Torrijos takes over Panama with mission to renovate canal

AFP ^ | Aug 31,2004 | AFP

[hedgetrimmer]

Martin Torrijos becomes president of Panama on a mission to modernize the aging Panama Canal, purge rampant corruption and investigate abuses committed by his father's authoritarian regime.

AFP/File Photo

Panama's new leader is the son of Omar Torrijos, a populist strongman who ruled the Central American nation from 1968-1981 after a military coup.

Martin Torrijos, 41, took the presidency through the ballot box, crushing former president Guillermo Endara, who held office from 1989-1994, in a 47-31 percent electoral victory. He will be sworn in on Wednesday.

The Social Democrat entered the political arena in 1994 as vice minister of justice in Ernesto Perez's government. His allies control the legislature and hold the majority of mayoral offices.

During the campaign, Torrijos distanced himself from his late father's regime by promising to create a commission to probe abuses under the dictatorships of Omar Torrijos and Manuel Noriega, who was ousted in a 1989 US invasion. Torrijos died in a plane crash in 1981.

Last week, outgoing President Mireya Moscoso declared that Torrijos' regime was responsible for the disappearance and presumed deaths of 110 political opponents, opening the door for compensation for the victims' families.

Moscoso has her own connection to the dictator's regime. She is the wife of former Panamanian leader Arnulfo Arias, whom Torrijos ousted in 1968. She defeated Martin Torrijos in the 1999 election.

Omar Torrijos, a populist leader who remains loved and loathed in this nation of three million people, was the architect of a 1977 treaty with then-US president Jimmy Carter, which led to the handover of the US-controlled canal to Panama on December 31, 1999.

Martin Torrijos now wants to hold a referendum on widening the 78-kilometer (48-mile) long waterway, which connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Construction is estimated to cost eight billion dollars.

More than 14,000 boats use the canal each year, some 12 percent of US and 2.3 percent of world maritime commerce. However the canal is too narrow for today's vessels.

Torrijos, who campaigned on a promise to govern with "humility" also pledged to end corruption, build public housing, combat unemployment and crime.

He seeks a free-trade agreement with the United States, with which his nationalistic father had troubled relations. US Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) is expected to attend Torrijos' inauguration.

Torrijos also inherits a diplomatic spat with Cuba, which broke relations with Panama last week after Moscoso pardoned four Cubans convicted in a plot to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Castro (news - web sites) at a 2000 summit here.

Torrijos' father was a friend of Castro. The two countries exchanged ambassadors in 1976. Martin Torrijos has already announced that he would use his first days in office to repair relations with the communist island.

[hedgetrimmer]

D'ya think the canal should be a little wider?


The USS Iowa crosses the Panama Canal at Miraflores Lock near Panama City, Panama Wednesday, March 28, 2001. At 108.2 feet wide, the Iowa-class battleships are the largest vessels ever to scrape their way through the 110-foot-wide locks of the canal. They were designed so that they could just fit through the waterway. Taiwan President Chen Shui Bian said Tuesday Aug. 31, 2004 that Taiwan is ready to participate in the financing of a possible Panama Canal expansion. In an interview with The Associated Press, Chen said Taiwan was ready to work out financing directly with Panama or by inviting countries like the United States and Japan to join in. The project is estimated to cost US$9 billion, and would allow a larger, new generation of ships to pass through the waterway. (AP Photo/Tomas Munita)

[hedgetrimmer]

PRESIDENT CHEN OFFERS TO HELP PANAMA WIDEN CANAL

Panama, Aug. 31 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Tuesday he hopes to expand Taiwan's economic footprint in the Americas through the recently signed free trade agreement (FTA) with Panama and offered to assist with the Central American country's plan to widen the Panama Canal.

Chen made the remarks during a meeting with Panamanian President-elect Martin Torrijos, who will be sworn in on Wednesday.

Chen noted that trade between Taiwan and Panama hit US$140 million in the first six months after the FTA took effect on Jan. 1 this year, with Panama's exports to Taiwan increasing five times during the same period.

Chen said the amount has surpassed the total trade volume of last year, which he said shows that the FTA is very helpful to the development of bilateral trade and economic ties.

Taiwan enterprises now maintain investments worth US$1 billion in Panama, the president said.

In addition, Chen said Taiwan is willing to assist with Panama's plan to widen the Panama Canal because it is important to many Taiwan businesses including Evergreen Marine Co. and Yang Ming Marine Transport.

But Torrijos said the plan, which was one of his campaign promises, has yet to be finalized because of the controversial nature of the project.

Torrijos said a referendum might be held to let the people decide whether to go ahead with the expansion.

Also during the meeting, Torrijos accepted President Chen's invitation for him to visit Taiwan.

Chen is making a two-day state visit to Panama mainly to attend Torrijos' inauguration. He will also visit Belize before returning to Taiwan on Sept. 5.


http://www.cna.com.tw/eng/topread.php?id=200409010027

[Boundless]

> Torrijos distanced himself from his late father's regime
> by promising to create a commission to probe abuses under
> the dictatorships of Omar Torrijos and ...

As I recall, that's a stock line from page 23 in the
Appendix to Machiavelli's "The Prince", under the
topic "Banana Republics".

Which is to say that the pledge is as credible as a
John Kerry campaign promise.

[edwin hubble]

The canal's operations contracts have gone to the Communist Chinese govt.surrogate corporations for several years.

Now Taiwan is trying to get involved?

strange

[hedgetrimmer]

Tawian is attempting to establish itself as a sovereign nation in the eyes of the international community. It is peititioning to be recognized in the United Nations. If it establishes free trade agreements and provides funding for international projects, they may convince the UN to let them enter.

OTOH, getting involved in the UN can be a BAD thing.

[Constitution Day]

Jimmy Carter, you suck.

[hedgetrimmer]

Yeah, its hard to believe a US president would hand over such a strategic piece of real estate to a dictator. But Carter did do it.

[endthematrix]

DOWNSIDE LEGACY AT TWO DEGREES OF PRESIDENT CLINTON
SECTION: RED FLAGS OF TREASON
SUBSECTION: SHIPPING AND PORTS
Revised 8/10/00

GENERAL Information
PANAMA Information
COSCO Information

http://www.alamo-girl.com/0051.htm