Monday
Monday 25th March 2025.
March 24, 2024
The race for the presidential seat is intensifying in the country. This weekend was marked by an intense movement between candidates such as Rómulo Roux , representative of the alliance between the Cambio Democrático and Panameñista parties ; Ricardo Lombana , leader of the Other Path Movement (MOCA) ; and Martín Torrijos , nominated by the Popular Party.
Roux, who visited Santa Ana , in the district of Panama, said that during his government expenses and privileges will be cut. There he also reiterated that the use of bodyguards from the Institutional Protection Service (SPI) for him and his family has been ruled out “from now on.”
“We have rejected the use of SPI escorts and when I am president, my daughters will not use them either. As I said, in my government the money will be for the people and not for the politicians,” said Roux.
The statements by the president of Cambio Democrático were given during a conversation with young people from the town of Santa Ana, which he plans to turn into one of the “most important” tourist sites in the country. Furthermore, he assured them of employment opportunities in sectors such as tourism, agriculture, construction and logistics.
For his part, Lombana toured part of the Chepo district where he promised to reduce the National Assembly and its slate.
There, residents raised the need for schools, medicine, public spaces and bridges to the presidential candidate. “The people ask for it and that is my main commitment,” said Lombana about reducing spending on entities such as the Assembly, to provide those resources to citizens.
Currently the Assembly has 71 deputies, but the MOCA candidate has proposed that the legislature can operate with half of them.
Torrijos pledged in Panama Oeste to work to resolve problems such as insecurity, lack of drinking water, lack of opportunities for young people and the creation of rehabilitation centers in case of accidents.
He also described as “inhuman” the time that users take on a public transport bus, despite being so close to the capital city. Therefore, his government plan includes, among its priorities, the conclusion of a series of road projects that have been started but are still unfinished.
In addition, he proposed expanding regional university centers and improving public health services. In fact, he promised to build a fourth level hospital in the La Chorrera district.
Smoke continues to rise from Patacón Hill. Affected citizens indicated this Sunday, March 24, that they have smelled the smell of burning garbage in the capital, this despite the fact that firefighters put out the fire 100% last Friday.
The most affected are those who live near the landfill. “We’ve been breathing this for 6 weeks now,” commented X user @clearthisfish .
Ángel Delgado , lieutenant colonel of the Benemérito Fire Department of Panama, explained that although there are no longer flames inside Cerro Patacón, there are still some “hot spots” that generate that smoke.
He maintained that it is known as “combustion residue,” which is fueled when there is a breeze.
“It’s like a firebrand, which continues to smoke,” he added.
Added to this are the fires reported in sectors near the landfill. This Saturday alone, three fires were recorded in grasslands, in areas such as Guna Nega. They were put out by the red shirts.
Last Friday, the Research, Innovation and Development Group in Applied Chemistry of the University of Panama (UP) expressed its “deep concern” regarding the “toxicological danger” posed by the recent fires on Cerro Patacón.
Through a statement, the group highlighted that one of its duties is to warn about the risks associated with exposure to chemical substances and advocate for adequate protection measures for the affected population.
According to the group of researchers, the fires that have been recorded at the landfill have “evidenced a critical and underestimated problem: the emission of a wide range of compounds of toxicological importance into the air, including sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, dioxins and furans, the latter being particularly dangerous .
They recommended people living near the landfill to limit their exposure to the outdoors, not do physical activities near these areas, and stay indoors with the windows closed.
The Omar Torrijos Herrera Recreational and Cultural Park will finally be renovated. The Ministry of the Presidency awarded the contract for the design, construction and improvements to this public recreation site located in the heart of the city.
The winning company of the tender was Corporación Beta, SA , which offered a proposal for 609,674 dollars.
The Presidency ordered the publication of this award on March 19, on the Panama Compra website, to later give the order to proceed.
There were three companies that participated in this tender for best value, whose base reference price was 585,294 dollars.
The other two companies, which were left out, were Thelmar Panamá, SA . which offered for an amount of 578 thousand 859 and Educational Furniture & Technology, SA ., which presented a proposal for 612 thousand 559.
According to the commission that was in charge of evaluating the proposals, Thelmar Panamá, SA and Educational Furniture & Technology, SA, did not comply with all the requirements established in the specifications.
Thus, the company Corporación Beta, SA, will be in charge of the design, study, construction and adaptations of the cultural and children’s facilities of this important park.
This includes an amphitheater for 200 people, renovation of the mixed children’s games and restoration of the current gazebos and bathrooms. The works also include sand play, seating benches and landscaping. Likewise a slide and the dismantling of the 26 existing games.
Currently, the children’s games, the dinosaur area, the snack houses for children and visitors, as well as the swings are neglected.
Omar Park, which has 56 hectares and receives more than 5 thousand people a day, is under the umbrella of the Office of the First Lady, Jazmín Colón de Cortizo.
In November 2023, the first tender for that project was launched but it was declared void.
The two activists of the candidate for deputy for the 8-3 circuit, Ingrid Perscky, who were injured on Friday, March 22, are in stable condition.
According to Perscky, who represents the Popular Party (PP) in her candidacy for deputy for the 8-3 circuit, one of the women underwent surgery and her condition is stable, while the other injured person was discharged and He is already at home.
The incident occurred in the afternoon on the main road of Vista Hermosa, Pueblo Nuevo.
The presidential candidate for the Popular Party, Martín Torrijos, condemned the incident in his X account.
Due to this event, the health fair scheduled for this Saturday in Pueblo Nuevo has been canceled. This event was part of the activities planned before the violent incident on Friday.
Perscky told La Prensa that they are reorganizing their political campaign activities with a view to the elections on May 5, 2024
Investigations into this incident remain ongoing. According to the chief of the San Francisco police area, Juan Arango, it has been learned that the other two men who were in the vehicle attacked by a motorcyclist have a history of attacks with firearms. One of them is being investigated for crimes against life and personal integrity.
Arango added that the evidence collected at the scene is added to the videos delivered to the authorities to locate the motorcycle driver involved in the case.
A new loan for Panama for $350 million was approved by the executive board of the World Bank this Friday, March 22.
The financing is part of the development policy program (DPP) on Climate Resilience and Green Growth and will support the country in reforms aimed at decarbonizing the transportation and energy sectors, the multilateral organization indicated in a statement.
Likewise, part of the resources will be allocated to programs that seek to generate the capacities required in the task of adaptation and mitigation of the effects of climate change.
The World Bank detailed that this $350 million dollar project will support the reforms established in two pillars:
The first pillar focuses on promoting a clean energy transition, low-carbon and socially inclusive growth, and technological innovations for disaster preparedness.
“In accordance with this component, Panama will continue to strengthen the regulatory and regulatory frameworks that were created to reduce emissions from the energy and transportation sectors. This pillar supports political reforms aimed at rural electrification through renewable energies and digital connectivity that will benefit women and indigenous territories.”
And the second pillar will help Panama continue developing capabilities to manage its natural resources sustainably and plan for climate change.