Welcome to the Panama Weekly News Roundup! Here’s the latest.
Panama’s ex-president to stop fighting extradition from U.S.
Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli will no longer fight extradition from the United States to his homeland, his lawyer said on Thursday, where Martinelli will face charges that he organized a scheme to spy on political rivals.
Martinelli is accused by Panamanian prosecutors of using public money to spy on more than 150 political rivals during his 2009-2014 term. He denies those charges.
In a handwritten note distributed by his lawyer Sidney Sitton, the ex-president said his extradition to Panama is now “in the hands of the (U.S.) Department of State.”
Sitton said he expects the extradition to be finalized in less than 30 days, and that Martinelli was no longer seeking asylum in the United States.
Source: Reuters
Chess on the high seas: The Panama Canal.
The chess tournament aboard the “Norwegian Bliss” continues, as the players travel from Miami to Los Angeles. On the way the chess tourists have now made the transition from the Atlantic to the Pacific passing the “eighth wonder of the world”: MICHAEL DOMBROWSKY sends his latest dispatch.
Many regard it as the eighth wonder of the world, others admire it as a masterpiece of engineering technology; but everyone enjoys crossing the Panama Canal, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in just under a day! This impresses even the die-hard chess players in the “tournament at sea”. For all participants on the trip with Grandmaster Jörg Hickl it was a — if not the — highlight of the journey.
Source: Chess Basef
Panama says new evidence shows 1994 plane crash ‘terrorist’ incident.
A plane crash in Panama in 1994 that killed 21 people, many of them Jews, was the result of a terrorist incident, Panama’s president has said.
TJuan Carlos Varela said the evidence came from Israeli intelligence and he had asked for the case to be reopened.
Prominent Jewish businessmen were among those on board the plane that crashed shortly after take off on 19 July 1994.
The crash happened the day after a bombing at a Jewish centre in the Argentine capital, killing 85 people.
Source: BBC
What it Takes to be a Well-Rounded Expat in Panama
What exactly is an expat? This is a question that has been asked (and answered) in many different ways, for many different years. And while the definition may vary depending on the source, we can all agree on one thing: to be a responsible, positive, well-rounded expat, it takes some patience and effort.
Learn Spanish:
This is something that, despite pretty much everyone talking about doing, often gets pushed to the wayside as people settle into life in their expat communities. You may not need Spanish to get by if you live in heavily populated expat areas, or parts of the city with an international tourist vibe, but if you want to do your part, it’s best to learn. Learning Spanish won’t just make you more comfortable and convenient with getting around, but it’s also a sign of respect to the local population and country. Our advice is to start learning before you come, and continue during your time here as needed.
Source: International Relocation Firm Blog
