Besieged City Welcomes Bush in Panama
An absolutely besieged city, full of police officers, security agents plus helicopters and patrol boats around a hotel, surrounds the US President George W. Bush´s visit to Panama.

The head of state arrived hours ago from Brazil following the Americas Summit´s fiasco in Mar del Plata, Argentina, where he received broad repudiation.

However, Panamanian authorities, afraid of a repetition of violent demonstrations, placed metal fences in all areas where Bush will appear.

Bush was welcomed by first Vice President and Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Lewis Navarro at Tocumen airport.

Various union, religious, student and civic movements concentrated at Don Bosco basilica, in this capital, to reject the current occupant of the White House, who they said was guilty of genocide and a fascist.

The National Front for the Defense of the Social Security Fund leader, Gloria Castillo, visibly angry, told Prensa Latina that having a president that sheltered terrorists in his country was a major offense.

"No one can forget he is the main aggressor of humankind at present, a contentious opponent of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the one trying to asphyxiate the Cuban people by hunger with a criminal blockade," noted Castillo.

Meanwhile, defense lawyer of Panamanian victims for the Pentagon´s December 1989 invasion, Gilma Camargo, said it was a shame that Martin Torrijos´ government had warmly greeted Bush.

"No amount of money can pay for a family member´s death. El Chorrillo neighborhood was devastated by flames which caused a countless number of deaths and neither the US nor the Panama administration seems to be concerned about the after-effects," she emphasized.

The US President´s agenda includes meeting with President Torrijos, a press conference, visiting the Panama Canal to dialogue with its administrator Alberto Aleman Zubieta and meeting with baseball players.

Before he leaves the country, the Panamanian Peace Movement as well as different organizations will have a Patriotic Act to reject his presence in this city at central Porras Square.