Panamanians for Mourning
US Invasion
An overwhelming majority
of Panamanian citizens
on Thursday favor
proclaiming December 20
as a national day of
mourning, to honor the
victims of the US
invasion in 1989.
A national TV public
vote revealed that 81
percent of the citizens
favored legislation that
includes a thorough
investigation into the
number of victims of the
US operation.
Eighteen years after the
bloody action, the total
number of dead and
missing people is still
unknown, as many of them
are buried in common
graves, according to
witnesses.
Promoters of the bill
pointed out there is no
coherent assessment of
the events that led to
one of the most
controversial episodes
in the history of
Panama, which could be
an example for present
and future generations
in Panama.
In the opinion of
National Assembly
President Pedro Miguel
Gonzalez, who is
boosting the idea of
establishing December 20
as national mourning
day, this event should
not be forgotten; on the
contrary, it should
never happen again.
Gonzalez criticized the
authorities elected in
1989 who "decided to go
to a foreign military
base to swear-in as
legitimate rulers of the
nation."
The invasion, in which
between 500 and 5,000
people died, according
to various analysts,
destroyed the Chirrillo
neighborhood, in which
was located the
headquarters of the
Defense Forces, led by
Manuel Antonio Noriega.
The United States said
then that the bloody
military operation had
the objective of
capturing Noriega, whom
it accused of allowing
drug traffic into US
territory.
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