Panama: Free Bush Protest Detainees
US President George W. Bush´s visit to Panama is already history, but university students are inflamed with passion, demanding freedom for their schoolmates detained by the police during the protests.

Some hours ago, almost a hundred students participated in violent disturbances, after clashing with the National Police (PN) when demanding freedom for leaders that were arrested on Monday during a protest against Bush.

Two students were wounded.

According to Panamanian Youth Movement sources, student leader Javier Viquez, Priscilla Vasquez, general secretary of the Social Security Credit Union Employee Association, unionist Pedro Montañez, and lawyer Renaul Escudero are among those arrested.

All the detainees participated in a rally against the White House tenant, whom they called warmonger, genocidal, assassin, and other adjectives mentioned at Don Bosco Basilica and the Porras Plaza, in this capital.

Witnesses asserted that several demonstrators argued with NP agents at the end of the meeting on Monday night and threw Molotov cocktails, for which they were detained.

Panama´s University Rector Gustavo Garcia suspended academic activities until Friday, and ordered an investigation of the incidents in the higher educational center.

National political figures and some local media, together with Panamanian First Vice President and Foreign Minister Samuel Lewis Navarro, were pleased by the results of Washington´s head of State´s short stay in this country.

However, the Panamanian Committee for Peace and against war, together with FRENADESO, university teachers, unionists, farmers, and cattle breeders rejected Bush´s presence and all that he represents, with hard criticism of the national government.