International Relations

Panama urges dialogue after bloody week in Nicaragua

The vice president and chancellor Isabel de Saint Malo de Alvarado said this Thursday May 31 that they are closely following the situation in Nicaragua . Bishops announce that they will not resume dialogue as long as repression in Nicaragua does not stop Violence left 11 dead on Wednesday in …

International Relations
1

Cuba throws open arms around Maduro election results

The president of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, showed his support for the recently re-elected Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, during his visit to Caracas and his first trip out of the island since he came to power. During a special session of the National Constituent Assembly, the Cuban leader repudiated the attempts …

Human Interest

Ortega protests turn deadly in Nicaragua

Eight dead in Managua and two in Estelí left the attack of armed groups to demonstrations that took place this Wednesday, May 30, in Nicaragua against the government of President Daniel Ortega . They repress opponents of Daniel Ortega, who demanded advancement of elections Federation of chambers of commerce condemns …

International Relations

World Cup allows Varela to get cozy with Putin

The Foreign Ministry of the Republic clarifies that the next trip of President Juan Carlos Varela to Russia includes a meeting with the President of that country Vladimir Putin , in Moscow , and a “business meeting” to promote investment. Counters $ 100 thousand for Varela’s tour to the World …

International Relations

Trump cancels planned historic meeting with DPRK

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that the summit scheduled for June 12 in Singapore was canceled due to the “open hostility” shown by Pyongyang. Trump asks China to better control its border with North Korea “Unfortunately, based on the …

International Relations

Varela continues flip flopping over Venezuela.

We hope that President [Nicolás] Maduro, who is still in his current constitutional period, reflect and use these remaining months of his current period to seek peace and democracy and ways of meeting in his people.” Panama ignores election results in Venezuela Nicolás Maduro is re-elected in Venezuela amid controversy …

International Relations

UPDATE: Varela states Panama will continue to seek diplomacy in light of questioned election

President Juan Carlos Varela announced that Panama will continue with the cordial relationship it maintains with Venezuela, while the constitutional term of President Nicolás Maduro, who was re-elected yesterday, ends. Varela gave statements after the Lima Group announced that it does not know the results of the presidential elections in …

Human Interest

Truce brief as Nicaraguans return to streets in protest

Thousands of Nicaraguans marched on Sunday, May 20, peacefully in the capital and other cities while accusing the government of breaching a truce, following an attack on a university, while the complaints continue before the IACHR . Four injured in full truce between government and opponents in Nicaragua IACHR asks …

International Relations

Panama not to recognize landslide Maduro result

Panama ignored the results of Sunday’s elections in Venezuela, in which President Nicolás Maduro was re-elected with almost 68% of the votes, considering that the process was not democratic. Nicolás Maduro is re-elected in Venezuela amid controversy “The government of the Republic of Panama does not recognize the results of …

International Relations

Who is the man that is challenging Maduro??

With an electoral process in doors, Venezuela could face the possibility of slowing down the advance of the Chavez era. In a contest that will determine the destiny of the nation for the period 2019-2025, Nicolás Maduro will measure his mistakes against two opponents, one of them a long-standing politician, who …

Economy

Panama signs new Free Trade Agreement with Israel

In the framework of the meeting between the president of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela and the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, the signing of a Free Trade Agreement and a memorandum of understanding on agricultural matters was celebrated. The Free Trade Agreement, signed by the Minister of Commerce and …

International Relations

Maduro looks to mirror DPRK, have direct talks with US.

The president of Venezuela , Nicolás Maduro , called on Wednesday, May 15, to the United States to dialogue as he does with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un , warning that he will not surrender to the threats of Donald Trump . Grupo de Lima makes ‘last call’ to …

International Relations

Varela tour continues to Israel, Netanyahu.

On his second day of touring Israel, the President of the Republic, Juan Carlos Varela , met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Presidents of Panama and Israel meet in Jerusalem Varela meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May The relationship between Panama and the United Kingdom is ‘at its …

Human Interest

While Venezuela implodes, Maduro likes to dance.

Nicolás Maduro, who has already presumed his salsa skills with a Caracas rhythm, poses before public television during his campaign for re-election to the Presidency of Venezuela, trying out the bolero that dances and sings in front of the crowds that applaud him and they scream for help. As soon …

Human Interest

Nicaragua and anti-Ortega groups intensify; more casualties ensue

Climbed to the top to try to touch with their fingers and blue and white flags the immensity of the sky, thousands of Nicaraguans went out to the streets today to ask for the end of the “dictatorship” of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo with a “revolution” that asks for …

Human Interest

DPRK backpeddles ahead of monumental US talks

North Korea threatened on Wednesday to cancel the planned summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump if Washington goes ahead with its demand that Piongyang unilaterally abandon its nuclear arsenal. If the US government “corners us and asks us unilaterally to abandon our nuclear weapons we …

Crime

New drama shines light on corrupt Latin America politics

The political drama Illegitimate ( Panama, Colombia ) returns to the national halls. One of its producers, Jacobo Silvera , explains the reason for this return: “We decided to bring back illegitimate because basically the public was cheering him. When we released the film in August of 2017, many people …

Health

Children hardest hit and most affected by Maduro

Luisito must have surgery for a brain tumor that paralyzes part of his body, but he acquired chickenpox in a children’s hospital in Caracas and must wait. In another room, Yuriángela does not know if she will have her next chemotherapy. Luis, an eight-year-old brunette, sleeps a 4-month-old baby with …

Human Interest

US cereal giant “Kellogg’s” to cease South American operations due to Venezuela tumult

by James “JB” Bryson So a piece of my youth, the breakfast cereal conglomerate based in Battle Creek, MI ( a place I spent much time in) has had to cease operations due to the situation in Venezuela. Brings me sadness at a time when everyone could use a nice …

International Relations

UK claims that Panama relations have never been better.

The Panamanian Chancellery, the office of British Prime Minister Theresa May , the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Panama and several State Ministers, have highlighted the cordiality of the meeting held last Monday, in London, between May and President Juan Carlos Varela , thus denying any disagreement between both …

Entertainment

Soderbergh film on “Panama Papers” to star Academy Award winner Streep.

Meryl Streep will be the star of “The Laundromat”, a drama directed by Steven Soderbergh on the case of the Panama papers, The Hollywood Reporter reported today. Recent Oscar winner Gary Oldman and Spaniard Antonio Banderas are currently negotiating their participation in the project, the publication said. The film will …

Crime

PETROBAS, and dirty cops scandal dismantled in Brazil

The Brazilian police today dismantled a network of international traffic of narcotics in which participated at least one investigated in the operation Lava Jato, which investigates the vast corruption scandal uncovered in the state oil company Petrobras, informed official sources today. About 90 agents of the Federal Police served eight …

Human Interest

Crisis in Nicaragua leads to more fatalities

The city of Masaya, a little over 25 kilometers southeast of Managua, awoke in chaos and destruction after uninterrupted clashes between anti-riot agents and Sandinista mobs against the protesters. On Sunday, Nicaragua celebrated 26 days of a crisis that has left at least 54 dead, caused by massive demonstrations in …

Human Interest

Group makes last effort call to suspend elections in Venezuela

The Lima Group yesterday made a “last call” to the government of Nicolás Maduro to suspend the presidential elections on May 20. Meeting in Mexico City, the representatives of the Group condemned Maduro’s ‘regime’, demanding Caracas ‘free, fair and transparent’ elections, reported La Voz de América. Monday’s meeting in the …

Entertainment

Panamanian composer at forefront of Social change.

Danilo Pérez, a Panamanian musician and teacher, will be one of the persons in charge of inaugurating the Trama event , with the conference ” Social change through music “, on May 15, at 7:00 p.m. This activity, with one of the largest national exponents of the music, is free …

Economy

Class system struggles awash all of Venezuela under Maduro rule

Corina lives in a luxurious house but can not frequent restaurants; Federico , journalist, does not have for the cinema; and Alida , a seller, longs to eat chicken but it is not enough. Even with their class differences, the crisis changed their lives. The arepa – corn tortilla typical …

International Relations

Varela jetsetting again, meets with UK Prime Minister May

At 10 Downing Street, in the city of London, the Panamanian President, Juan Carlos Varela , met Monday May 14 with the British Prime Minister, Theresa May . May and Varela will discuss different topics to strengthen British and Panamanian relations, including the one related to the Panamanian commitment to …

International Relations

Spain and Colombia increase scrutiny over Maduro/Venezuela

The head of the Spanish government, Mariano Rajoy , and the Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos , asked this Sunday, May 13, a “fully democratic” solution for Venezuela, one week before the presidential elections in that country, questioned by opposition parties and internationally . The subject of the neighboring country …

Human Interest

Monumental meeting planned for June between US and DPRK.

The expected summit between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un will take place on June 12 in Singapore, the US president announced Thursday, after receiving in the early morning the three released by Pyongyang. “We will try to make it a special moment for world peace!” Trump added …

Labor

No vacation from SUNTRACS

by James “JB” Bryson So we are back from our little coastal trip and find that the labor strike is still affecting the areas near our home. The logjam coming into the city (which is already at a slow crawl generally) was quite worse. Hoping this ends quicker than expected. …