How The Printing Press Revolutionized Panama

The first printing press arrived to Panama in 1820, just 380 years after Johannes Gutenberg invented the prototype in Mainz, Germany.

During this time, Panama was still a Spanish colony, but Panama’s printing press did not come into the territory with the crown’s consent.  Jose Maria Goytia, a mason by profession picked up the press, originally from the United States, in Jamaica and snuck it into the country.

It was used to produce a weekly newspaper called La Miscelánea which published miscellaneous items about liberty, independence and emancipation.  Contributers included Manuel Maria Ayala, Juan Jose Calvo, Juan Jose Argote, as well as Gaspar and Mariano Arosemena.

Although the Spanish Viceroy shut down the operation for a short time, publication began again in 1821 when Panama gained its independence from Spain.

Reference: Historian Juan Antonio Susto, 1944.