Panama granted political asylum to a former head of Colombia’s secret police Friday. Maria del Pilar Hurtado, head of the secret service Department of Administrative Security in 2007-2008, is under investigation for spying and illegally wiretapping judges, journalists, politicians and human rights activists opposed to then-President Alvaro Uribe. She was granted asylum after “a careful...
Read more »
Panama and the U.S. will soon be exchanging tax information once Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner signs off on November 30. With a tax accord secured, Panama’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Roberto Henriquez, expects that the U.S. Congress will approve the stalled Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. “The Panama deal is...
Read more »
Miss Reef Panama, Betzida Herrera, beat out 10 other contestants to win the World Miss Reef Hawaiian Pro crown. Herrera won $5,000 and a guaranteed spot in the 2012 Miss Reef Calendar. Miss Reef Argentina, Natalia Baccino, came in third and Miss Reef Peru, Vanessa Tello, was runner up. Contestants were judged on “a diverse...
Read more »
With its sights set on Japanese investment capital, Panama hired two banks to set up meetings with bond investors in Japan this week, Bloomberg Business Week reports. A source who preferred to remain anonymous told Bloomberg that Daiwa Securities Capital Markets Co. and Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. are organizing the talks. Panama’s...
Read more »
Israel’s Haaretz news reports that Iran and Venezuela plan to help build a canal through Nicaragua, linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to rival the Panama Canal. The report, referencing unnamed sources, indicates that the recent Nicaragua-Costa Rica border incident is part of this plan, formulated by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan President...
Read more »