Thread: Protests and the Pan-American highway

As we look forward to our visit right after Carnival, I was wondering if anyone had some up-to-date news/opinions on the Ngobe-Bugle protests. The news I'm finding on the web is pretty generic and it's hard to get anything but the broadest understanding of what's at stake and how long the protests are likely to last.

We're hoping to take a bus to David from PC around March 5th, if possible. Will just have to wait and see, obviously.

Carol

Originally Posted by carolg

around March 5th

I was surprised to see no one talking about it as well, but to be honest I am sure it will be long over by March. I give it a few more days before they unleash "the dogs of war" so to speak.

Originally Posted by Ksopa

I was surprised to see no one talking about it as well, but to be honest I am sure it will be long over by March. I give it a few more days before they unleash "the dogs of war" so to speak.

i have never seen any dogs of war in this country , i think even the cops are scared of them .

well they keep them on a leash around Darien so thats probably why

Originally Posted by carolg

As we look forward to our visit right after Carnival, I was wondering if anyone had some up-to-date news/opinions on the Ngobe-Bugle protests. The news I'm finding on the web is pretty generic and it's hard to get anything but the broadest understanding of what's at stake and how long the protests are likely to last.

We're hoping to take a bus to David from PC around March 5th, if possible. Will just have to wait and see, obviously.

Carol

the indians will all be shot by that time either by the cops or the locals trying to get to Carnival

history always has a way of repeating itself

Panamanians only kill over water melon payments and other stupid brain dead stuff. Not for anything it seems worthwhile for. It's easier to steal 400k in Panama than to get away from a bien cuidado payment from the legal system's point of view.

I guess thats why they say ignorance is bliss. You never know with these things though, they can get out of hand real fast. I hear the UN is already asking for the Gov. to negotiate, but I guess that is hard when they turned off all the phones.

It's quite unfortunate that Panama allows protestors to close the only road in the country for about a week. Imagine if they closed the banks for a week and not only country-wide tourism. Or the free-trade zone.....

http://www.panama-foundations.com/

well they went and played cowboys and indians and it over now .

Well, it's hard to tell WHEN or WHERE they will close down the highway. The Nogble Bogle protest seems to have reached the beaches. My contacts tell me the road is closed in both directions as we speak between San Carlos and Vista Mar. Speaking of San Carlos, our old friend General Manny is in the ICU at Hospital Santo Tomas in PC. His blood pressure went through the roof, but he is expected to be ok. Can anyone say "Humanitarian Release to House Arrest"? This would be a likely stepping stone. Do they really have to go to all these steps to make it politically feasable? Just wonderin' .....

Hi. I would hope by then (Mar) it has been resolved. For now there are planes passing from Panama City to David and the road for now is open altho no one wats to use it, or so they say. they say the busses are not passing for they do not want to be unsafe. The news here is quite good if you understand Spanish. Could say much more on it, but for now best to wait and see what happens. Hellen

This morning's blockage was orchestrated by SUNTRACS, the construction union. They went back to work before the policia arrived, and the highway has reopened. Things seem to be smoldering and possibly ready to erupt. Or not. Hard to say in Panama.

After studying Panama for about a year or so, we really aren't concerned for our safety, per se. If we need to modify our personal plans because of the conflict, we will after we get there.

Personally, my heart goes out to the Ngabe-Bugle peoples. They apear to be defending the comarca with the tools they have.

If we can'tgo west, we may be visiting the nakedguy in Pedasi sooner than we expected.

Originally Posted by carolg

After studying Panama for about a year or so, we really aren't concerned for our safety, per se. If we need to modify our personal plans because of the conflict, we will after we get there.

Personally, my heart goes out to the Ngabe-Bugle peoples. They apear to be defending the comarca with the tools they have.

If we can'tgo west, we may be visiting the nakedguy in Pedasi sooner than we expected.

and once you come to pedasi you will never leave , oh dont get me wrong , the city is nice to shop in for a couple of days , and boquete is very beautiful because it is very green , but you need warm clothes up there , and i have no clothes LOL

Pedasi is lovely. I was just there studying at Ingrid´s Spanish school and it was also a breath of fresh air. So I agree, Pedasi is a great place. Hellen

Hmmm, sounds like we may visit there, yet!

We will see. Not such an awful alternative