Welcome to the Panama Weekly News Roundup! Here’s the latest.
Cancer Identified in 700-Year-Old Bones From Panama
According to a report in Smithsonian Magazine, bioarchaeologist Nicole Smith-Guzmán of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute found evidence of bone cancer in 700-year-old skeletal remains stored since they were unearthed at a village site in Bocas del Toro more than 40 years ago by archaeologist Olga Linares.
At the time, Linares wrote that she had found the remains of a “diseased individual,” who had been discarded in a trash midden. Smith-Guzmán says that radiocarbon dating has shown that the bones belonged to a teenager who had been carefully buried in the midden with ceramic vessels and a shell trumpet after the village had been abandoned.
Source: Archaeology.org
64 Arrested, 4 Tonnes of Cocaine Seized in Panama Bust
Panamanian authorities arrested 64 people and seized four tonnes of cocaine following a two-year investigation into a drug trafficking ring, the government said on Wednesday.
Over the past 22 months, police have seized a total of $2.5 million (about R32 million) in cash, 49 vehicles and one tonne of marijuana from the group that included Panamanians, Colombians, Cubans, Guatemalans, Mexicans and Venezuelans, according to investigators.
Drug trafficking prosecutor Eduardo de la Torre told reporters that the gang had been moving drugs by boat from South America and noted that the street value of the seized drugs in the United States was around $400 million.
Thirty-three more people have been charged in the probe, including police officials, the government said in a statement.
Source: IOL
You Need a Canoe to Reach This Lunch in Panama
The Pan-American Highway is less a road than a 30,000-mile-long spiderweb. Its threads run through 14 countries, from the United States to Argentina. But there’s a 100-mile chunk missing through the border of Panama and Colombia; here, the mountainous jungle terrain is too rugged to be paved.
There is ongoing consideration to build one—connecting Yaviza, Panama to Turbo, Colombia—but it faces steadfast concern that a break in the rainforest would affect Panama’s annual rainfall, putting the Panama Canal (and the country’s economy) at risk. Plus, the jungle is a barrier against drug trafficking and from certain illness reaching North America. The region, known as the Darién Gap, is where the Emberá tribe lives.
Source: Saveur
Buying Property in Panama: What you need to look for
If you’re planning on moving to Panama or investing in Panama, you’ve most likely considered buying property in Panama. The Panama real estate market has been one of the region’s hottest over the past ten years, and for good reason. Panama is ideal for real estate investment, whether you’re full-time, part-time, or just want to make a financial commitment.
Visit Panama First:
This seems self-explanatory, but with the popularity of online real estate sites and transactions, it may be tempting to jump the gun and invest from abroad before actually seeing Panama first. We highly recommend you don’t do this. Planning an explorational trip is important, even if you’re simply investing, as it will give you a real life feel of what you’re buying, and what Panama truly has to offer. Plus, it’s fun! Who wouldn’t want to spend some time in Panama traveling and looking at houses? Before you come, there’s lots of online research you can do as well, and the combination of the two will make the entire process more enjoyable, and much less stressful.
Source: International Relocation Firm Blog
