa.com/politica/las-cuatro-lecciones-del-caso-odebrecht/ It was a Wednesday, December 21, four days of Christmas. It was the year 2016. The news, published on most information websites in the region, shook the business, political and judicial world: the US State Department revealed that executives of the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht confessed that they had as a practice …

OP ED: James “JB” Bryson- if your an “arty” try to make this event next year. Once your past the traffic, it was a good time. https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/article47447980.html Art — and by association, big money — takes center stage in Miami-Dade this week with the start of Miami Art Week, and …

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/05/politics/trump-impeachment-message/index.html Washington (CNN)House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Democrats are injecting an urgent new argument into their already fast-moving impeachment drive: President Donald Trump poses such a flagrant threat to American governance and democracy that there is no time to waste.”If we allow a President to be above the law, we do so surely at …

https://www.laestrella.com.pa/nacional/191204/191203-injerencia-varela-corte-suprema-justicia The Executive’s interest in appointing in the Supreme Court of Justice persons who can serve the interests of the president in office, or his relatives, has prevailed in several government administrations. Perhaps the subject has not been exposed as fluently as in the case of the conversations of the …

OP ED: James “JB” Bryson- As I eluded to yesterday, the vim and vigor is taking a back seat for the holidays. But I am so keen to speak on this action, as if is finally making news. I have too many friends to count that work in Customs either …

OP ED: James “JB” Bryson– Taking a moment while looking at the Atlantic ocean on a beautiful day today just to reflect. The overwhelming conclusion I come to is ” I have much better shit to do then open this site every day“. We are staying in the US for …

OP ED: James “JB” Bryson- Hope all had a great Thanksgiving with you and yours. Please read this translated article from “La Estrella”. Great commentary on the issues facing Panama. https://www.laestrella.com.pa/nacional/191124/191126-191125-varelaleaks-oportunidad-depurar-poderes Although the origin of the leaks of the mobile of former president Juan Carlos Varela (Varelaleaks.com) is a questionable fact, the …