Thread: FARC Guerrillas Return to Bajo Chiquito in Panama's Darién Province

By José Somarriba Hernández and Rafael Luna Noguera for La Prensa - Although this time they were dressed in civilian clothes, men who are assumed to be Colombian guerrillas returned on Saturday to the town of Bajo Chiquito in Panama's Darién province, returning to the store sacked by FARC guerrillas on 1 August 2008. Elpidio Rosales, inhabitant of the zone, said that at least six men entered the store and, although there was no violence, the majority of the residents fled from their homes in fear of the possibility of an impending attack. The National Police said they have no information regarding the incident, but that they would investigate.
Editor's Comment: The FARC has, does, and will operate in the dense jungles of Panama's eastern most border with Colombia in the Darién province. What's more, as the Colombian military continues to push and pressure the FARC guerrillas from their side, then those same guerrillas are going to seek refuge and shelter on the Panamanian side of the border. This small store in Bajo Chiquito has obviously become to mean "food" to the FARC guerrillas, and the Panamanian National Police should simply post units there permanently to protect the small town. The obvious problem is that Panama has very limited capabilities to mix it up with the FARC in the remote jungles, and they prefer to all a kind of peaceful coexistence to take place. Notice, this story got a mild "we will look into it" response from the National Police. Also, it's not in the FARC's best interests to stir things up (too much) on the Panamanian side of the border - they need a place to hide and heal.


DENUNCIA.


Irregulares irrumpenen Darién


José Somarriba HernándezRafael Luna Noguerapanorama@prensa.com


Aunque esta vez iban vestidos de civil, supuestos guerrilleros colombianos volvieron a entrar este sábado en Bajo Chiquito, Darién, el mismo escenario donde el 1 de agosto pasado un grupo de irregulares saqueó un comercio.


Elpidio Rosales, morador de la zona, contó que al menos seis hombres entraron a la localidad y, aunque no hubo violencia, la mayoría de los vecinos abandonó sus casas por temor a un ataque. La Policía Nacional dijo no tener informes de incidentes, pero que investigará.

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Originally Posted by MRWOOHOO

Keep in mind the FARC are heavily armed and have easy access to Panama. If there were to be heavy resistance on the side of Panama, the FARC would truly bring death and destruction to Panama City.

Is this for real?

If so, I find this truly disturbing.

Everything I have read about Panama up until now has led me to believe it was a safe, peaceful county. If that is not true, I would like to know more, before I waste any more time making plans to move there.

FARC and many other columbian drug lords have been moving in and out of the Darien for decades. It's nothing new. There have been very few incidents of attacking civilians.

And the police don't do anything because the FARC will counter-attack and they are better trained in jungle warfare than the Panama police. They've killed several police in the past and I'm sure that the police aren't too excited to engage with them unless they absolutely have to.

The USA has 100X more gangs and violence and murders than you'll ever see in Panama. If you've adapted to USA violence - this is a very safe area relatively speaking.

Matt

I really would not worry about it to much. The FARC also realize if they were to start open warfare on the streets it would REALLY upset the USA as well as China. Due to it's location and importance of the canal nobody wants warfare in Panama from either side. As long as you are not waving around money (in different forms) and as long as you are not involved in politics you are relatively safe. Like Matt said, the USA is less safe.

Originally Posted by photogirl

Is this for real?

If so, I find this truly disturbing.

Everything I have read about Panama up until now has led me to believe it was a safe, peaceful county. If that is not true, I would like to know more, before I waste any more time making plans to move there.

The location of the event that concerned you is along the border of Panama and Columbia...to the east of PC.