State offices get walking papers from Guna Congress
PANAMA’S Maritime Authority and the National Immigration Service have been asked to vacate their offices in the Guna Comarca within seven days.
The request follows the announcement by the Guna General Congress of a break in relations with the government of Panama and the closing of all state entities in the region.
“We request with much respect that they vacate these offices over a period of seven days,” said an April 14 letter from the Congress to Immigration Director Javier Carrillo.
A day later, a similar letter was sent to the administrator of the maritime authority, Jorge Barakat. That letter to Barakat also said that the matter would be discussed by the Congress at a general assembly set for May 26-30.
Both letters carried the signatures of Guna leaders Baglio Pérez, Belisario López and Maximiliano Ferrer.
The decision to break with the government following to incidents with tourists visiting the Guna territory over fees they were charged.
The leaders said that the government showed “disrespect toward our regional and local authorities” in dealing with the issue.
The national government hasn’t yet responded reports La Prensa.