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.