Panama Creates
Controversial
Intelligence Force
PANAMA CITY -
Panama, which has no
army, is creating a new
intelligence agency and
a border police force,
prompting concerns of a
return to its
militarized past.
President Martin
Torrijos says the
intelligence force is
needed to combat growing
drug crimes.
He signed an executive
order Wednesday creating
the intelligence force
and border police and
combining the naval and
air police forces.
Lawmakers are expected
to approve the
initiatives.
But opposition lawmakers
and civil rights
advocates say the laws
would give the
government unprecedented
surveillance powers.
Warrants are still
required to set up
wiretaps, but critics
say the rules are too
loosely defined.
Panama is one of the
second country in Latin
America (the other being
Costa Rica) that has
permanently abolished
standing armies. This
came as a result of a US
invasion that overthrew
a military dictatorship
which ruled the country
from 1968 to 1989.
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