Tourism chief defends himself against drug connection allegations

Panama’s Tourism Manager, Salomon Shamah has stepped forward to defend himself against reports released by Wikileaks.

A report in La Prensa on Monday, January 17, quotes him as saying he does not know on what basis the former U.S. ambassador to Panama, Barbara Stephenson, made the statement to the U.S. State Department that he was  "suspected of links with drug traffickers."

The cable was sent on December 12, 2009, and published by Wikileaks.

"I have no idea. I honestly do not know why she said that “ he said.
He showed showed La Prensa certificates from the prosecutor specializing in Drug-Related Crimes, the Special Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime and Interpol), which said that Shamah had no pending cases All the certificates were dated January 14, 2011.
Shamah said he had requested information from the Department of Administrative Security (DAS) of Colombia, where he was born, and they replied that there was no-related process. For this he did not produce any documentation.