Seminary in Panama: General Noriega, Old City, and Challenges...

After the destruction of the city of Panamá by the pirate, Captain Morgan (see previous post), the

Casco Viejo

inhabitants had had enough and moved their city to what they considered to be a safer location, further along the bay, in a position that was more easily defended. This is the city that is now known as the Casco Viejo (The Old Area) which, to you and I, would mean the colonial area of Panamá City.

El Chorrillo

Firstly, the Casco Viejo adjoins another area known as El Chorrillo (literally "the Little Stream"). El Chorrillo is considered to be the most dangerous part of the city and is certainly among the poorest of the barrios. Like so many of these areas all around the world, poverty goes hand in hand with crime, and El Chorrillo has quite a reputation on this front. That said, people live and rear families here just as they do in all other areas - it's one thing to be from here; it's another to wander in to it.

And this is part of the problem that faces the authorities of the city. The colonial centre is an attractive area for tourists. Unfortunately, the fact that this area continues in to El Chorrillo which means that many tourists wander in to it and are vulnerable to assault and theft. It also means that if tourists are robbed in the colonial area, the rabbit warren of streets means that it is very easy for the wrongdoer to make a getaway.

Anyway, that can be said of every city - we all have areas we wouldn't recommend to tourists. We El Chorrillo and one thing that is very interesting about it is that this was the area where the famous General Noriega - President/ Dictator of Panamá from 1983-1989, had his headquarters.

Green building is on the site of Noriega's Headquarters

drove through

Noriega was eventually overthrown after an invasion by the United States (concerned for the canal???). He took refuge in the Papal Nunciature where he remained while the building was surrounded by United States' military forces. Because the Nunciature is foreign soverign territory (the embassy of the Vatican to Panamá) they couldn't storm the building, so what they did was to shine strong floodlights on the building 24 hours a day on the building and to bombard it with very loud rock music on a continuous basis over ten days, after which time Noriega handed himself over and was arrested as a war criminal.

He was taken to the United States and tried for drug-trafficking among other crimes. He was sentenced to40 years in prison (later reduced to 30) - after a number of years he was trasferred to a prison in Panamá where he continues to serve his sentence. The events of the invasion of Panamá are recounted in a new film about the episode called Invasion. This film is provoking a lot of comment here.

The reality is that Panamanians are pretty much divided over Noriega. Many feel that he achieved a lot of important things for the country while others feel that he was just a crook. The truth is probably between the two. Similarly, the number of those killed during the invasion varies enormously from very few, to tens of thousands - the reality is likely to be several thousand. What people here seem to agree on, however, is that those who died were largely young, leaderless soldiers who were left to face a far superior military force while their generals and superior officers had fled the country seeking asylum in neighbouring countries.

El Chorrillo, due to the concentration of military installations there took quite a battering during the invasion and has been largely rebuilt because of this. Like so many inner-city areas all over the world it has lots of people and not so many services.

The colonial centre of Panamá, however, is quite different. Even though it has been allowed to fall Plazas). Buildings are built very close together with space at a premium. One particular square deserves mention which is the one where the French Embassy is to be found. In front of it is a large momunent commemorating the building of the Canal (which was begun by the French) which forms part of a promenade along by the sea with views over the water and, more recently, of the newer part of Panamá City with its skyscrapers and modern buildings.

Buildings are close together

into a dreadful state of repair, it is clear that huge efforts are underway to restore it to what must have been its former grandeur. Pretty streets with attractive buildings abound and there are several well-appointed squares (

This is really the story of Panamá - three cities side by side (see yesterday's post as well) and all in the same bay which, since the 16th century, has been a centre for trade in two directions via both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

This coming weekend I will be going to see another part of Panamá when I go to Chitré, a city about three hours away, which will be celebrating its annual festivities. I am told I will see lots of traditional outfits, dances etc. so that is something to look forward to. Meanwhile, I am off to Los Angeles parish again today to stay with the Augustinians.
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